Binge drinking in pregnancy hurts child’s mental health

September 16, 2014

A new study has revealed that binge drinking during pregnancy can negatively affect mental health of child aged 11 and deteriorates his school performance.

The study at University of Bristol showed that this was the case even after a number of other lifestyle and social factors were taken into account, including the mother’s own mental health, whether she smoked tobacco, used cannabis or other drugs during the pregnancy, her age, her education, and how many other children she had.

This builds on earlier research on the same children that found a link between binge drinking in pregnancy and their mental health when aged four and seven, suggesting that problems could persist as a child got older.

Lead author Kapil Sayal said that women who are pregnant or who are planning to become pregnant should be aware of the possible risks associated with episodes of heavier drinking during pregnancy, even if this only occurs on an occasional basis.

Sayal added that the consumption of four or more drinks in a day might increase the risk for hyperactivity and inattention problems and lower academic attainment even if daily average levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are low.

Sayal continued that the study highlighted the need for clear policy messages about patterns of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, whereby women who chose to drink occasionally should avoid having several drinks in a day.

The study is published in the journal European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Source: zee news

Best Herbs for Women

August 27, 2014August 27, 2014

Have you heard of Shatavari?

One of the Best Herbs for Women!!!

Shatavari ( Asparagus racemosus ) is a climbing plant, grows up to a height of two meters. This plant is popular across Sri Lanka, India and the Himalayas.

It is best known for the beneficial actions for female organs.

It is used for treatment of loss of libido and infertility – stimulates the production of healthy ova.
It is very good in pregnancy – relieves morning sickness and during the period of breastfeeding stimulates normal lactation.

Maintains balance hormones and regulate ovulation and menstruation. It relieves premenstrual symptoms – pain, bloating, irritability.

Also is used for the treatment of vaginal infections.

Apart from this, helps at:

– rejuvenation and detoxification of cells and organs,
– respiratory diseases,
– stress reduction,
– problems with digestion and stomach,
– helps at pain from sciatica or arthritis.

Source: secretly healthy

Premature births may be linked to stress, new Alberta study suggests

August 12, 2014

A researcher at the University of Lethbridge says the cause of premature births could be linked back to stress in past generations This research could help understand Alberta’s pre-term birth rate, which is the highest in Canada.

Researchers subjected rats to stress late in pregnancy and observed their offspring. They found that the daughters of stressed rats had shorter pregnancies than the daughters of rats not subjected to stress, and that the grand-daughters of stressed rats also showed shorter pregnancies even if their mothers had not been stressed.

“I think if you understand the mechanisms of how this is being generated — the footprint of stress — we have a means of predicting the risk of pre-term birth in future generations and finding certain interventions,” said Gerlinde Metz, a professor of neuroscience and Alberta Heritage Foundation Medical Senior Scholar at the university and one of the researchers on the team.

Metz says stress can alter the genes, meaning mothers-to-be can pass the altered genes on to their babies and that’s why the future generations showed the effects of the original rat’s stress. The study looked at four generations of maternally-related rats.

It found the stressed rats and their offspring also gained less weight during pregnancy and had higher blood glucose levels. As well, their offspring were smaller and had delays in behavioural development, all effects which were amplified over successive generations.

Metz says the study could help provide clues to the causes of pre-term births in humans as well as help other researchers identify the predictors and possible interventions for the pre-term births.

Source; cbc news

Morning Sickness Relief: Eating With Morning Sickness

July 16, 2014

Morning sickness is the nauseated feeling you experience in your first trimester. It usually starts out in the morning and wears off as you become active throughout your day. This is a good place to start when looking for morning sickness relief. Not all morning sickness remedies will work for you, but these are just a few remedies and comforts that have helped other women get through their days

In the Morning:

Allow yourself plenty of time to get out of bed. If you usually get up at 6:00 a.m. set your alarm for 5:00 a.m. It is a good idea to keep a stash of crackers or dry cereal by your bed, so you can put something in your stomach as soon as you wake up. Get out of bed slowly as you start your day.

During the Day:

Eat small meals throughout the day to avoid getting too full or too hungry. Progesterone slows the speed of food passing through your digestive tract. To further prevent your stomach from getting too full or too empty, you should drink fluids a 1/2 hour before or after a meal, but not with your meals. But DO drink fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration.

