Pregnancy

Take folic acid before pregnancy to prevent birth defects

Folic Acid is An Important Vitamin

Folic acid is a vitamin found in many foods and multivitamin supplements. It’s especially important for women who could become pregnant because folic acid can help prevent birth defects.

Begin Each Day with Folic Acid

There are three ways women can get enough folic acid. They can choose to:

Take a vitamin supplement containing 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, or
Eat a fortified breakfast cereal daily which contains 100% of the recommended daily anount of folic acid (400 micrograms).
In addition, increase consumption of foods fortified with folic acid (e.g., “enriched” cereal, bread, rice, pasta and other grain products) in addition to consuming food folate from a varied diet (e.g., orange juice and green vegetables).
Folic Acid is Good for All Ages

No matter what your age, foods rich in folic acid are good for you.

Even young girls should try to get enough folic acid every day. That way, when you’re older and planning to become a mother, folic acid will already be a part of your diet.

Folic Acid Can Help Prevent Birth Defects

All women need folic acid because it works best for you and your baby early in the first month of pregnancy, a time when you may not even know you’re pregnant. Continued use of folic acid after the first month of pregnancy, and throughout your life, ensures the future good health of you and your family.

Folic acid can reduce certain birth defects of the brain and spinal cord by more than 70 percent. These birth defects are called neural tube defects (NTDs). NTDs happen when the spinal cord fails to close properly.

The most common neural tube defect is spina bifida. This occurs when part of the baby’s spinal cord remains outside the body. The baby may have paralyzed legs and, later, may develop bladder and bowel control problems. The most serious neural tube defect is anencephaly. The baby is born without part of its skull and brain, and eventually dies.

Folic acid also may help lower your chances of getting heart disease and some types of cancers. It may help protect you from having a stroke, as well.

Who Needs Extra Folic Acid?

All women need folic acid, especially women who have had babies with NTDs and want to become pregnant again. If you have had a baby with an NTD, talk with your doctor before planning your next pregnancy. He or she may prescribe a vitamin that contains a higher dose (4 mg) of folic acid.

Getting Folic Acid from Vitamins

Taking a daily multivitamin that has 0.4 mg of folic acid is another way of getting the recommended amount.

However, avoid taking more than one multivitamin per day. Too much of the other vitamins, especially vitamin A, could cause serious health problems.

Don’t be Confused by Labels

Read food and vitamin labels carefully to be sure you’re getting enough folic acid. On the labels, folic acid is also called “folate.” The amount of folic acid or folate in a vitamin or food may be given as either 400 micrograms or 0.4 mg. They are the same amounts.

Foods With Folic Acid

  • Enriched Breads and Grains
  • Fortified Cereals
  • Fruits and Vegetables
  • Beans and Peas
  • Protein Foods

Source: health.ny

 

Natural Remedies to Relieve Common Ailments During Pregnancy

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During pregnancy, you may find yourself dealing with physical or emotional issues that are new to you. Aromatherapy can be a valuable ally during this time of learning.

Pregnancy is a special time in a woman’s life; from the moment of conception, the growing baby is entirely dependent on its mother. Pregnancy is a time of physical and hormonal changes and of emotional and psychological preparation for motherhood. Making use of sensual oils such as rose and neroli can quell your anxieties and instill confidence.

The demands of pregnancy often result in a number of minor ailments, from piles to edema. Careful selection of diluted essential oils can provide relief from many of these; for example, you can ease nausea by inhaling spearmint oil or relieve leg cramps with a gentle massage using cypress and geranium. Exhaustion and aches and pains can be relieved by aromatic bathing. Always consult your doctor before using oils.

Carefully selected oils can combat many of the minor ailments of pregnancy and prepare you for the challenge of labor.

Spearmint:

A milder and sweeter alternative to peppermint, spearmint oil can be used to chase away feelings of morning sickness.

