To Be Mom

In past, the government was not in favor of creating human-animal embryos and hence, it had decided to delay its decision on giving its verdict, which means that it did not rule out research in future. And so, the scientists are hopeful that the authorities may re-consider the ban, especially for research purposes.

Dr Stephen Minger, director of Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, King’s College London, said,

We are optimistic the government will have listened to all the evidence from the science and technology select committee, and from the scientists themselves, and will err on the side of reason by allowing the science to be regulated not legislated.

Scientists hope that the research will lead to treatments and cures for conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, motor neuron disease, diabetes and heart failure.

The move regarding the so called ban was promoted in an official governmental report, last year.

The bill, would stand for warding off the option of considering the need for a father when deciding for treatment in fertility clinics. This means clinics will no longer be able to deny treatment to lesbians and single mothers out of hand.

Putting forth the White Paper, Health Minister Caroline Flint said,

The current law, which has served us well, is in need of revision. Technology has changed, and so have attitudes.

Along with the said proposal, the Paper also suggests:

1. Same sex couples, who would go for IVF treatment, must be acknowledged as parents.

2. Couples must be barred who would prefer one sex over the other for ‘family balancing’.

3. Screening embryos for serious medical reasons must be allowed.

4. Statutory storage period for embryos must be extended from five to 10 years.

5. Regulation of internet sperm services.

I feel, the government, must give a green signal to the ongoing debate, especially if it’s able to cure certain motor neuron diseases.

Even if it is banned, the people working behind the scene would not stop doing the research or it could also be anticipated that such kind of research would be carried on in the neighboring country where there is no such ban on the issue.

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Why there’s so much of hullabaloo over donating eggs? It’s completely a choice made by women themselves. One ethicist is of the view that eggs have become ‘commoditized.’ Well, when there is no hassle in donating organs like kidney, eyes, heart and so on then I don’t see there should have any kind of problem in donating eggs.

Previously, the technique of storing eggs was employed by women undergoing cancer treatment. But then, time has witnessed that many women prefer to freeze their eggs because they don’t want to hamper their career growth by taking the responsibilities of children.

Young women like, Samantha Carolan, are offering eggs to infertile couple for a sum of money. She has already done it twice and is on a move of doing it again, well, the reason given by her is that, she has to pay off some student loans.

Although, it’s a matter of immense satisfaction for the donors to help the needy couple but the price of the ‘eggs’ are skyrocketing and on the other hand, the whole issue has raised condemnation from some quarters of society.

Recent survey has postulated that a center paid $15,000 as compensation for donors.

Advertisements could be seen hovering around the educational campuses especially universities and targeting the young women to donate eggs in lieu of money.

Ethicists and some women’s health advocates worry that lucrative payments are enticing young women with credit-card debt and steep tuition bills to sell eggs without seriously evaluating the risks. However, proponents of compensation say if payments are lowered or eliminated, the supply of eggs will dwindle or dry up.

Some scholars have are of the view that possible threat which is involved in ‘donation’ has not been verified lucidly. Although the consensus among most reproductive endocrinologists is that extraction is safe, yet, five deaths have been reported in Britain.

Process of egg extraction:

Even on the part of the woman, it is not an easy job. For some, it can be the most painful experience. First, a woman has to take medications to stop her menstrual cycle and then daily hormone injections for several weeks to stimulate her ovaries to produce a crop of mature eggs at once.

Side effects:

The drugs may cause bloating, weight gain, moodiness and irritability, and there is a risk of a rare condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome that can cause life-threatening complications, blood clots and kidney failure.

Bottom line

It is the long-term risks, both physical and psychological, that are harder to assess. Questions have been raised about whether extraction may jeopardize the donor’s fertility, and critics worry about the potential psychological harm to a donor of eggs as a young woman who later finds that she is unable to have children.

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Believe it or get aghast by it, but it’s true! And the record was made in the year 1939, in the month of May...one day after Mothers’ Day! A peak of shocking news even today, it says that we have a 5-year-old enlisted to be the youngest mother ever. Now, here I see a wide-awestruck-mouth.

Lina Medina is the girl who became the youngest mother in recorded medical history. She gave birth to a baby boy when she herself was just five.

Lina, the Peruvian child, delivered a 5-pound, 8-ounce son through caesarean section even though her petite pelvis made it unfeasible for the baby to traverse the birth tube. A comprehensive report confirmed Medina’s early sexual maturity. The girl faced her first menstrual cycle at the very early age of eight months and her family witnessed her almost fuller breasts when she was four.

Such state is known as precocious puberty in medical terms. The lot at that time didn’t believe the uncommon news but the doctor’s reports and X-Ray photograph forced them to change their opinions. The photograph verified her pregnancy as well as the level of her sexual growth.

Lina’s baby was healthy, later named Gerardo. Although his mother’s proper identity was exposed to him when he was ten, he was nurtured normally. But he expired from a bone-marrow disease when he was just forty.

The person behind Lina’s pregnancy is behind the viel till date. Her father was handcuffed on suspicion of rape but was set free later for lack of sufficient proof. Lina is still alive and still wonders who it could have been!

