RonPaulIsHope.Com » Healthy Pregnancy

Ectopic Pregnancy – Prevention for Ectopic Pregnancy

aronim — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:37:41 +0000

Ectopic means “out of place.” In an ectopic pregnancy, a fertilized egg has implanted outside the uterus. The egg settles in the fallopian tubes in more than 95% of ectopic pregnancies. This is why ectopic pregnancies are commonly called “tubal pregnancies.” The egg can also implant in the ovary, abdomen, or the cervix, so you may see these referred to as cervical or abdominal pregnancies.

An ectopic pregnancy is a complication of pregnancy in which the fertilized ovum is implanted in any tissue other than the uterine wall. Most ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube (so-called tubal pregnancies), but implantation can also occur in the cervix, ovaries, and abdomen. The fetus produces enzymes that allow it to implant in varied types of tissues, and thus an embryo implanted elsewhere than the uterus can cause great tissue damage in its efforts to reach a sufficient supply of blood.

The most serious complication of an ectopic pregnancy is intra-abdominal hemorrhage (severe bleeding). In the case of a tubal pregnancy, for example, as the products of conception continue to grow in the fallopian tube, the tube expands and eventually ruptures. This can be very dangerous because a large artery runs on the outside of each fallopian tube. If the artery ruptures, you can bleed severely.

Prevention for Ectopic Pregnancy

You can’t prevent an ectopic pregnancy, but you can decrease certain risk factors. For example, limit your number of sexual partners and use a condom when you have sex to help prevent sexually transmitted diseases and reduce the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.

Avoid gonorrhea, chlamydia, and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) by using a diaphragm or cervical cap or insisting that your sexual partner wear a condom (rubber).

Surgery of the reproductive system, bowels, or lower abdomen can lead to scarring, which increases your risk of ectopic pregnancy.

PID can damage your fallopian tubes, increasing the risk of ectopic pregnancy. One of the main causes of PID is sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea. The male condom is the most effective method of preventing STIs.

Using safe sex practices, such as using a condom every time you have sex, lowers your risk of ectopic pregnancy. This is because safe sex helps protect you from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a common cause of scar tissue in the fallopian tubes, which can cause ectopic pregnancy.

If you are at risk for having an ectopic pregnancy and you think you may be pregnant, use a home pregnancy test. If it is positive, be sure to have a confirmation test done by a health professional, especially if you are concerned about developing an ectopic pregnancy.

You will likely need surgery to remove the abnormal pregnancy. In the past, this was a major operation, requiring a large incision across the pelvic area. This might still be necessary in cases of emergency or extensive internal injury.

As long as you have one healthy fallopian tube, salpingostomy (small tubal slit) and salpingectomy (part of a tube removed) have about the same effect on your future fertility. But if your other tube is damaged, your doctor may try to do a salpingostomy. This may improve your chances of getting pregnant in the future.

Ectopic pregnancy does not occur in normal tubes, so prevention is based on avoiding the cause of damaged tubes. This includes avoiding promiscuity and activities that predispose to pelvic inflammatory disease and the early diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis.

Custom Pregnancy Announcements & Pregnancy Cards Announcing Your Pregnancy

aronim — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:42:58 +0000

All About Pregnancy Announcements Cards – Spread the Great News and Job!

Pregnancy announcements are a great way to reach all of the friends and relatives of a mother-to-be. They will appreciate hearing directly from the parents-to-be, rather than hearing word of mouth about a pregnancy. If possible, pregnancy cards should be sent before any baby shower invitations are sent. As a general rule, expecting parents should try to send personalized pregnancy announcements around the 10th or 12th weeks of pregnancy. After all, news of the pregnancy is bound to spread like wildfire, and the proud parents-to-be should try to tell as many people as possible directly! Read more About Pregnancy Announcements Cards.

The styles and trends in custom pregnancy cards are similar to birth announcements. Modern designs, cute images of baby items or a pregnant mom silhouette are all popular. Stork pregnancy announcements are also a charming option. If the pregnancy cards are sent after the parents know the gender of the baby, printable pregnancy announcements can be geared for a boy or girl as appropriate. If parents know the nursery room theme or colors, the pregnancy announcement can give the recipients a sneak peak of the nursery. This kind of personalization is great for the mother-to-be that has many out of town friends and relatives. The more the recipient feels they know about the new baby, the more special they feel.

By sending inexpensive pregnancy announcements, parents are also saving themselves some time when they get to the announcement of the baby. The name and address list for the pregnancy announcements should be virtually the same as the list for the printed birth announcements. Organization is key after the baby is born so already having a list of recipients from the pregnancy announcements can be sleep saving! Parents will also get out all of the kinks with the pregnancy announcements – they will know how many announcement cards they need to send, are guaranteed not to miss anyone important (they will find out who they missed quite quickly if they miss them with the pregnancy announcement!) and they will have a system down to stuff envelopes and address announcements quickly.

The joy of pregnancy should be shared with all of the family and friends. Printed pregnancy cards can be a way to show gratitude, keep in touch with distant loved ones and tell them a little bit about the family that is expecting the baby. Pregnancy announcements usually indicate the expected birth date, but if parents choose to only announce the month, season or major holiday around the expected date, that is also a nice option. If it is not the first child, pregnancy announcements can also be worded with the siblings-to-be announcing the expected baby. Often times the older siblings are very excited about their new baby sibling and feel extra special if their names are on the pregnancy announcement cards.

Whatever style pregnancy card is used, the important thing to remember is the joy and excitement of the new baby. Sharing that joy by a pregnancy announcement spreads the joy around! Some websites have lots of unique pregnancy announcements wording verses, wording ideas and sayings to get your cards just the way you want.

Weekly Pregnancy Calendar – Almanac For Every Mother To Be

aronim — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:41:36 +0000

A weekly pregnancy calendar is a manual that records the journey of the fetus from conception to birth. It expounds in detail, the pregnancy week by week development that the fetus should achieve in the mother womb. The pregnancy calendar also gives the details about the changes that occur in the mother body and tells how to cope with these changes. This information can help the would-be-mother to ascertain that the fetus is growing in a healthy manner and her pregnancy is safe. Hence, every mother-to-be must possess a pregnancy week by week calendar to keep track of the milestones that the growing fetus achieves every week. Nowadays, there are numerous websites from where you can download these pregnancy calendars for free.
A Look At The Pregnancy Calendar
A weekly pregnancy calendar generally follows a forty week schedule. The calculation of the calendar is very simple. The LMP i.e. the last menstrual period date is the first day of the pregnancy calendar. Forty weeks from the date is the due date. Here, it has to be noted that only in very few cases, the baby is delivered on the due date. Generally any day after the 37th week is safe, because the baby would have attained full development by the 37th week.
A pregnancy calendar generally makes the following information available.
1. The growth and development that the fetus must achieve in each week of pregnancy,
2. The physical and the emotional changes that the mother-to-be undergoes and coping with these changes,
3. Nutritional requirements and exercises for a health pregnancy,
4. The do and do not during the nine months.
In a nutshell, a weekly pregnancy calendar is an excellent reference guide for every anxious would-be mother. It helps her to understand every change and emotion that she would be undergoing through the forty weeks of the pregnancy wheel. It helps her to keep track of what is going on in her womb every minute. The calendar helps in alleviating her anxiety and comforts her.
Maintaining Your Own Weekly Pregnancy Calendar
You can also make your own pregnancy calendar. It is very simple. Once you know your LMP and due date, you can yourself start maintaining the physical and emotional changes that you undergo on a weekly basis. You can compare this with any standard pregnancy calendar to assure yourself that everything is well.
Advantages Of Maintaining Your Own Pregnancy Calendar
In addition to the above mentioned benefits, maintaining your own weekly pregnancy calendar has some apparent advantages.
1. You can use the calendar as a jotting notepad to record your queries, doubts and apprehensions. This will be useful in future appointments with your doctor.
2. The pregnancy calendar is particularly useful in the third trimester of pregnancy (week 26 to week 40). In this final trimester, there are many changes happening in the mother body. The would-be mother will then find the pregnancy calendar handy. With the help of a good calendar, she can identify if her contraction are true or false and if there is a need to consult the doctor.
3. A religiously written pregnancy calendar will be very useful for the doctor in case any emergency arises in the course of delivery.
4. You can use your weekly pregnancy calendar to understand your future pregnancies better.

Causes And Remedies Of Ectopic Pregnancy

aronim — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 15:39:25 +0000

Ectopic is derived from Greek word ektopos, meaning out of place. Ectopic pregnancy was first discovered in the 11th century and by the end of 18th century, it took a lethal form. Many women were then known to die of ectopic pregnancy. Today, with advancements in the field of medicine, death due to ectopic pregnancy is rare. Nevertheless, an ectopic pregnancy can prove to be dangerous.
What Is An Ectopic Pregnancy?
Ectopic pregnancy is not a normal pregnancy. In normal pregnancy, the sperms reach the egg in the fallopian tube, where fertilization occurs and then, this fertilized egg travels on to reach the uterus and implants itself there to complete the gestation period. However, in ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg fails to reach the uterus for the gestation period and instead implant itself anywhere outside uterus, like cervix, fallopian tube, abdominal cavity. In general, in ectopic pregnancy cases, the fertilized egg implants itself in the fallopian tube.
Since in ectopic pregnancy, the embryo implants itself outside the uterus, it starts drawing blood for its growth, rupturing the organs and creating danger to life. As only the uterus is designed to hold the fetus, so it does not last for more than 3 months. It always results in the death of the embryo.
Symptoms For Ecotopic Pregnancy
1. There are symptoms that help in deducing the ectopic pregnancy. Although it is also not necessary that all these pregnancy symptoms will be seen.
2. Lower abdominal pain, which increases over a period of time, accompanied by lower back pain.
3. Shoulder pain, which occurs, as the fetus draws blood for its growth, hampers the functions of diaphragm.
4. Vaginal bleeding, which is different from normal bleeding, can be heavier or lighter and the blood is dark colored.
5. Nausea and vomiting
6. Weakness and pale skin, followed by fainting (caused because of bleeding), low blood pressure when the bleeding is heavy.
Causes Of Ecotopic Pregnancy
Several major factors cause ectopic pregnancies. Some of them are listed below:
Previously, if the woman had undergone any fallopian tube surgery. Occurrence of several abortions. If there had been an ectopic pregnancy earlier, intake of medicine for stimulating the process of ovulation, smoking, increase of age; increase in age results in the loss of tubular mobility, due to lack of myoelectrical activity, infections in fallopian tube and uterus.
Remedy For Ectopic Pregnancy
If it is at initial stage then it can be destroyed by a drug methotrexate, which has very minimum side effects.
At advanced level, it can only be treated with the help of surgery, in which the pregnancy will be removed.
After-effects Of Ectopic Preganancy
Due to doses of methotrexate, there will be a little nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
When the surgery is actually performed at advanced level, there might be a decrease in the woman fertility
You must know that your pregnancy is normal or not. You will know the early signs of pregnancy if you monitor your pregnancy week by week. If you find anything unusual, see a doctor at once.