Rose:

A wonderfully feminine oil for use in aromatic bathing, rose oil is grounding and calming. It combines well with lavender and geranium.

Patchouli:

This oil helps to reduce water retention, treat swollen ankles and relieve constipation.

Lavender:

A versatile cure, lavender is cooling, balancing and calming. Vaporize to combat exhaustion or relieve muscular tension is a gentle massage.

Ylang Ylang:

Ylang ylang eases anxiety before and during labor. It is a warming and sensuous oil that promotes maternal bonding.

Geranium:

This oil relieves water retention, hemorrhoids and varicose veins.

Frankincense:

Add this oil to your massage blends to help prevent stretch marks.

Mandarin:

This gently cheerful oil combats morning sickness and relieves flatulence.
With a little care, you will find the benefits of aromatherapy are as numerous during the months of pregnancy as at any other time.

Take extra care when using oils during pregnancy. It is best to consult a qualified aromatherapist and select oils carefully as some can be hazardous.

  • Avoid self-treatment during the first trimester.
  • Dilute your blends to half their usual amounts and add to a vegetable based carrier oil.
  • Even with familiar oils, perform a patch test first.
  • Vaporizers are a safe method as there is no contact with the skin.
  • Some oils may be harmful, including basil, juniper, thyme, hyssop, clary sage, cinnamon, clove, marjoram, sage, jasmine and myrrh. In the first trimester, avoid Cedarwood, rosemary, peppermint and rose.
  • A long, warm, aromatic soak in the bath at the end of the day can provide welcome relief for weary muscles and swollen ankles while relaxing you for bedtime.
  • Keep the bathwater warm rather than hot during pregnancy and remember to dilute any oil that you use in a little carrier oil or milk before swirling it into the running bathwater.
  • Gentle massage is beneficial during pregnancy, especially if administered by a loved one. It eases aches and pains in the lower back and legs, soothes fatigue and tension, benefits swollen ankles and feet, and reduces the risk of stretch marks.
  • Avoid deep pressure or percussive strokes, replacing these with gentle figure-of-eight or circular strokes.
  • Your recipient might be more comfortable lying on her side or sitting astride a kitchen chair with a pillow to rest her arms and head on.

Suitable oils to use include lavender, to release muscular tension; neroli, to reduce stretch marks; and chamomile, to relieve insomnia.

Also herbal remedies can be taken to boost health and treat a number of pregnancy-related ailments, from morning sickness to labor pains. Herbal medicine can help boost your health during pregnancy and easy many of the common complaints encountered during pregnancy, labor and breastfeeding.

Some herbs act as tonics, nourishing your changing body and that of your developing baby, while others can bring relief from pregnancy ailments such as morning sickness, digestive problems and insomnia. Some women are prescribed herbs during labor, once contractions have begun, as certain plants can help the labor progress or relieve pain.

Some herbs are beneficial after birth, to aid the healing process, especially after stitches or a Caesarean section.

Choosing the right herbs depends on your individual circumstances. Many herbs are safe to use as long as they are prescribed by a qualified medical herbalist. Herbal teas are a popular means of taking herbal remedies during pregnancy. However, many culinary herbs with medicinal qualities can be added to cooking.

Certain herbs are not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or need to be limited to specific doses. For this reason, it is important to seek professional help.

It is best to avoid herbs in the first trimester of pregnancy, apart from very gentle ones, such as chamomile and ginger.

Some herbs can stimulate the uterus, and therefore could trigger a miscarriage or stillbirth, while others may be toxic to the developing baby. In particular, you need to take care with Chinese herbs as some of these contain steroids and may even cause jaundice. If you experience any discomfort when taking an herbal remedy, consult a doctor without delay.

For gentle remedies during pregnancy, it is fine to use herbs in cooking or herbal teas. However, stronger preparations should only be prescribed by a qualified herbalist.

Ginger:

Ginger tea or biscuits can ease the nausea of morning sickness. Sip small amounts of the tea throughout the day for best results. You can also add freshly grated ginger to a stir-fry to boost circulation.

