Stretching Exercises May Help Fight Pre-eclampsia During Pregnancy

Stretching exercises may be more effective at reducing the risk of preeclampsia than walking for pregnant women who have already experienced the condition and who do not follow a workout routine, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing.

 

Candidiasis (yeast infection)

Also called thrush, this common infection affects many women whether they are sexually active or not. Candida is a yeast or fungus that is commonly present in the bowel and vagina, and less commonly inside the mouth.

 

Moms: Play Your Way to Fitness

The need for leading a healthy, active lifestyle is indeed serious, but exercise can be play as well as work. Keep in mind that most sports and games require movement. You can think of the benefits of participating in or training for a sport as the three Fs, because you’ll often get faster and fitter-and you’ll have fun, too.

 

Cystitis: infection of the bladder

This is a very common infection or irritation of the bladder that results in an urgent desire to urinate frequently, regardless of whether your bladder is full. Passing urine is usually painful and the urine may be cloudy or even contain blood. You may feel discomfort after passing urine or have abdominal pain.

 

Alcohol and Pregnancy

Health experts are calling for women to avoid alcohol completely during pregnancy in the light of a new study has found a little evidence that binge drinking while pregnant seriously harms the developing foetus.

 

Management of Asthma during Pregnancy

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has issued a practice bulletin for management of asthma during pregnancy. The new recommendations appear in the February (2008) issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

 

The Fertility Diet

Fertility and diet go hand-in-hand. There are certain foods that can help boost a woman's chance of becoming pregnant, while other foods can harm her chance of conceiving.

 

Low pregnancy weight gain safe for obese women

Obese women can gain little or no weight during pregnancy and even lose a few pounds without harming their babies, new research suggests.

  

Obesity and fertility

Obese women are known to have more difficulty becoming pregnant and also are more likely to miscarry. Excess weight could exert its effects either by acting on the ovaries, which produce eggs, or on the endometrium, where the fertilized egg implants.

  

Maternal Obesity Vs. Birth defects

Women who are obese when they conceive are more likely to have babies with birth defects than are mothers of normal weight, a US study suggests. For many types of birth defects, including spina bifida, heart, limb and genital defects, mothers were between 1.3 and 2.1-fold more likely to have been obese.

  

Pregnancy and Your Feet

Weight gain and water retention during pregnancy cause significant physical changes that often lead to foot discomfort. Alteration in center of gravity due to weight gain can add pressure to the knees and feet. Posture and alignment can shift, and everyday movements like lifting, sitting, standing, and walking can be affected.

  

Fertility pill to delay menopause

Today women are gaining full status as women in our society, they are getting educated and having careers. With the only disadvantage that their biology is working against them. At the age of 16, a woman had 400,000 eggs - but by the age of 46 there are virtually none left. Women loose around two eggs an hour.

  

New heart guidelines to stop newborn defects

The American Heart Association estimates that out of 1,000 births, nine babies will have some form of congenital heart disorder. Congenital cardiovascular defects are the most common birth defects.

  

Approaches to Childbirth
As modern society increasingly comes to accept childbirth as a natural process, you will find a growing number of options available for giving birth.

  

Skin Changes During Pregnancy

 Pregnancy is a time of change, from stretch marks to acne, your skin reflects the big transformation that’s occurring in your body. While not every woman will experience all of these skin changes during pregnancy, here are a few things you might notice.

  

Cervical Cancer and Pregnancy
Cervical cancer occurring coincident with pregnancy is, fortunately, quite rare, probably less than 1 in 10,000 pregnancies. Pregnancy and cervical cancer can be categorized under two categories for a better understanding. Read on....

  

Omega-3 fatty acids & pregnancy

The Omega 3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are found in various foods, including fish, game, seeds, and plants. Studies have shown that the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in particular may lower a woman's risk for depression, aid a fetus's vision development, and even regulate a newborn's sleep patterns.

  

Pregnancy and Heart Disease
Pregnancy is one of the physiological conditions that places a considerable burden on the heart, forcing it to work harder for a significantly long period - nine months. While a normal heart is quite capable of taking this extra workload right in its stride, a diseased one may not be able to cope. Read on....

  

Exercise & In Vitro Fertilization

In general, regular exercise does not seem to decrease or increase the chances of having a baby through IVF However, with four or more hours of exercise per week for 1 to 9 years, the odds of a live birth fell by 40 percent relative to engaging in no exercise.

