The First Pregnancy

40 Weeks Of Pregnancy Information - An Overview In The Form Of A Week By Week Guide

Week by week pregnancy information is necessary and such information helps the would-be mothers and her partner to cope with this exciting period of their life. There are many anxieties and issues a would-be mother confronts during the pregnancy cycle and a few weeks beyond that. If the women have week by week information related to all aspects of pregnancy, the pregnant woman and her family is aware about the various physical and emotional changes that are expected during the stipulated time frame.

Pregnancy Calculator Week By Week

The pregnancy calculation, for the above-mentioned purposes, is done such that the pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of LMP i.e. the Last Menstrual Period. Therefore, as per this calculation procedure, in the first two weeks of pregnancy, there actually is no pregnancy. The eggs do not fertilize till about two weeks and the baby is therefore actually expected within 38 weeks of fertilization.

No Comment | Posted in » Pregnancy Stages  

Green Tea Side Effects During Pregnancy

Pregnant women would be wise to limit the amount of green tea they drink during pregnancy, and should be careful about taking any green tea supplements. Green tea is rich in antioxidants, and has a host of health benefits relating to dental health, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and weight loss. But researchers have found, whilst examining the active constituent of green tea, the epigallocatechins, or EGCG for short, that it may affect the way the body uses folate. Folate is important for pregnant women as it prevents neural tube birth defects in babies.

The problem of green tea during pregnancy is that the EGCG molecules are structurally similar to a compound called methotrexate. Methotrexate is able to kill cancer cells by chemically bonding with an enzyme in the body called enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Healthy people have this enzyme also - it is part of what is called the folate pathway, which is the pathway, or steps, the body takes to transform nutrients like folate into something that can be used to support its normal functions.

But this chemical similarity means that the EGCG in green tea also binds with the enzyme DHFR, and when it does this, it inactivates this enzyme. When this enzyme is inactivated, the ability of the body to use folate is going to be affected. How much green tea is able to be consumed, or precisely how much folate absorption is affected, is unclear. Though the research article did say that drinking 2 cups of green tea a day can stop cancer cells (which is what methotrexate is targeting) from growing.

The good news on caffeine drank during pregnancy, from coffee and tea, is that a moderate amount is fine. Two studies, one by Danish scientists who interviewed more than 88,000 pregnant women, and the other by the Yale University School of Medicine, had similar findings on caffeine during pregnancy.

The concerns over caffeine were that it would lead to low birth weight or miscarriage. And this is still true of a very high daily intake of coffee. The Yale team found that drinking about 600mg of caffeine a day, which is about 6 cups of coffee, would reduce birth weight to levels that were clinically significant. The rate at which birth weight was reduced was established at being 28 grams per 100 mg, or 1 cup, of coffee per day. But they emphasized that this would not be significant for moderate caffeine consumption.

The Danish study found that drinking 8 cups or more of coffee per day (this would be about 16 cups or more of tea), would increase the chances of miscarriage, or stillbirth, by 60% compared to women who did not drink caffeine. They also found that moderate coffee or tea drinking did not pose significant risks. For those drinking half a cup to 3 cups of coffee a day, the risk of fetal death was 3% higher compared to non-caffeine drinkers. And for those drinking 4 to 7 cups of coffee a day, the risk increases to 33%. One cup of coffee equals about 2 cups of tea when comparing caffeine levels. The recommended amount of coffee drunk is up to 3 cups daily, or 6 cups of tea, by the UK food agency.

No Comment | Posted in » Pregnancy Tips  

5 Tips For Exercising Safely During Your Pregnancy

Pregnant women are required to perform some kind of low bearing exercise during their pregnancy to ensure that their muscles are ready for the stresses of labor. If you exercised regularly prior to becoming pregnant, and are already in good shape, then you only need to maintain it. Check with your medical provider that the kind of exercise program you follow is safe for the baby and continue it as long as you can. Below are some general tips to keep in mind:

1. Change In Your Exercise Routine Is Necessary

Especially during the first and third trimesters, you will need to cut back on any heavy load bearing exercises such as weightlifting. You will need to switch to low impact exercises such as aqua-aerobics, yoga or pilates. Another option is to contact a qualified doctor or fitness trainer, preferably a fitness trainer that is experienced working with pregnant women.

