Pregnancy, maternity, birth, and baby information » Pregnancy

Expecting? You may experience changes in vision

Jennifer — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:13:31 +0000

Mom & Baby

(ARA) – The pregnancy test is positive. Along with the excitement and anticipation of the baby’s arrival, women need to be aware of body transformations during and after the pregnancy. A growing belly, nausea, food cravings and heightened sensitivity to smells are obvious symptoms of pregnancy. But many women don’t realize their vision can change as well.

Expectant mothers may feel as though they are not seeing as well or their contact lenses may not be as comfortable. Doctors of optometry caution women that hormonal changes, which occur during pregnancy, can cause conditions such as dry eyes and puffy eyelids. Because of this, some pregnant women may need to change the type or brand of contact lenses they typically wear or reduce the length of time the contacts are worn. Another option that optometrists recommend to expectant mothers is wearing eye glasses during pregnancy.

“Pregnant women should be aware that vision problems can be a sign of a more serious condition,” says Dr. Glen Steele, optometrist and chair of the InfantSEE committee. “That’s why it’s critical that expectant mothers visit their optometrists during their pregnancy.”

If expectant women experience any of the following eye problems during pregnancy, the American Optometric Association recommends they make an appointment with an optometrist:

* Blurred vision
* Distorted vision
* Contact lens discomfort
* Tunnel vision
* Extremely dry eyes

Although vision changes may be evident during pregnancy, it is important to note that most are temporary and that vision usually returns to normal within a few months after delivery.

Once the baby has arrived, it is just as important to monitor the infant’s vision development.

“Infant eye and vision assessments offer early detection of vision and eye health problems that can interfere with normal development,” says Steele.

Parents can have their baby’s eyes assessed through InfantSEE, a program of Optometry’s Charity – The AOA Foundation, which offers infants between the ages of six and 12 months a one-time, no-cost eye and vision assessment, regardless of a parent’s ability to pay.

For more information on vision and pregnancy or to find a local optometrist, visit www.AOA.org. To locate a participating InfantSEE doctor, visit www.InfantSEE.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Good news for expectant or would-be moms with epilepsy

Jennifer — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:36:18 +0000

(ARA) – Mary Katherine Albritton had a normal childhood despite being diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 6 years old. Her parents worked to teach her about her condition, and she grew up to be a happy adult. But in 2005 she got a surprise — she was pregnant. As an adult with epilepsy, she wondered about the risks to her and her fetus.

“I had six seizures through my pregnancy, but my daughter Taylor was born a healthy, beautiful baby,” says Albritton, who worked closely with her neurologist throughout the course of her pregnancy.

Albritton is just one of a surprisingly large number of women with epilepsy who have had successful childbirths. It is estimated that about half a million women with epilepsy in the United States are of childbearing age and that three to five out of every 1,000 births are to women with epilepsy. The majority of people with epilepsy have well-controlled seizures, are otherwise healthy, and expect to participate fully in life experiences, including pregnancy.

New guidelines developed by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society show it’s relatively safe for women with epilepsy to become pregnant, but caution must be taken, including avoiding valproate, an epilepsy drug that can cause birth defects.

“Good evidence shows that valproate is linked to an increased risk for fetal malformations and decreased thinking skills in children, whether used by itself or with other medications,” says lead guideline author Dr. Cynthia Harden, director of the Epilepsy Division at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and member of the American Academy of Neurology.

The guidelines also suggest that, if possible, women with epilepsy should not take more than one epilepsy drug at a time during pregnancy since taking more than one seizure drug has also been found to increase the risk of birth defects compared to taking only one medication.

“Overall, what we found should be very reassuring to every woman with epilepsy planning to become pregnant,” says Harden. “These guidelines show that women with epilepsy are not at a substantially increased risk of having a Caesarean section, late pregnancy bleeding, or premature contractions or premature labor and delivery. Also, if a woman is seizure free nine months before she becomes pregnant, it’s likely that she will not have any seizures during the pregnancy.”

However, Harden says pregnant women with epilepsy should consider having their blood tested regularly. “Levels of seizure medications in the blood tend to drop during pregnancy, so checking these levels and adjusting the medication doses should help to keep the levels in the effective range and the pregnant woman seizure free.”

When Albritton had her second child, Thomas, she had three seizures during her pregnancy. “June 15, 2007 was my last seizure when I was pregnant with Thomas. He was born a healthy baby boy on November 5. When people say their kids are miracles, mine really are. I haven’t had a seizure since.”