Symptoms of Pregnancy ? Make Note of Each Symptom of Pregnancy

aronim — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:59:12 +0000

If you are expecting pregnancy then look for a symptom of pregnancy to appear. Take a closer look and do not ignore a single bodily change. It can be a feeling of nausea, exhaustion, short term, light vaginal bleeding or vaginal discharge etc. Most of the expecting mothers assume an overdue period is the first sign to watch out for and this symptom summons rest of the pregnancy symptoms. However, as per medical experts a missed period is not likely to be the first sign of pregnancy. Rather, as per their understanding a woman might be already few weeks pregnant until she observes her period is overdue. Therefore, start keeping note of all signs of pregnancy and create a pregnancy calendar.

Possible Signs Of Pregnancy

Making a weekly pregnancy calendar is a good way to check progress of pregnancy. It is as well a good idea for detecting pregnancy as you tend to observe Every symptom of pregnancy arrive gradually. In this regard, a pregnant woman should be aware of the fact that sequence of pregnancy symptoms extensively vary from one woman to another. So if you have not come across a particular symptom, do not start panicking as it may appear later. For example, many women experience swollen and tender breasts as the first sign of pregnancy whereas some feel nausea or dizziness throughout the day before as the primary sign of pregnancy. Hence, chart each sign sent by your body in detail and the symptoms with which it appears to consult your gynecologist and confirm pregnancy. Symptom of pregnancy that you are likely to expect if you are expecting pregnancy after conceiving can be the following –

1. Nausea Or Morning Sickness – Most of the expecting mothers undergo a feeling of sickness after leaving their beds in the morning as well as at the different hours of the day as well. Nausea may linger throughout the entire day. This symptom of pregnancy gives a clear indication of pregnancy. On the other hand, to reduce discomforts of nausea, physicians recommend to divide larger meals into smaller frequent meals and to curb consumption of spicy foods.

2. Increased Exhaustion– Are you are feeling like taking a nap at the afternoon or in the evening and feel tremendously tired to wake up and go to work? Should you let it pass without noting it, you might be skipping a significant symptom of pregnancy. Sudden arrival of tiredness and fatigue without any reason after conceiving is a way in which your body alerts you pregnancy. However, this symptom may disappear after the first trimester of pregnancy and may revive on the third trimester.

3. Fainting – Fainting or dizziness is caused by lowered blood pressure during pregnancy. If you feel your head is spinning as you try to rise after sitting a while or even fainting, contact your doctor or take a home pregnancy test. Expecting mothers should alleviate loads of works and be cautious while putting your feet up.

After conceiving, you may experience other changes like cramping, frequent urination, vaginal spotting etc., which may have appeared before, but you should not ignore as each sign is considered significant symptom of pregnancy.

The First Week Sign of Pregnancy ? Time to Get Alerted of your Pregnancy

aronim — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 07:02:06 +0000

The first week sign of pregnancy ticks the alarm that you have started blooming a new life inside you. The pregnancy symptoms are not so visible in the first week of pregnancy. Both your physical and mental health undergoes certain changes after you become pregnant. Make a note of all these changes that start surfacing as early pregnancy symptoms within a couple days from conceiving. Onset of these symptoms at the first week of pregnancy marks implantation of fetus in the uterus and gradual development of it in your body. Drastic hormonal changes take place during this phase to support growth of the baby and the symptoms are just your body’s reaction to these changes. Hence, take care of your body and monitor each first week sign of pregnancy and add to your pregnancy journal to create a week by week pregnancy calendar till the end of nine months course of pregnancy. Pregnancy journals or calendars help women to observe if they are making healthy progress towards childbirth.

How To Determine First Week Of Pregnancy

Now many women wonder how to calculate their pregnancy. Which is the first day of their nine months course of pregnancy? Usually, the first day of the last menstrual period commences the nine months duration of pregnancy. That means the day on which the last normal menstrual period ends is the day when you have become pregnant.

Usually, the ovulation is a thirty-day period and during this time, egg from ovary travels gets into fallopian tube where it is fertilized by a sperm and then descends to uterus for getting developed. The period when the fertilized egg gets into the inner lining of the uterus is considered the first week of pregnancy. Implantation of the fertilized egg at the inner lining of the uterus can be perceivable by slight bleeding and other symptoms. Take care to notice each first week sign of pregnancy for the right calculation of the pregnancy period and to be prepared for the childbirth, gradually.

First Week Pregnancy Symptoms

Following are the most probable changes pregnant women are supposed to undergo at the first week of pregnancy –

When you are suddenly experiencing a degree of enhanced exhaustion even If you are a full-fledged healthy, active workingwoman, you should take it seriously. Women many tend to feel a heightened level of exhaustion and may even faint due to low blood pressure.

Feeling nausea in the morning or throughout the day is a prevalent first week sign of pregnancy. Often your stomach may prone to feel queasy and feel aversion to foods.

Frequent urination is another first week sign of pregnancy. If you are expecting pregnancy, you may rush to bathroom more frequently than ever. Enlarging of your uterus to accommodate growth of the fetus inside it pushes your bladder and cause frequent urination.

Implantation bleeding is a significant first week sign of pregnancy. Because this bleeding results from implanting of egg in the uterus, it is termed as implantation bleeding. This light bleeding may accompany slight abdominal cramping.

Your breasts will show significant changes such as varicose veins, getting larger, more tender, sore and sensitive.

You will undergo dramatic mood swings and depression, anxiety, sudden onset of joy etc. This drastic transition of mood is an outcome of hormonal changes.

Gas is an embarrassing first week sign of pregnancy. However, you can reduce such discomforts by enriching your meals with adequate fibers and cutting down on spices. Constipation can accompany this gas symptom of pregnancy.

To reduce discomforts of first week sign of pregnancy, consume proper diet containing vitamin, mineral and folic acid as per charted by your doctor.

Learn About Facts of Pregnancy Through Books

aronim — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:42:54 +0000

Early Pregnancy Symptom – How to Detect Pregnancy by yourself

aronim — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 06:57:52 +0000

Pregnancy calls for one of the most beautiful phase in a woman’s life being accompanied by each early pregnancy symptom. These pregnancy symptoms have always been a source of joy as well as often anxieties. Many women are unaware of early pregnancy symptoms and what development each symptom indicates. Moreover, to start planning for a family with your new baby, you must be knowledgeable about pregnancy symptoms and to what extent they are normal. If you observe the signs of pregnancy to increase and decrease abnormally, you must consult with your physician.

Therefore, pregnant women need to be familiar with all the probable early pregnancy symptoms. She also needs to know the difference between pregnancy and non-pregnancy symptoms. The period, intensity and the sequence of arrival of pregnancy symptoms largely vary from one woman to another. So, before you start fretting over absence of a particular symptom that your friend or sister might have undergone at your stage, get facts on each early pregnancy symptom from this article.

How Your Body Tells That You Are Pregnant

During pregnancy, women undergo many changes. Drastic hormonal changes in body are because of the physical and psychological changes a woman undergoes during pregnancy. This hormonal change takes place to support the development of the fetus inside. All women tend to experience some common symptoms in the early trimester of the pregnancy period. Each early pregnancy symptom appears in the same manner, but slight differences can be expected. Now let us discuss about pregnancy symptoms and how to identify them –

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation bleeding is also known as vaginal spotting. This is a very common early pregnancy symptom and takes place when the fertilized egg gets attached to uterus walls. In following ways you will get to differentiate implantation bleeding from common vaginal bleeding –

It appears approximately five days after fertilization

Color of this vaginal discharge appears to be light unlike dark bleeding of menstruation.

An increase in discharge will also signal you about pregnancy.

Many women also experience slight cramping pain during implantation bleeding.

If you happen to experience similar symptoms within a week of conceiving, consider a home pregnancy test to confirm your pregnancy.

Frequent Urination

Increased frequency in urination is a significant early pregnancy symptom. Stretch in ligaments and hormonal changes may lead pregnant women rush to loo. As your uterus enlarges to accommodate development of the fetus, it starts occupying spaces of bladder and pushes it, which is why you may feel a surge of urine now and then.

Tender, Sore Breasts

Another very important early pregnancy symptom is tenderness and painful breasts. After conceiving, you will notice your breasts to enlarge accompanied by a feeling of tenderness due to the hormonal changes in body.

High Temperature

If you notice that your basal body temperature is increasing after conception, then you know you are pregnant. When your body temperature remains high for a number of days even if you are not having menstruation, it is an early pregnancy symptom.

Missed Periods

A missed period id considered one of the surest pregnancy symptoms to be felt at the earliest stage. However, it may arrive before or after any other early pregnancy symptom and extensively vary in women.

Fatigue and Weakness

Pregnancy brings enormous feeling of exhaustion. When you tend to feel fatigue and dizziness with any other symptom, you need to contact an expert. As per medical experts, fainting is a common early pregnancy symptom. Along with exhaustion, you might feel sickness in different time of the day with discomforts of nausea. Though pregnant women may feel at any time or throughout the day, this early pregnancy symptom is known as ‘morning sickness’.

Before you consult your gynecologist, you need to prepare a proper and detailed pregnancy journal mentioning each early pregnancy symptom to help him or her detect pregnancy accurately.