Image Source - neatorama, content

Via - wired

Even though a vaginal delivery is the most common way to give birth, a Caesarean section is often advised and performed in certain situations.

If you wish to have a Caesarean section without a medical reason, you should discuss this with your obstetrician. You don’t have an automatic right to demand a Caesarean if it’s considered not to be in your best interests medically.

What happens during a Caesarean?

An incision of about 20cm is made across the lower abdomen. The baby is delivered through the skin after the womb is opened. The womb is easily opened and it takes only a few minutes for the baby to be born.

After the placenta (afterbirth) is delivered, the obstetrician closes the incision. Dissolving stitches or staples are used to close the skin. From beginning to end, an uncomplicated Caesarean will take between 20 and 30 minutes.

A major surgery

The surgery is relatively safe for mother and baby. Still, it is major surgery and carries risks. It also takes longer to recover from a C-section than from vaginal birth. After healing, the incision may leave a weak spot in the wall of the uterus. This could cause problems with an attempted vaginal birth later. However, more than half of women who have a C-section can give vaginal birth later.

What about after the Caesarean?

1. The pain is typically worst on the first day after surgery, and then it begins to subside.
2. Vaginal discharge is normal.
3. Drink plenty of water each day - between eight and 10 glasses.
4. Avoid lifting heavy objects and climbing stairs.
5. Don’t drive until you can wear a seat belt comfortably.
6. Call your doctor if the incision site becomes red and swollen.

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With the rate of premature baby-births in the United States growing alarmingly, researchers got into tracking the reasons for the growth. Besides, fertility treatments and multiple pregnancies, scientists discovered another astounding factor hugely responsible for the increase in early births — pesticides and nitrates!

A study found that an increased use of pesticides and nitrates in surface water peaks preterm birth rates, which is considerably low when their concentrations are the lowest. Thanks to Paul Winchester, M.D., professor of clinical pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine for getting into this “ignored” root leading to increase in premature births in the United States.

It has been found that irrespective of maternal age, race, education, marital status, alcohol or cigarette use, or whether the mother was an urban, suburban or rural resident, the rate of ‘pre-maturity’ is highest from May to June i.e. 11.91 percent, and the lowest from August to September, i.e. 10.79 percent. And, this eventually tallies with the pesticide and nitrate levels in surface water. This is found by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Dr Winchester, who is also director of Newborn Intensive Care Services at St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis said,

A growing body of evidence suggests that the consequence of prenatal exposure to pesticides and nitrates as well as to other environmental contaminants is detrimental to many outcomes of pregnancy. As a neonatologist, I am seeing a growing number of birth defects, and preterm births, and I think we need to face up to environmental causes.

Preterm births in the United States vary month to month in a recurrent and seasonal manner. Pesticides and nitrates similarly vary seasonally in surface water throughout the U.S. Nitrates and pesticides can disrupt endocrine hormones and nitric oxide pathways in the developing fetus.

This finding reveals the magnitude of what our environmental hazards can leave for our future generations. So, act now or face the shocking consequences reflected directly on our progenies.

Photo: smh.com.au

Pregnancy is supposed to be one of the happiest times of a woman’s life, but for many women this is a time of confusion, fear, sadness, stress and even depression.

According to some medical scholars, nearly, one in 10 women suffers from depression during or immediately after pregnancy.

Sharon Phelan, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, stated that depression is overlooked because it is assumed that pregnancy protects women from depression and that postpartum depression is within a woman’s control.

Researchers in 55th annual clinical meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in San Diego asserted that treatment of depression among pregnant women not only improved their depression, but also improved the women’s ability to care for their children.

What is depression during pregnancy?

Depression during pregnancy, or antepartum depression, is a mood disorder just like clinical depression. Mood disorders are biological illnesses that involve changes in brain chemistry. During pregnancy hormone changes can affect brain chemicals, which are directly related to depression and anxiety. These can be exacerbated by difficult life situations, which can result in depression during pregnancy.

Antidepressants in pregnancy

If you are taking an antidepressant and find that you are pregnant, do not stop taking your medication without first talking to your health provider. Call her/him as soon as you discover that you are expecting. It may be unhealthy to stop taking an antidepressant suddenly.

Stay positive

The initial demands on a new mother are exciting and tremendous. Feeling better takes time. You will feel like yourself again and better able to handle the everyday pressures as well as the demands of pregnancy and motherhood. Be realistic about the demands and expectations you make on yourself.

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Couples are flouting the policy of having one child in China, causing the nation to face a population rebound.

Zhang Weiqing, director of the National Population and Family Planning Commission, asserted that rural residents were still marrying below the legal marriageable ages of 22 for men and 20 for women, contributing to more births.

China, which is home to 1.3 billion people, introduced strict family planning policies more than 25 years ago to try to curb population growth. But unfortunately, most of the couples are not adhering to the set rules and regulations.

Most urban residents are restricted to one child, while those in rural areas are encouraged to have one but allowed more in some circumstances. Those who have babies in violation of the restrictions are punished with heavy fines.