2. Safe Pregnancy Exercises

- Yoga
- Pilates
- Aqua- Aerobics
- Other exercises that strengthen the back
- Stomach and abdominal exercises

3. Reduce Back Pain

Stretching can help to ease the pains that come with carrying the extra weight on your body, and the relaxation exercises will be invaluable when it comes to labor. Yoga is one exercise program that will give you an edge on labor, especially if you can master the breathing techniques. Swimming is also a perfect form of pregnancy exercise. You should avoid exercises that have as their intent muscular toning and building. When pregnant, it’s important that the body is kept at a good level of fitness, but it’s equally important not to undertake pregnancy exercise to an extreme.

4. Weight Management

Exercising while pregnant helps you manage your weight in two ways. First it enables you to burn more calories, this counters any tenancies to overeat while pregnant. Secondly it helps you get into the habit of exercising. If you start a regular exercise routine while you’re pregnant you’ll be able to continue it after you have your baby and easily drop your baby fat.

5. Mood Swings and Stress

Did you know that exercising in general helps to offset mood swings and alleviate stress? We all know mood swings are a common symptom of pregnancy… and pregnancy can definitely be stressful for some women. It’s been documented in many studies that woman (and men) who exercise regularly are in a better place emotionally and report less stress in their lives and low as opposed to people who do not exercise regularly.

No Comment | Posted in » Pregnancy Tips  

Pregnancy, fish oil and smarter babies

By David McEvoy

According to a recent study which was published in the ‘Archives of Disease in Childhood' in 2006, babies born to women who took fish oil supplements during the last 4 months of pregnancy had better hand to eye coordination, were better speakers and could understand more at the age of two and a half, than babies born to mothers who were given olive oil instead.

The Study

The double blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial was conducted by the University of Western Australia and led by Professor Susan Prescott. Also involved in the study were King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and Telethon Institute for Child Health Research and Centre for Child Health Research Australia.

A total of 98 women were initially enrolled in the study, all of who were non smokers and who did not regularly consume more than 2 portions of oily fish a week. A total of eighty three of these women completed the study. Researchers gave half of the women in the trial 4gr of fish oil supplements on a daily basis from twenty weeks of pregnancy and these supplements contained a combination of both Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The remainder of the women were given 4gr of Olive Oil. Development checks were carried out on a total of 72 of the babies when they had reached the age of two and a half years.

The children whose mothers received fish oil had a significantly higher score for eye-hand coordination than the babies whose mothers had been given olive oil instead. The growth rates were similar in both groups, as were the general language skills, however, the fish oil group showed higher scores for receptive language, phrase length and vocabulary. The positive results were not related to possibly influential factors such as maternal age and length of time breastfeeding as these factors had already been accounted for.

Fatty acids and the brain

The link between Omega 3 fatty acids and the brain has already been well established and many studies have now shown that fish oil can alleviate the symptoms or help to prevent the onset of several types of depressive disorders, including post natal depression. EPA in particular is believed to improve concentration and memory and cognitive function in general, and some studies have shown it can even help to prevent or slow down the progress of Alzheimer's disease.

It is during the last three months of pregnancy that the baby's brain is developing very rapidly and so this is a time when it is particularly vital that the mother gets enough of the essential Omega 3 fatty acids that are only found in any significant quantities in oily fish such as Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel, Herring and Anchovies. These fatty acids facilitate healthy structure and development of the brain and many professionals now believe it is DHA that is important for the structure of the brain and EPA for efficient functioning of the brain on a day to day basis.

Scientists at The University of Bristol in the UK are currently investigating the benefits of giving fish oil to children, as much of the evidence to date has come from dietary factors during pregnancy. For example, previous research by Bristol University found that children whose mothers ate fish regularly during pregnancy had better vision and cognitive development and behaviour than those whose mothers ate little or no fish.

