Pregnancy, Parenting & Baby Care

Information on Pregnancy, Baby Care & Parenting Advice

Change Your Eating Habits During Pregnancy

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...

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Miscarriage and The Father’s Feelings

“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...

Actos: New Hope for PCOS Sufferers

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...

Spina Bifida

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...

Qus & Ans: Unexplained Infertility

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...

Common Gynecologic Problems

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,...

Diagnosis of Asherman's Syndrome

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...

Miscarriage 101

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...

Before You Conceive

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...

Gonadotropins (Ovarian Hyperstimulation)

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...

The Pill : Oral Contraceptive

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...

Colposcopy

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...

Teen Pregnancy: Young Women's Health - Ages 12-24

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,...

Nutritional Needs for Pregnant Women and Babies

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...

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

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...

Menstruation and Menopause

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...

Symtopms of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

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 Call Your...

Trouble Conceiving?

It was 7 AM. My husband whisked himself out of bed and hopped into the shower. Trying to make up for lost time, he skipped his usual shave. Meanwhile I laid in bed for the next 20 minutes with my hips hiked up to what felt like the ceiling. Maybe, this time would be the month. We had literally exhausted every suggestion I had heard of from the fertile community. My husband had changed to boxer...

Health Related Q&A: Sterility

Q.What is Sterilization of a Person? What are The Procedures For Sterilization? A.To render him or her unable to produce a child. Procedures for sterilization in men called VASECTOMY and in WOMEN called LIGATION OF FALLOPIAN TUBE Q.What is Primary STERILITY? A.The question should be:What is Primary Infertility? This means the Man or women has never had a child with the current or previous earlier...

Safe Motherhood and Child Development: Men's Role

Pregnancy-related complications cause one quarter to one half of deaths among women of reproductive age in developing counties. In some countries pregnancy-related complications are the leading cause of death for reproductive age group of women. Many thousands of women in developing countries suffer serious illness and disabilities, including chronic pelvic pain; pelvic inflammatory disease,...