Choosing A Healthcare Provider When You Are Pregnant

Mary Davis writes How To Choose a Healthcare Provider During Pregnancy over on our “And You Will” blog …

You’ve just learned that you’re pregnant, and you’re feeling a avalanche of emotions. You may be excited because this is something you’ve been hoping for. And you may be worried, afraid of the unknown, or overwhelmed. One of the first decisions you’ll want to make is who will care for you and your baby during your pregnancy. Here are some things to consider when making this important and personal decision. Once you find a healthcare provider you trust, many of your anxieties will be put to rest.

check it out: How To Choose a Healthcare Provider During Pregnancy

               

Can folic acid increase cancer risk?

In the developed world, many food stuffs, especially flour and grain products, are fortified with folate and folic acid. Folic acid fortification has been going on since 1998 and its goal is to make sure that women consume enough folate during pregnancy. Deficiency of this essential vitamin can lead to birth defects, including the much-dreaded spina bifida.

“Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, which is a B vitamin that occurs naturally in leafy greens and other fruits and vegetables. It has been shown to significantly reduce the chance of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, and helps produce and maintain healthy cells and is involved in numerous biological functions.”

Now, just over a decade later, there is a growing body of research that questions the benefits and risks of folic acid fortification. There have been indications, for example, that “long-term consumption of folate and folic acid may increase the risk of developing certain cancers in some people.”

In a recent study, Canadian researchers at the University of Toronto report that consumption of folic acid consumed during pregnancy can cause changes in gene function of the unborn offspring, changes which can potentially affect its susceptibility to certain diseases, including cancer.

The study is one of many in the relatively new field of epigenetics which looks at how certain genes and gene functions are “turned on” or “turned off” by environmental factors that include diet and lifestyle.

In some cases, genes that protect the body against certain types of cancer can be shut off, while genes that promote tumour formation can be turned on. Changes to genes can also trigger mutations, which explains why epigenetics has been gaining so much attention in the scientific community for its potential ability to help explain the mystery of disease risk.

Many health officials are concerned that the population is consuming excessive amounts of folic acid, leading to the abovementioned gene alternations. The effects of these alterations, however, are not clearly known.

The current study has been performed in rats and can’t conclusively say whether folic acid fortification has detrimental effects on human health, especially that of the unborn child. However several studies in humans have shown that folic acid supplementation does not lower risks for heart disease or cancer.

In fact,

“…it’s becoming harder to ignore the growing debate about folic acid. Despite its clear benefits when taken by pregnant women, the move to fortify food with folic acid means a major portion of the population is consuming a higher level of the supplement than they would otherwise. Now, concern is growing that parts of the population that may be susceptible to colon cancer and other diseases could be put at greater risk due to their inadvertent exposure to folic acid.”

Photo credit: stock.xchng

               

Pregnancy Exercise is Good for Mommy’s and Baby’s Hearts

It seems that when it comes to physical exercise and its benefits to the heart, it’s never too early to start. The study Effects of Maternal Exercise on the Fetal Heart shows that exercise during pregnancy can already have a lasting and beneficial effect not only on the mother’s heart but on that of the unborn child as well.

Kansas researchers studied 10 pregnant women, 5 of whom routinely performed exercise and 5 did not. Heart rates of the mothers and the fetuses were recorded using magnetocardiography (MCG) starting on the 24^th week of pregnancy till full term.

“MCG is a safe, non-invasive method to record the magnetic field surrounding the electrical currents generated by the fetal heart and nervous system. In addition to measures of heart rate and variability, the MCG allows for the study of the cardiac waveforms to measure of cardiac time intervals.”

Aside from heart rates, movements of the fetus such as breathing, body and mouth movements were also recorded. The recording was done every 4 weeks.

The results show that the heart rates of fetuses of mothers who exercised regularly were significantly lower than fetuses of mothers who did not perform any exercise. It seems that exercise by the mother trains the baby’s heart to function more efficiently.

“This study suggests that a mother who exercises may not only be imparting health benefits to her own heart, but to her developing baby’s heart as well. As a result of this pilot study, we plan to continue the study to include more pregnant women.”, the researchers concluded.

There are many different ways that expecting mothers can exercise. Here are some examples:

• Walking. Walking is something everyone can do everyday, from gentle strolls to Nordic walking.
• Aqua gymnastics or aqua aerobics. I did this exercise while pregnant. It’s not only good for your health, it is also relaxing.
• Swimming. Aqua aerobics coupled with swimming is the way go.
• Prenatal Yoga. These are special yoga classes customized for mothers-to-be.
• Pilates. Pilates are said to tone your back, pelvic and abdominal muscles to help your body carry the heavy load as well as pushing during a natural delivery.