  

Health & Fitness Needs During Lactation
Weight reduction can be difficult for anyone at anytime, but a mother who is trying to return to her pre-pregnancy weight is also challenged with additional stresses of increased child care commitments, less rest and sleep, household responsibilities, and, possibly, returning to work outside the home. Read on....

 

Breastfeeding and HIV transmission

A large study of mothers and children carried out in Zimbabwe lends further support to the view that it is probably better for mothers with HIV infection to breastfeed exclusively rather than engage in mixed feeding, as children exposed to a mixture of breastfeeding and other forms of feeding are more than four times as likely to have become infected with HIV at the age of six months when compared to infants exclusively breastfed.

  

Recovering after Caesarean birth
If you have had caesarean section, you will be very aware of the discomfort of the incision, not to mention the difficulties of getting in and out of bed, moving around and finding a comfortable position for breastfeeding. 

  

Pregnancy Myths Exposed

Pregnancy is a time when one gets to hear a number of myths; you must heard them all. Relax. A lot of the things you hear might not have a scientific basis. Here we deal with some of your worst pregnancy concerns, which could prove to be mere myths.

  

Managing Allergies during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time of intense change within the female body. The hormones of pregnancy have  steroidal type effects and which can dampen down allergies.

  

Asthma and Pregnancy

Pregnant women with asthma are not necessarily ‘high risk’ patients. In fact, asthma can follow a curious pattern in pregnant patients. One third of women experience no change in their asthma during pregnancy, one third actually notice an improvement when they are pregnant, and one third may experience a flare-up of their asthma during this time. Since there is no index to predict which way a patient will react, it is necessary to closely follow every pregnant asthma patient. Read on....

  

Infant Feeding Problems

Like adults, children have varying appetites, depending on mood, health and general inclination. Nevertheless, there are certain problems which are characteristic of many newborn babies and others which affect children at different ages and which can be readily addressed by the parents.

  

Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis is more prevalent in women of childbearing age than in any other group. When young women receive a diagnosis of MS, they frequently have questions about the effects of the disease on childbearing and vice versa.  Read on....

  

Maternity Dressing Up
The rule of thumb for expecting moms is wear whatever makes you feel good and comfortable. Read on....

  

Childcare: THE OPTIONS

Start thinking about your options for childcare now, before you start finalizing your own career plans. There are few rights and wrongs when it comes to childcare - but there is a right way for your baby, you, and the other members of your family.

  

Irregular Menstrual Period

The menstrual cycle is not the same for every woman. A normal menstrual period lasts from 2 to 7 days. The normal cycle patterns can range from 21 to 35 days. When bleeding occurs that is not part of the regular cycle; periods are longer or heavier than normal; occurs between periods; time between periods is longer than normal; or there is an absence of periods, this is called abnormal or irregular uterine bleeding.

  

GBS: A life-threatening infections in newborns

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacterium that causes illness in newborn babies, pregnant women, the elderly, and adults with other illnesses, such as diabetes or liver disease. GBS is the most common cause of life-threatening infections in newborns.

  

Living With Changes

Throughout pregnancy, your growing and changing shape makes it important to alter the way you perform a number of everyday tasks and movements. Read on....

  

Diet to minimize the risk of a Miscarriage

During the first three months of pregnancy, when foetal cells are beginning to develop into rudimentary organs, the quality rather than the quantity of the mother's food is particularly important.

  

Overcoming Breastfeeding Myths

Women on even very low calorie diets usually make enough milk, at least until the mother's calorie intake becomes critically low for a prolonged period of time. Generally, the baby will get what he needs. Some women worry that if they eat poorly for a few days this also will affect their milk.

  

Ectopic Pregnancy: Causes and Treatment

An ectopic pregnancy (also called a tubal pregnancy) occurs when a fertilized egg is implanted outside the uterus, typically in one of the Fallopian tubes. Sometimes the embryo can also occur in the cervical canal, one of the ovaries or the pelvic or abdominal cavity (abdominal pregnancy).

  

Maternal Diet Vs Fetal Growth

Nutrition during pregnancy is serious business. Research has shown that when mothers-to-be eat poor diets, there is an increase in risk of low-birth-weight infants, particularly in women with poor health and nutrition status before pregnancy. The risk is compounded by lifestyle choices, such as smoking, that may affect pregnancy outcome.

