Archive for the 'PRENATAL CARE' Category

Vitamin D deficiency greatly increases a pregnant woman’s likelihood of having a Cesarean delivery, U.S. researchers report.

During the two-year study, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center researchers examined the relationship between vitamin D levels in pregnant women and Cesarean section.

Of the 253 women in the study, 43 (17 percent) had a Cesarean section.

The study found that 28 percent of women with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D] less than 37.5 nmol/L had a Cesarean section, compared to 14 percent of women with 25 (OH) D greater than 37.5 nmol/L.

“In our analysis, pregnant women who were vitamin D-deficient at the time of delivery had almost four time the odds of Cesarean birth than women who were not deficient,” study author Dr. Michael Holick, director of the General Clinical Research Center, a professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics, and an assistant professor of medicine, said in a medical center news release.

He noted that previous research has linked vitamin D deficiency with proximal muscle weakness and suboptimal muscle performance and strength, which may help explain the findings.

Source: Yahoo News

Most of you think prenatal vitamins are very important during pregnancy, but fail to take them appropriately.

Prenatal vitamins are very crucial to keep your pregnancy healthy and most memorable for you.

So, here is the list of vitamins that you have to essentially take during pregnancy.

1. Vitamin A: Vitamin A is very crucial for cell growth and also improves resistance of your body against infections. It also helps you to keep your mucous membranes and skin healthy throughout your pregnancy period.
2. B Vitamins: B vitamins are very important for both baby and mother as well. They play very crucial in the development of your baby’s brain, bones and also muscles. So, be sure to take enough B vitamins to promote healthy vision and skin.
3. Vitamin C: This particular vitamin helps you to prevent various infections during pregnancy and increases resistance of your body to fight with various Infections. It also repairs various tissues and wounds and also helps to make your bones strong for pregnancy. It also helps for the healthy growth of bones and teeth in your baby. In addition, it also improves your body’s ability to absorb iron.

A course of water aerobics classes has been shown to reduce the amount of pain-killing medication women request during labor.

Research has shown that, as well as being safe, the gentle exercise has the benefit of making it easier to give birth.

Rosa Pereira led a team of researchers from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Sao Paulo, Brazil who investigated the effects of the aquarobics class on a group of 71 expectant mothers.

About half of the women were randomly allocated to attend three 50-minute sessions a week over the course of their pregnancy, the others did not take part in the water aerobics.

According to Pereira, “We found no statistically significant differences in the duration of labor or the type of delivery between the two groups. However, only 27% of women in the aquarobics group requested analgesia, compared to 65% in the control group. This represents a 58% reduction in requests.”

Exercise during pregnancy has been the subject of much debate, the main concern being that it may interfere with fetal/placental demands, increasing the risk of abnormalities or compromising fetal development or growth.

The researchers found that there was no harmful effect on the cardiovascular health of the women who practiced water aerobics.

Besides providing relief for the mother, research shows that one acupuncture session a month during pregnancy can greatly improve your baby’s health.

How does acupuncture work?

An increasingly popular form of medication, the ancient Chinese art of acupuncture is used by about five million Americans for relief from common ailments.

Based on the premise that the vital force (“qi”) flows through the body along the paths known as “meridians”, acupuncture aims to balance the energy when it is blocked.

Using thin gold needles, the acupuncturist maneuvers affected points, of which there are over 2000, to boost energy flow through the body.

Acupuncture points used during pregnancy:

Good neiguan: This acupuncture point is situated at two fingers over the inner wrist. When the acupuncturist targets this point, it provides relief from morning sickness.

Zusanli: This point is situated above the kneecap. Targeting of this point can reduce water retention and also encourage digestion.

Zhubin: Situated below the calf muscles and just on top of the inner anklebone, stimulation of this point, provides relief from symptoms like anxiety and hypertension.

Research shows that acupuncture administered during pregnancy provides quicker relief from nausea than those who don’t have acupuncture.

Hydration During A Summer Pregnancy - There are a lot of ways to keep yourself and your child hydrated during the summer months.

Do you often feel weak,dizzy,sluggish,sleepy,and just not being able to focus on anyone or anything.

A few things you can use and do are to take random cool showers,swimming pools,ice packs,slacking down on activities,proper air conditioning in your home,and the less time spent in the sun the better off you’ll be.

Here are a few more easy ways to help keep you from becoming dehydrated during what seems like the long summer months of your pregnancy.

One unique way to keep hydrated during the summer is pop cycles. Way easier to let them melt in your mouth without having to drink all those fluids. Choice your favorite flavor and start getting hydrated!!

Another way of staying Hydrated is Grape Fruits. Not only are they very healthy for you and your baby but they can provide around 20% of the daily water requirement you need in your diet.