Cabbage:

Cabbage helps reduce water retention. Wrap the boiled, cooled leaves around ankles to ease swelling and cover swollen breasts with cool, cooked cabbage leaves to alleviate the pain.

Raspberry leaf:

This herb is ideal when you’re preparing for birth. It softens tissues along the birth canal to aid the delivery and strengthens contractions of the uterus, speeding up the birth. Only take raspberry leaf in the last eight weeks of pregnancy, not before as it may trigger a premature labor.

Chamomile:

Chamomile is a gentle herb that can be used throughout pregnancy. Taken as tea, it has a soothing action that can ease wind, bloating and constipation, but don’t drink more than two cups a day. Drinking chamomile tea in early labor also helps to calm your nerves.

Coriander:

This common herb can prepare the mother’s body for labor. Try eating three or four springs in a salad or make a tea from the seeds.

Cramp bark:

This herb acts as a muscle relaxant thanks to its antispasmodic and sedative properties. Taken as a decoction or tincture, it can help with painful contractions during labor. Do not take cramp bark during the actual pregnancy as it stimulates the uterus.

Garlic:

Garlic is an extremely popular all-purpose herbal remedy. You can add this versatile ingredient to your cooking while pregnant to help keep your blood pressure stable. Garlic also boosts your immune systems and lowers the risk of blood clots. It can even help the growth of the placenta and developing baby, as it aids the healthy functioning of your circulation.

Liquorice:

Chewing liquorice sweets can help to alleviate feelings of nausea. It can also help to settle a sluggish digestive system when eaten, or taken as a tea.

Source: yahoo voices

Obesity during pregnancy could lead to long-term cardiovascular morbidity

A new study has revealed that obesity during pregnancy is an independent risk factor for long-term cardiovascular morbidity, and these complications tend to occur at a younger age.

Researchers concluded that obese pregnant patients might benefit from cardiovascular risk screening that could lead to early detection and secondary prevention of cardiovascular morbidity.

Researchers evaluated data from pregnant women who delivered between 1988 and 1999, and were followed-up retrospectively until 2010. Long-term cardiovascular morbidity was compared among women with and without obesity in pregnancy.

Cardiovascular morbidity was divided into four categories including simple and complex cardiovascular events and invasive and non-invasive cardiac procedures.

During the period of study, 46,688 women who delivered were recruited, and of that number, 1221 were found to suffer from obesity. Ten years later, these patients had higher rates of simple cardiovascular events, non-invasive diagnostic procedures, and total number of cardiovascular-related hospitalizations.

The data recovered not only indicates an association between obesity in pregnancy and future risk for cardiovascular morbidity, but also reveals the effect of obesity in pregnancy on earlier occurrence of cardiovascular morbidity.

Dr. Shimrit Yaniv Salem, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer sheva, Israel, said, “These results are of major importance to the obstetricians counseling a patient regarding future risk for cardiovascular complications. It is important for secondary prevention, early detection, and specific screening programs for this population.”

The study will be presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting in New Orleans.

Source: sify

Signs that say you are labour ready

Everyone worries about whether they will know they are in labour. If this is your first baby, it’s easy to think ‘this is it,’ only to find you are just getting ready for the birth. Here’s some tips to help you recognise early labour signs.

Early Signs of Labour

In the week or so before labour you may notice:
An increase in vaginal discharge.
The appearance of the ‘show’, the jelly like plug of mucus that seals the cervix during pregnancy.
A need to get things finished and ready – the so-called ‘nesting instinct’.
Feeling quite emotional; crying for no real reason as your hormones get to you.
A sense that you don’t want to be far from home.
A mild dose of diarrhoea. This is Nature’s way of clearing out your lower bowel before labour begins.
Braxton Hicks contractions that feel like tightening or period pains. Find out more about Braxton Hicks.

