Pregnancy, Parenting & Baby Care
Information on Pregnancy, Baby Care & Parenting Advice
I have been trying to conceive for two years now and recently I read an article about dysmenorrhea. I feel that I have some signs of this, like painful periods that bring me to tears. I also read that it can cause infertility. How true is this? Should I discuss this with my doctor before getting fertility tests done?
The two common signs/symptoms of endometriosis are menstrual pain and inability...
Gynecologic problems are those related to the female reproductive system. Some common problems are caused by such conditions as infections, injuries, or hormonal changes. These common problems include pelvic pain; inflammation of the uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, or vulva: and non-cancerous uterine growths, such as fibroids. Other common problems are related to menstruation - for example,...
“I felt very alone and lost with everything: from the whirlwind experiences leading up to and including the day in hospital; to the lack of understanding on both physical and emotional levels as to what my wife was experiencing; as well as coming to terms with my own feelings."
Introduction
The loss of a baby through miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy can be one of the most devastating things to...
Many women have the perception of pregnancy as the sole time during their lives when they don't have to diet and can eat whatever they want. It's true that pregnant women need a moderate amount of added calories, but if "eating anything" means eating a high percentage of junk food and sugar-laden desserts, then maybe it's time to reassess your overall eating habits.
"Pregnancy is an ideal time to...
Actos, the latest drug in a long line of medications used for treating various blood sugar disorders, may offer hope to infertile women suffering from Type II diabetes or polycystic ovarian syndrome/disorder (PCO)**.
In short, the theory behind PCO is that the body does not effectively use the insulin it produces, usually leading to, among many other problems, irregular menstrual cycles and high...
Life is not fair. I don't know how many times in the course of a week that I have to say that. It's the only simple explanation I have as to why some folks must endure rigorous testing, invasive procedures, drugs and, sometimes, pure utter emotional hell in their efforts to conceive a child, while others can practically just look at each other and - Poof! - another little bundle of joy is on the...
Asherman's Syndrome is a gynecological disorder causing a decrease in menstrual flow, abdominal pain, cessation of menstruation and infertility. In females with the disorder, such symptoms and findings occur due to inflammation of the lining of the uterus (endometritis) and the development of bands of scar tissue abnormally joining portions of the uterus (intrauterine adhesions and synechiae). Dr...
Ovulation induction is a term that refers to the administration of medication to stimulate ovulation. These medications range from clomiphene to gonadotropins to combinations of the two. Gonadotropins are injectable ovulation stimulating hormones that are identical to the hormones secreted by the body. With the administration of these injectable medications, the circulating levels of these...
So, you are ready to get pregnant. You have your finances and medical insurance in order, your partner is supportive of the decision to have a child, and you feel ready to begin a new journey. Before you begin trying to conceive, there are some things to consider.
Healthy moms, healthy babies
Adopt a healthy life-style as soon as you begin trying to conceive. That means no smoking or being...
What is a Colposcopy? What are The Benefits of Colposcopy?
Colposcopy is a procedure that uses a special microscope (called a colposcope) to look into the vagina and to look very closely at the cervix (the opening to the uterus, or womb).
The colposcope magnifies, or enlarges, the image of the outer portion of the cervix. It is somewhat like looking through a pair of binoculars.
This allows the...
Spina bifida is the most common of a group of birth defects called neural tube defects (NTDs). The neural tube is the embryonic structure that develops into the brain and spinal cord. Often called open spine, spina bifida affects the backbone and, sometimes, the spinal cord. It is among the most common severe birth defects in the United States, affecting 1,500 to 2,000 babies (one in every 2,000...
A miscarriage, or spontaneous abortion, is a pregnancy that ends by itself within the first 20 weeks, usually because the pregnancy is not developing normally. A baby is considered stillborn when it dies after the first 20 weeks. Experts estimate that about half of all fertilized eggs die and are miscarried, usually even before the woman knows she is pregnant.
Of pregnancies that the mother knows...
Menstruation is the normal periodic loss of blood and uterine lining, by way of the vagina, in a woman who is not pregnant. The flow usually lasts 4 to 5 days and recurs about every 28 days. Menstruation starts with puberty and continues for about 30 years in most women. The first menstrual period is called the menarche and the ending of menstruation is called the menopause.
In developed...
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is the term used to describe an infection of any of a woman's pelvic organs, including the uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes. The disease has be-come increasingly common in the United States, affecting an estimated one million women each year. If not treated promptly, PID can lead to serious complications, including infertility and, in rare cases, death.
PID...
Backache
During pregnancy ligaments become softer and stretch to prepare you for labour. This can put a strain on the joints of your lower back and pelvis which can cause backache. As the baby grows, the hollow in your lower back may increase and this may also cause backache.
To avoid backache:
avoid heavy lifting;
bend your knees and keep your back straight when lifting or picking something up...
I have always heard that there were women out there with regular-as-clockwork cycles, those who could set their calendars by their menstrual cycles. There are also those who can even pinpoint the moment of ovulation by the familiar aches of mittleshmirtz, or ovulation pain. Then there's me. I can go six, nine, and even 12 months without having a menstrual cycle. Because it happens so rarely, it...
Nutritional deficiencies in pregnant mothers, most often in the developing nations, cause complications during pregnancy and at birth and has long-term effects on the health of the child and the mother. At no other time in a woman's life is good nutrition more essential than during pregnancy. While the need for calories increases by 15 per cent, the requirement for some nutrients more than...
Pregnancy: Help Keep Teenage Pregnancy Rates Down by Making Responsible Choices
With over one million American teenage girls becoming pregnant every year, the United States holds the title for having the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the industrialized world. To gain a clearer picture of this statistic, that breaks down to one out of five sexually active girls becoming pregnant. However,...
What are Birth Control Pills?
The Pill is the most popular type of birth control. There are many different brands of The Pill and they come in packs of 21 or 28 pills. One pill is taken every day. The first 21 pills have a combination of synthetic estrogen and progesterone hormones. The Pill stops ovulation, preventing the ovaries from releasing eggs. The Pill also thickens cervical mucus, making...
With Acute Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID):
severe pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen with vaginal discharge, often accompanied by fever.
With Chronic PID:
mild, recurrent pain in the lower abdomen, sometimes accompanied by backache or irregular menstrual periods.
pain during intercourse.
infertility.
irregular menstrual periods.
heavy, unpleasant-smelling vaginal discharge
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