However, it is most important that you consult your obstetrician before launching on an exercise regime during pregnancy. Remember, exercise may be good for your and for your baby but strenuous physical exercise can be risky, even dangerous.

Photo credit

               

Pregnancy and Diabetes Links

Pregnant Diabetics

I’ve been doing some research on pregnancy and diabetes. It seems that the American Association of Diabetes no longer discourages women who are diabetic from thinking about becoming pregnant.

You should know that there are still higher risks for babies of mothers who have diabetes. But, you can still have a healthy pregnancy and baby if you are fastidious in your care. Close monitoring of your glucose levels, careful diet habits, and excersise, much like mothers without diabetes can give your baby a great chance at healthy development.

I found an interesting online magazine dedicated to women who are diabetic or have the tendency to diabetes and are also pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant. It is called Diabetic Mommy. www.diabeticmommy.com/ The site is not ran by a professional nor does it offer medical advice for treatments, as stated on the front page.

Still, from what I have seen, this is a wonderful resource for women who need information on pregnancy and diabetes. It offers a wealth of support for any diabetic mommy (or mommy to be!).

More Links

I am still in the process of searching for great sites, but so far this is the only site I have found that is not an offshoot of a site like the American Diabetes Association site, the Mayo Clinic, Web MD, or MSNBC. This is not to say there are not more, perhaps smaller sites or forums. I promise to root out as many as possible!

For more information, here are a few links to the larger medical sites.

American Diabetes Association

The Mayo Clinic

March of Dimes

Coming Up:

Coming soon I want to talk more about depression, diabetes, and pregnancy. These conditions all go hand in hand, especially with hormones at their peak right now. I plan to share my own experiences with these issues. It is going to be an interesting ride for the next 8 months, hopefully you all have your seat belts on.

The main focus of pregnancy posts will always be on diabetes. When I take the glucose tests in the future, I will be taking my camera along with me. Who knows, maybe I’ll even take a video recorder and you can watch my face as I chug that nasty brew!

               

Diabetes and Pregnancy : Personal Story

I have to give you, my readers an apology. The past few weeks have been rough here due to personal issues. Normally a blogger would post ahead, but I was unable to. I wrote a few posts back concerning depression and I have to admit, I know first hand about the problems even a mild case of depression can cause your life.

In what I think was my first or second post here, I spoke about how a mistaken diagnosis plunged me and my family into a whirlwind of depression and obsession over diabetes. A little over a year and a half ago, one of my trips to the OB/GYN ended up with a diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes. After a day of blood draws the diagnosis was found to be incorrect but it left me with an almost insane fear of this condition striking here at home.

Recently, I found out I am expecting again. My heart began to pound because I am falling back into that mindset. The old fear, the reading of every label, the constant gnawing in my stomach. Will this time be different? If I consume just the wrong amount of sugar, will I be forcing myself into Diabetes? Blaming myself before there is even a reason to find fault at all.

In an effort to help myself deal with these issues, I plan to find and offer information on pregnancy and diabetes. Great tasting recipes, exercise, and resources to help you deal with your diabetes and pregnancy if you happen to be one of the many women who have or are at risk for gestational diabetes. All of the information will be helpful for mothers to be who are diabetic before conceiving as well.

               

Post-Natal Depression IS Treatable

Anywhere from 5-25% of women who give birth get some form of post-natal depression. One reason for the wide range in the numbers is the difficulty of pinning down exactly what it is. But women who have had it know too well what it feels like.

Anywhere from a few days to a few weeks after giving birth, some women will feel ‘the blues’, a moodiness that seems unrelated to external events. It may last only a few days, or as long as a couple of weeks. Longer depressions may be a sign of something more fundamental. Here again, one difficulty in discussing the condition is the widely varying time period that women experience.

Symptoms vary, too. Spontaneous crying may be more common and a general malaise may linger. Women may experience an inability to take pleasure in otherwise enjoyable activities. The new mother may have trouble sleeping and feel fatigued during the day.

Women suffering from post-natal depression commonly become obsessively worried about the health of the baby, an exaggerated reaction to a normal concern. She may have a loss of appetite or impaired concentration. Wide mood swings are a normal part of the condition - feeling elated one minute and extremely sad the next. A sense of worthlessness is not uncommon.

In some extreme cases, she may have suicidal thoughts. In severe cases, women have considered killing their infants in order not to leave them helpless after her suicide. Sometimes these go beyond the normal postpartum depression into a condition called postpartum psychosis. Having a thought, no matter how troublesome, is no cause for alarm. Taking steps to act on it may indicate a more serious problem.