Signs of Labour

The ‘show’ (if it has not come away earlier).
The waters breaking, either in a gush or a gradual trickle.
Low back pain as the baby settles well down, which may turn into…
Regular contractions that could feel like period pains or tightening pains across your bump. Find out more about contractions.

Labour Signs: Have my waters broken?

Your unborn baby floats in amniotic fluid, a straw-coloured liquid, mainly consisting of water. Labour begins, for some women, with the waters breaking.

If the waters go with a gush, contact your midwife or hospital. You may be asked to go into hospital so that they can check that the baby is well. It will help your midwife if you can remember when the waters broke, roughly how much fluid there was (an egg cup full, a coffee cup full?) and what colour it was. Amniotic fluid is usually pale. If it is green or has black bits in it, this may show that the baby is, or has been, in distress.

If the waters trickle out, it can be hard to decide if they have gone. Put a sanitary pad on and, if it is wet after an hour, it’s probably the waters leaking. Smell the pad; urine smells, amniotic fluid doesn’t. If you are still not sure, contact your midwife or the hospital. Your midwife can do a vaginal examination and test the fluid.

Source: bounty

 

Diabetes and Pregnancy are a Dangerous Mix

Recently, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force published recommendations in the Annals of Internal Medicine — a widely-respected, peer-reviewed journal — that strongly advise all pregnant women be screened for gestational diabetes, a test which many physicians (including those at the North Shore-LIJ Health System) routinely perform.

Testing guidelines in the article are highly specific and stringent, and if followed, may help reduce the risks associated with undiagnosed and untreated gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes happens during pregnancy due to the changes that are happening in a woman’s body, and it affects 10 percent to 18 percent of all pregnant women. The changes can cause the blood glucose (sugar) level to go too high. The associated risks include preeclampsia (a pregnancy-related condition associated with high blood pressure and other symptoms), macrosomia (large, for gestational age, babies) and birth-related injuries.

The ongoing obesity epidemic has led to an increased number of women having undiagnosed type 2 diabetes at the time of their child’s conception, as well as an increased number of women who are developing gestational diabetes.

Diabetes during pregnancy carries risk for both mother and baby. In order to avoid complications, screening and appropriate treatment are imperative. Women with such risk factors as being overweight, family history of diabetes, coming from a high-risk ethnic back ground (African American, Latino, Native American or Asian), physicalinactivity, delivering a baby that weighed more than 9 lbs., high blood pressure or polycystic ovarian disease should be screened at their first prenatal visit for type 2 diabetes.

In the first trimester it is recommended physicians screen mothers for diabetes using either a fasting glucose, 2 hour 75 gram glucose tolerance test (where a woman drinks 75 grams of sugar and then has her blood drawn 2 hours later), or an HbA1c test (athree-month average of blood glucose levels). If the mother screens negative, she should be screened again later in the pregnancy for gestational diabetes. Many of the complications caused by diabetes can be avoided if a woman achieves and maintains good glucose control during her pregnancy. Early identification and treatment is key to preventing these complications.

Source: escience news

Woman Gets Pregnant Thanks to Yolk from a Hen’s Egg

A British couple who spent £40,000 and went through 12 IVF cycles trying to get pregnant have found success with an unusual treatment involving egg yolks.

Mark and Suzanne Harper agreed to the procedure after doctors revealed Suzanne had high levels of natural “killer cells” in her body that were attacking her embryos and preventing her from getting pregnant. The rare technique involved treatment with intralipid infusion – a special drip mixture that includes yolk from a hen’s egg and soy oil. The fatty acids of this combination were thought to control the aggressive cells – and it worked.

The Harpers were surprised by the main ingredient. Suzanne reveals:We were very surprised when we were told what the treatment consisted of. You don’t expect to be treated using yolk from a hen’s egg. But we were willing to try anything to try to have a baby.