Get plenty of rest when you can. This is especially important if you have to get up early in the morning. But DON’T take a nap right after a meal. This can cause nausea to be worse.

Avoid foods or smells that make your nausea worse, and avoid being in warm places, which can increase your nausea.

In the Evening:

For dinner avoid spicy, greasy foods. Prepare things that are bland and do not have a strong odor. You may have to avoid cooking for the first trimester.

Most importantly, go to bed early! You need your rest to have the energy to get up early and do it all over again. If you happen to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, try to eat something from your bedside stash!

Morning Sickness Relief: Suggested Meals

Cold foods (sandwiches, raw vegetables, salad when properly prepared to prevent listeria)
Bland foods (chicken soup, broth, plain baked potato)
Plain vegetables or fruits
Keep meals small, but eat as frequently as you need

Morning Sickness Relief: Suggested Snacks To Eat

Lemons (eat them, suck on them, sniff them)
Ginger (ginger ale soda, ginger tea, ginger jam on toast, ginger snaps)
Peppermint tea
Crackers
Jell-O
Flavored popsicles
Pretzels

Morning Sickness Relief: Treatments & Supplements

Preggie Pops: flavored lollipops in flavors known to reduce nausea. (Available flavors include: ginger, mint, lavender, sour raspberry, sour lemon, and sour tangerine)

A natural way to ease nausea

Drug free and doctor recommended
Great for labor
Alleviates dry mouth
Quick energy boost
Sea Bands: wristbands that use acupressure pulse points to fight nausea.

For all forms of nausea – including morning sickness
No drugs, no side effects
Used by doctors and hospitals
The only clinically tested wristband
One size fits all
Relief Band Device: device that can be worn continuously for relief of mild to moderate nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy.

Vitamin B6: Taking Vitamin B6 (50 mg) daily has been shown to help with pregnancy-induced nausea.

Talk with your health care provider about any supplements and treatments for morning sickness. If morning sickness is so severe that you are constantly throwing up and not keeping anything down, consult with your health care provider about the possibility of having hyperemesis gravidarum.

Source: American Pregnancy

Older sperm donors ‘just as good’

June 30, 2014

Women should not worry about using sperm from older donors as the success rate is the same as using a younger man’s sperm, researchers say.

The average age of donors has risen in the UK since the right to anonymity was removed in 2005. Doctors said there was concern about the impact on the odds of a pregnancy.

Experts said only older men with the best sperm could donate, so men as a whole should not see the results as an excuse to delay fatherhood.

A presentation at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology annual conference showed the average age of donors was 26 before the law change and 34 afterwards.

“It is a huge difference,” said Dr Meenakshi Choudhary from the Newcastle Fertility Centre.

“It may concern women, who are already older, who know their chances are lower, that if they go for an older sperm then their chance of a live birth will be further reduced and compromised.”

She analysed data from 39,282 cycles of IVF between 1991 and 2012, concluding that older men had the same success rates as younger men.

Dr Meenakshi Choudhary told : “It doesn’t matter up to the age of 45 years, there was no decline observed in this study.

“Sperm donors are a select group of the population, they are healthy fertile donors who go through a stringent recruitment criteria.

“Based on this we can say that age does not matter as long as the sperm quality is good.”

‘Men not invincible’
Dr Allan Pacey, a lecturer in sperm at the University of Sheffield, said men should not be tempted by complacency.

He told “I think there is a perception out there that men are invincible from reproductive ageing – we just need to look at Charlie Chaplin who was 73 when he had his eleventh child.

“We know that as men go above the age of 40 and go into their fifties, their chances of getting a woman pregnant does reduce as a consequence of age.

“I don’t think you can take this data and apply it uncritically to the general population, the advice would still be you should be trying to have a child before the age of 40 or 45.”

Source: bbc news

Having twins? 11 tips for a healthy pregnancy

June 30, 2014

If you are expecting twins and don’t know what to expect, you are not alone. Many women pregnant with twins have no idea what to expect, but that doesn’t mean they — and you — can’t learn. So here is some information to help you understand what’s happening when you’re expecting twins.

