The thought of childbirth or delivery can be daunting and extremely scary, especially if this is your first baby. The uncertainty and lack of knowledge of what is transpire is the main hurdle that a first time mother has to overcome. Childbirth classes can be helpful to you prepare for this final stage of your pregnancy and answer many of your questions.
Alternatively you can discuss your concerns with your gynecologist and obstetrician who will direct you to appropriate reading material and videos on the labor process.
Swine flu or infection by the H1N1 influenza virus reached pandemic proportions in 2009 and it is believed that a large number of seasonal flu cases in 2010 may be the swine flu. This may persist for years to come. Although specific antiviral agents and vaccines have been able to control the epidemic to a significant degree, the danger is not entirely over.
Swine flu is a highly contagious viral infection which produces flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, sore throat, cough, headache and body aches. Although the entire population is at risk, certain groups of people are in more danger of contracting the disease as well as having more severe complications once they do get the disease.
Pregnant women fall under this high-risk group and complications as well as deaths have occurred, especially in the third trimester (last 3 months) of pregnancy. It could be that pregnant women are particularly at risk because their normal immune mechanism is suppressed during pregnancy, making them more vulnerable, and so more likely to get a severe form of the disease.
More teen girls are using hormonal methods of contraception as a means of avoiding pregnancy these days compared to previous generations. This is due to a change in attitude towards the use of hormone contraceptives, both by parents and teens, as well as the ease of availability.
While the pill (oral contraceptive) and injection are the favored methods, there are odd cases where teen girls are using hormonal skin patches and vaginal rings that release hormones. The “morning after pill” is an emergency hormonal contraceptive, which is effective when used within a certain period of time after having unprotected sex.
Acne is a common skin complaint during pregnancy and may persist even after child birth and during the course of breast feeding. The main contributing factor to any case of acne, whether during pregnancy or not, is a hormonal cause. The hormonal fluctuation and high levels of estrogen and progesterone, necessary during pregnancy, may contribute to the development of pimples during pregnancy.
The danger of consuming alcohol during pregnancy has been widely publicized and there is much confusion over what amount of alcohol may be potentially toxic to the fetus. The safest option is to stop drinking alcohol altogether once you learn that you are pregnant. It may also be advisable to stop drinking alcohol if you are planning on conceiving, as you may be unsure when you will fall pregnant.
Cigarette smoking is declining in many developing nations but this rather bad habit still continues to pose one of the most significant health risks to the modern world. Apart from the known effects of cancer, heart and lung disease, cigarette smoking plays a significant role in pregnancy.While women of today are more aware of the dangers of smoking during pregnancy, many pregnant mothers continue to smoke throughout their pregnancy. This has far reaching consequences on the unborn baby, impacting on both pregnancy and the physical and mental welfare of the child.
People say that a pregnant lady “blooms” while this may be true there are many changes that occur within the body at this time, of course we can all expect the expanding waistline but what about the heartburn, stretch marks, continual backache as the big day draws near not to mention those mood swings. The women especially when nearing her due date can feel anything but in “bloom”. Listed below are some of the “joys” of pregnancy.
Every year there are hundreds of thousands of women suffering from the devastating affects of miscarriage; while some get through this time relatively easy for others it can be devastating, leaving the women with many feelings such as grieving, guilt, inferiority and depression. One thing that almost all women will have in common is the question why me?
Unfortunately in many cases the question can’t be answered as miscarriages can and do just happen without what seems to be any clear reason, this is very often the hardest part to deal with. However some causes can be explained and while this doesn’t make it any easier to deal with at least you’re not left wondering why.