Suzanne was one of the first women in Britain to undergo the pioneering treatment. When the couple decided to conceive again, they used the yolk combination along with IVF and had their second daughter. She said:

We are so happy to be parents at last — and it’s all thanks to egg yolk. It has given us both our daughters and we can’t be grateful enough.

Source: celeb baby

Premature Birth Linked to Asthma in Childhood

A new analysis of existing research suggests that premature babies face a higher risk of developing asthma and wheezing disorders when they’re older.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School, the Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland examined 30 studies that included about 1.5 million children.

They found that premature children (born before 37 weeks of gestation) were 46 percent more likely to develop asthma or wheezing problems than kids who weren’t born prematurely. Full-term birth is generally considered about 40 weeks’ gestation.

Very premature children (those born before 32 weeks’ gestation) faced an even higher estimated risk — almost three times that of children born at full term, said Jasper Been, from Maastricht University, and his colleagues.

About 11 percent of children are born prematurely, the study authors said in the report, which was published in the Jan. 28 online edition of the journal PLoS Medicine and these chldren suffer a lot when they go to school. Here are the tips to manage Your Child’s Asthma at School

“The current findings do not support prior suggestions that the association between preterm birth and wheezing disorders becomes less prominent with increasing age,” the researchers wrote in the report. “Instead, the strength of the association was similar across age groups [up to 18 years],” which suggests that the effects of preterm birth on the lungs tend to have life-long consequences.

Although the study found an association between premature birth and respiratory problems such as asthma later in life, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Source: web md

Women should drink plenty of water in winter to keep cystitis at bay

Experts have warned that taking lesser amount of water during winters can give rise to major health problems such as cystitis or urinary tract infection, especially in women.

“Women are prone to cystitis because of their shorter urinary tract as compared to men. Women of all ages can acquire such infections but it is more with women who have just been married and women approaching menopause,” Malvika Sabharwal, head of department of gynaecologist and obstetrician, Nova Speciality Hospitals, was quoted as saying to IANS.

With women having higher risk of cystitis (eight times) than men, doctors recommend drinking at least 12 glasses of water a day to help flush out the infection and dilute the urine.

Up to 15 percent of women have cystitis each year and half of them have had cystitis at least once in their life.

“Women suffering from tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, those who are pregnant and those who are sexually active are more vulnerable to cystitis,” added Sabharwal.

Doctors also stress that pregnant women should take special care not to keep their bladder empty.

“Pregnant women should try not to drink too much caffeine or acidic drinks such as orange juice as these can irritate the bladder. They should never keep their bladder empty as it can create an environment for bacteria to multiply,” Archana Dhawan Bajaj, gynaecologist and obstetrician at Nurture Clinic, told IANS.

“Burning sensation while urinating, frequent need to urinate but passing only small amounts or no urine, having pain in the lower back, dark smelly urine and even fever are the symptoms of cystitis,” adds Dhawan.

Blood can also pass along with urine but that can be detected only when the urine is tested.

“So to detect the severity of the infection, a simple microscopic culture of the urine has to be done,” Amita Shah, consultant gyanecologist, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon, told IANS.

However, doctors also advice microscopic urine examination once every three to six months.

“The treatment for cystitis includes addressing each episode promptly with a short course of antibiotics and sometimes, a regular dose of antibiotics for the long-term. However, if untreated, the infection can go from the bladder to the kidney,” added Shah.

To treat cystitis, doctors also advise daily doses of cranberry juices.

As preventive measures, doctors stress on maintaining hygiene.

“Self-hygiene is important and more important is that the washroom should also be cleaned and sanitised,” added Shah.

Source: News track India

Baby heart-disease risk ‘shaped early in pregnancy’

A baby’s development in the womb in the first weeks of life is critical for future heart health, research suggests.

A link between poor growth in the first trimester and early risk factors for heart disease has been identified for the first time.

The study, in the British Medical Journal, adds to evidence that heart risk is set long before adulthood.

Pregnant women should think about their baby’s heart health as well as their own, the British Heart Foundation said.