However, last month, a survey by the National Population and Family Planning Commission discovered that the number of rich people and celebrities having more than one child was on a rapid increase and nearly 10% of people in this category had three children.

Gender imbalance

Part of the reason why rural families refuse to comply with the one child policy is because of the traditional preference for sons. Experts say this preference has led to the under-reporting of female births, as well as abortion of female foetuses and female infanticide.

This has led to the problem of gender imbalance in China, with state media reporting last month that there will be 30 million more men of marriageable age than women in less than 15 years.

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Embryos are to be screened for a cosmetic defect for the first time in a British clinic. Doctors have been given permission to create a baby free from a genetic disorder which would have caused the child to have a severe squint.

British IVF doctors are focusing on vision problem in the unborn, means, they are screening embryos in order to check whether they are inheriting a squint genetically from parents or not.

If screening illustrates that the child would be born with visual problems, the embryo will be destroyed and a healthier one implanted into the mother-tobe’s womb.

Critics are of the view that such screenings is another step towards the creation of perfect ‘designer’ babies, which are made according to one’s desire, right from eye color to hair color.

Yet, scholars from the London Bridge fertility clinic, which is to carry out the pioneering procedure, say visual problems such as squints cannot always be corrected surgically and can cause sufferers severe emotional distress.

To reinforce the above statement, Professor Gedis Grudzinskas, has asserted that squint typically need several operations to correct it, however, the guarantee of success is very less.

Dr Simon Fishel has advocated the new procedure by saying that

If a family believe a condition is disfiguring enough to want to carry out embryo screening, then they should have access to this procedure.

The process:

It involves screening three-day-old embryos created through IVF and rooting out those that are genetically flawed.

Until recently, screening was carried out only for genes that invariably cause incurable diseases when inherited - such as those behind cystic fibrosis.

Specialists can now screen for genes that, while raising the risk of illness, do not always lead to the development of the condition. They can also look for embryos free of flaws that cause disease late in life.

The change has led to couples seeking to create babies free of the genes behind inherited breast cancer and a flaw that causes Alzheimer’s disease to develop earlier than usual.

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Researchers have pointed out that during pregnancy women who take epilepsy drug valproate are more likely to have mentally retarded children than those who consume other epilepsy medicines.

Scholars postulated that one out of five women who consumed the medications, last year, had pregnancies that resulted in fetal death or birth defects, including malformed hearts and genitals, cleft palates and artery deformities.

Nearly, 2.7 million Americans suffers from epilepsy, where valproate had been kept on the pedestal as an antidote for the mounting problem.

The drug is also used to treat migraine headaches and some psychiatric conditions, including bipolar disorder.

The latest study, led by Dr. Kimford J. Meador of the University of Florida in Gainesville, compared the IQs of 185 2-year-olds whose mothers had taken one of four epilepsy drugs while pregnant. In addition to valproate, the drugs were carbamazepine, sold as Tegretol, lamotrigine (Lamictal) and phenytoin (Dilantin).

IQs were determined using the Bayley Scale for infant and toddler development. Researchers said a score of 100 was average and below 70 was mentally impaired.

Children whose mothers had taken valproate had an average IQ of 81, compared to an average of 96 for children in the carbamazepine group, 94 for the lamotrigine group and 95 for the phenytoin group.

Twenty-four percent of children whose mothers took valproate had IQs below 70, compared to 13% for carbamazepine, 11% for lamotrigine and 12% for phenytoin.

In the general population, an average of 2% of children has IQs below 70.

Hence, it proves that epilepsy drugs pose serious repercussions; however, the Food and Drug Administration gave no comment on the story.

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A revolutionary home test reveals an unborn baby’s sex at six weeks! Is the phenomenon, an advancement of medical science or a kind of bane on the human existence?

About two years ago, the Early Baby Gender Mentor DNA test was launched. It purportedly tested for fetal DNA in maternal blood to see if there was any DNA from the Y chromosome - yes means boy, no means girl. Now another similar test is being sold called the Pink or Blue test.

The consequences would be- Babies were being aborted simply for being the ‘wrong’ sex!

The cost of the entire kit is around $376. Its opponents fear that it might create a massive leap in abortions if would-be parents are not having the gender they want.

Previously the gender of a baby could be known at the 20-week scan, four weeks before the legal limit for an abortion. However, the new home test would explode the conventional test which confirms the gender of the unborn.

The Pink or Blue Early Test Kit, launched on the internet this week by DNA Worldwide, is claimed to be 98 per cent reliable.

Would be moms are suppose to give a sample of their blood by pricking their fingers, the sample is then is taken on a filter paper and send it to lab for testing.

Lab technicians determine the sex by looking for the Y chromosome found in males in three tests. Each works because an unborn baby’s DNA is present in the mother for six weeks.

David Nicholson, director of DNA Worldwide said, Parents are excited by the pregnancy and want to know the sex of their baby. A lot even build an extra room or redecorate one for the baby - and they don’t want to wait until their 20-week scan to find the sex.

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