The causes are not known with certainty, but they’re almost certainly (at least in part) the result of rapidly changing hormones. Both estrogen and progesterone increase considerably during pregnancy, then drop rapidly back to non-pregnant levels within 24 hours after birth.

But, that is also a reason to be optimistic. When hormones change rapidly, the body has a remarkable ability to bring things back into equilibrium. Expectant mothers can take comfort in knowing that the condition is (usually) short-lived and that it rarely interferes with her ability to care for her baby.

The condition has been widely studied and there are a number of approaches to treatment. Some new mothers benefit from mild anti-depressants for a short while to get them over the period when the symptoms are most severe. Talk therapy is often helpful. Being with not only a professional, but hearing the stories of women who have gone through similar experiences often helps.

Knowing that the condition is normal, short-lived and treatable gives women reason to persist through a difficult time. It’s important that women not feel embarrassed to report her symptoms to a spouse or even a professional. Seeking help is the first step to recovery.

               

Breast cancer patient gives birth while undergoing chemotherapy

Moving from a state inhabited by less than 2 million people to a city that’s home to more than twice those numbers is quite a shock, and little drives that point home more for me than the news.  Since I’ve spent the last few days parked on the couch with my laptop (I’ve got strep throat — it’s my right to stay in my pajamas all day), I’ve seen video footage of arson, murder, suicide, a hostage crisis at the mall, and a building collapsing in on itself.  It can be downright numbing to see all those bad vibes. 

But today, I just heard the most uplifting news from that little clinic down the road:  University of Texas-MD Anderson breast cancer patient Linda Sanchez gave birth to healthy baby Isabella Marie last night after having been in chemotherapy while pregnant.

From the Houston Chronicle:

Isabella became the 70th baby born under a University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center program that once was controversial, but which last year formed the basis of the first national guidelines for the treatment of pregnant women with breast cancer. Until this program, women with cancer who learned they were pregnant were told to abort.

[Isabella] was delivered with a full head of hair, a trademark of babies born in the program and a sign that the chemotherapy doesn’t have the toxic effect on them that leaves their mothers bald.

Sanchez will resume chemotherapy next week, then have surgery at its conclusion. She had six rounds of one therapy, then was off treatment for 7 1/2 weeks before Monday’s delivery. Ultrasounds showed the cancer, which has shrunk to about one-third its original size, didn’t increase during that time.

News like this is truly amazing to me, and I’m sure that everyone at the MDA is buzzing right now.  I’m supposed to be volunteering there today, but opted out due to this annoying cough-wheeze.  Congratulations to the Sanchez family! 

Battling Cancer will soon be getting a content makeover, including regular features like Research Roundup, Living with Cancer, and Ask the Experts.  Don’t miss a thing — subscribe to our RSS feed!

               

Exercising During Pregnancy

Exercise throughout the entire nine months is healthy for most women - provided they exercise (pun intended) the proper caution.

Mild exercise, of types appropriate to the various stages, will help keep the circulatory system healthy, increase pelvic muscle tone and strength, and help to smooth out mood swings. Done right, you can lessen the severity of backaches, keep joints flexible and firm, and improve sleep.

Mild exercise helps release endorphins, which can help elevate mood. Proper strengthening and toning of the back, buttocks, and thighs helps improve posture and relieve backaches. Daily stretching keeps joints well-lubricated with synovial fluid. Moderate working out burns up some of that anxious energy, leading to more restful sleep.

Three exercises in particular are appropriate for most soon-to-be mothers: swimming, spinning and pelvic strengtheners.

Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise and has the added benefit of easing the back and leg burden during later stages. Most women enjoy the (all too temporary) relief during those final months. Keeping the cardiovascular system active helps regulate the endocrine system and keeps muscle tissues full and joints flexible.

Swimming has the added benefit of working nearly all the muscles and joints in a low-impact way. Knees get a break from the higher stress of carrying additional weight and breathing exercises can be done while wading, in between laps.

Spinning, provided it isn’t done too strenuously, can be a terrific exercise up until the last two months or so. The cardiovascular benefits are similar to swimming and the legs as well as stomach and pelvic muscles can get a really good workout. That benefits fitness overall, while helping to keep legs in shape to prevent falls. It also helps two particular muscle groups that will be needed during delivery.

A 10-minute routine on a stationary bike is plenty, keeping in mind that you should stop at the first sign of bleeding, fluid loss, dizziness or intense pain.

‘Kegels‘ are a commonly recommended exercise - and for good reason. They help develop those very specific muscles that aid in giving birth.