Her advice for other women with epilepsy who want children: “Understand that epileptic women are capable of having healthy babies. I suggest staying in close contact with your obstetrician and neurologist.”

For more information about the guidelines visit www.aan.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Myth Busting: Some Helpful Tips for a Nutritious Pregnancy

Jennifer — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:25:55 +0000

If there ever was a love/hate relationship for the record books, it’s the relationship between a pregnant woman and food. On one hand, it’s a time when food cravings go on overdrive, and the body shouts “More, more, more!” On the other hand, certain foods can trigger discomforts such as nausea, causing a “Less, less, less!” reaction. Here are some common myth busters about pregnancy and nutrition.

Myth Number One: I’m eating for two, so please pass the gravy.
A common misperception is that you can eat anything you want while you’re pregnant. While it may be true that you need to eat wisely for your baby, it’s not about volume, according to pregnancy nutrition experts.

“You need to use nutritional common sense throughout your pregnancy,” says Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., and author of “Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy.”

“Although it takes 55,000 extra calories to make a healthy baby, that amounts to just 300 extra calories per day in the last two trimesters. You can easily meet the requirement by eating a couple of healthy snacks throughout the day.”

Suggested weight gain for a person of normal weight is 25-to-35 pounds. A woman who is considered underweight should put on 28-to-40 pounds, and an overweight person should put on 15-to-25 pounds. So, instead of asking someone to pass you the gravy boat, simply give gravy a “pass” all together. Choose a healthy snack, such as a whole grain bagel, some yogurt or an orange.

Myth Number Two: Fish is a no-no, so I can’t have sushi.
When you are pregnant, many favorite and everyday foods suddenly become off limits – for example, unpasteurized cheeses, caffeinated beverages and deli meats. Many pregnant women think sushi is off limits too, since certain types of fish may contain toxins and pollutants that can be harmful to both mother and baby.

Fortunately you can crave your sushi and eat it, too, thanks to Fujisan Sushi, the only sushi enriched with life’sDHA — a vegetarian and sustainable source of the omega-3 DHA derived from microalgae, with less risk of contamination. Fujisan Sushi provides 32 mg of this important nutrient per serving and is considered an excellent source of DHA, the primary building block for your baby’s brain, eye and cardiovascular health throughout life.

“Most women are not getting enough DHA. The daily recommended intake for pregnant women is 300 mg and, yet, most are consuming less than one-third of what they need,” says Peg Plumbo, certified nurse-midwife. ”From supplements to fortified foods and beverages, there are now many delicious and easy ways for pregnant women to get more omega-3s in their diet.”

Myth Number Three: Nausea is a given, no matter what I eat.
While it may be common in pregnancy, there are ways to combat nausea. Most of us have heard of tried-and-true remedies such as munching on soda crackers. A limited number of human studies also suggest that one gram daily of ginger may be safe and effective for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting when used for short periods, according to a report by the University of Maryland Medical Center.

In a small study of 30 pregnant women with severe vomiting, those who ingested one gram of ginger every day for four days reported more relief from vomiting than those who received a placebo. In a larger study including 70 pregnant women with nausea and vomiting, those who received a similar dosage of ginger felt less nauseous and experienced fewer vomiting episodes than those who received a placebo.

Ginger is a common cooking spice and can be found in foods such as ginger bread and ginger snaps. However, ginger may alter the effects of some prescription and non-prescription medicines, so check with your health care provider first.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Pregnancy Week Calculator: Determining Your Baby’s Arrival Date

Author — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 13:41:31 +0000

The coming of a new baby is one of the most awaited events in the family. If you are pregnant for the first time and you do not really know when your baby is due, do not worry. During your visit prenatal visit to your doctor, your doctor will calculate your due date and tell you when you can expect your baby to be born.

In most cases, your doctor will ask you when was the last time when you had your menstrual period and use the first day of your menstrual period to calculate the date when you probably got pregnant. No, the process is not really very complicated. Most doctors nowadays rely on pregnancy week calculators to do the work for them. With the use of a pregnancy week calculator, your doctor can tell you immediately as to when you baby is due.

On the other hand, if you cannot wait until your doctor’s visit to know when your baby is due, you can use an online pregnancy week calculator to determine the due date of your baby. There are many free pregnancy week calculators that you can find online. Most of these online pregnancy week calculators are really reliable.

Monitoring Your Pregnancy

Pregnancy week calculators do not just give you information as to when your baby should be born. They also offer you information regarding the development of your baby inside your womb on a weekly basis. Note that your baby grown astonishingly fast inside your tummy.