So why don't we just eat more fish?

Due to the potentially high levels of toxins, particularly mercury, in fresh fish, the current recommendation is for pregnant women and women and girls who might have a baby one day in the future to eat no more than 2 portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily, and no more than 4 portions of fish for everyone else, no more than two of which should be oily.

The indications are that Pharmaceutical grade fish oil might be an option for everyone, including during pregnancy and beyond. Indeed, this type of fish oil is superior to standard grade fish oils and is becoming increasingly popular because the processes involved in producing it means the oil has been filtered and concentrated to contain high levels of the all important fatty acids without the danger of toxins associated with fresh fish.

Conclusion

The Australian study would appear to suggest that there are no adverse effects for mother or baby from taking relatively high doses of fish oil in late pregnancy. Not only can it have a beneficial effect on baby's cognitive development and reduce the risk of developing post natal depression, there are also numerous other health benefits associated with taking fish oil. However, if you are pregnant or trying to conceive and would like to consider the option of taking fish oil supplements, it is important that you discuss the implications with your doctor or other health care provider first.

Visit : http://fisho-il.blogspot.com/2008/12/pregnancy-fish-oil-and-smarter-babies.html

No Comment | Posted in » Health Info  

Pregnancy Stages - An Essential Guide to Pregnant Mothers

By Juzaily Ramli

This is a basic guide to pregnancy which covers issues like the different stages to pregnancy and what usually takes place when a woman is pregnant. It is important to note that not all pregnancies progress in the same way, however this guide will be helpful to first time mothers and the men in their lives as it provides very basic information on what to expect during a normal pregnancy.

In a way, being prepared would help them avoid unwanted miscarriage from happening. It is important for a pregnant woman to receive good prenatal care throughout the various stages of pregnancy. Also, a good relationship with the doctor will be very helpful for both the expecting parents as the doctor will be able to explain and offer advice that are crucial for each stage of pregnancy.

The first thing that every expectant woman should know is that a normal pregnancy takes up to 40 weeks. This period is divided into three sections called trimesters, in which each trimester lasts about 13 weeks. Therefore each pregnancy goes through the first trimester, second trimester and third trimester. The development of the fetus in the pregnant woman is normally discussed according to the different trimesters.

No Comment | Posted in » Pregnancy Stages  

10 Steps to Getting Healthy Before Pregnancy

What you do before pregnancy can help you and your baby have a healthy pregnancy.
1. Take folic acid. Take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy can help your baby’s brain and spinal cord develop properly. Look on the label of the vitamin bottle to see if it contains the necessary amount of folic acid.
Eat a healthy diet that includes foods that contain folate, the natural form of the vitamin. Such foods include fortified breads and breakfast cereals, beans, leafy green vegetables and orange juice.
2. Get a checkup before pregnancy. Preconception care is medical care you get before you're pregnant. The goal is to evaluate your health and identify health and lifestyle risks that may affect your pregnancy. 
One of the most important steps you can take to have a healthy pregnancy is to see your health care provider before you conceive. Your provider can help you be as healthy as possible before and during your pregnancy. Ideally, you should see the provider who will take care of you during your pregnancy, although you also can vist you primary care provider. 
Don't forget about dental health! See your dentist before you get pregnant. If there's any chance you may be pregnant, tell you dentist and wait until after the baby is born to have dental x-rays.  
3. Eat right and maintain a healthy weight. You’ll feel better and start your pregnancy off right if you eat a variety of nutritious foods every day. Avoid foods high in fat and sugar. Eat foods from each of the five food groups: fruits, vegetables, proteins (like chicken, fish and dried beans), grains, and milk products.
Cut back on caffeine. Limit the coffee you drink to no more than one 12-ounce cup of coffee each day. Remember, the amount of caffeine in coffee varies, depending upon the type of coffee, how it is prepared, and the amount of coffee used. Caffeine can also be found in soft drinks, medications and other foods. Try coffees and teas that are decaffeinated, or drink water, milk or juice. Be sure to read labels on food, drinks and medicine to know how much caffeine you're getting.
For more information about eating right, read the March of Dimes fact sheet about food-borne illness and pregnancy.
Try to get to a healthy weight before you get pregnant. If you're underweight (weigh too little), it may be easier to get pregnant if you get to a healthier weight. If you're overweight (weigh too much), try to lose weight before you get pregnant. Check with your health care provider if you're unsure what your ideal weight is. It's not safe to try to lose weight once you're pregnant.
4. Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. Smoking may make it harder for you to get pregnant. If you smoke while you're pregnant, your baby is at greater risk for being born prematurely or too small. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of pregnancy complications and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). The best time to stop smoking is before you get pregnant. If you need help, ask your health care provider for advice. Smoke from other people’s cigarettes can also be harmful. Try to avoid secondhand smoke, too.