A twin pregnancy is a double blessing, but it can also carry greater risks than singleton pregnancies.

In the U.S, about three in every 100 pregnant women give birth to twins or triplets, according to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. And by many accounts, twin pregnancies are on the rise.

Be prepared. Familiarize yourself with the top 11 things you didn’t know about your twin pregnancy from conception through delivery.

No. 1: You are more likely to become pregnant with twins naturally when you are in your 30s and 40s.

We all hear that the older we get, the harder it is to conceive, but advancing age may actually increase the likelihood of a twin pregnancy, says Abdulla Al-Khan, MD, the director and chief of maternal and fetal medicine and surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. “Once you are 25 or into your 30s and 40s, ovulatory cycles are not regular anymore. If you are not regular and do ovulate, you could be ovulating two follicles at the same time.” Voila! A twin pregnancy — without assisted reproductive technologies.

No. 2: If you have two buns in the oven, you may need extra folic acid.

Women pregnant with twins may need more folic acid to help stave off birth defects, says Manju Monga, MD, the Berel Held Professor and the division director of maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston.

“We recommend 1 milligram of folic acid per day for twin pregnancies and 0.4 milligrams for singleton pregnancies,” says Monga, who has twins. Folic acid is known to reduce risk of neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida.

No.3: Women pregnant with twins clock in more time at the obstetrician.

Twin pregnancies require more monitoring than single pregnancies, Monga says. “We tend to do more frequent ultrasounds for growth in twin pregnancies, compared with one anatomy scan and one growth scan in a singleton pregnancy.”

But along with additional testing comes risk. For example, the chance of miscarriage after amniocentesis is higher in twin pregnancies, Al-Khan says. “You are sticking the mother twice, so if the risk of miscarriage is one of 1,000 in singleton pregnancies, it would increase it to one in 500 for twins.”

No. 4: Morning sickness may be worse with twin pregnancies.

“One of the things that is postulated as causing morning sickness is high levels of human chorionic gonadotropin, and we know that levels of this hormone are higher in twin pregnancies, so women carrying twins have a higher incidence of nausea and vomiting in the first trimester,” says Al-Khan. The good news? Most morning sickness abates within 12 to 14 weeks of pregnancy — even in twin pregnancies.

That’s not all, Monga says. Moms pregnant with twins complain of more back pain, sleeping difficulties, and heartburn than moms who are carrying one child. Moms pregnant with twins also have a higher rate of maternal anemia and a higher rate of postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding) after delivery.
No. 5: Spotting may be more common during twin pregnancies.

“When you spot in the first trimester, you could be undergoing a miscarriage, and miscarriages are more common in mothers of twins, triplets, and quadruplets — so we see more spotting in first trimester with multiples,” Al-Khan says.

But a little spotting is no reason to hit the panic button even in twin pregnancies. “A little spotting in the absence of cramps is reassuring, but when you are cramping, passing clots, and actively bleeding, that is a sign that’s something is happening and you should seek medical advice.”

No. 6: You don’t feel the babies kicking any earlier with twin pregnancies.

“Generally when you are pregnant with twins, fetal movements become more noticeable at weeks 18 through 20 of pregnancy, and the same is true in singleton pregnancies,” Al-Khan says. When a woman begins to feel fetal movements actually depends on whether she has been pregnant before. “If you have been pregnant before, you know what fetal movement is, but if you are pregnant for the first time, you really can’t distinguish the movement from gastrointestinal activity.”

No. 7: Moms pregnant with twins may gain more weight than moms carrying one child.

“With twins, mothers gain more weight as there are two babies, two placentas, and more amniotic fluid,” says Al-Khan. “You also need more calories for twin pregnancies.”

Still, there is not a well-established formula for weight gain during twin pregnancies, says Monga. “The average weight gain is 25 pounds for singleton pregnancy and 30-35 pounds for twins. We don’t want moms pregnant with twins to gain more than 40 [pounds] or less than 15 pounds.”
The Institute of Medicine’s provisional guidelines for weight gain in women expecting twins say:

Women of normal weight should aim to gain 37-54 pounds
Overweight women should aim to gain 31-50 pounds
Obese women should aim to gain 25-42 pounds
Exactly how much weight should you gain? The IOM recommends that you talk to your health care provider about that, because every pregnancy is unique.