Moreover, your baby undergoes different stages of development inside your womb. For instance, during the first trimester of pregnancy, your baby still does not really look much but during the second trimester, your baby starts to take a more human form and gain weight. The week by week development of the baby inside your womb is truly amazing and you should never just take all these happenings for granted.

Aside from having a good pregnancy week calculator at home, you also need to keep a pregnancy weight calculator handy. Note that as your baby goes through some rapid changes inside your womb, your body also undergoes a lot of transformation and more often than not, you suddenly gain a lot of weight.

If you are not really careful at this stage, you could end up gaining too much weight than you should. Always remember that excessively weight gain during pregnancy is not good for you or the baby. According to experts, women who gain too much weight during pregnancy are more prone to hypertension and diabetes compared to those women who only have minimal to normal weight gain.

The Causes And Costs Of Teen Pregnancy

Author — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:36:49 +0000

In any given scenario, there is a cause and there is an effect. The subject of teen pregnancy is no different. There are several causes of teenage pregnancy, but ultimately what it comes down to is the couple themselves. These teens made a decision, and they must live with the consequences of their actions. That said, teen pregnancy not only has causes, but costs as well.

At Risk

Anyone is the first to agree that the cause of a teen pregnancy, and any pregnancy for that matter, is sex. However true this may be, there are several factors that put a young couple more at risk for having under age sex and for becoming pregnant. Many of these risk factors have to do with the environment in which the teens grew up. Young girls are more at risk for becoming unwed mothers of they live in poverty, perform poorly in school, being raised in a single-parent home, having a sister who became pregnant at a young age, or having a mother who was a teenage mom.

Other causes of teen pregnancy have nothing to do with the teens themselves. American culture today places emphasis on sex, but ignores responsibility. Images on television and in movies show teens engaging in sexual behavior, but never having to deal with the consequences. Such a message tells teens that they are unconquerable.

The Price You Pay

Teenage pregnancy more often than not has negative results on nearly everyone involved. While television shows and movies often show the teen mother living “happily ever after,” this is rarely the case in real life. Having a baby as a teenager puts the teen at a disadvantage. Most do not end up finishing high school, let along college. This makes it difficult to get a job, and in turn results in poor living conditions.

Perhaps what is most sad about this is that the negative consequences of teen pregnancy for the mother and father lead to a recreation of the same environment for the new baby. The poverty caused by the lack of job and education becomes a push factor for the child—and puts him or her just as at risk as his or her parents were.

A Single Step

The causes of teen pregnancy will not go away over night. Teen pregnancy is an intimidating topic because it seems difficult to prevent—and it is. There is no clear cut solution to the problem, but taking many small steps toward a solution will eventually add up. Improving education, access to childbearing alternatives, and a consistent message from the media will help to reduce the causes of teen pregnancies—some day.

Bleeding During Pregnancy Could Be Cause for Concern

Author — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:32:59 +0000

Bleeding during pregnancy is not always a precursor for potential problems with your health or that of your baby’s. In fact, at least 30-40% of women experience some bleeding or spotting during their pregnancy and have no major problems and carry their babies to full term. However, it would be prudent for you to be able to identify the cause for your bleeding during pregnancy if and quickly as possible.

Non-Life Threatening Reasons for Bleeding

Bleeding early in the pregnancy is quite common and is usually not cause for concern, especially if it is not consistent. Up to several weeks after conception, you may experience bleeding during pregnancy as the fertilized egg tries to implant itself. The bleeding may only occur for a day or two or you may have light spotting for several days before it dissipates.

Because the cervix is quite sensitive, you may experience bleeding during pregnancy right after having sex with your partner. When this occurs, you should stop having sex and see a doctor to ensure there are no problems. Likely, you just might have to wait a few weeks before resuming your normal sexual routine.

A urinary tract infection or some other type of infection in the pelvic area may also cause bleeding during pregnancy. Because there are several non-life threatening reasons for bleeding that may require treatment, it is important that a doctor assess the situation.

Life Threatening Reasons for Bleeding

Miscarriage is one of the major reasons for bleeding during pregnancy but not all pregnancies will experience a full miscarriage where the baby is lost. In fact, almost half of all women who experience the bleeding and beginnings of miscarriage were able to stop the process in its tracks with proper medications and treatment at a hospital.

Ectopic pregnancies are another cause of bleeding and can also instigate cramps during pregnancy due to the fertilized egg trying to implant itself in the fallopian tubes rather than the uterus. Bleeding, sharp pains and severe cramping typically occur in this type of situation and if you have previously had a pelvic infection, you would be more susceptible.

