Wednesday 30 May 2012

Effects of Pregnancy on Expecting Mother


Effects of pregnancy are numerous like heartburn, vomiting, nausea, contractions, and a lot more. The most important thing is what you are taking in your daily routine in order to stay healthy. If your intake is not good then the given issues might erupt.
Heartburn during pregnancy is one of the conditions which are more common in the second trimester of the pregnancy. Why this condition develops? Pregnancy hormones namely progesterone and estrogens is produced in large quantities. Heartburn is a condition in which acid indigestion occurs. The push up of the stomach content may delivers burning sensation. Progesterone is being produced by the placenta hormone which not only relaxes the uterus muscles but also the esophagus valve which separates from stomach. In severe heartburn during pregnancy you need to consult a doctor. How to avoid heartburn during pregnancy? It can be avoided if fatty foods are avoided and small meals are taken. It is recommended to eat six small meals in a day.
Apart from heartburn, vomiting is another effect of pregnancy on expecting mothers. Vomiting and nausea are more prominent in the first trimester of the pregnancy and might go off in the second trimester. In some of the pregnant women, the feel of vomiting might prevail through pregnancy. Excessive vomiting during pregnancy might lead to dehydration. So, in order to avoid this keep your body hydrated.  Among the symptoms, morning sickness is the primary one. There is an increased sensitivity in certain smells and tastes of foods. The cause of vomiting is unknown but mainly it is due to progesterone hormones. How to stop vomiting during pregnancy? Eat dry crackers in the morning as they will help in overcoming the feel of vomiting which is due to morning sickness. Non ripe mangoes and citrus fruits are also helpful in dealing with the feel of vomiting.
Apart from vomiting and heartburn during pregnancy, age also cause certain effects on pregnancy. How age affects pregnancy? You might be thinking this but it does as fertility get reduced due to reduced reserve of viable eggs in the ovaries. Old age pregnancy also possess certain effects which a pregnant women faces during pregnancy. The chances of premature birth are quite high in pregnancy after 30. Pregnancy complications like pregnancy induced diabetes; low placenta and preterm birth are common in old expecting mothers.
Thus, we can say that heartburn and vomiting are some of the effects that a women face when she get pregnant. Age factor is also being discussed in terms of its effects on pregnancy. 

Tuesday 29 May 2012

What Are The Causes For Low Birth Weight?


Low birth weight of the baby could be due to poor diet, multiple pregnancies, and chronic diseases, usage of caffeine, alcohol, and smoking. The daily diet of the pregnant women must be enhanced so that she can keep good health of her fetus.
Baby weight is not considered normal if it is less than five pounds and eight ounces. Such low birth weight babies are more prone to catch health problems or diseases.   According to one of the medical studies it has been found that every one out of twelve babies born with low birth weight in United States. Why this is so? Low birth weight causes could be numerous like drinking alcohol and smoking. Alcohol and smoking constricts the blood vessels and halt the proper supply of blood and oxygen to the baby via placenta. Along with them, multiple pregnancies could also be the prime reason behind low birth weight. If a woman is carrying more than one baby then she needs to eat more and eat healthy.
Along with low birth weight, Nausea during pregnancy is one of the pregnancy complications which are more common in the pregnancy first trimester. It is just common and can easily go off by having simple remedies. Eat dry crackers in the morning when you wake up. This will help to do away with the nauseated condition in the pregnant women. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine also helps. You might be thinking what causes nausea during pregnancy? Nausea could be due to hormonal changes in the body which are rapid. Progesterone hormone could be the cause of nausea during pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting conditions are interrelated and must be treated as sometimes if dehydration occurs then it might lead to low birth weight of the baby.
Low birth weight of the baby could be due to poor diet. Pregnancy diet must be balanced and must include each and every essential. The pregnant women must remember that she needs to eat for two. The diet must contain proteins, vitamins, minerals, folic acid, iron and more of the calories. In diet for healthy pregnancy, the pregnant women is required to avoid drinking alcohol and smoking as both are not considered good for the health of the fetus. Consume fish for about twelve ounces in a week which means two servings in a week is enough as recommended by FDA.
So, low birth weight of the baby could be due to number of reasons as discussed, it could be due to multiple pregnancies, nausea and vomiting if they get severe, and due to poor diet and bad habits like drinking alcohol and smoking extensively. The reason is that chances of miscarriages increases when a pregnant woman smokes or drinks alcohol.

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Hormonal Changes and Effects during Pregnancy