Pregnancy Support Information

aronim — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 01:39:41 +0000

Some women are surprised when they hear about being pregnant while others are looking forward to it. Those who weren’t planning a pregnancy are frequently scared, not knowing what to expect and how to behave during pregnancy while those who were looking forward to it do their best to find out everything they need to know. However, pregnancy preparing will help you ensure that your baby will be as healthy as possible.Although pregnancies usually last nine months, pregnancy support will offer your baby a healthy start in life and it will prepare you for what will come. Thus, pregnancy care is necessary in order to prepare your body and specialists will offer you the necessary advice in order to eat nutritiously, to cut out alcohol and to begin an exercise program. All these things are essential in order maintain your pregnancy health and what is more important, a healthy baby.All pregnancy support programs will tell you that you need to exercise regularly, cut out medications during pregnancy, get your weight under control, decide who will deliver your baby and verify your insurance coverage for pregnancy. Furthermore, eating healthy during your pregnancy is essential, not only for your baby but also for yourself. Don’t forget that your body will need more vitamins than before and your doctor might prescribe you vitamin supplements. Luckily for mothers all over the world, nowadays there are many pregnancy care centers that make available specialists who can guide you every step of the way. Furthermore, online sites will provide you with useful information related to pregnancy health issues, in the comfort of your home. Thus, you can learn about the importance of being hydrated all the time so that your baby develops in a healthy way. All pregnant ladies are advised to learn as much as they can about child care and pregnancy, in order to meet the necessary requirements.Most pregnancy care sites advise you to stay healthy and listen to your doctor during the pregnancy, since the life of your baby is at stake. Women must understand that in order to give birth to healthy babies they must be physically and mentally healthy. Other pregnancy tips mention the regular check-ups one must have so that the pregnancy is monitored all the time. Furthermore, your doctor will check your blood pressure and your weight, to avoid any possible problems. You must be aware of the fact that you need all the help you can get if you want to have a beautiful, healthy baby. Help throughout the pregnancy is vital because it will provide you all the information you need regarding pregnancy health. Pregnancy information will help you understand that pregnancy is not only about physical changes but also about emotional ones. Although most women enjoy their pregnancy, there are moments when they will be stressed because they don’t know if their relationship is strong enough for a baby, that they will get fat, that they don’t have any maternal abilities and so on.The important thing for all of you is to have someone by your side who will offer you the support you need, be it husband, friend, parents or a pregnancy care center. Although it would be ideal to be surrounded by all the people you love during your pregnancy, receiving comfort and support from the baby’s father, the cruel reality is that nowadays there are many single pregnant women and they deserve all the help they can get.

First Response Pregnancy Test

aronim — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 18:42:00 +0000

If you feel you may have become pregnant or indeed feeling or seeing the early signs of pregnancy, you will want to ascertain definitively whether you are pregnant or not. This will enable you to start your planning and seeking professional pre-natal care at the earliest opportunity. Either a pregnancy blood test or a home pregnancy kit will determine this for you.Pregnancy test kits can be bought at practically at any retail store, grocery store or in mega stores like the Target or Walmart. Buying bulk pregnancy tests costs less but give same results like the well packaged pregnancy tests.Companies Manufacturing Test KitsBecause implantation usually happens 6-12 days after ovulation, it is possible that you are testing too early, too soon. Various home pregnancy test manufacturers advertise their product as being foolproof. Clearblue Easy publishes on its website that Clearblue Easy can be used as early at 4 days before you expect your period, about 5 days sooner than waiting until you miss your period to test.What Is The Best Time To Take A Pregnancy Test?The HCG hormone secretion follows the fertilization of the eggs and placement of the embryo to the uterus. Medical experts choose this span of pregnancy when fertilization takes place as the best time to take the pregnancy test. The period after one week of missed period is identified as the phase when the embryo gets attached to the uterus and is considered the best possible stage of pregnancy to take the pregnancy test. However, building up of the HCG concentration can vary from one person to another.Each home pregnancy test has a certain sensitivity to the pregnancy hormone hCG. This hormone is produced by the placenta after the embryo attaches itself to the uterine wall. The detection of this hormone is what makes pregnancy tests positive. There is no way to know of course when the embryo will attach itself, so by performing pregnancy tests too early you stand a good chance of getting a negative result when you really are pregnant.When to take a pregnancy test is important, because if you test too early in your pregnancy, there may not yet be enough of the pregnancy hormone in the urine to provide a positive test result. Most of the home pregnancy tests will be 90% accurate if you wait and test yourself one day after your missed period is due. If you feel you are pregnant but the home pregnancy test is negative, repeat the test again in a week if you still have not had your period. And if you are still getting negative test results and think you are pregnant, be sure and see your health care provider right away.Delivery DateAt this stage, pregnancy test routine is performed to know the due date or delivery date. Normally a pregnancy lasts for an average of 266 days from the date of conception. The doctors add 280 days to the date of first day of the last menstrual period to know about the due date or the delivery date. The actual delivery date can, however, be two weeks before or after the due date, calculated by the doctor.

General Sign of Pregnancy – Pregnancy Health Related Issues and Causes

aronim — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:46:07 +0000

We cannot lay down a detailed list of sign of pregnancy for every woman, as pregnancy symptoms differ from women to women. In general, we can lay down certain general sign of pregnancy that may or may not be experienced by women. Understanding the sign of pregnancy is very important as these signs may also be related to other occurrences than pregnancy. A missed period can be one of the earliest sign of pregnancy. Moreover, after conception, when the embryo implants itself on the uterine wall, there will be implantation bleeding and you will experience cramping of muscles as well as spotting. They are the initial sign of pregnancy and can be generally misunderstood as a result of altered menstruation, infection or changes in birth control pill and so on.

Symptoms that Prevail Throughout Pregnancy:

As mentioned, a delayed menstruation is the first and foremost sign of pregnancy. You will also miss your next period and this confirms that fact that you are pregnant. Bleeding is very much normal during pregnancy period but it will be generally lighter than normal flow. Normally a missed period is generally attributed to hormonal problems, stress, tension and fatigue and so on. A tender breast is also a sign of pregnancy and may begin after one to weeks of conceiving. Though hormonal imbalances or delayed menstrual cycle may cause this tenderness, but generally it is a persistent problem that occurs specifically during pregnancy.

Since your body is supporting and feeding another life system, you tend to get more exhausted and stressed out during pregnancy. Fatigue or exhaustion is also early sign of pregnancy and can start as early as first week after conception. A pregnancy test will generally confirm your pregnancy because this tiredness or fatigue can also arise out of depression, stress, common cold or flu and so on.

The most common sign of pregnancy will appear between two to eight weeks of pregnancy. Morning sickness, dizziness, backaches, and even vomiting in extreme cases are some of these common symptoms. Some of you may be really fortunate enough not to deal with problems of morning sickness while others who are not so fortunate can feel queasy throughout entire pregnancy. Remember continuous back pains, nauseatic feeling, dizziness cannot be the result of food poisoning, stress or other disorders, as they all are transitory phases. They are sign of pregnancy that will prevail throughout your pregnancy.

Changes in the hormonal balance in your body during pregnancy can cause headache and this is also an early sign of pregnancy. Darkening of areolas, frequent urination and cravings for food are all sign of pregnancy and lasts throughout the entire pregnancy months. Frequent mood swings and irrational behavior are also very common during pregnancy. That is why it is very important for you to maintain a pregnancy journal that can give vent to your pent up feelings. Any pregnancy health related issues and occurrences can also find place in your journal. It makes your journey even more enjoyable.

Pregnancy Baby Boy – How To Overcome The Problem Of Getting Pregnant

aronim — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:39:59 +0000

Pregnancy Baby Boy

The challenge of obtaining pregnant can for many be more difficult as opposed to it seems. In you’re your youth you may have kept on advised not to experience sex so as to avoid getting pregnant. Based on such it would be easy to jump to the conclusion the present sexual intercourse means pregnancy. So why now when you are having sex is this not happening? There are many factors that could be contributing to this issue so I am afraid there is no simple answer.

However that does not mean that there are not simple things you could be doing that may make a difference. One thing you will need to do is not stress out. While this is easy for me to say you are smart enough to know that stress will not help your cause. If you have been trying to get pregnant for some time you may want to look for support groups both online and offline so that you can discuss with others what steps you are taking when trying to get pregnant. Pregnancy Baby Boy

A problem shared is a problem halved and in discussing this issue with others you may realize that you are missing something that could make all the difference. The nest step is to address your diet. Are you eating healthy? Are you drinking enough water? Are you getting any exercise? Beyond this I am going to presume that you are charting your cycles so as to pinpoint ovulation correctly. So you will need to review this chart and make sure you are on target.

Beyond diet have you added any supplements to make sure you are getting the nutritional balance you need? During sexual intercourse are you using any lubricants and what sexual positions do you engage in. By the way do not use lubricants as they can kill sperm and the experts say that missionary position is best. Is you partner eating healthy and have either one of you visited a specialist to address the question of sperm count and fertility?

To conclude the purpose of this article is to share the many ingredients that need to be in place to help you conceive. This way you can approach the problem in a more holistic manner and better understand what is at play. Then you can figure out a plan, put it on paper and take your mind of it for a while in order to relax. Then as quirky as it may seem nature may take its natural course. Start raising a family! Get Pregnant Today by getting Pregnancy Baby Boy ebook now!

Pregnancy Diet – Watch your Nutrition

aronim — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:59:22 +0000

Pregnancy is not only most creative and fulfilling phase of womanhood but it teaches you to be more responsible and caring towards yourself particularly with respect to pregnancy diet and nutrition. In the pregnancy period, your baby, whom you are creating with your flesh and blood, is still very much part of your body and for that you need more nutrition intake. During pregnancy, nutritional needs are increased, both to support the rapid growing fetus and to supplement the needs of your changing body structure.

Plan your pregnancy diet in such a way that you are the only supply line for your unborn baby’s nutrition needs. Your eating habits will decide your baby’s health and well-being. Poor eating or rather unhealthy food habits can adversely affect your pregnancy diet and nutrition and result in conditions like anemia, pre-eclampsia, mood swings, fatigue, leg cramps, constipation, etc.

Pregnancy: Celebrate It With Healthy Pregnancy Diet

During pregnancy, every bite counts. Whatever an expectant mother eats or hates to eat, affects her child. According to a recent research, besides physical development, intelligence of a child and his/her mental faculty depends a lot on the diet and nutrition of the mother during pregnancy.

In the first trimester of pregnancy, one does not need extra calories per se in pregnancy diet. However, one needs to have lots of high protein, calcium, vitamins such as Vitamins B12, B6, vitamin D iron, zinc and folic acid (it has been proved after myriad researches that even a simple tablet of folic acid prevents severe neurological- brain and spinal cord disorders). In addition, minerals, essential fatty acids and substantial calories are all-important for the fetus’ all-round development and therefore should be essential components of pregnancy diet and nutrition plan.

