Condition Spotlight
The decisions a woman and her partner make during preconception, pregnancy, and childbirth will shape the life of their child. As alternative medicine increases in popularity, future parents and caregivers are looking toward natural therapies such as nutritional supplementation, homeopathy, herbal medicine, massage, and aromatherapy in order to give birth to a healthier child.
It is important to the health of both mother and fetus that the mother eats a well-balanced and varied diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, and fish are essential. Limit refined sugars, processed foods, and saturated fats. Organically grown produce, meats, and poultry are preferable.
Fertility is a growing issue facing couples. An estimated 10 percent of couples in the U.S. struggle with infertility. While a variety of factors can make it difficult for some people to get pregnant, ovulation Read More
Vitamin D deficiency in expectant mothers during pregnancy has a negative effect on the social development and motor skills of pre-school age children, a new study in the British Journal of Nutritionreports. Examining data gathered Read More
Even if you’re not married, it reaches a point where you naturally want to have children of your own. We live in a society where wealth is not only defined by your financial value but Read More
The age of a woman plays an important role in getting pregnant. A woman’s best reproductive years are between after teen age to late 20s. But the ability to get pregnant starts to decline by Read More
Getting pregnant can be quite an exciting moment. However, it comes with some responsibilities. For instance, there are several things that you need to do to ensure that you and your baby stay healthy. This Read More
Clinical Care Maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) is a branch of obstetrics and gynecology that specializes in clinical care, treatment, and diagnosis of fetuses and expectant mothers who are at risk of developing health complications. Physicians who Read More
So — you’re expecting a baby! Congratulations! Over the next few months, your body is going to undergo a lot of changes. You’re going to have to learn how to deal with mood swings, start Read More
Diet Eating a healthy diet is a great way to prepare your body for pregnancy. During pregnancy, so many important developments and body changes take place especially in the first month. Just by changing your Read More
Infertility A couple that cannot conceive can be helped through procedures such as in vitro fertilization. If that doesn’t work, they can then consider egg donation. Egg donation gives infertile women the chance to carry Read More
Preconception Health Preconception health refers to the state of a woman’s health before she becomes pregnant. It means understanding a woman’s health condition, her risk factors, and how they could affect her, and her unborn Read More
There are many available choices surrounding pregnancy and childbirth—a hospital birth is no longer seen as the only safe option for delivery. Many couples are opting to have their babies at home or in birth centers that offer the kind of care that is tailored to each couple’s needs. Currently, holistic practitioners in the field of childbirth are addressing the need for dietary changes, abstinence from harmful substances, childbirth classes, and emotional support during the birth. Other options range from the modern technology of a hospital birth to water birth in the home; obstetric care to midwifery and doula care; and medical drug intervention to labor-inducing herbs.
Although each individual responds to pregnancy differently, and there is no such thing as a perfect pregnancy, there are many ways to contribute to a healthy one. Probably most important is that the woman realizes the physiological impact carrying a child has on her health and that she listens to her body’s needs. Adequate rest, including naps, ‘mental’ breaks, and sufficient sleep, is essential. Maintaining a positive outlook and keeping stress to a minimum are beneficial to both mother and baby. Comfortably paced, regular, non-jarring exercise, such as low-impact aerobics, walking, yoga, and swimming, can increase stamina for labor, strengthen muscles used during delivery, and may enhance the ability to cope better with labor.