No. 8: Risk of developing gestational diabetes is higher in twin pregnancies.

“The gestational diabetes risk is higher in twin pregnancy,” says Monga. That said, the biggest risk of gestational diabetes is having larger babies and requiring a C-section delivery, she says.

“While gestational diabetes is more common, the morbidity associated with it is less common because twin babies are not big babies.”

Still, moms who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life, she says.

No. 9: Risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy is higher in twin pregnancies.

“People really don’t know what causes preeclampsia to start, but we know it occurs more frequently in twin pregnancies,” Monga says. Preeclampsia is marked by high blood pressure, protein in the urine, and sometimes swelling in the feet, legs, and hands. It is the precursor to the more serious, potentially fatal eclampsia.

No. 10: Labor (and delivery) may come early with twin pregnancies.

Most moms carrying twins go into labor at 36 to 37 weeks, as opposed to 40 in a single pregnancy, Al-Khan says, and some may go even earlier. “Generally, if the twins are born after 34 weeks, there should not be a major concern, but a premature baby is still a premature baby,” he says. “Twins are at higher risk of preterm labor and delivery and have higher degree of respiratory issues.” As a result of being born too early, twins may be born at low birth weights, and such babies tend to have more health problems than babies born weighing more than 5.5 pounds.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence that bed rest alone prevents preterm labor or delivery in twin pregnancies, and the use of agents to stop preterm labor have not been proven to be effective either, he says. “Stopping premature labor is challenging in multiple gestations.”

No. 11: Cesarean section deliveries may be more common in twin pregnancies.

“The likelihood of having a C-section is absolutely higher in twin pregnancies,” he says. “There is also a higher incidence of the baby being in breech position among twins than singletons.” When the baby is in a breech position, a C-section delivery is usually required.
Source: webmd

Pesticide exposure during pregnancy may increase autism risk

June 27, 2014

Scientists have long hypothesized that chemicals found in our environment play a role in causing autism. Research published this week in Environmental Health Perspectives supports that theory, finding children whose mothers are exposed to agricultural pesticides during pregnancy may be at increased risk for autism spectrum disorders, or ASD.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, looked at the medical records of 970 participants. They found pregnant women who lived within a mile of an area treated with three different types of pesticides were at a two-thirds higher risk of having a child with ASD or developmental delays. These pesticide-treated areas included parks, golf courses, pastures and roadsides.

The study investigated the use of three classes of pesticides: organophosphates, which include the widely used insecticide chlorpyrifos, as well as pyrtheroids and carbamates.

The study authors also discovered that women exposed to pesticides during their second or third trimesters were even more likely to have a child born with developmental delays or autism.

Until further research determines whether pesticides inside the home pose similar risks, Janie Shelton, one of the study’s authors and a graduate student at UC Davis, advises pregnant woman to limit pesticide exposure as much as possible.

“I would suggest that women who are pregnant or in the process of becoming pregnant avoid using chemicals inside the home,” Shelton said. “Make sure to read the labels and see if any of these chemicals are in the things they use.”

The findings add to the mounting evidence linking autism and developmental delay to pesticide exposure during pregnancy.

“This is the third epidemiological study from California that has shown that prenatal pesticide exposure is associated with ASD,” said Alycia Halladay, senior director of environmental and clinical sciences for Autism Speaks. “It reinforces the advice of public health care experts and doctors to minimize exposure to these chemicals during pregnancy.”

The authors say further research is needed to determine whether a mother’s genes also contribute to the increased risk associated with environmental exposure to pesticides.

Another study published in Pediatrics this week found a link between race and autism spectrum disorders.

The researchers looked at more than 7,500 people and found that children of foreign-born black, Central and South American, Filipino and Vietnamese mothers were at higher risk of developing autism than children of white mothers born in the United States.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that these races are more genetically prone to autism.

“It can be very scary for parents when they hear such high degree of association, but they should also keep in mind that this research is only showing some association and not cause,” William Sharp, director of the Marcus Autism Center and assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine, wrote in an email. Sharp was not involved with either study.