They also keep you from snacking on unhealthy foods during those uneasy cravings.

Read more at Associated Content

Physical exertion may help pregnant women stop smoking, researchers said on Tuesday, after two small studies showed a quarter of women who exercised regularly while expecting a baby quit smoking.

The British scientists said the quitting rate was about the same as for people who use nicotine replacement.

“Our findings suggest that a physical activity intervention is feasible and acceptable as an aid to smoking cessation during pregnancy,” Michael Ussher and colleagues from St. George’s University of London, wrote in the journal BMC Health.

Nicotine — one of the most addictive substances known — can lead to lower birth weight, higher infant mortality and is linked to learning difficulties and health problems in childhood.

An estimated 17 percent of British women and 20 percent of women in the United States say they smoke during pregnancy, the researchers said.

Nicotine patches are one way to help smokers give up, but there are worries they may harm the fetus, leaving exercise as a healthy alternative for pregnant women, the researchers said.

The two pilot studies included women over 18 who smoked at least one cigarette a day and were 12 to 20 weeks into their pregnancy.

There is widespread confusion among mums-to-be about pregnancy health, largely compounded by conflicting information, a survey reveals.

A third of the 1,303 women polled by Tommy’s and Johnson’s Baby were confused by what you can eat and which drugs are safe to take in pregnancy.

Others did not know whether it was safe to have sex, drink alcohol, dye their hair or get on a plane when pregnant.

Nearly half said they had received conflicting pregnancy advice.

Sharon Simms, a midwife and spokeswoman for Tommy’s, said: “Research is revealing new findings all the time about the best ways for women to keep their babies healthy, so it is vital that mums-to-be get the most up-to-date information from both their midwife and other credible sources.

“Whilst it is reassuring for women to speak to family and friends about their pregnancy, times have moved on. What was considered right for our parents’ generation may no longer still be the case.”

Rosie Dodds of the National Childbirth Trust said: “Women are bombarded with information in early pregnancy and it can be difficult to make sense of how important it is to you personally.

Read more at BBC News

No one can consistently predict how your labor will progress. Here are few exercises that you can practice to help with the pains associated with the upcoming labor process.

1. Kegel exercises

These exercises are the small internal contractions of the pelvic floor muscles that help to support your uterus, bladder, rectum and urethra.

Strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles help to improve the circulation to the vaginal and rectal area thus assisting to control the hemorrhoids and helping to heal after a tear or episiotomy within short period of time.

You can do kegel exercises anywhere such as when you are at the computer, while watching TV, and even when you are in a queue at the supermarket. Here is how to do the exercise:

• Squeeze the muscles around the vaginal area like interrupting the urine flow when you are going to the washroom.
• Hold the position for two seconds and then release. Do 10 repetitions. Practice 3-4 sets for three times a day.

2. Squats

For most of the pregnant women, squats are not the most graceful exercise.

During pregnancy, muscle pain and back ache are very problematic and they can be more than just a nuisance.

The pregnancy weight gain of 25-35 pounds along with the increased stress on your body caused by your baby can sometimes lead to severe discomfort.

Studies showed that almost half of the pregnant women will experience low back pain at some point during their pregnancy.

As your baby grows in size, your weight is even increased and the curvature of your lower back is increased thus placing additional stress on your spinal discs at that area.

Due to this, the spine in your upper back area must compensate so that the normal curvature of your upper spine increases.

In order to come out of these problems, pregnancy hormones are released, which help to loose the ligaments attached to your pelvic bones. Also, there are some complementary therapies, which greatly help to combat from back pain. Among those, chiropractic is one good therapy.

Benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy:

This complementary therapy is a good alternative to over-the-counter drugs and also prescription drugs for severe back pain.

Skin care for every pregnant woman is most important. Normally, skin care and pregnancy goes hand in hand.

Everything that you eat, apply and come into contact with any other thing affects not only you but also your baby. So, you should be very careful about whatever you do.

Topical ingredients that you use are absorbed into your blood stream and damage your developing baby.

There are various products that are considered as completely safe, but there are some ingredients which are considered as harmful for your developing baby.

Cleanser for skin care during pregnancy:

Use a gentle cleanser. Usually, your doctor suggests you to use a glycerin based or non-residue facial cleanser.

If the skin is very dry, then wash your face with soap less rinse-off cleanser, which is mild and moisturizing. In order to avoid over drying, wash your face not more than twice in a day.

Moisturizer and sun protector for skin care during pregnancy:

Moisturizer is the most essential thing that you should add to your skin care routine during pregnancy. Use the moisturizer with SPF at least 15.

During the pregnancy, the rise in hormone levels cause the growth of pigment cells that leads to facial blotchiness.