Placenta previa occurs when the placenta covers the cervix and it is a condition that may not necessarily cause pain but does cause bleeding during pregnancy. This can be dangerous as it reduces the blood flow and oxygen carried to the baby. Placental abruption has similar risks to the baby and will also cause bleeding and sharp pains.

Of course, going into labor may cause bleeding during pregnancy and this will likely show up in the early stages of pre-term labor. Typically the bleeding will accompany contractions, stomach cramps, a feeling of pressure in the pelvic or stomach area, dull backache or even discharge of discolored mucus or blood from the vagina. To be on the safe side, always check out with a doctor the reasons for your bleeding during pregnancy.

How Can Pregnancy Due Calculators Help Determine Gestational Age?

Author — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:29:48 +0000

When a mother finds out she is pregnant she’s eager to know when the little ‘bundle of joy’ will arrive. She is usually told a due date by her midwife or doctor, but often she’s calculated her due date already, maybe using an online pregnancy due date calculator. So she knows about when the baby is due, and her care provider hopefully explained that the due date is only an approximate date of delivery – she need not show up at the hospital on that day, expecting that the baby knows how to read a calendar! As for the actual delivery date, anything within the window of two weeks before to two weeks after that magic “due date” is considered to be “on time.”

What Is Gestational Age?

Gestational age is the age of the unborn baby from the first day of the woman’s last menstrual period. This is including the two weeks before the egg is even fertilized. It is not the beginning of pregnancy – which causes confusion for many expectant mothers.

Gestational age is different from fertilization age – also called conventional age or developmental age – because the fertilization age is counted from when the egg is fertilized, and that is usually two weeks later than the gestational age. When the periods of time during the pregnancy are referred to – first trimester, second trimester, third trimester – they are referring to gestational age.

What Affects The Accuracy Of The Gestational Age?

Despite whatever the pregnancy due date calculator tells a woman about how old her baby is, there are several things that can affect the accuracy of the gestational age. First, if the mother knows the date that the sexual intercourse took place, that helps. That date can be used to more accurately determine the date of conception.

Mothers who are in tune with their body, and keeping track of their fertility – particularly in an attempt to become pregnant – these mothers are more likely to notice the fertility signs that are related to ovulation. They would know if they tend to ovulate sooner or later than the average mother, and they might be able to tell when they last ovulated.

During pregnancy, some mothers are given an ultrasound, where some of the baby’s body parts can be measured to more accurately determine how old the baby is. These determinations can help validate the date achieved with the pregnancy due date calculator.

After birth – particularly if the baby is born premature – the doctor or pediatrician can recognize the physical traits that the baby has and relate them to a part of the gestational period. This is helpful in determining the age to which the baby had matured prior to birth. These involve things like skin tone, presence of linugo, and limb flexibility.

Using a pregnancy due date calculator can help a mother know approximately when to anticipate her newborn’s arrival. That date can be changed based on further information that the doctor feels affects the pregnancy due calculator.

Grown-Up Guidelines Help Prevent Teen Pregnancy

Author — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:24:49 +0000

The rate of teenagers having sex and getting pregnant is rising at an alarming rate. More and more high-schoolers are becoming pregnant and dropping out of high school. While this may be a sad reflection on society, we are also lucky that society has progressed enough to handle these situations. There are plenty of teen pregnancy programs that can help to prevent teen pregnancy, or that can help pregnant teenagers. However, prevention starts first and foremost he home, and parents should play a major role in preventing teen pregnancy.

Vital Values

Children are raised by the values of their parents, and when they grow up they generally share the same values. That said, it is important that parents teach their children from an early age the value of family and love. Such values, while they may not prevent teen pregnancy in all cases, often help teens to say “no” when they are in a sticky situation. Teaching children values gives them the tools to handle situations when they are not in the company of their parents.

Being Realistic

As parents, it is also important to be realistic. The idea of a teen keeping his or her virginity throughout high school is a nice one, but in many cases it is not practical. Abstinence is an effective lesson for many teens, but it does not reach others the same way. Instead of futilely trying to teach such teens about abstinence and values and virginity, it is important for parents to realize that their child might be having sex and, if so, they need to be safe about it. Using birth control and condoms can helo to prevent teen pregnancy.

Stay Involved

Many teen pregnancies are the result of univolved parents—those that are not aware when their child has a new boyfrind or girlfriend, and those that allow their children to come home at 3:00 in the morning. As a parent, it is important to be aware of who your child is dating and how long they have been dating for. It is also important to set limits about where your child and his or her significant other can be together, especially when you are not home.