“Not all pregnant women exposed to pesticides or all immigrants from Central (and) South America go on to have children with autism.”

And experts agree there are many other risk factors that could be at play in increasing the autism risk, such as maternal stress after relocating to the U.S., nutritional deficiencies and/or a lack of access to treatment and diagnosis.

“Both studies highlight the need to further enhance our understanding regarding the relationship between environmental events, fetal and early childhood development and autism,” Sharp wrote.

Source: cnn

Induced births falling in the U.S.

June 19, 2014June 19, 2014

Today’s expectant moms and their doctors have decided it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature. Rather than inducing labor, they’re letting nature take its course, with the length of pregnancies in the U.S. on the upswing, according to a new study by the CDC.

The study released Wednesday tracks labor started through surgical or medical means during the years 2006 through 2012. The researchers found that induction rates at 38 weeks — once considered full-term gestation but now called an early-term gestation — declined for 36 states and the District of Columbia during this six-year period. Declines ranged from 5 percent to 48 percent.

Geography didn’t seem to matter. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia posted declines of at least 10 percent. The researchers did find that trends in induction rates at each week from 35 weeks, considered late pre-term, to 38 weeks, varied by maternal age. At 38 weeks, though, induction rates declined for all maternal age groups under 40, dropping 13 percent to 19 percent for women in their 20s and 30s.

This is a sharp reversal of trends tracked from 1981 through 2006 in which the proportion of babies born at less than 39 weeks gestation increased nearly 60 percent, while births at 39 weeks or more declined more than 20 percent.

“We were surprised that the overall induction rate went down,” says lead researcher Michelle Osterman, a health statistician with the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the CDC.

And it is welcome news, too. “For years we were taught that the 37th or 38th week of pregnancy was full term, but we did not appreciate the neonatal outcomes,” says ob/gyn Dr. Nancy Cossler, vice chair for quality and patient safety at University MacDonald Women’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.

“It was an ingrained part of our culture that 37 weeks is OK, but it’s not necessarily OK for the baby,” she says, citing issues such as hypothermia, feeding difficulties and respiratory distress among infants born early.

Historically, MacDonald Women’s Hospital had a rate of about 11 percent for labor induction for non-medical reasons among patients who were 37 to 38 weeks pregnant. Today, it’s nearly zero. In 2013, only one birth among the 37 to 38 week gestational age was done through induction. The patient had metastatic breast cancer, which is not among the usual listed criteria for medical induction, and needed to start chemotherapy and needed an early delivery, says Cossler.

Indeed, there is a big push nationally for longer-term births, such as the large-scale educational program called the 39-Week Initiative, supported by the March of Dimes and other groups. It seeks to end non-medically indicated deliveries prior to 39 weeks. Last year, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine even recommended the label “term” in pregnancy, be replaced with categories based on gestational age. Today, babies born at 39 weeks through 40 weeks and six days of pregnancy are considered “full term.” Babies born at 37 to 38 weeks are now considered “early term.”

“I think this study is very positive since several of us have now provided evidence that babies have better outcomes (with longer term births),” says Dr. Kimberly Noble, assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University.

In a study published in the journal Pediatrics of 128,000 New York City public school children, Noble and her colleagues found that compared to children born at 41 weeks, those born at 37 weeks had a 33 percent increased chance of having third-grade reading problems, and a 19 percent increased chance of having moderate math issues.

But doctors do worry that the pendulum could swing too far and patients may be afraid of induced deliveries.

“Studies can’t differentiate between induction done for medical reasons and induction done for convenience, and if your doctor says this baby needs to come out at 37 weeks because of a problem, you need to trust your doctor,” says Noble, citing issues such as maternal or fetal distress as a cause for earlier delivery. What patients and doctors shouldn’t do is schedule an earlier delivery because of a vacation or other issue. “We know that 38 weeks and beyond is good for the baby,” she says.

Source: today

Laughing gas for childbirth: The new way to have a pain-free labor?

June 16, 2014

You may have used nitrous oxide, aka laughing gas, to cope with painful dental procedures, but what you may not know is that laughing gas is now being used to help women cope with labor pain.

