Teens, whose mothers used to smoke during pregnancy and now themselves are smokers, may have higher chances of attention related problems. A new study came up with this finding after studying the effects of nicotine exposure on the attention of the teens in which some teens were exposed to nicotine smoke in the womb, while some weren’t. Moreover, some teens were smoker while some weren’t. To measure the effect teens were asked to perform a series of tests and 63 of the teens had brain scans while they took the tests. During the course of study, experts found that performance of the teen- smokers who were exposed to cigarette smoke in the womb was worst, while the performance of non-smokers, who were also not exposed to nicotine smoke in the womb, was commendable. In addition, teens either who smoked or whose mother smoked during pregnancy fell between the above-mentioned two categories. Another interesting thing, which sprang out from this study reveals that where nicotine exposure in girls showed both visual and auditory attention deficits, while in boys difficulty in listening appeared as the main side effect. On the basis of this finding it could be said that where exposure to nicotine affects only auditory development in males, while in girls it affects bother visual and auditory development. In addition, it would also not be wrong to say that pregnant moms should strictly stay away from both active as well as passive smoking because it is neither good for them (mothers) nor for their babies, no matter it is male or female. Image Via: Reuters
Asthma may worsen for some women during pregnancy
During pregnancy, mothers-to-be may feel uneasy taking medications. However, if a pregnant woman has asthma, it is doubly important that her symptoms be well-managed to increase both her health and her baby’s health. Uncontrolled asthma can be a threat to maternal well-being, fetal growth as well as survival. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, (ACAAI), nearly eight percent of women in their childbearing years are asthmatic. When women who have asthma become pregnant, their symptoms may differ, asserts ACAAI. 1. Women with severe problem develop worse symptoms while, women with mild asthma might experience some improvement. 2. Signs that asthmatic women develop in their first pregnancy tend to resurface during ensuing pregnancies. 3. The most severe asthma symptoms are more pronounced between 24 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. 4. A woman’s asthma symptoms usually regress to pre-pregnancy symptoms within three months of giving birth. Image Read
Depressed mums facing stress warning
During pregnancy women who get into depression could have premature births, so to prevent this there have been many treatments given. From Institute of Psychiatry in London, Veronica O’Keane and her colleagues have found out a link between clinical depression and levels of stress hormones and premature birth. They have found out that woman who are expecting and suffering from severe depression had higher levels of the stress hormones cortisol and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) in their blood than healthy women. They even found out that pregnancies were shorter on average in the depressed women. Preterm delivery is the leading cause of infant illness and then death. As O’Keane says; Depression is a major cause of preterm birth, and over stimulation of stress hormones is at least one cause of this. Well, I am sure this research will help out all the expecting mums. Via: newscientist
How to face asthma during pregnancy!
As I have said before, the effects of pregnancy on asthma aren’t predictable. It may be unaffected, worse or improved in pregnancy. What is asthma? Asthma is a disease of chronic inflammation of the airways. The inflammation makes breathing difficult all the more. Many women feel uneasy about taking medications during pregnancy. But if you have asthma, it’s important to control the signs and symptoms. How To Deal With ,If you become pregnant, don’t stop taking your asthma medications. Some tips for managing asthma in pregnancy: 1. Take asthma medications only as directed by your doctor. 2. In spite of your treatment, even if the asthma gets worsen, inform your physician immediately. 3. Flu shot is advisable if you’ll be more than three months pregnant during flu season. Effect of Asthma on Pregnancy: The treatment of asthma during pregnancy is little different to other times. There is no evidence that any of the drugs commonly used to treat asthma lead to birth defects or problems throughout pregnancy. In fact, very little of the inhaled medications even gets into the baby’s blood stream. More harm is likely to come from witholding them. There are no problems with breastfeeding whilst taking any of the asthma treatments, even steroid tablets. Precautions during asthma: If you are pregnant and suffering from asthma, first and foremost thing, you must do is, stay away from asthma triggers, like specific allergens such as house dust mites and animal dander and irritants such as cigarette smoke. After discovering you are pregnant, see your allergist/immunologist soon after to discuss the best way to manage your asthma and what medications to take. The doctor would be able to prescribe effective asthma and allergy medications that are appropriate to use during pregnancy, and will continue to work with you throughout your pregnancy to ensure your treatment is effective, without side effects.
Smoking reduces chances of having a male child
Researchers revealed that the chance of having a male baby drops by almost half if both parents smoke during early pregnancy, also smoking raises the chances of a miscarriage. Researchers reportedly found that substances contained in cigarettes, such as nicotine, inhibit sperm carrying male chromosomes from fertilizing eggs. The researchers studied 9,000 cases of pregnancy in Liverpool, and found that mothers who smoked during pregnancy were one-third less likely to have male children than those who did not smoke. Furthermore, if the father also smoked, and if factors such as the health and age of the mother were accounted for, the chances of having a male child reduces by almost half. The study also reveals that even those mothers who do not smoke but are exposed to cigarettes from partners are less likely to have boys. It shows that substances contained in cigarettes, such as nicotine, inhibit sperm carrying male chromosomes from fertilising eggs. Professor Bernard Brabin said, The message is clear: if you want an increased chance of a male baby, don’t smoke during pregnancy. Australian expert Dr Anne Clark, from the Fertility Society of Australia, said the results were fascinating but was concerned they could motivate parents wanting a girl to smoke. Dr Clark said, If a father smokes to get a girl, that girl is four times more likely to get cancer than if he didn’t and the mother is going to be three times more likely to have a fertility problem. So the message is don’t smoke at all if you want a child. Via : ABC home.net
Babies sans men: Possible now!