  

Anemia during Pregnancy
Adequate iron is essential for the formation of healthy red blood cells, and for both fetal demands and the large increase in maternal blood volume. Pregnant women should eat a range of iron-rich foods in order to prevent an iron deficiency. Read on....

  

Preeclampsia: a Common Pregnancy Complication
Preeclampsia, also known as toxemia  is a disease characterized by the gradual development of high blood pressure (over 140/90) that is often accompanied by protein excretion in the urine and excessive swelling of legs, hands, and face. Read on....

  

Pain Relief During Labor
Despite the arguments in favor of natural childbirth, there is no intrinsic virtue in avoiding pharmacological pain relief if you feel you need it. Read on....

  

In touch with your baby

We now know that unborn babies are aware of much of their surroundings and are able to respond physically to a variety of stimuli. We also understand a great deal about the way a baby's body function in the uterus and what she can hear and see. Read on....

  

Basal body temperature (BBT)
The normal human body oral temperature averages at about 98.6°F (37°c) but varies during the day, especially in response to exercise. A woman's body temperature not only fluctuates throughout the day, it also responds to hormonal changes throughout the  month, thereby giving a valuable information about individual fertility cycle.  Read on....

  

Exercise Routine for Second Trimester
While the first trimester is crucial for laying down the groundwork for the developing organs and concerns over the possibility of miscarriage, and the third trimester centers on the baby attaining maturity and the delivery process itself, the second trimester is a sort of reprieve during which the pregnancy can almost be enjoyed. Read on....

  

Toxoplasmosis during Pregnancy
Toxoplasmosis is caused by a tiny parasite [protozoan] that spends part of its lifecycle in animals and the rest in humans. It is a common infection caused by the one-celled organism Toxoplasma gondii. Read on....

  

Fish to Avoid During Childbearing Years

When it comes to health benefits fish continues to line up high on the positive side. There’s the omega -3 fatty acids found in all fish and especially the fatty fish. Omega – 3’s help promote heart health and aid in prevention of heart disease making them a positive choice. Recent FDA advisory, however, indicate that pregnant women and women considering pregnancy should not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish because they could contain enough mercury to harm an unborn infant's nervous system.  Read on....

  

Postnatal Yoga (Birth to six weeks)
Giving birth can be a very demanding physical event. It can also give rise to strong emotional and spiritual experiences. Read on....

  

Sleeping During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, inadequate sleep is a common complain  made by women, mostly, due to the result of anxiety and stress, hormonal fluctuations, and physical discomfort. Read on....

 

Obesity: A Health Risk during Pregnancy
Overweight is defined as being 10% to 15% heavier than recommended for a woman's height, or having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30. Obese was having a BMI of 30 or more. Read on....

  

High-Risk Pregnancy: Hydramnios 
Hydramnios is a condition in which there is too much amniotic fluid around the fetus. It occurs in about 3 to 4 percent of all pregnancies. It is also called polyhydramnios.  Read on....

 

High-Risk Pregnancy: Oligohydramnios
Oligohydramnios is a condition in which there is too little amniotic fluid around the fetus. The condition is often the result of a tear or rupture in the amniotic membrane, causing it to leak amniotic fluid and thus lower the level of fluid still surrounding the baby It occurs in about 4 percent of all pregnancies. Read on....

  

The Stages of Labor & Delivery 

The first stage of labor consists of an early phase that begins with the onset of contractions and the gradual effacement (thinning out) and dilation (opening) of the cervix, followed by an active phase in which the cervix begins to dilate more rapidly and contractions are longer, stronger, and closer together The active phase ends with a "transition period" as the cervix fully dilates to 10 centimeters. Read on....

  

Attending to Your Baby's Needs

Before you rush out to buy lots of baby clothes, a roomful of toys, and several packs of diapers, ask friends and family if they have any baby clothes or toys they can pass on to you, and which diapers they recommend.  Read on....

  

Hydrosalpinx

A hydrosalpinx is a fallopian tube that is filled with fluid. Injury to the end of the fallopian tube, the ampulla, and its delicate fingers, the fimbria, causes the end of the tube to close. Glands within the tube produce a watery fluid that collects within the tube, producing a sausage shaped swelling that is characteristic of hydrosalpinx.  Read on....

  

Chorioamnionitis

Chorioamnionitis is an infection of two membranes of the placenta (the chorion and the amnion) and the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby. Chorioamnionitis can cause bacteremia (blood infection) in the mother and may lead to preterm birth and serious infection in the newborn baby.  Read on....

