The Basics of Eating Well When Pregnant

It is hard to believe that women do have a hard time eating healthy when they are expecting a visit from the stork. The sad truth is some women find it very hard. There is a trick though to remember how to eat throughout your pregnancy and it is as easy as ABC.

Assortment is the first key. It’s been said that variety is the spice of life. Keeping your diet filled with assortment of fruits, vegetables and protein will help make sure that you and your baby don’t get too much of one nutrient and not enough of another. Eating a daily variety of healthy foods will give your growing baby and daily assortment of necessary nutrients.

Balance is the next thing to keep in mind. We all know that balance and moderation is the key to any diet. There is no reason to deny yourself a bowl of ice cream but the whole container is over doing it. You want to keep all your meals as balanced as possible and make sure you are getting enough vitamins, whole grains and lean protein. Eating one and not the other is not going to help you or your baby in any way shape or form. Indulging in cravings is fine every now and then as long as you keep it in moderation, if you want a cookie, have one. If potato chips are your craving, have a few. It is when you eat the whole box of cookies and the whole bag of chips in one sitting that you might have a problem.

The third key is color. You want to make your plate look as colorful as possible. Look at fresh fruit and veggies to paint your plate. The more colorful your plate is, the more appeasing it is going to look to your eyes. Have you ever noticed in magazines and cooking shows the dishes always look so tasty? This is because of the variety of color that are used in these dishes. You can get red strawberries and tomatoes to yellow peppers and squash. Pick your favorite colors and create your dishes based on that.

Forget about dieting while you are pregnant. You and your baby need a steady supply of calories and nutrients through out the nine months of pregnancy and beyond. Pregnancy is one of the only times where a woman is expected to gain weight. Trying to prevent that weight gain can not only put you at risk, but also your baby at risk. You will have all the time in the world after your baby comes to lose the weight, but for nine months don’t even think about the word diet.

If you find you that you are getting sick of the food you have been eating, then it’s time to start experimenting with different foods. Pregnancy is a time to expand your eating horizons as well as your waistbands. Plus with food aversions, you might find yourself turning green at some of your favorite foods and craving foods you never dreamed you would eat. You may find that the thought of pizza can send you running for the toilet, but place a dish of brussel sprouts in front of you and you are in heaven.

Lastly, have fun with your food. Eating should be fun. Nothing will ruin your good habits faster than boredom. Add little touches like a dip for your veggies. Enjoy your food and try not to gulp it down. This will help avoid heartburn too! When you decide to treat yourself, leave the guilt at the door. After all, you are growing a person inside of you and decide a treat now and then for all your hard work.

Alcohol Consumption Can Cause Cell Death Leading To Abnormalities
New insight has been obtained regarding how alcohol during pregnancy might affect fetal development, according to research performed at the Medical College of Georgia Schools of Medicine and Graduate Studies, funded by the March of Dimes. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, affects 1 in 1,000 babies. Pregnant and sexually active women who are not using effective birth control are recommended to refrain from drinking.

Trends In Prescription Medication Sharing Among Reproductive-Aged Women
Borrowing and sharing of prescription medications is a serious medical and public health concern. A survey of nearly 7,500 women of reproductive age found that this is common practice among more than one-third of this population, according to a report published online ahead of print in Journal of Women’s Health, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The paper is available free online at

Development Of Schizophrenia And Acute Maternal Stress During Pregnancy Linked
Pregnant women who endure the psychological stress of being in a war zone are more likely to give birth to a child who develops schizophrenia. Research published in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry supports a growing body of literature that attributes maternal exposure to severe stress during the early months of pregnancy to an increased susceptibility to schizophrenia in the offspring. According to lead author Dolores Malaspina M.D., M.Sc.P.H.

For some couples, they have tried to make all the lifestyle changes they possibly can, and realize that medical intervention is the only viable option for them.  In this case, what are some common fertility treatments for these couples?  What are the side effects, and are they typically successful?

 

Assisted Reproduction Fertility Treatments

 

Assisted Reproduction is the phrase used in the medical community to describe medical intervention for couples facing infertility.  Here are some common fertility treatments and how they work:

 

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI).  This procedure which is also known as artificial insemination is often combined with hormone treatments to boost egg production, and can help couples with low sperm count, unexplained infertility, or cervical mucus problems.  Semen is collected, and then delivered via a catheter inserted through the women’s vagina and cervix to her uterus.

 

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).  IVF may help those with pelvic or tubal damage, or male infertility.  It is the most commonly used of all the fertility treatments available.  The woman takes drugs to stimulate egg production, which are surgically removed.  Then eggs and sperm (from her partner or a donor) are collected and combined outside the body, and inserted into her body to develop after fertilization takes place.  “In vitro” means “in glass” (that is, in a test tube or laboratory dish).