As the pregnancy period progresses, one must start eating more of proteins in the pregnancy diet. A pregnant woman needs approximately 300 calories more than normal during last 6 months of pregnancy. In first three months of pregnancy, your weight gain should be 3-5 pounds in per month but in last 6 months, you should not gain more than 3 pounds per month. Your pregnancy diet and nutrition chart should be designed in accordance with these acceptable weight gain goals.

Foods To Include In Pregnancy Diet

You should include fresh, light, wholesome, high fiber foods in your pregnancy diet in form of porridge (minerals and natural fiber); dairy (calcium); red vegetables like carrot and tomatoes (carotene); red and orange fruits like apples and oranges (vitamin B complex). Walnuts, almonds and raisins (vitamin and minerals); leafy vegetables like cabbage, spinach, broccoli (calcium and iron); brown rice, jaggery, lotus stem (iron); sprouts, lentil and pulses (protein), curd, buttermilk, paneer and of course plenty of milk (calcium) are important ingredients of pregnancy diet.

During the pregnancy period, eat five small meals a day instead of three heavy meals. Also, reduce your intake of fat, sugar and salt. Do not indulge in overeating during pregnancy because if you eat too much you will feel uncomfortable.

One basic mantra of staying healthy is to drink lots of water (will prevent dehydration and wash out the toxins of body) as soon as you wake up in the morning and after your afternoon nap It helps clean your digestive system too. You might be scared you would vomit if you drink more water, when you have nausea, which is normal in pregnancy, but the fact is, water helps to flush out the toxins from your body.

During pregnancy, strictly avoid junk food because they just give you empty calories (and extra pounds) without the nutritional benefits of healthier foods also avoid caffeine and alcohol fats, oily food, additives and unpasteurized food.

Besides healthy eating and maintaining a healthy pregnancy diet and nutrition plan in consultation with your doctor, you should do yoga and other light exercises under expert medical advice. Last but not the least, try to remain stress free, meditate and in this period of your pregnancy increase your connectivity with the Almighty. This will definitely shower you and your baby with positive energy.

So, be cool, relax, and celebrate your pregnancy and be a responsible and caring mom-to-be with balanced pregnancy diet and nutrition.

Can t Get Pregnancy – Tips on Getting Pregnant

aronim — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:37:52 +0000

Can t Get Pregnancy

The a large number of important tip a single person can submit you close to getting pregnant is when you will be able to have sex. Many women ask them selves why can’t I get pregnant. Today a good number of women believe they will get pregnant the mainly period properties go off the pill, unfortunately such a is simply not the case. For many women it takes over a year to get pregnant.Can t Get Pregnancy

To get pregnant you need to make sure you are having sex at the peak of your ovulation cycle. Having sex around your ovulation cycle will greatly increase the chances of getting pregnant. There are several methods that you can use to determine your ovulation cycle. The best method for determining the peak time to conceive a child is an ovulation kit.

An ovulation kit helps you chart your body’s temperature, charting the exact time of peak fertility is the key to getting pregnant. Many women also use an ovulation calendar that charts the days since their last period. The normal cycle for a women is 28 days, 14 days is the peak of the ovulation cycle for most women. Can t Get Pregnancy

Many couples believe the key to getting pregnant is to have intercourse all the time. This is really a bad idea. When a man has sex all the time he reduces his sperm count and will actually have a lower the chance of fertilizing the women’s egg. When trying to get pregnant it is good idea to have sex three times a week during the women peak ovulation cycle. It is not a good idea for the man to save up his sperm just for the one shot of fertilizing the female.

Over time sperm that is not used can become lethargic and slow. It is best to have sex two to three times a week to keep the sperm fresh and give the sperm the best chance to reach the women’s egg. The best chance to get pregnant is to have sex a couple days before, during and after the women’s peak ovulation cycle. Spacing out the times you have sex will give the women best chance to get pregnant. Most couples really don’t understand ovulation cycles and the timing involved in conceiving a child.Can t Get Pregnancy

For a non scientific method you may want to try having sex every other day for a month. This will keep the sperm count high and increase the odds of getting pregnant and having the baby you have always dreamed of. Start raising a family! Get Pregnant Today by getting Can t Get Pregnancy ebook now!

Vital Information About Ectopic Pregnancy

aronim — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:13:00 +0000

What is Ectopic Pregnancy? Ectopic may be defined as an organ or body part existing in an unusual form or position. Ectopic pregnancy is one which is developing in the wrong place. In an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg or ovum fails to move down through the fallopian tube to the uterus. Instead, it develops outside the womb. The ovum may attach itself to the fallopian tube, the ovary, cervix, or any other organ within the pelvic and abdominal organ. Most ectopic pregnancies lead to immediate miscarriage, while others need medical attention.
Reasons for Ectopic Pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancies occur in women with damaged fallopian tubes. A history of pelvic inflammatory disease, previous surgery, scar tissue, endometriosis, or previous ectopic pregnancies increases the likelihood of such a pregnancy. Chances of ectopic pregnancies increase if you become pregnant while using a contraceptive-coil or a progestogen only contraceptive pill. Even in-vitro fertilizations are known to be ectopic despite the fact that the ovum is directly placed into the womb. The ovum may attach itself somewhere else, leading to ectopic pregnancy. Sometimes, women suffer from this despite not having any of the above risk factors.
Symptoms of Ectopic Pregnancy
Pain on one side of the abdomen is the first sign of ectopoic pregnancy. This pain is often severe and constant and starts suddenly. Pain in shoulder, which intensifies when breathing in and out, is also a sign of ectopic pregnancy. Pain while using the bathroom may also indicate towards this type of pregnancy. Other symptoms include sickness, diarrhoea, light headedness, paleness, collapse, falling blood pressure, and vaginal bleeding or unusual periods.
Diagnosis
An ectopic pregnancy is often difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms are that of a normal pregnancy, such as tender breasts, nausea, frequent urination, missed period, and vomiting. However, in case you notice any of the signs discussed above, you must consult your physician immediately.
A urine test may not be a surest way to detect ectopic pregnancy; but a positive result for a specialized HCG blood test will confirm it. An internal pelvic examination will reveal that the womb is smaller in an ectopic pregnancy than in a normal pregnancy at the same stage of pregnancy. A swelling is also a sign of this type of pregnancy. An ultrasound is the safest bet when it comes to detecting this type of pregnancy.
Treatment
Most ectopic pregnancies need to be surgically treated or need proper medication. Without such medical intervention, the pregnancy can turn fatal to the mother. With technological advancements, it has become a lot easier to detect an ectopic pregnancy. Also, the treatment of such a pregnancy has improved, for example, keyhole surgery. Techniques like laparoscopy or laprotomy can by used to remove the misplaced ovum.
Future Pregnancies
You must understand that even if you have had an ectopic pregnancy, you will be likely to have successful pregnancies in the future. It is advisable to wait for several cycles before attempting to become pregnant again. Most women are known to become pregnant again with a healthy pregnancy as soon as they attempted again.

What is Pregnancy

aronim — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:21:11 +0000

Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations (for example, in the case of twins, or triplets). Human pregnancy is the most studied of all mammalian pregnancies.

Human pregnancy lasts approximately 9 months between the time of the last menstrual cycle and childbirth (38 weeks from fertilisation). The medical term for a pregnant woman is genetalian, just as the medical term for the potential baby is embryo (early weeks) and then fetus (until birth). A woman who is pregnant for the first time is known as a primigravida or gravida 1: a woman who has never been pregnant is known as a gravida 0; similarly, the terms para 0, para 1 and so on are used for the number of times a woman has given birth.

Medical and legal definitions

In many societies’ medical and legal definitions, human pregnancy is somewhat arbitrarily divided into three trimester periods, as a means to simplify reference to the different stages of fetal development The first trimester period carries the highest risk of miscarriage (natural death of embryo or fetus). During the second trimester the development of the fetus can start to be monitored and diagnosed. The third trimester marks the beginning of viability, which means the fetus might survive if an early birth occurs.

Everyone expects pregnancy to bring an expanding waistline. But many women are surprised by the other body changes that pop-up. Get the low-down on stretch marks, weight gain, heartburn and other “joys” of pregnancy.

Pregnancy Planning Step by Step Guide

In many societies’ medical and legal definitions, human pregnancy is somewhat arbitrarily divided into three trimester periods, as a means to simplify reference to the different stages of fetal development. The first trimester period carries the highest risk of miscarriage (natural death of embryo or fetus). During the second trimester the development of the fetus can start to be monitored and diagnosed. The third trimester marks the beginning of viability, which means the fetus might survive if an early birth occurs.

Pregnancy planning

If you are planning to become pregnant, taking certain steps can help reduce risks to both you and your baby. Proper health before deciding to become pregnant is almost as important as maintaining a healthy body during pregnancy.

The first few weeks in utero are crucial in fetus development. However, many women do not realize they are pregnant until several weeks after conception. Planning ahead, and taking care of yourself before becoming pregnant, is the best thing you can do for you and your baby.

One of the most important steps in helping you prepare for a healthy pregnancy is a pre-pregnancy examination (often called preconception care) performed by your physician before you become pregnant.

A preconception visit includes assessments of a woman’s overall health and identification of potential risk factors that may complicate pregnancy. Women can receive advice and treatment for medical conditions suh as diabetes or heart disease that may be changed by pregnancy. By preparing in advance, you can be your healthiest before becoming pregnant.

A preconception examination may include any/all of the following:

Family medical history

an assessment of the maternal and paternal medical history, to determine if any family member has had any medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and/or mental retardation.

Genetic testing

an assessment of any possible genetic disorders, as several genetic disorders may be inherited, such as sickle cell anemia (a serious blood disorder that primarily occurs in African-Americans) or Tay-Sachs disease (a nerve breakdown disorder marked by progressive mental and physical retardation that primarily occurs in individuals of Eastern European Jewish origin). Some genetic disorders can be detected by blood tests before pregnancy.

Personal medical history

an assessment of the woman’s personal medical history to determine if there are any medical conditions that may require special care during pregnancy, such as epilepsy, diabetes, high blood pressure, anemia, and/or allergies; previous surgeries; past pregnancies, including the number, length of pregnancy (gestation), previous pregnancy complications, and pregnancy losses. http://www.myhealthidea.com

Vaccination status

an assessment of current vaccinations/inoculations to assess a woman’s immunity to rubella (German measles), in particular, since contracting this disease during pregnancy can cause miscarriage or birth defects. If a woman is not immune, a vaccine may be given at least three months before conception to provide immunity.