To find the right muscles to focus on, pretend you’re trying to halt urination in the middle of elimination. Squeeze those specific muscles for a few seconds, then relax. During the exercise, avoid tightening the legs or stomach. That will help isolate the right muscles you need to zero in on. Remember to continue to breathe normally, in and out slowly and regularly.

Before beginning or continuing any exercise routine once you know you are pregnant, be sure to have a long talk with your physician. Many of them are rushed, but be firm and get the answers you need in order to stay fit in a safe way.

Stop immediately any activity that produces heart palpitations, back pain or light-headedness. Don’t concern yourself with weight loss during pregnancy, just keep fit in order to maximize your overall health and mental well-being.

               

Weight Loss After Pregnancy

It’s an obvious truth that after giving birth most women’s bodies make considerable adjustments. Broad hormonal changes are common and mood swings are not unusual. But one thing that many women will focus on (sometimes too much) is losing that weight and body fat gained during pregnancy.

In order to do that safely and in a way that produces beneficial long-term results, take it slow and steady. Weight reduction and regaining muscle tone after birth takes time.

Hype in the media about rapid weight loss after pregnancy is common. Articles are written on celebrity moms that show them making miraculous changes after birth to regain those million dollar figures.

But such individuals usually have better than average metabolic systems in the first place. That’s part of what gives them an edge in that profession.

They also have very expensive consultants, trainers and money to burn on equipment. The average women could forego a lot of needless guilt by not trying to emulate their results. Instead, focus on what’s normal and average for most new moms.

It generally takes up to 6 months for a woman’s body to return to ‘normal’ after giving birth. Normal, here, just means the average metabolic rate and hormonal amounts that were experienced before conception. In some areas, and to some degree, those norms may never return. Motherhood often produces some permanent changes.

Calorie reduction should not be an overriding concern during a period of breast feeding. Apart from the still-required (though somewhat less) additional amount of energy, the added stress of worrying about weight is not something new mothers need. Night feeding and continual round-the-clock care for a year or more is difficult enough without unnecessary, self-imposed psychological burdens.

For the first few months, the focus should be very much on eating a healthy diet. A 2000 calorie diet that includes 50% carbohydrates, 30% proteins, 10% fat with adequate fiber is a good common sense starting point.

Notice the numbers don’t add up to 100%. Every diet should leave some leeway for enjoyment, increase or decrease of the other factors, etc. Going to extremes is the most common mistake most make when considering nutrition.

Moderate exercise is good, but here again the keyword is ‘moderate’. New mothers are busy enough without having to worry about whether they are getting that 5-mile run in every morning. The focus should be on gradually increasing stamina, tone and overall fitness. The goals should be mood-elevation and general health, not looking like a movie star.

After a few months, the program can be stepped up to desired levels in a graded way. The average gain during pregnancy is between 25-35 lbs and during birth about 12-14 of this is lost immediately. The other 12-21 pounds can be shed over 6-8 months without risk. Take it slow and steady and your results will persist over the long term.

               

Depression and Pregnancy

By DM Driscoll

Science and Mythology of Depression and Pregnancy

When considering both depression and pregnancy, it is important to separate science from mythology. One pervasive parcel of mythology extant today is that women who have depression can negate it by getting pregnant. Popular myth dictates that the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy will somehow alter brain chemistry, lifting pregnant women out of depression. In the past, doctors even espoused this link between depression and pregnancy as true. Today, science has largely disproved this.

A number of tests conducted in Massachusetts about the link between depression and pregnancy concluded that pregnancy actually has no effect on clinical depression whatsoever: getting pregnant does not alter brain chemistry in any way that might alleviate depression – and even worse, getting pregnant often has the opposite effect: it can actually worsen depression.

What make the depression worse are the restrictions pregnancy imposes. This link between depression and pregnancy is clear. For instance, being pregnant often imposes limited mobility and limited eating choices. Additionally, being pregnant often restricts medicinal choices.

Many antidepressants have been flagged by the FDA – and, as such, are no longer available to pregnant women, as they have the potential to cause birth defects. This link between depression and pregnancy means that a woman could go through a serious bout of depression during pregnancy without any medicinal form of recourse.

Another potential problem that pregnancy brings is postpartum depression. Even for those who aren’t depressed, this can still be a problem, as approximately 10% of all pregnant women experience it. Postpartum depression doesn’t occur during the pregnancy, but after it, as the name suggests; and is usually triggered by hormonal changes that occur during and after birth. Most who suffer from it also have the same symptoms of those with clinical depression. Additionally, postpartum depression is generally treated in the same manner as standard forms of depression. Effective methods generally focus on behavioral restructuring, antidepressant medication, and counseling.

More information about depression and risks of anti-depressant drugs can be found at this authors website Understanding Depression

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=DM_Driscoll

               

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