Hormonal changes are rapid and quite obvious during pregnancy. Estrogen and progesterone are named as the pregnancy hormones as they are responsible for causing number of medical conditions.
One of the medical conditions that erupt due to hormonal changes is of heartburn during pregnancy. There is an imbalance of the progesterone hormone along with estrogen. The condition of heartburn produces a burning sensation. The progesterone helps in relaxing the muscles of uterus and also relaxes the esophagus from the stomach. You might be thinking, how to avoid the condition? It is quite simple by avoiding the spicy and fatty foods. Do avoid alcohol and caffeine consumption as well. Try to have small meals and take time while chewing food as it will prevent from severe heartburn during pregnancy. Sleep by elevating the head or upper body so that stuff of stomach stays where it is. Drinking ten to twelve glasses of water is also helpful enough.
Hormonal changes are also linked with the age factor. Those women getting pregnant after 30 might face complications. Fertility becomes reduced at this age and most of the women face the birth issues. How age affects pregnancy? Older mothers are with low lying placenta, diabetes, and low blood pressure issues. Baby is also at risk like sickle cell anemia, premature birth, low birth weight etc. These issues can be resolved if diet full of nutrients and proteins is being taken. The hormonal release may be upset in such women and this might lead to complications. There is no need to take worry as this may not lead to abnormal or risky birth of the baby.
Vomiting during pregnancy is also one of the main issues that are being faced by the pregnant women.  According to estimates, for about seventy percent of the pregnant women suffer from nausea and vomiting and this is especially true for the first half of the pregnancy. Rarely, excessive vomiting during pregnancy is being observed. This might be the sign of dehydration and this might produce complications during pregnancy. It is better to drink ten to twelve glasses of water in order to avoid dehydration. How to stop vomiting during pregnancy? It can be stopped by eating dry peach. Having citrus fruits will help in overcoming the situation. Smelling green lemons may also help you out.
So, all in all, heartburn and vomiting during pregnancy are due to hormonal changes which are rapid enough during pregnancy. Old age mothers are also suspected of getting fertility issues during pregnancy. This might not be relevant with hormonal changes but is a major cause of concern for those who want to conceive. The conditions of heartburn and vomiting can be controlled by just following the some of the remedies or preventive measures.

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Importance of Blood Tests during Pregnancy


The importance of blood tests during pregnancy cannot be underestimated as it will help in knowing either the fetus inside the mother is growing healthy or not.
Why blood tests are conducted during pregnancy? There could be number of reasons like in order to know the level of hCG in the blood. This hormone sis present only in the pregnant women and that is the reason why it is considered to be an indicator of pregnancy. When the pregnancy is confirmed several other tests would be conducted. The routine blood tests during pregnancy helps in determining the blood group, measuring the levels of the hemoglobin, immunity levels measuring, detecting either there is any HIV virus, determining either you are Rh positive or negative. Blood test during pregnancy first trimester helps in knowing the hemoglobin levels as usually it is low. The hemoglobin levels when measured through blood tests, it become clear either the pregnant women is anemic or not. When the hemoglobin is low it means the women is anemic. If any of the pregnant women is carrying a hepatitis virus then she could transfer it to her child so tests are crucial to be done.
For getting to know either there is any risk of miscarriage blood tests can help you a lot as they will determine the level of hCG.  Pregnancy miscarriage is could be due to many reasons like chromosomal abnormalities, bleeding, placental abruption, health problems, etc. Chromosomal abnormalities develop when the developing baby chromosomes are not compatible and this is the reason behind vast number of miscarriage during the pregnancy first trimesters. Some of the researchers are of the view that errors in cell division occurs  and still others says that environment influences like parents working around chemical toxin surroundings. Bleeding could be another main cause of the miscarriages. Pregnancy after miscarriage could be possible but to be on the safer side it is being advised to get pregnant after the gap of six months for getting healthy fetus.
Most of the pregnant women go through sex but with the fears that it may hurt baby. Along with blood tests, you can also seek advice on your concern regarding, is sex during pregnancy safe? This is one of the concerning questions of most of the females after conceiving. It is safe in normal cases if you shared a history of pregnancy miscarriages then it is better to consult your midwife or health care practitioner in order to seek advice. Sex during pregnancy first trimester can be done as it may not lead to miscarriages as most of the pregnant women think. Also, sex do not cause any harm to the baby as it is occupied by thick mucus plug sealing the cervix. The strong muscles of the uterus also protect the baby.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Common Issues Faced During Pregnancy


When a woman gets pregnant, there are certain common issues of health that might erupt but there is no need to take worry as they can be treated simply by adopting some measures.
Anemia is faced by most of the expecting mothers. Why it is so? You might be thinking this but the fact is that fifty percent of the blood increased when a woman get pregnant. Unfortunately, the iron is not present in most of the women iron stores. That is the reason why they get anemic in the first trimester. Anemia during pregnancy can be overcome by having iron rich diet. According to the estimates, for about fifteen milligram of the iron intake must be by any female. For pregnant women, for about thirty milligram intake is important. This ratio suggests that it is not only possible by simply having the diet rich of iron but you have to do some extra measures which means taking iron supplements available over the counter.
Another common health problem faced is bleeding during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and bleeding in your first trimester then it might be due to placental implantation of embryo. This is quite common and no need to worry. Is it normal to bleed during pregnancy? No, you need to worry when you are bleeding heavily and especially if you are bleeding after crossing the thirty seven weeks of pregnancy. The reason is that this might lead to miscarriage as bleeding is one of the main causes of the miscarriage. How to avoid bleeding during pregnancy? Wear pad and notice in how much quantity you bleed. If bleeding is exceeding from light to heavy then consult your midwife.
Braxton hicks contractions are felt when a woman enters in the second or third trimesters. These are the practice contractions that are the reason why they are named as the false labor pain. Those women who get pregnant for the first time may get confused in the real and false labor pains. False labor pain is irregular and can be controlled y just changing positions like by simply having a walk may ease down the contractions. The duration for which false labor pain stays is also shorter that is thirty seconds to one minute. In comparison to real, they are more frequent and proceed from light contractions to high. By having smaller meals in the pregnancy helps in avoiding the contractions. Also, drink ten to twelve glasses of water in order to avoid dehydration as it causes contractions of the muscles of the uterus as well.