Infection screening

To determine if a woman has a sexually transmitted infection, urinary tract infection, or other infection that could be harmful to the fetus and to the mother. http://www.myhealthidea.com

Pregnancy Symptom – the Classic Symptoms

aronim — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:38:42 +0000

The first reaction to early sign of pregnancy is disbelief, joy followed by a feeling of uncertainty. A visit to the doctor and a blood test is the only way to confirm your pregnancy. Early pregnancy tests are very reliable and even show the accurate results of a 2-week-old embryo. Before the visit to a doctor for the confirmation of pregnancy, it is very important to watch out for pregnancy symptoms. The precautions taken during early sign of pregnancy is very important for embryo’s health and well being. Some of the most recognizable signs of pregnancy are as follows.Classic pregnancy symptoms
These pregnancy symptoms appear soon after fertilization, within 8-10 days after conception. Some of the pregnancy symptoms stay with you for the entire period of gestation, while some pregnancy symptoms disappear as the pregnancy advances. They stop troubling you as your body starts getting used to change in hormones and settles to the imminent body changes. A few temporary early signs of pregnancy are:
Missed periods or less bleeding at the onset of periods. The absence of periods during the duration of pregnancy is because now the uterine lining need not be shed but used for implantation of the embryo.
Lower abdominal cramps, which begin soon after the implantation of embryo, disappear within a week or two. Headaches caused by rising levels of hormones in the first few days of pregnancy too disappear once the body accepts the change in hormonal levels.
The pregnancy symptoms that last the entire period of pregnancy are:
Nausea and vomiting are the early signs of pregnancy starting in the second week itself. The degree in which you feel sick varies from full fledged to none as the pregnancy advances. It is fairly controlled during the third trimester, making you feel more relaxed and happy.
Tender and swollen breasts appear soon after conception and stays with you till the entire period. It is the nature’s way to make the breast ready for baby’s breastfeeding. In the last trimester the breasts secrete a liquid called colostrums, which provides immunity to the baby.
Enlarging and darkening of areola is the first sign of pregnancy, and lasts throughout.
Frequent urination and constipation is early sign of pregnancy and increases with the advancing pregnancy due to the pressure of the growing embryo on the surrounding body organs.
Exhaustion and tiredness occurs from initial stages of pregnancy and stay the entire duration of the gestation.
Food cravings for a particular type of food are still an unsolved mystery. Some doctors feel this is the way the body acquires the adequate minerals required by the growing embryo. This pregnancy symptom is an early sign of pregnancy and stays on till the end.
Increased sense of smell and taste too varies in all stages of pregnancy.
If you experience these pregnancy symptoms then take care of your health. Avoid harmful products; start taking balanced diet and some extra folic acid for happy and healthy pregnancy.

Watch Out for These Pregnancy Complications and Maintain a Healthy Pregnancy!

aronim — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:54:27 +0000

Pregnancy is a precious time and a life-changing event. It is really a warm experience between mother and baby that should be cherished all the time. However, a condition may develop to make your pregnancy a high risk, which is commonly known as pregnancy complication.

Pregnancy complication is a condition that can threat you and developing baby during pregnancy. Remember that pregnancy complications can develop at any point of time throughout your pregnancy, which can ruin your very joyful time. It can also develop after the childbirth.

These complications can develop from several factors: chronic diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension), sexual transmitted diseases (syphilis, chlamydia), abnormalities of sperm/ovum, amniotic fluid, and placenta and infections that cause from virus, bacteria and parasites.

The possible pregnancy complications that can harm you and your developing fetus are as follows:

Gestational diabetes: It is the most common pregnancy complication that develops during pregnancy. It is found that two to seven percent of pregnant women develop this condition. This condition when left untreated can lead to increased risk of fetal death as well as thyroid problems.

It generally develops during second trimester of pregnancy. It can be treated by insulin supplementation to manage blood glucose levels.

Amniotic fluid complications: It is a pregnancy complication that results from a very high (polyhydramnios) or very low (oligohydramnios) amniotic fluid levels in the membranes surrounding the fetus.

Excessive amniotic fluid places pressure on your uterus causing pre-term delivery. It also puts pressure on your diaphragm, which leads to breathing problems. Oligohydramnios leads to poor fetal growth, post-term delivery, birth defects such as urinary tract abnormalities, etc.

Placental complications: The pregnancy complications of placenta are placental abruption and placental previa.

Premature detachment of a normally situated placenta is placental abruption where the exact cause for this condition is unknown. The detachment may be partial or complete.

Placental previa is the condition where the placenta is located in lower segment of the uterus, partially or completely covering the opening of the cervix. It leads to severe bleeding during second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The exact cause of placental previa is not known.

Preeclampsia/high blood pressure: Preeclampsia means the development of hypertension with edema or proteinuria or both during pregnancy. It generally occurs after twenty weeks of gestation. It is also called toxemia.

Ectopic pregnancy: It is a pregnancy complication where the development of fetus takes place outside the uterus or within the fallopian tubes. It can also be called as tubal pregnancy.

Rh Factor: If the mother is Rh negative and her partner Rh positive, the combination results in a baby with Rh positive. In this condition, when the blood transfers from mother to the child, the red blood cells will break down leading to anemia.

Miscarriage: Miscarriage is an unintentional or sudden loss of pregnancy. This type of pregnancy complication develops mostly due to age, gene factors, malnutrition, environmental hazards, hormonal problems, etc.

So, maintain a healthy pregnancy with proper prenatal care throughout pregnancy in order to avoid the occurrence of these pregnancy complications. Visit Pregnancy Blog

Complete Information on Ectopic Pregnancy With Treatment and Prevention

aronim — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:31:02 +0000

An ectopic pregnancy is an irregular pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus. Most ectopic pregnancies happen in the fallopian pipe, but implantation can too happen in the cervix, ovaries, and stomach. The causes of ectopic pregnancy are unidentified. There are some speculative specific causes or associations. Smoking, advanced maternal age and prior tubal damage of any origin are well known risk factors for ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy occasionally occurs in women who have had a hysterectomy. Rather than implanting in the absent uterus, the fetus implants in the abdomen, and must be delivered via caesarean section. Patients are at higher risk for ectopic pregnancy with advancing age. Vaginal douching is thought by some to increase ectopic pregnancies; this is speculative. Women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero also have an elevated risk of ectopic pregnancy, up to 3 times the risk of unexposed women.

In a normal ectopic pregnancy, the embryo does not hit the womb, but instead adheres to the lining of the Fallopian pipe. The implanted embryo burrows actively into the tubal lining. Most usually this invades vessels and will induce bleeding. This bleeding expels the implantation out of the tubal end as a tubal abortion. Many factors are known to increase the risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. Taking hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone, can slow the normal movement of the fertilized egg through the tubes and lead to ectopic pregnancy. Most women who have had one ectopic pregnancy are later able to have a normal pregnancy. A repeated ectopic pregnancy may occur in 10 – 20% of cases. Women who have in vitro fertilization or who have an intrauterine device using progesterone also have an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.

Early symptoms are either missing or delicate. Some women thinking they are having an abortion are really having a tubal miscarriage. There is no inflammation of the pipe in ectopic pregnancy. Patients with a late ectopic pregnancy typically experience pain and bleeding. This bleeding will be both vaginal and internal and has two discrete pathophysiologic mechanisms. The pain is caused by prostaglandins released at the implantation site, and by free blood in the peritoneal cavity, which is locally irritant. Sometimes the bleeding might be heavy enough to threaten the health or life of the woman. Later presentations are more common in communities deprived of modern diagnostic ability. An ectopic pregnancy is usually a failing pregnancy and falling levels of progesterone from the corpus luteum on the ovary cause withdrawal bleeding.

An ectopic pregnancy has to be suspected in any woman with lower abdominal pain or unique hemorrhage who is or might be sexually involved and whose pregnancy examination is constructive. If left untreated, about half of ectopic pregnancies will resolve without treatment. These are the tubal abortions. Early treatment of an ectopic pregnancy with the antimetabolite methotrexate has proven to be a viable alternative to surgical treatment. The advent of methotrexate treatment for ectopic pregnancy has reduced the need for surgery, however, surgical intervention is still required in cases where the fallopian tube has ruptured or is in danger of doing so. Surgeons use laparoscopy or laparotomy to gain access to the pelvis and can either incise the affected Fallopian and remove only the pregnancy or remove the affected tube with the pregnancy.

Early Pregnancy Symptom ? Signs Tell That you are Pregnant

aronim — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:42:50 +0000

If you are expecting pregnancy, you might be undergoing some body changes and experience early pregnancy symptoms. Many women tend to ignore some of the symptoms that they come across after conceiving and fail to detect their pregnancy. Therefore, it is essential to take a note of every single body change you observe in order to confirm pregnancy. Many symptoms are even experienced before conceiving, but then check out the intensity of arrival of those symptoms. Observe carefully and inform your physician in detail. The early stage of pregnancy brings a number of symptoms to every woman.

However, not every pregnant woman experiences the same group of symptoms in their early stage at the same propensity. Your symptoms may not resemble with those experienced by one of your acquaintances. Therefore, if you have missed one of the pregnancy symptoms one of your close acquaintances has felt, it does not mean you have some complications. It is our endeavor to impart you knowledge on the pregnancy symptoms that are most likely to appear in the early trimesters, signaling that you are pregnant. Check out below what possible signs you may expect during the early stage of your pregnancy.

Common Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Each early pregnancy symptom gives indication of your pregnancy. On the other hand, unusual pregnancy symptoms and sudden changes in pregnancy symptoms may signal you that you might have some complications. In that case, you should not delay and must rush to doctor immediately. Identifying which symptom is normal and which is not, is only possible when we have a clear idea about pregnancy signs. Read our guidance on early pregnancy symptom to acquire information on occurrence of pregnancy signs. Our information will help you prepare yourself better for pregnancy. So let us start with early pregnancy symptoms:

1. Missed periods – many women feel tizzy and anxious when periods have crossed due dates. Missed period, according to the most of the individuals and pregnant women is a prominent indication of pregnancy. However, a missed period may follow other factors as well, such as certain medications or side effects of medical treatments, stress etc. Therefore, consult your doctor immediately when your period is overdue whether it is an early pregnancy symptom or not.

2. Implantation Bleeding – Right after conceiving, you might notice slight bleeding, which is, as per medical experts, known as implantation bleeding. As the fertilized egg implants itself to the uterus wall, you may find some vaginal spotting which is normal and very common early pregnancy symptom.