In the U.S., laughing gas for labor pain was common practice years ago.Now, more women than ever are exploring their options and making informed choices about childbirth, the pain-relief option is seeing a resurgence— more hospitals and birth centers are making it available to their patients.

But is it safe? And will it really make labor pain-free? Find out the answers to these questions and more.

Why laughing gas?
Nitrous oxide for labor pain was common practice in the U.S. in the 1930s, but as other options like twilight sleep, general anesthesia and later, IV narcotics and epidural became available, nitrous oxide fell out of favor.

Today, in countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom., nitrous oxide is common practice, with up to 80 percent of women using it.

“The interest in it has really caught fire,” said Dr. Michelle Collins, a certified nurse-midwife and director of the nurse-midwifery program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, Tenn. “Women are demanding more options and if there are safe options, they want them available to them.”

Nearly 30 hospitals and birthing centers in the U.S. currently offer or will soon offer nitrous oxide and every day more are calling to get information about it, Collins said.

Laughing gas is a 50-50 mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen that women inhale the through a mouthpiece. Yet unlike in the dental office where it’s administered continuously, the woman decides when and how often to use the odorless gas.

“It’s considered a fairly weak anesthetic,” said Dr. William Camann, director of obstetric anesthesia at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Mass. “Nitrous makes you a little drowsy and takes the edge off things.”

Here’s how it works: At the start of a contraction, you breathe in the gas so at the peak of the contraction, you get the most pain relief. Nitrous wears off within a few breaths of when you stop inhaling, so the effects end with the contraction and is completely eliminated from the body, Camann said.

“The pain relief that women feel is variable,” said Collins said. She noted that some women report that nitrous was all they needed, while others say it simply took the edge off. For some, it doesn’t help at all.

Although nitrous oxide is a drug, it’s a viable option– even for women who want to have a natural birth.

“It can help her get through a contraction in a different way and distance herself from the contraction,” said Jenna LoGiudice, a certified nurse midwife and assistant professor at Fairfield University’s School of Nursing. “It’s not necessarily a pain relief method but it’s helping the woman decrease her anxiety and mentally get through a contraction.”

What are the benefits?
Unlike IV drugs or an epidural, you can stop it at anytime. Plus, it doesn’t slow or halt labor, meaning it doesn’t increase your risk for other interventions, including a C-section, LoGiudice said.

Nitrous oxide can also be used at any time during labor, even later on in the process when an epidural isn’t always an option.

Approximately 35 to 40 percent of women who use nitrous oxide also get an epidural. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the gas didn’t work. Rather, it can help women delay getting the epidural as their labor progresses and allow the baby to move down further, Collins said.

At Vanderbilt, nitrous oxide is also used when woman are anxious about getting an IV or an epidural, or for painful procedures like the manual removal of the placenta or repair to the perineum after delivery.

What you should know.
About 10 percent of women who use nitrous oxide will experience nausea and vomiting and other common complaints such as feeling lightheaded, dizzy or extreme drowsiness. After many hours of labor, some women also report feeling tired, but just like nausea, it’s hard to tell if it’s due to the nitrous or labor itself, Collins said.

Nitrous oxide doesn’t affect the baby’s heart rate or breathing, and studies show that babies whose mothers used it had similar Apgar scores to those who used other pain relief methods or none at all, according to a recent review in the journal Anesthesia and Analgesia. Yet the same report showed that more research using stronger studies is needed.

What’s more, it’s unclear if there are long-term effects on things like development or IQ, as researchers have yet to look at these areas.

The bottom line: Nitrous oxide may help to decrease your anxiety and pain and make for a better birth experience, but it’s important to arm yourself with information and make the best choice for you and your family. Ultimately, it’s about giving women choices to have the birth they envision.

“It’s empowering women to have control of their labor and their pain relief,” LoGiudice said. “They want to feel in control, as they should be.”

Source: fox news

Food To Avoid During Pregnancy

June 6, 2014

Eating well balanced meals is important at all times, but it is even more essential when you are pregnant. There are essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that your developing baby needs. Most foods are safe; however, there are some foods that you should avoid during pregnancy.

Raw Meat: Uncooked seafood and rare or undercooked beef or poultry should be avoided because of the risk of contamination with coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis, and salmonella.