An Inadequate Substitute

Teen pregnancy programs can prevent teen pregnancy in some situations, but far better results occur when the message comes from the parents. Parents should not rely on school and public programs to do their job.

The Internet Isn’t the Only Place to Get Teen Pregnancy Information

Author — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:57:58 +0000

In today’s day and age, children and teenagers spend a significant amount of time on the Internet. Many times, teens are trying to get information about pregnancy, and many times they’re steered in the wrong direction.

This is because they’re following the advice of other teenagers that know nothing more than the teen seeking advice in the first place, and sometimes they’re getting teen pregnancy information from adults over the Internet that have their own agendas and don’t necessarily have any concern for the young teen in mind.

This isn’t to say that there are plenty of legitimate places on the Internet to find teen pregnancy information, but leaving up to the teens themselves to sort through it all isn’t usually the best idea, especially when there is no parent communication or supervision.

The Best Places for Teens to Get Pregnancy Information

First and foremost, teen pregnancy information and general sex information at all should come from parents. It should be done in a way that doesn’t create anxiety or embarrassment, and teens shouldn’t be pushed to divulge information they aren’t comfortable with. Otherwise, parents find themselves dealing with a teen that won’t open up at all.

When this happens, there is no education in regard to things like teen pregnancy information, and chances are these teens will end up another statistic. In many cities throughout the nation, teenagers think of being a parent as cool and as becoming an adult and this is why so many young people decide it’s not so bad to become a teen parent.

But if they’re given the true, real life teen pregnancy information, they’re bound to think twice. Great ways to give a teen a good idea of what it’s like to be a parent is to have them watch a real baby for an entire weekend on their own, or give them a battery operated baby that cries when not fed or changed properly.

Finally, teen pregnancy clinics are offered throughout most of the nation and give younger teenagers the opportunity to get the information they need without having to feel embarrassed about it, in order to help them make major decisions when it comes to sex and other teen issues.

Usually free for teens, and unbeknownst to parents, clinics keep the privacy of all who seek help there. This gives teens the encouragement to get help when they need it. These clinics should be talked about between parents and children, and parents should encourage the use of them at any time their teen may need it.

In Tune with Your Body During Pregnancy

Author — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:16:57 +0000

During pregnancy, your body goes through so many changes – physically, emotionally and hormonally – so it is important to recognize when something does not seem right to you. Pain during pregnancy is somewhat common but it is important to know what a “normal” pain is as opposed to one that may be life-threatening to you, the baby or both.

Normal Occurrences

Nausea and vomiting often rear its ugly head during pregnancy and is often called morning sickness regardless of what time it occurs during the day. Some swelling in the hands and feet are normal as women do retain some water during pregnancy. Because women are eating for two (or more), there may be some occasional dizziness or shortness of breath, especially when enough calories are not consumed to provide enough energy for both the baby and mom.

What is Not Normal

While some morning sickness is quite normal, excessive vomiting or nausea during pregnancy is not and you must let your doctor know if this occurs. In addition, excessive swelling of the hands and feet to the point of pain and not being able to walk or wear shoes is a problem. This swelling can signal a host of health issues that the doctor must address immediately. While lightheadedness and periodic dizziness is normal (getting up to fast or not eating enough), persistence in these symptoms signal another underlying issue that must be addressed.

Some women during pregnancy may develop gestational diabetes (which goes away after the baby is born) which can cause some of the symptoms listed above. More serious complications like preeclampsia can also cause the swelling, dizziness and other issues such as fast weight gain, trouble with vision, high blood pressure and headaches. Not only can preeclampsia put your health in danger but your baby could also be put at risk.

Placenta previa is another condition that can cause a whole host of problems for moms during pregnancy. Vaginal breakthrough bleeding, leaking of amniotic fluid, cramping and uterine pain are all indicators of this possible condition which can endanger the baby by cutting off its oxygen supply. There are also the chance of early labor before your baby is ready to be born that could be caused by any number of factors – some being out of your control like genetics. Some of the symptoms of early labor during pregnancy could be cramping, contractions, dull aching in the lower spinal area of the back, odd discharge or even diarrhea.

It is very important that you consult with your doctor whenever you have any symptoms that may seem atypical during pregnancy. While carrying a baby in the womb can be tiring, emotional and wreak havoc on a number of bodily functions, you will likely be able to tell when some symptoms are “just not right.” Trust your instincts and get checked out if you are in the least worried about what you are feeling or experiencing.