  

Breech Presentation

Most babies are born headfirst, but at the end of pregnancy, around 3-4% are found to be breech. Before term, which is defined as 37 weeks, it doesn't matter if the baby is breech, as there is always a good chance that she will turn spontaneously.  Read on....

  

Psoriasis During Pregnancy

It seems pregnancy brings more than a "healthy glow." It might also help clear psoriasis for those who have the skin disease. A study showed that psoriatic women who have high estrogen levels during pregnancy experience significant improvements of their psoriasis. Read on....

  

Retinitis Pigmentosa
An inherited progressive degeneration in the retina, the light - sensitive membrane at the back of the eye. Speaking, generically it can be described as a progressive cause of visual loss, which is attributed to the loss of viable photoreceptors. 

  

Heartburn during Pregnancy
One possible cause  of heartburn  in pregnancy; is the  extra pressure on the stomach (during the third trimester) exerted by the growing baby. Also, during pregnancy, the placenta produces the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the smooth muscles of the uterus. Read on....

  

Choosing Contraception
The most common reason for failure of a contraception method is not using the method properly and consistently. Because of this, it's recommended that you choose a method you feel comfortable using on a regular basis. The most popular and effective contraceptive methods available around the world. Read on....

  

Watch out for pregnancy after age of 40

With all the advances in medical care and technology, it is safer today than ever before for most women in later age to become pregnant. There are still some increased risks associated with later-age pregnancy that you should know if you fit into this category. Read on....

  

Chlamydia- The Silent Epidemic
A bacterium called chlamydia trachomatis causes chlamydia. This infection has become the most common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in the Western world.  Chlamydia infection may be symptom less in  women the whole time that it is causing damage, but there may be some tell-tale signs.  Women with chlamydia may be some increased or altered vaginal discharge and get a cervical infection that can spread up into the rest of the pelvic organs.   Read on....

  

Breathing For Labor and for Life
Learning to breathe differently may sound difficult, but in fact, certain breathing techniques can become second nature, given time and practice. In order to learn therapeutic ways of breathing, however, we have to become aware of what we are doing. Read on....

  

Emotional Fitness a factor in Conception

While good physical health -including healthy diet and avoiding hazards like smoking, drugs, and irradiation - is vital to successful conception and pregnancy, so too, is the emotional state. Read on....

  

Amniocentesis:   learning more about the  fetus

With all the advances in medicine, doctors and their patients can learn a lot about the development of a fetus, and one of the tools that's commonly used is amniocentesis. Read on....

  

Premature rupture of membranes (PROM)

During pregnancy, the developing baby is protected by a fluid-filled sac called the bag of waters, or the "membranes." This bag usually stays intact until several hours before labor starts-or even for a while after labor has begun-but it can burst or start leaking any time during the pregnancy. Read on....

 

After the baby arrives
After delivery the first question naturally is how is my baby? The second question asked by workout - alcoholics often is "When can I begin exercising now that I’ve given birth?"  Read on....

 

Defining Postpartum Fitness Regime
Each of the positions should be achieved by slow movements and held at a point short of stretch pain for 15–30 seconds. Read on....

 

Micronutrients During Pregnancy And Lactation
Overdose of certain vitamins, particularly the fat-soluble vitamins, can be deleterious in pregnancy. Read on....

 

A Complete Body Workout for Pregnant Women (Part-Ii)
This is the concluding part of  complete body workout for pregnant women comprising of Lower Body workout aiming to workout the pelvic floor, stomach , legs, hips and thighs. Read on....

 

A Complete Body Workout for Pregnant Women (Part-I)
At no point in a woman's life is general fitness more important than during pregnancy. The advantages of having a regular exercise  routine during pregnancy are almost endless. Exercising will give you more energy, help you remain flexible and carry your baby with ease. Read on....

 

Folic: The Great Protector
Folic acid is critical to the overall synthesis, repair and protection of DNA, the body's genetic blueprint molecules. Everyone's diet should contain foods rich in folic acid. Read on....

 

Planning a Fit Pregnancy
Pregnancy places great physical demands on the body, but the fitter you are, the better you will be able to cope. Supple joints & groin and buttock muscles make it easier to adopt useful position such as squatting during labor and birth...Read on.

 

Pregnancy and Exercise
Pregnancy is a highly complex physiologic state, and precautions are needed during pregnancy to ensure that your exercise program does not contribute to complications.



Related Links