Deli Meat: Deli meats have been known to be contaminated with listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby leading to infection or blood poisoning, which may be life-threatening. If you are pregnant and you are considering eating deli meats, make certain that you reheat the meat until it is steaming .

Fish with Mercury: Fish that contain high levels of mercury should be avoided. Mercury consumed during pregnancy has been linked to developmental delays and brain damage. A sample of these types of fish include: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Canned, chunk light tuna generally has a lower amount of mercury than other tuna, but still should only be eaten in moderation. Certain types of fish used in sushi should also be avoided due to high levels of mercury. Please see Mercury in Fish for specific types of fish and further information on how to calculate mercury levels.

Smoked Seafood -Refrigerated, smoked seafood often labeled as lox, nova style, kippered, or jerky should be avoided because it could be contaminated with Listeria. (These are safe to eat when they are in an ingredient in a meal that has been cooked, like a casserole.) This type of fish is often found in the deli section of your grocery store. Canned or shelf-safe smoked seafood is usually OK to eat.

Fish Exposed to Industrial Pollutants: Avoid fish from contaminated lakes and rivers that may be exposed to high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls. This is primarily for those who fish in local lakes and streams. These fish include: bluefish, striped bass, salmon, pike, trout, and walleye. Contact the local health department or Environmental Protection Agency to determine which fish are safe to eat in your area. Remember, this is regarding fish caught in local waters and not fish from your local grocery store.

Raw Shellfish: The majority of seafood-borne illness is caused by undercooked shellfish, which include oysters, clams, and mussels. Cooking helps prevent some types of infection, but it does not prevent the algae-related infections that are associated with red tides. Raw shellfish pose a concern for everybody, and they should be avoided altogether during pregnancy.

Raw Eggs: Raw eggs or any foods that contain raw eggs should be avoided because of the potential exposure to salmonella. Some homemade Caesar dressings, mayonnaise, homemade ice cream or custards, and Hollandaise sauces may be made with raw eggs.

If the recipe is cooked at some point, this will reduce the exposure to salmonella. Commercially manufactured ice cream, dressings, and eggnog are made with pasteurized eggs and do not increase the risk of salmonella. Restaurants should be using pasteurized eggs in any recipe that is made with raw eggs, such as Hollandaise sauce or dressings.

Soft Cheeses: Imported soft cheeses may contain bacteria called Listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby leading to infection or blood poisoning, which can be life-threatening. You would need to avoid soft cheeses such as: Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Feta, Gorgonzola and Mexican style cheeses that include queso blanco and queso fresco, unless they clearly state that they are made from pasteurized milk. All soft non-imported cheeses made with pasteurized milk are safe to eat.

Un pasteurized Milk: Un pasteurized milk may contain a bacteria called listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby leading to infection or blood poisoning, which can be life-threatening. Make sure that any milk you drink is pasteurized.

Pate: Refrigerated pate or meat spreads should be avoided because they may contain the bacteria listeria. Canned pate, or shelf-safe meat spreads can be eaten.

Caffeine: Although most studies show that caffeine intake in moderation is OK, there are others that show that caffeine intake may be related to miscarriages. Avoid caffeine during the first trimester to reduce the likelihood of a miscarriage.

As a general rule, caffeine should be limited to fewer than 200 mg per day during pregnancy. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it helps eliminate fluids from the body. This can result in water and calcium loss. It is important that you are drinking plenty of water, juice, and milk rather than caffeinated beverages. Some research shows that large amounts of caffeine are associated with miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, and withdrawal symptoms in infants. The safest thing is to refrain from consuming caffeine.

Alcohol: There is NO amount of alcohol that is known to be safe during pregnancy, and therefore alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy. Prenatal exposure to alcohol can interfere with the healthy development of the baby. Depending on the amount, timing, and pattern of use, alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or other developmental disorders. If you consumed alcohol before you knew you were pregnant, stop drinking now. You should continue to avoid alcohol during breastfeeding. Exposure of alcohol to an infant poses harmful risks, and alcohol does reach the baby during breastfeeding.

Unwashed Vegetables: Yes, vegetables are safe to eat, so you still need to eat them. However, it is essential to make sure they are washed to avoid potential exposure to toxoplasmosis.

Source: American pregnancy

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