3. Abdominal cramping – Many pregnant women complain about cramping pain and contraction in their uterus as they experience during periods when before pregnancy. This is also considered as a strong indicator of pregnancy.

4. Tender, Swollen Breasts – If you are having sore, swollen and tender breasts, take it seriously and inform your physician or take a home pregnancy test. Some women experience this every month just before their periods start!

5.Morning Sickness – This is another very common early pregnancy symptom. Morning sickness is usually experienced as a feeling of nausea during morning and any other time of the day as well. You may as well feel an increased sensitivity to taste and smell due to this queasy feeling during early pregnancy. However, it is up to you to differentiate between indigestion and morning sickness!

If you have experienced all, some or one early pregnancy symptom of the above, get a home pregnancy test kit and get yourself tested, if you have any dubious results, talk to your doctor without any delay.

Cervical Alterations During Pregnancy in Small Ruminants

aronim — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:09:15 +0000

Cervical alterations during pregnancy in Small Ruminants

P. Goswami and G. M. Wani

Directorate of Extension Education,

SKUAST-K, Shalimar Srinagar

The cervix uteri is a thick walled fibromascular tube connecting the body of the uterus and vagina. It a muscular organ composed of connective tissues predominantly elastic fibres. In the non pregnant ewes, the cervical canal is impassable except during oestrous. Five or six hard prominences within the canal assist the sphincter effect of the cervix (Nickel, Schummer & Seiferle, 1973). During the course of gestration, the length of cervix increases and in late pregnancy the wall becomes thicker, with an overall increase in the compliances of the tissues (Cloete, 1939; Abusineina, 1969). This may be related to disaggregation of densely packed collagen fibre in the cervix of pre-partum ewe. This paper will focus some of the important physical and microscopical changes occurred in the cervix of small ruminants during pregnancy

Anatomy of the cervix:

The cervix separates the uterus from the vagina. During pregnancy, it seals and protects the embryo and fetus from the external environment. The gross and microscopic anatomy of the cervix has been studied by various workers. The casts of the inside of the cervical lumen shows its convulated structure consisting five to six circular folds and the second fold being eccentric to the other concentric folds and acting as physiological barrier. The cervical fold in small ruminants varies from five to six folds. In cow four large circular and 15-25 longitudinal primary folds each with many secondary and tertiary folds are present. Cervical mucosa is generally characterized by longitudinal primary fold and most of which maintained continuity throughout the cervix. Superimposed on these secondary folds which is varied in length and depth. Abundant shallow uniformity and parallel longitudinal grooves covers all surface.

Morphological changes in the cervix:

Three major changes generally observe in cervix during pregnancy. These are described as growth (physical increase in length and breadth). Softening (changes in tensile properties) and dilation to allow passage of the foetus. The study carried out by different workers showed that ovine cervix shows an increase in width and length in the later stages of pregnancy. The analysis of the constituency of cervices shows increase softening from the mid pregnancy and there after firmness of cervix losses.

A small increase in the degree of hydration of the cervix or dry weight at different gestrational stages has been reported by Fosang et. al. (1994), ward 1968. This may be due to increased tissue mass rather than increase in size of water content. However some author reported no significant changes/differences in water content of the cervices from non pregnant to pregnant animals. The physical chemical and histological properties of cervix are constant throughout the length of cervix. However, Basset (1958) reported morphological changes in the fibroblast of the broad and sacro-iliac ligament by the 60th day of pregnancy but this information is not supported on ultrastructural studies.

Light Microscopical changes:

Morphologically the most prominent feature of non pregnant cervix is heavy, densely packed collagen fibre interspersed with fibroblast (fig.3 ). Small blood vessels are present throughout the depth of the tissue, but most numerous in deepest layer. Smooth muscle bundle are running both longitudinally and transversely in the middle and deeper layer. The figure represents a wall of non pregnant cervix. The lining epithelium is low columnar and secrets neutral mucin. The sub epithelial connective tissue is vascular and contains variety of cells including eosinophil, macrophages, mast cells and plasma cells. The greater proportion of cervical wall is composed of dense fibrous connective tissue consisting of compactly arranged collagen fibre with some fibrocytes and occasional fibroblast embeds in sparse ground substance. The individually arranged smooth muscle fibre forms an incomplete muscularies of which the outer fibre is longer and more prominent than inner fibre. The electron microscopically the collagen fibre shows very compact in arrangement and the scarcity of the ground substance and the presence of fibrocytes. Fosang et. al . opined that there is no significant changes observe between proximal, middle and distal portion of cervix irrespective of stain used. The best stain normally use for differentiation between collagen fibre and the smooth muscle bundle are Massons’ Trichrome stain, where the alignment of the collagen fibre along with villi shows projecting towards lumen. In general collagen fibre are large and closely spaced and are organized either longitudinally or obliquely. Section stained with Toludine Blue stain revels metachromatic staining along the collagen fibrils with strong staining of epithelial cells associated mucus. The morphological changes donot become apparent until quite late in the gestration period. The description of non pregnant cervix applied equally to the connective tissues observed in the early stages of pregnancy even to 100 days.



Fig. Pregnant cervix showing



Fig: Dense Collagen fibre, inner circular & longitudinal muscular layer with epithelium H&E 4X

Fig. Central cervix Transverse section Loosening of epithelium and collagens layer H&E (pregnant)

The histological section at 100 days of pregnancy revels no virtually distinguish alteration from that of non pregnant cervix (Calder et. al). The tall columnar cervical epitheliums are the only changes represents in pregnancy and the secretions are a mixture of acid and neutral mucin. Acidity increases with the pregnancy age. Tissue breakdown and destruction of collagen networks is evident at 140 days of pregnancy. The cells are more widely spaced (empty area) and the collagen fibre losing their organization exposing smooth muscle cells. This can be best seen with Massons’ Trichrome. The infiltrating cell at this stage are lymphocytes and monocytes and few eosinophils. In late gestration increased fibroblast activity, smooth muscle hypertrophy, vascular edema and dissolution of collagen fibre bundle are reported by various worker. These findings contrasted with the rigid fibromuscular tissue observe in the non pregnant animals. The appearance of thinner fibre and empty areas between fibres in late pregnancy is lead to decrease concentrations of hydroxyproline in tissue. Collagen fibre dissolution in pregnant cervix has been extensively reported in several species and many authors have reported that active collagenolysis occurring during pregnancy may be the underlying mechanism of cervical softening. Ellowed et al (1981) have shown that ovine cervical explants produce both latent and active collagenase activity, with greater yields of activity in parturient tissue compared with the late pregnancy after 3-5 days in culture. Inflammatory cells invading cervix towards late gestration provide a potential source of collagenase and neutral protinease activity. Eosinophils also have been described as potential bearer of specific collagenase which may be responsible for collagen catabolism (Basset, 1972). At the term the disruption of collagen fibre are more even pronounced with virtually no large fibre remaining. In Haematoxyline & Eosin stain sectioned it sometimes appears very little or no collagen at all. But very little and small fibrils arranging random pattern are seen in Massons’ Trichrome stains. In this stage there is heavy infiltration of inflammatory cells among which eosinophils predominant. An area of haemorrhage is also a constant finding along with infiltrating cells. In late pregnancy there is complete network of subepithelial capillaries with a marked increase in the size of the vessels in the outer part of the cervical wall.

Ultrastructure feature:

Ultrastructuraly, non pregnant cervix reveals the typical dense connective tissue with collagen aggravated in closely packed fascicles and fibrocytes embedded in sparse ground substance. The ultrastructural characteristic in late pregnancy are presence of rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria,plasmalemmal vesicle and extensive branching of individual fibres in contrast to the absence of these feature in muscle fibres of the non-pregnant cervix. This description is also similar to early pregnancy stage. The ultrastructural analyses of the cervical connective tissue reflects active changes in tissues, with a reorganization of the cervix prior to the functional changes at parturition.

Changes in collagen concentration:

The biochemical analysis of hydroxyproline in tissue can be used for collagen concentrations. Study carried out by Regassa et al. (1983) shows the total collagen content of cervix at all stages of pregnancy is significantly greater than that of caruncular mean and the intercaruncular areas. The concentration of hydroxyproline is not changed in cervix during Ist trimester of pregnancy. However the concentration of hydroxyproline progressively decreases at days 100, 140 days and in post partum tissues as compared to the non pregnant tissue(Fosang et. al 1984). The concentration is same between proximal, middle or distal region of the pregnant and non pregnant cervix.

In conclusion it is summarized that uterine cervix of small ruminants became softer during the pregnancy and that some associated changes first appear in early gestartion. There is no significant changes in water content through pregnancy although light increases is associated with cervical size and softening of the tissue. Physical and histological properties are identical in all section along the length of cervix. The changes associated with increasing length of gestration are absolute increase in width and length, relative increases in fibroblasts, smooth muscle and softening; relative decreases in collagen and fibrocytes. But increased vascularisation without any white cell infiltration of the tissue is specifically associated with late gestration.

REFERENCES

Abusineina M.E. (1969) Effect of pregnancy on the dimendions and weight of the cervix uteri of sheep. British Vet. J 125, 21-24

Amanda J. Fosang, Christopher J. H. Vivien S., Dennis A. L. and Geoffery D. T. (1984) pregnancy related changes in connective tissue of ovine cervix. Biology of reproduction 30, 1223-1225

Aughey, E, Munro, C. D., Calder, A. A., Coutts, J R. T. & Fleming, R (1981). The histology and ultrastructure of the pregnant sheep cervix uteri. J. of Anatomy 132, 448

Basset, E. G. (1958) Gestational changes in connective tissue. Nature 181, 196-197

Cloete, J.H.L. (1939) prenatal growth in the merino sheep onderstepoort journal of veterinary science & animal industry 13, 417-543

Calder A.A., Aughey E. Coutts J. Fleming R and Munors C.(1983) Changes pattern of cervix on pregnancy J. Anat (1983) 136, 2 389-399

Ellwood D.A., Anderson, ABM, Mitchell and Turnbill A.C. (1981) Prostanoids, collagenase and cervical softening in sheep. Am. J. Obst. Gyneol. 10:281-287

Hollingsworth, M. (1981) Softening of rat cervix during pregnancy. In the cervix in pregnancy and labour- clinical and biochemical investigations (ed. D. A. Ellwood & A.B.M. Anderson) pp.13-33 Edinburg

K. June Mullins, R. G. Saacke (1988) Study of the functional anatomy of bovine cervical mucosa with special reference to mucus secretion and sperm transport Journal of Reproduction and Fertility (1979) 57 261-266



Karen Sohan , Rebecca Wiggins and Peter Soothill (1999), Cervical Physiology in pregnancy and labour. Foetal and Maternal Medicine review 11: 135-141 Cambridge

More J (1984) Anatomy and Histology of the cervix uteri of ewe: A new insight Acta. Anat (basal) 120 (3). 156-9

Nickel, R., Schummer A. & Seiferle E., (1981) The viscera of domestic animals pp.358 and 361 berlin verlag Paul Pavey.