To get help for quitting, see the March of Dimes fact sheet about smoking during pregnancy.
5. Stop drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol (beer, liquor, wine and wine coolers) can make it harder for you to get pregnant. Drinking alcohol before or during pregnancy can cause your baby to have conditions that can create lifelong problems like:

• Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a combination of physical and mental defects
• Low birthweight
• Heart defects, growth problems and problems with brain development

If you need help to stop drinking, ask your health care provider.
6. Don’t use illegal drugs. Taking illegal or "street drugs" during pregnancy is risky for mother and baby. Women who use cocaine are at higher risk of miscarriage and preterm labor. Babies exposed to heroin are likely to be born addicted. Babies exposed to illegal drugs also are more likely to have learning or behavioral problems later in life. Women who use methamphetamines or marijuana may have babies that are too small. If you need help to stop, ask your health care provider. 
7. Avoid infections. Some infections can harm a developing baby. Wash your hands well with soap and water after using the bathroom, blowing your nose or touching soil. Avoid potentially unsafe foods such as raw meat and fish and unpasteurized milk products.Wash all fruits and vegetables well. If you have a cat, ask someone else to change the litter box. Stay away from rodents, including pet mice, hamsters and guinea pigs.
Find out if you have a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Without treatment, these infections pose special risks for pregnant women and their babies. At a preconception visit, ask your provider about screening tests for HIV or other STIs. To avoid STIs, have sex with only one person who doesn't have any other sex partners and who doesn't have an STI.
8. Limit exposure to hazards. Avoid hazardous chemicals, like cleaning supplies and insect killers. Stay away from strong-smelling cleansers, chemicals and paint. You may reduce your risk by wearing rubber gloves and working in a well-ventilated area. If your water pipes are old, you may want to have them tested for lead or or drink filtered or bottled water. Ask your health care provider for advice about hazardous substances and chemicals.
9. Learn about genetics. Your health care provider will take your health history and ask about the health of members of your family. Based on this information, your doctor or nurse may recommend that you see a genetic counselor to learn about your risk of having a baby with a birth defect. For more information, see the Birth Defects and Genetics section of this Web site.
10. Avoid stress and get fit. Too much stress may be harmful for you and your baby. High levels of stress may increase the risk of preterm labor and low birthweight. Start reducing stress now. Identify causes of stress and try to reduce them. Ask partners, family and friends for emotional stupport. Or get professional help. Use relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing. Call a hotline or ask your health care provider or another trusted person for help if you're in a relationship where you're in danger of being harmed. This could be verbal or physical abuse.
Exercise regularly and get fit. Exercising for 30 minutes on all or most days of the week is a good way to help maintain or lose weight, build fitness and reduce stress. If you aren't already exercising, now is a good time to start. Talk to your health care provider about fitness activities that are right for you. Some good choices before and during pregnancy include walking, swimming and yoga.
Don’t forget to help Dad get healthy, too! To improve your chances of getting pregnant, it’s important for your partner to take care of himself, exercise, eat right and stop smoking, drinking or taking illegal drugs.

No Comment | Posted in » Pregnancy Tips