All about pregnancy

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Kids Feeling the Baby Move originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Friday, July 26th, 2013 at 11:15:33.

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Thursday, July 25, 2013

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Vaginal Ultrasound Best for Finding Tubal Pregnancies

About Pregnancy & Childbirth

Pregnancy & Childbirth

Vaginal Ultrasound Best for Finding Tubal Pregnancies

Jul 25th 2013, 11:08

Tubal Pregnancy

Tubal pregnancy, also known as an ectopic pregnancy, is a very scary and potentially deadly situation. While normally found in the first trimester, the sooner it can be detected and taken care of, the less likely the mother is to require surgery and suffer from the loss of her Fallopian tube. The problem is, sometimes an ectopic pregnancy is difficult to find, particularly very early in pregnancy. This can be complicated because of slower than normal rises in hCG levels and the ability to visualize what's where in regards to the pregnancy. (Most ectopic pregnancies are in the tube, but there are other locations that they can be as well.)

If you have symptoms of pain and vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy, you may be having a miscarriage, an ectopic or just a complicated pregnancy. Many times a simple history and physical may miss an ectopic pregnancy. But if they do a transvaginal ultrasound, which shows much more detail, and a serum (blood) hCG test, it can help to rule out an ectopic pregnancy or confirm it. Though there are still times that you will have inconclusive findings. This means that you will need to follow up with your practitioner around the 48 hour mark. This will allow another round of testing that should show more detail or give a better indication of what's going on with the hCG.

Early treatment options include medications like methotrexate which help many moms to avoid surgery and thus save the Fallopian tube. Or it can prevent the rupture of the tube with a timely removal, which can lower the risks of infection and major complications.

Have you had a tubal pregnancy scare?

_Source:

_{Crochet, J, et al "Does this woman have an ectopic pregnancy?" JAMA 2013; 309:1722-1729.}

_{Photo © A.D.A.M.}

Vaginal Ultrasound Best for Finding Tubal Pregnancies originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, July 25th, 2013 at 11:08:27.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Decongestants Increase the Risk of Certain Birth Defects

About Pregnancy & Childbirth

Pregnancy & Childbirth

Decongestants Increase the Risk of Certain Birth Defects

Jul 24th 2013, 11:16

Sick Pregnant Woman

Decongestants are medications used to dry up your sinuses, like phenylephrine and psuedoephedrine. These are found in some oral and intranasal decongestants, like Sudafed, found over the counter in nearly any drug store. This means you may not even think twice about taking these medications or might not think to ask your doctor or midwife before using it. But multiple studies have looked at the use of these decongestants, particularly in the first trimester, and have found a variety of birth defects that are related to their use.

Some of the birth defects effected the baby's heart or limbs, others caused issues like pyloric stenosis. Either way, the risk of having baby with a major birth defect is about 2-3% of all pregnancies. This study estimated that some of the risks increased eight fold, depending on the medication and the timing. Here's the trick to deciding whether or not to take an over the counter medication in pregnancy - don't. Talk to your practitioner first. Ask what pregnancy category the medication is in to look at potential safety concerns. Look at what the alternatives are for your condition. An example for the need to use a nasal decongestant might be a humidifier, saline nasal spray or even a neti pot. If after looking at all this information, you and your practitioner decide that the risks are outweighed by the benefits, you have an answer.

Also realize that timing plays a huge role in what harm is brought to a pregnancy by anything. The first trimester is a known sensitive period and everything about your baby is growing and changing. There are typically fewer risks to many medications after the first trimester. This is not true of everything, but as a general rule.

What medication decisions have you had to make in pregnancy?

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Join the conversation!

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_Source:

_{Yau WP, Mitchell AA, Lin KJ, Werler MM, Hernández-Díaz S. Use of decongestants during pregnancy and the risk of birth defects. Am J Epidemiol. 2013.}

_{Photo © Dreamstime}

Decongestants Increase the Risk of Certain Birth Defects originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 11:16:06.