Regassa F. and Noakes D. E.(1983) Changes in the weight, collagen concentration and content of the uterus and cervix of ewe during pregnancy. J Biology 73, 221-25

Ectopic Pregnancy – Symptoms, Causes and Remedies

aronim — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:25:28 +0000

Ectopic pregnancy is not a normal pregnancy. In normal pregnancy, the sperms reach the egg in the fallopian tube, where fertilization occurs and then, this fertilized egg travels on to reach the uterus and implants itself there to complete the gestation period. However, in ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg fails to reach the uterus for the gestation period and instead implant itself anywhere outside uterus, like cervix, fallopian tube, abdominal cavity. In general, in ectopic pregnancy cases, the fertilized egg implants itself in the fallopian tube.

Causes of Ectopic Pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy occurs as a result of the fertilized egg’s inability to travel down the fallopian tube and into the uterus. This may be caused by an infection, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, or swelling that has formed an obstruction inside the tube.

Tubal surgery – women who have had operations on their tubes are more at risk of ectopic. This includes tubal ligatoin, reversal of sterilisation or tubal surgery for a previous ectopic.

Previous ectopic – about 10-20% of those attempting pregnancy after one ectopic will have another.

DES exposure – this is a drug that was once used during pregnancy, until it was found that female babies of women who used it were at risk of developmental abnormalities of the genital system. Their tubes are more likely to be abnormal and predisposed to ectopic pregnancy. This is a very rare problem and you would most likely already know about it.

Smoking. Women who smoke or who used to smoke have higher rates of ectopic pregnancy. The more you smoke, the higher your risk.1 Smoking is thought to damage the fallopian tubes’ ability to move the fertilized egg toward the uterus.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), such as from a chlamydia or gonorrhea infection. PID can create scar tissue in the fallopian tubes.

Fallopian tube surgery, often used to reverse a tubal ligation or to repair a scarred or blocked tube.

symptoms of ectopic pregnancy

In many cases, a pregnant woman and her doctor may not at first have any reason to suspect an ectopic pregnancy. The early signs of pregnancy, such as a missed period and other symptoms and signs, also occur in ectopic pregnancies.

Pain is usually the first sign of an ectopic pregnancy. The pain may be in the pelvis, abdomen, or even the shoulder and neck (due to blood from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy building up under the diaphragm). Pain from an ectopic pregnancy is usually described as sharp and stabbing. It may come and go or vary in intensity.

Sharp pain in the abdomen or pelvis

Signs of early pregnancy

Irregular Vaginal bleeding

Abdominal pain on one side of the abdomen

Unexplained dizziness or fainting

Remedy For Ectopic Pregnancy

If the ectopic pregnancy is at initial stage then it can be destroyed by a drug methotrexate, which has very minimum side effects. At advanced level, it can only be treated with the help of surgery, in which the pregnancy will be removed.

After-effects Of Ectopic Preganancy

Due to doses of methotrexate, there will be a little nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

When the surgery is actually performed at advanced level, there might be a decrease in the womans fertility. You must know that your pregnancy is normal or not. You will know the early signs of pregnancy if you monitor your pregnancy week by week. If you find anything unusual, see a doctor at once.

Pregnancy, Prenatals, Healthy Baby – What You Need to Know

aronim — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:34:55 +0000

Pregnancy is such a critical time. A woman’s body is drastically changing and the baby inside is creating new demands on the mother’s body. You want to do everything you can right to make sure that your baby is healthy and has a good start in life.
Some birth defects have been linked to the lack of vitamins and minerals. How do you pick the correct prenatal vitamins to ensure a healthy pregnancy? Should you just rely on your physician or should you know more? Should you take prenatals even after your pregnancy? We looked deeper into what a mother really needs to know before and after pregnancy.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy is such a critical time, and you want to do everything you can to provide the “just right” array of vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Pregnancy and breastfeeding place tremendous demands on your body and can deplete omega-3 fatty acids. Target each stage of pregnancy with the perfect balance of nutrients.
Studies have shown that moms who receive the recommended amount of DHA during pregnancy have babies with increased attention spans throughout the first two years of life. The benefits of taking omega-3 DHA before, during, and after pregnancy are truly amazing.
Remember, your baby will take what it needs first to develop and grow, and therefore, your body may suffer if you are not getting enough of the necessary vitamins and minerals needed throughout pregnancy.
Healthy Baby
Every vitamin, every mineral, every nutrient has an important job to do now, for you and your growing baby. Your growing baby’s development depends on it. The right vitamins help build your baby’s bones and teeth and ensure your baby has a healthy start in life.
Eating a variety of healthy foods is important, but with hectic schedules, morning sickness, and the changing nutritional demands of your developing baby, it can be difficult to achieve the right nutritional balance. Nutrition is also critically important during recovery and while you are breastfeeding your newborn baby.
Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are packed full of nutrients that will help support and nourish your growing child and your body during pregnancy. How do you determine which prenatal vitamins are right for you? What do you look for in prenatal vitamins?
Prenatal vitamin supplements are vitamin supplements that a woman can take on a daily basis to ensure that she is obtaining appropriate quantities of essential nutrients during pregnancy. Prenatal nutrition is important but nausea and vomiting can cause women to miss meals and important nutrients from both a balanced diet and prenatal vitamin supplementation.
Just picking up some ordinary vitamins at the drugstore is not enough for a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins contain important nutrients in stronger dosages than regular multivitamin supplements (even those formulated for women). A good vitamin does not take the place of eating nutritiously but it can balance the scales in your favor, and your baby’s too. Researchers at the University of Maryland have noticed that many commonly prescribed prenatal vitamins do not dissolve well resulting in insufficient absorption of the nutrients.
The March of Dimes reports that birth defects of the spine, skull, and brain, such as spina bifida and anencephaly, are more likely to occur if the mother does not get sufficient folic acid during the first few weeks of her pregnancy – even before she knows she is pregnant.
Prenatal vitamins can reduce risk of childhood cancers and omega fish oil intake has been linked to higher IQ in offspring. New research from the Boston University School of Medicine is recommending higher intakes of vitamin D as so many are deficient. The women’s levels of vitamin D were related to the frequency of milk consumption and prenatal vitamin use.
Increased zinc and vitamin B6 levels can boost immunities needed after pregnancy and sufficient B6 has been shown to provide infant growth advantages. This B vitamin can prevent neural tube defects when taken early in pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. Zinc supports normal growth and development during pregnancy.
Calcium and magnesium supplementation are so important during pregnancy. A good prenatal vitamin should include folic acid and calcium, among other nutrients that are important to a healthy pregnancy and baby. In the last trimester of pregnancy, skeletal growth is highest and the fetus draws calcium directly from the mother’s stores. In addition, clinical trials have shown that adequate calcium during pregnancy lowers blood pressure and may reduce the incidence of premature births. Magnesium promotes the health of bones and may help maintain normal blood pressure and muscle comfort during pregnancy.
Folic acid is the most commonly prescribed prenatal supplement for the months prior to becoming pregnant as well and it is essential for the health and growth of the baby, especially for brain functions.
The female body’s requirement for vitamin C increases during pregnancy as this vitamin promotes the normal growth of the baby and supports building strong bones and teeth. It also supports the absorption of another key nutrient during pregnancy: iron.
Iron is recommended to prevent the mother suffering from anemia due to the demands that the baby puts on her iron consumption. Iron is an important mineral and is responsible for helping the mother and the baby’s blood to carry oxygen. Iron deficiencies can lead to severe birth defects for the baby.
Women have an increased requirement for biotin during pregnancy, and a biotin deficiency may occur in as many as 50 percent of pregnant women. This deficiency may increase the risk of birth defects.
Adequate amounts of vitamin A help to promote the health of the baby by promoting normal growth and development of the embryo and fetus, and supporting genes that determine the sequential development of organs in embryonic development. Beta-carotene is a nutrient from plants that the body converts into vitamin A.
Prenatal vitamins can be taken after pregnancy to provide a well-balanced supplementation program. With a mother’s hectic schedule and lack of time, prenatal vitamins are a perfect choice for an after pregnancy supplement regimen.
The correct prenatals are essential for a healthy pregnancy and baby. Doing your research on prenatal vitamins can be very rewarding and time well spent to ensure an easy and successful pregnancy.

Secrets of Pregnancy Without the Pounds

aronim — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:23:30 +0000

Nurturing another life within your body and giving birth are the most miraculous things that could ever happen to a woman. While pregnancy is a wonderful thing, going through with it put women into a lot of stress, pains and insecurities with the way they look. For most women pregnancy is a struggle. Women always find it hard to look good and feel good during and after pregnancy. Pregnant women have to battle with stretch marks, sagging breasts, morning sickness, and gaining weight. Women gain weight during pregnancy and have trouble shredding the extra weight after birth. They often wonder how to have pregnancy without the pounds.During pregnancy it is recommended to gain some pounds needed to nurture your baby but most pregnant women find themselves gaining excess pregnancy weight and became overweight. Instead of striving for pregnancy without the pounds, women find themselves gaining excess pregnancy pounds. Gaining too much weight can be harmful to you and the baby, there are studies that babies born to overweight mothers have more tendencies to have birth defects. Monitoring your weight and staying on the required weight during pregnancy is very important for your health and the baby and yet most of the time women get overweight during pregnancy. You donï¿½t have to make pregnancy an excuse to eat all you want and feel fat or overweight later and worst endanger your health and the baby. Discipline during pregnancy when it comes to gaining weight is needed for you to stay healthy and in shape while pregnant and enjoy pregnancy without the pounds.After giving birth, women struggle to lose weight and regain the body they used to have before pregnancy. There are those who struggle in dieting and shredding the unwanted pregnancy pounds months after giving birth and yet find themselves frustrated to attain their goal of losing that excess weight gained during pregnancy. Aiming for pregnancy without the pounds during pregnancy is easier than try to lose excess pregnancy pounds later.Pregnancy without the pounds is possible and pregnancy should not be a struggle. If you want to feel good and attractive during and after pregnancy it is possible and can be done. Learn how to control and monitor your weight gain during pregnancy is a decision towards pregnancy without the pounds. You just have to be comfortable with your pregnancy and willing to find the right techniques or methods for you to stay fit and in good shape while pregnant and of course 100% safe for you and your baby. Pregnancy without the pounds is something pregnant women have to work on to feel good and be attractive while pregnant. Without excess pounds delivery will be easy and your body will be in good shape after giving birth. Women can be pregnant and yet be beautiful and stunning.Pregnancy should not be that stressful, while your body is going through a lot of dramatic changes, there are still things you can do to feel good and look attractive.Do you want to feel good, attractive and beautiful while pregnant and avoid excess pregnancy weight? Discover how to have pregnancy without the pounds visit Pregnancy Without The PoundsTo know more about women’s health and issues visit All About Women.