It’s neither a joke nor hallucination on my part, when I say that there is a possibility of mothers producing babies without any contribution from their male counterparts. This is pure and correct news according to inputs from Daily Mail and BBC. Thanks to a new a transplant technique, the need and requirement of a male can be effectively removed from the baby making process as scientists have devised a technique to human sperm cells from bone marrow. This is going to pose as a ground breaking treatment. Especially for men who are rendered sterile owing to many ailments and treatments including diabetes and chemotherapy, but at the same time it has also posed a serious challenge before the government to keep a tab on the safety concerns of using artificial sperms. Does that mean that in times to come men will be rendered useless? Well, it’s just a wild thought…but if taken seriously it’s enough to give jitters to many a males… what say? Science has its own boons and banes, but one should stick only to the positive aspects of a technology and that applies to this breakthrough as well. Read More
Lifestyle may hamper your ability to conceive, says study
Dr. Steven Ory, of IVF Florida Reproductive Associates and an associate clinical professor at the University of Miami asserted that healthy life style alone is not enough to protect you from infertility although, people who have unhealthy style of living are more prone to infertility. Some doctors have given obvious reasons for the mounting problem of infertility in the US. They said that either it is because of the woman’s ill health or is a problem with a man’s sperm. Doctors have postulated that the growing trend of conceiving late too is a reason for not having a baby. They have particularly specified the maternal age in the case. Talking about the woman’s fertility, they asserted that it starts to decline around the age of twenty seven due to depletion and aging of eggs. For those under 30, it’s estimated that the chance of getting pregnant in any one cycle is 20 percent to 30 percent and by the age of forty, it falls to 5 percent. But it’s not just women who need to pay attention to the ticking of the clock; men too are a part of the study. Men over 35 are twice as likely to be infertile as those under 25. Studies also are showing that, as with older women, older men are more likely to have children with birth defects due to the decreased genetic quality of their sperm. Lifestyle factors Now, beyond the issue of age, certain lifestyle factors too are responsible that affect a man’s and woman’s fertility. First of all, doctors have recommended shunning smoking since it is linked to miscarriage and is instrumental in deteriorating woman’s eggs more rapidly. The habit can significantly lower a man’s sperm count, too. Then the doctors have advised to reduce weight in case you are obese because it creates hormonal imbalances, preventing women from ovulating normally and affecting men’s sperm production too. Study available in the European journal Human Reproduction has revealed that when both partners in a couple are overweight or obese, they’re more likely to have to wait longer before successfully conceiving a child. Diet Recent research by Dr. Jorge Chavarro, a research fellow in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, has revealed that drinking whole fat milk and eating ice cream may be better for women trying to get pregnant than low-fat dairy products. Off course plenty of fruits and veggies are a must. Image Read
Vitamin D is a must in pregnancy!
Recent research done by Armin Malter of Germany’s Professional Association of Gynaecologists, has revealed that ingesting of vitamin D in pregnancy may prove as an antidote against the development of certain diseases, which a baby is prone to have later in life, such as ‘such as diabetes and thyroid problems’. Malter said that there is a deficiency of vitamin D in pregnant women as their unborn child develops in the womb. Hence, they are advised to consume diet, which is rich in vitamin D, like fatty fish like salmon, tuna, milk, eggs etc. The easiest way to obtain vitamin D is by sunlight, thus, Malter suggests that women must take enough sunlight during pregnancy to boost the production of the vitamin. However, the body’s skin does become more sensitive during pregnancy and excessive sun bathing should be avoided. Only use vitamin D supplements that contain the daily recommended dosage. Taking too much of the vitamin can lead to nausea, vomiting and in the worst case to an irregular heart beat. Image Read
What can you do for morning sickness?
Pregnancy is the most wonderful phase in a woman’s life, however, it brings certain uneasiness along with it. It is estimated that approximately 50 to 90 percent of pregnant women experience discomfort from the nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy, so you are definitely not alone in this journey you are traveling. Morning sickness, which can actually occur at any time of the day, can really dampen your excitement about being pregnant. Here are a few tips that might help you in relieving you from the situation: 1. Prefer eating in smaller amounts than voracious eating. 2. Drinking liquids only between meals and not with meals is beneficial for reducing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy for many women. 3. Avoid taking greasy, fried, and spicy food they often result in substantial bouts of morning sickness. 4. Odors that seem foul or unpleasant many times led to uncomfortable attacks of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, if you can do keep away from them as well. 5. Do take plenty of rest before excessive tiredness arises it’ll help in decreasing nausea and vomiting. Tip: Many pregnant women find keeping a package of saltine crackers at their bedside and eating a few before getting up is an effective method of relieving and reducing the severity of their morning sickness symptoms. If these tips don’t give you relief from morning sickness, your doctor may have other ideas. Keep in mind that morning sickness doesn’t mean your baby is sick. Image Read
U.S. Supreme Court upholds ban on abortion procedure
In a decision that’s likely to dominate politics today — perhaps more than the Virginia Tech shootings — the US Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, has upheld the nationwide ban on the so-called ‘partial-birth’ abortion procedure. Supreme Court of the US has supported the nation wide ban on abortion, an issue which was put under criticism for months. The decision, by a five-to-four vote, marks the first time the nation’s highest court has upheld a federal law banning a specific abortion procedure since its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973 that women have a basic constitutional right to an abortion. The opponents of the act have not demonstrated that the Act would be unconstitutional in a large fraction of relevant cases, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion. Abortion-rights activists have advocated that at times the practice is safe for women and that such an act could threaten most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, although government lawyers and others who favor the ban asserted that there are alternative, more widely used procedures that remain legal. It has been expected that the act would prompt efforts at the state level to place more restrictions on abortions. Grim figures postulate that nearly a million abortions are carried out in the US yearly and 90 % of those occur within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Six federal courts however have stated the act as an impermissible restriction on a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. Read