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Jersey Shore Hospitals Seeing Post-Sandy Baby Boom

About Pregnancy & Childbirth

Pregnancy & Childbirth

Jersey Shore Hospitals Seeing Post-Sandy Baby Boom

Jul 24th 2013, 02:31

Newborn Nursery Full of Babies

It has been nine long months since Super Storm Sandy ravaged parts of the East Coast. I was actually lucky enough to spend a few hours at one of the beaches last week and saw how the recovery was going. Interestingly enough, now we are seeing a recovery of another sorts - a baby boom!

Yes, what's a couple to do with no power and a storm raging outside? Well, you know... And when you do that and you had been planning on watching TV instead, let's just say you've got a case for more babies than you might normally have and that's exactly what some of the hospitals are seeing in Ocean County, New Jersey. While they are working on ensuring that there is plenty of staff, the hospital also talks about how they built more postpartum rooms for the occasion, having nine months to plan. Next up? Preparing for the oversized kindergarten numbers in five years!

Do you have a good story to tell about the conception of your baby? Big storm? Power outage?

_{Photo © Howard Berman/Getty Images}

Jersey Shore Hospitals Seeing Post-Sandy Baby Boom originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 at 02:31:29.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: The Newest Prince Leaves the Hospital

About Pregnancy & Childbirth

Pregnancy & Childbirth

The Newest Prince Leaves the Hospital

Jul 23rd 2013, 15:18

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Son Leaving the Hospital

Prince William and Kate left the hospital today with their new baby, less than 48 hours after giving birth. They paused for some photos in front of the Lindo Wing of the hospital for a few photos. Kate, the new mom, looked great! I loved the matching blues of her dress and the Prince's shirt. Even more impressive was her normal looking postpartum belly.

The Prince got into the car and put the baby, third in line for the throne, into his car seat before the couple drove away to their home. Prince William drove. I remember driving my first baby home form the hospital, I felt like the whole world had changed. How did you feel or do you think you'll feel?

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Join the conversation!

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_{Photo © Scott Heavey/Getty Images}

The Newest Prince Leaves the Hospital originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013 at 15:18:36.

Monday, July 22, 2013

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Kate Middleton and Prince William Welcome a Baby

About Pregnancy & Childbirth

Pregnancy & Childbirth

Kate Middleton and Prince William Welcome a Baby

Jul 22nd 2013, 15:57

Kate Middleton and Prince William in pregnancy

Prince William and Kate Middleton welcomed a baby boy today at 11:24 am local time. He weighed in at 8lbs 6 ozs. It is said to have been a normal birth, which means various things to various people. The birth was announced via twitter.

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Join the conversation!

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Kate Middleton and Prince William Welcome a Baby originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, July 22nd, 2013 at 15:57:55.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

About Pregnancy & Childbirth: Waity Katy and the Royal Due Date

About Pregnancy & Childbirth

Pregnancy & Childbirth

Waity Katy and the Royal Due Date

Jul 21st 2013, 07:10

Kate Middleton and Prince William

A few years ago, before Wills and Kate were even engaged, I had a friend who was living in England. As rumors began to fly that Prince William was planning to pop the question, I asked her what she knew about it. She laughed and said that the couple had been together for so long that the folks in England had dubbed Kate Middleton, Waity Katy.

As I've been watching the news coverage stir up into a frenzy the last few weeks, I couldn't help but think of this title given to Kate. The truth is, this is what due dates do - they make you wait for it. So, here are some things to know about the Royal Due Date:

Due dates are merely guesses about when a baby may be born. Less than 4% of babies are born on their due dates.
Most babies are born two weeks before or, and here's the kicker, two weeks after the due date.
Even Royal babies can't read calendars.
Due dates can change. (Though it's usually not a great idea to change a due date.)
There is also the possibility we've been given a misleading due date for whatever reason.

So before panic sets in over Kate's due date and the lack of a prompt baby, let's remember how hard the end of pregnancy can be for a non-Royal with only their friends and family watching and multiply that times the millions of people watching as Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge prepare for their baby, regardless of the due date. (So don't say rude things to overdue women!) In the meantime, I hope Kate is enjoying herself in these last days of pregnancy. There are a ton of things she might be doing with her time.

Was your baby born on its due date?

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_{Photo @ Dan Kitwood/Getty Images}

Waity Katy and the Royal Due Date originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Sunday, July 21st, 2013 at 07:10:13.