Chronic diseases and pregnancy

aronim — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 08:18:44 +0000

Speaking about health before pregnancy, we mean way of life, nutrition, physical activity, habits, and also possible chronic diseases, such as heightened blood pressure or diabetes. If you have such diseases, then you just have to visit a doctor beforehand. You know, this may complicate pregnancy, bring harm to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor which medicinal preparations and in which doses you take. Doctor will recommend you tests and observations you should pass, for example, X-ray photography. Try to discuss all questions you have for the moment.

It is much simpler to think over a strategy of treatment before pregnancy and then worrying about complications.

Diabetes
Diabetes – it is a disease, appearing as a result of lack of insulin in organism, this hormone is produced by pancreas. If you have diabetes, it will be more difficult for you to become pregnant. Moreover, diabetes can influence passing of pregnancy seriously. First of all, it can become a reason of miscarriage or giving birth to a dead baby. Secondly, women suffering from diabetes can give birth to babies with inborn defects.
You can reduce risk of such complications due to constant control of sugar content in blood during pregnancy. If you don’t care of your state, then diabetes while pregnancy may turn out to be dangerous both for you and your future baby. Majority of complications, connected with diabetes, are displayed during first trimester, i.e. during first 13 weeks of pregnancy.

Pregnancy may cause complications of state while diabetes, what will require increase of insulin doses. This can be easily determined with help of test on sugar content in blood. Majority of doctors recommend taking a special care of this disease development during at least 2-3 months before conception. This will help to reduce probability of risk of miscarriage or other problems. Probably, you will have to pass tests on sugar content in blood several times per day, to control disease completely and avoid possible complications. Past experience shows that women, suffering from diabetes, had serious problems with conception and passing of pregnancy. But die to complete and constant control even women-diabetics can count on successful result of pregnancy and delivery.

If in your family there were cases of diabetes or you have slightest suspicions as for your own health, pass tests before pregnancy surely.

Asthma
About 1% of pregnant women suffer from asthma. It is impossible to predict influence of pregnancy on asthma. Half of women, suffering from this disease, notice no changes during pregnancy, about 25% feel even slight improvement, and the rest (25%) observe worsening of state.

Majority of anti-asthma remedies are safe for pregnant, but it is still better to consult a doctor as for preparation to take. Almost all who suffer from asthma know what may become a reason of fit, so avoid contact with allergens before getting pregnant and during whole pregnancy. Try to control your state yet before pregnancy.

Hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can cause complication both of mother’s and unborn baby’s health. For women it is connected with risk of refusal of kidneys work, probability of hypertensic crisis or headache. Increase of a future mother’s blood pressure may become a reason for decrease of blood inflow to placenta, what will lead to delays of fetus development, i.e. a baby will weigh less, than normal while birth.

If you had high blood pressure before pregnancy, then you just have to take care of it during all 9 months. Probably, gynaecologist will send you to therapeutist’s or family doctor’s observation with this purpose.
Before making a decision to become pregnant, women, suffering from hypertension, should consult a doctor. Some remedies against high blood pressure are safe for pregnant, some are not. On no account quit taking pills and reduce dose without a doctor’s prescription! This can be dangerous. If you plan giving birth to a baby, ask you doctor about remedies you are taking against high blood pressure, and about safety of taking these medicines during pregnancy.

Heart diseases
During pregnancy load on heart increases about 50%. If you have sick heart, it is necessary for your doctor to know about it before you become pregnant.

Some heart diseases, such as mitral valve prolapse, can seriously complicate passing of pregnancy. Probably, you will even have to take antibiotics before delivery. Other heart diseases, such as inborn heart disease, may seriously influence state of health. In this case pregnancy and delivery are sometimes contra-indicated.

Consult your doctor as for heart diseases before you become pregnant.

Kidneys and urinary bladder diseases
Infections of urinary system, in particular urinary bladder, often appear during pregnancy. If you don’t cure disease in time, infection may pass to kidneys, causing pyelonephritis.

Infections of urinary bladder and pyelonephritis may lead to premature birth. If you ever suffered from pyelonephritis or repeating infections of urinary system, this should be determined before pregnancy.

Stones in kidneys also may complicate passing pf pregnancy. This disease is accompanied by severe pains in lower part of belly, so it is quite difficult to diagnose it during pregnancy. Moreover, stones in kidneys may become a reason of appearance of infections of urinary system and pyelonephritis.

If you ever had some only infection of urinary bladder, you should not worry a lot. But you still should inform your doctor about it. He will decide whether you need to pass more careful observation before pregnancy.

Thyroid gland diseases
Thyroid gland diseases may appear both because of excess or lack of thyroid hormone. Excess of hormone is called thyrotoxicosis. In this case metabolism in human organism is speeded up. This may be caused by Graves’ disease. Thyrotoxicosis is usually cured with help of operation of medicinal remedies, reducing content of thyroid hormone in organism. If you don’t cure this disease, there’s rather high level of risk premature birth and giving birth to a baby with low weight.

You can carry our treatment during pregnancy too: there’re quite safe preparations, which pregnant women may take.

Lack of thyroid hormone – hypothyroidism – is usually caused by disease of autoimmune origin. In this case thyroid gland is damaged by anti-bodies, which are produced by your organism. While hypothyroidism taking of thyroid hormones is prescribed. Not cured hypothyroidism threatens with sterility or habitual noncarrying of pregnancy.

If you have thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism, you need to pass through observation before pregnancy, to determine doses of medicinal remedies, necessary for treatment. In the process of pregnancy your necessity in preparations may change, and then you will have to pass another observation.

Anemia
Anemia means that there’s lack of haemoglobin in your organism. There’re several reasons and in connection with this several kinds of anemia. Symptoms of anemia are weakness, giddiness, lack of air and pale skin.
During pregnancy necessity of organism in iron and iron-containing substances increases. If in the beginning of pregnancy you suffer from lack of iron in blood, anemia increases this lack. So you need to take vitamins and preparations, containing full choice of microelements, necessary for organism.

One of specific types of anemia – sicle-cell disease, which is passed genetically: it is mainly spread among black population. If you suffer from sicle-cell disease, your organism is deprived of oxygen. Passing of this kind of anemia can be very painful, and it also may serve as a reason for other diseases and complications during pregnancy. Sicle-cell disease cannot be cured and may be passed to your baby. Women, suffering from sicle-cell disease, have very high percent of miscarriages and infections of urinary system. They also may suffer from high blood pressure and painful hypertension strokes.

Another kind of anemia – thalassanemia is also passed genetically. If some of your relatives suffers from thalassanemia or you suppose you can have it, check it before pregnancy.

Lupus
Lupus is a vascular disease of autoimmune origin. This means your organism produces anti-bodies that may destroy your organs or influence functions of these organs negatively. Lupus can affect different organs, including joints, kidneys, lungs and heart.

This disease is hard to diagnose. One woman of 700 in the age from 15 to 64 years suffers from lupus. Among black women it is met more often, in one case of 254. As a rule, lupus more often strikes women, than men, especially women of genital age, i.e. from 20 to 40 years.

Lupus treatment is highly individual and usually means taking if steroids. It is better not to become pregnant during fit of this disease, as miscarriages are extremely often among women suffering from lupus. Risk of giving birth to a dead baby also increases.

Babies, born from mothers, suffering from lupus, can have rash. They also can have different heart diseases. Premature birth and delay of pre-natal development of fetus are also quite possible.
If you suffer from lupus, consult your doctor before pregnancy definitely.

Epilepsy and epileptic seizures
Epilepsy – is a chronic disease, characterized by different kinds of seizures (fits). Most often epilepsy is displayed by big and small epileptic seizures. Chance of giving birth to a baby with epileptic disease can be 1 of 30 for women, suffering from epilepsy. Such babies have risk of in-born diseases, probably, connected with medicines, which a future mother took during pregnancy.

If you take medicines against epilepsy, it is very important to consult your doctor before pregnancy. Discuss doses and type of medicines, which you take, as many preparations, relieving seizures of epilepsy, cause in-born diseases in babies. However, there are safe remedies for fetus, for example, Phenobarbital.

Seizures can be dangerous both for mother and fetus. So it is especially important to take remedies precisely according to a doctor’s prescription during pregnancy. On no account reduce dose or quit taking medicine yourself, without a doctor!

Migraine
About 15-20% of all pregnant women suffer from migraine. Many women notice improvement of health during pregnancy. If you are going to take pills against headache during pregnancy, check with your doctor how much they are safe for you and future baby.

Cancerous growths
A question of probability of cancer’s influence on pregnancy depends on the fact which organ it stroke and how wide is growth. Breast cancer is most often form of cancer, met among women. If you had breast cancer, this will not influence pregnancy anyway, and pregnancy, in its turn, will not cause breast cancer.
Many doctors advice to wait 2-3 years with childbirth after breast cancer treatment. It is very important to discuss case history and method of treatment with your doctor yet before pregnancy. Situation may become quite complicated, if you are pregnant and pass treatment at the same time. Many medicines and remedies against cancer are not safe for future mother and baby.

Other diseases
We examined only some chronic diseases. However, any disease can be dangerous for future baby. So if you suffer from some chronic disease or have to take medicines constantly, discuss it with your doctor.
General rule is following: it is better not to take medicines or pass any medical treatment at the moment of conception and on early stages of pregnancy. Laying of all organs and tissues of a baby takes place during 1st trimester of pregnancy, and during this period you need to protect a future baby from harmful influences of medicines or observations. You will feel better and calmer, if you solve all these problems before pregnancy.