The evidence comes from a study tracking the health, from early pregnancy onwards, of nearly 2,000 children born in the Dutch city of Rotterdam.

A team at the Erasmus University Medical School examined links between the child’s size at the first scan (10 to 13 weeks) and markers of future cardiovascular health at the age of six (central body fat, high blood pressure, high insulin levels and high cholesterol).

“Impaired first trimester foetal growth is associated with an adverse cardiovascular risk profile in school age children,” they reported in the British Medical Journal.

“Early foetal life may be a critical period for cardiovascular health in later life.”

Low birth weight is known to be linked to an increased risk of heart disease in later life. But the new research suggests not only birth weight but poor growth in the earliest phase of pregnancy may influence cardiovascular disease risk.

“These results suggest that the first trimester of pregnancy may be a critical period for development of offspring cardiovascular risk factors in later life,” study author Prof Vincent Jaddoe told BBC News.

“Therefore adverse maternal lifestyle habits influencing early foetal growth may have persistent consequences for their offspring, many decades later. ”

This was the first study showing this link and replication in other studies was needed, he added.

Critical stage
Amy Thompson, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said the first few months of pregnancy were a critical stage in a baby’s development.

“This study suggests that foetal growth within this time may influence their heart health later in life,” she said.

“However, as the researchers acknowledge themselves, further studies are needed to understand why this pattern exists and what it might mean for preventing heart disease.

“If you are pregnant, or planning a family, you should be thinking about your baby’s heart health as well as your own,” she added.

“If you smoke, speak to your GP or midwife about quitting, and keep a check on your blood pressure.

“Your midwife will also advise you on other ways you can make healthier choices during pregnancy.”

Source: BBC news

8 Tips for Losing Weight After Pregnancy

Load Up on ‘Super Foods’, Find Time to Exercise, Consider Breastfeeding to Help Shed Excess Pounds

Now that your new baby is here, you have a lot to think about: when to feed her, what to do if she cries — and how to get rid of those extra pounds you packed on during your pregnancy.

If you started out at a normal weight and gained the 25-35 pounds your doctor probably recommended, it shouldn’t take you more than a couple of months to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight if you watch what you eat and exercise.
If, on the other hand, you were overweight before your pregnancy or you put on more weight than your doctor advised, it could take much longer — up to a year — to get the weight off. Any baby weight you don’t take off could stick with you for a long time.

“It’s very critical that you do get the weight off, because if you don’t it has been associated with overweight and obesity 15 to 20 years later in life,” says Debra Krummel, PhD, RD, endowed professor in the University of Cincinnati department of nutrition.
And although every new mom is eager to look like her old self again, one of the most important things to remember is to be patient with yourself. Your favorite celebrity might have gone straight from the delivery room into her size 0 jeans, but she may not have done it in a way that was good for her body.

“All the magazines ask, ‘How did she do it?’ The more important question is, ‘Why did she do it?'” says Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). “They do this with very, very strict diets, and a lot of them do it by getting back into activity before their body is really ready for it.”

Johnson advocates a more gradual approach to weight loss. “The number one thing new mothers have to have is a certain amount of patience with their body,” she says. “It took nine months to get there. It should take at least that long to get back to their fighting weight.”

With that in mind, here are some tips to help you lose weight after pregnancy and fit back into your old jeans — whatever their size.

Don’t diet.

It may sound strange, but going on an official “diet” could derail your post-pregnancy weight loss goals. Feeling deprived of your favorite foods while you’re already stressed out by your new role as mom could actually cause you to gain weight, Johnson says.

“If you go back to eating healthy and eating for your hunger, most women find that the weight comes off pretty naturally,” she says.

Instead of dieting, she recommends eating a well-balanced variety of foods. Keep different snacks in the house to keep you from feeling hungry and give you energy throughout the day. Apple slices, carrot sticks, and wheat crackers are all good for noshing.
Source: Web md