 

Sperm Donation.  Fertility treatments do also include those necessary when a male partner is not present or does not have viable sperm.  This procedure is performed using sperm from a typically anonymous donor; of course, a sperm donor can be a male friend or associate.

 

Donated Egg.  This can help those whose infertility problems are due to premature menopause or some other disruption of ovulation.

 

Surrogacy, Traditional and Gestational.  In traditional surrogacy, another woman carries and gives birth to a baby conceived with her egg and your partner’s sperm (through artificial insemination).  In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate carries and gives birth to a baby conceived with your egg and your partner’s sperm, then transferred as an embryo to her womb.

 

Fertility Treatments Available for You

 

The proper procedure that is best for you and your partner is one that only you or the two of you together can decide on, of course with your doctor?s help.  Many of these fertility treatments listed are very expensive, so of course your own personal budget will need to be considered.  Additionally, there are some who have religious beliefs or moral opinions about many of these fertility treatments, and of course this is a personal decision as well.  The bottom line is that while so many of these options are becoming more and more common, and safer as well, the final decision will need to be yours.  After all, you are the one who will need to live with the consequences and responsibility of this decision for the rest of your life.  So, speak openly and honestly with your doctor and be sure that you completely understand all of these many choices so as to make the most informed decision possible.

Postpartum Smoking Relapse May Be Prevented By Newly-Defined Factors
Although many women quit smoking during pregnancy to protect their unborn children from the effects of cigarettes, half of them resume the habit within a few months of giving birth. By shedding light on the factors that enable the other half to put down that cigarette for good, a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill could lead to programs designed to help women quit and stay quit.

Alcohol Consumption Can Cause Cell Death Leading To Abnormalities
New insight has been obtained regarding how alcohol during pregnancy might affect fetal development, according to research performed at the Medical College of Georgia Schools of Medicine and Graduate Studies, funded by the March of Dimes. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, affects 1 in 1,000 babies. Pregnant and sexually active women who are not using effective birth control are recommended to refrain from drinking.

BJOG Release: Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy During Pregnancy
Smoking during pregnancy is known to increase the risk of stillbirth and pregnancy complications. To assist in smoking cessation, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is commonly prescribed but there is little information about the effects of NRT on a pregnant woman and her baby. New research to be published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology examines whether NRT is safe to use during pregnancy.

Prenatal and Pregnancy

Prenatal vitamins are one of the most important vitamins that you take through out your pregnancy. Ideally, you should start taking prenatal vitamins when you are trying to conceive a baby. By taking prenatal while you are trying to conceive, you are preparing your body for the challenging task that lies ahead. Some experts believe that taking prenatal before you are pregnant might actually reduce your risk of a miscarriage after you become pregnant.

Taking prenatal before pregnancy is not always possible for some people, but taking them during pregnancy is essential. Prenatal vitamins contain one of the most important nutrients that a new mother needs and that are folic acid or folate. By taking in extra folic acid, you lower your chances of your baby being born with an incomplete spinal column which is known as spina bifida. In order for your baby to be protected, it is imperative that folic acid is taken in the first four weeks of fetal development.

This can be a problem for women who do not take prenatals before they are pregnant. Most of the time, most women do not know they are pregnant until after they missed their period which is about two weeks after conception. This is why if you are of child bearing age, you should make it a habit of taking folic acid even if you are not planning to become pregnant and we all know that not all pregnancies are planned.

You can still get your folic acid in food. Folic acid is added to many breads and pastas and is found in dark green and orange fruits as well as vegetables. Keep in mind though that taking a daily supplement of folic acid offers more protection from spina bifida then eating the same amount of folic acid in food.

While you are pregnant you should aim to take at least 600mcg of folic acid a day. If you have had a baby with a neural tube defect, you will have to take 4000 mcg or 4 milligrams of folic acid every day, starting at least a month before you get pregnant.

Some women report that they can not take their prenatals especially in their first trimester. Women who suffer from morning sickness and food aversions find that they can not eat much food. Taking a prenatal on an empty stomach can leave you feeling sick and queasy which is why so many women in the first trimester do not take them. Another reason some women report upset stomachs is due to the high iron level that some prenatals have. Not only could this cause an upset stomach, this can also lead to constipation which can already be a problem for some pregnant women.

If you find that you can not take your prenatal, talk to your doctor to see if he can give you a prenatal with less iron or give you a folic acid supplement also. The worst thing you could do is not take anything, especially during those first few weeks.

Prader-Willi Syndrome Gives Genetic Insight On Imprinting
Important findings related to the birth defects Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and Angelman Syndromes, discussed in an article released on August 25, 2008 in PLoS Biology, may help explain imprinted genes in humans. In humans, two copies of each gene are contributed to a child: one from the mother and one from the father.

BJOG Release: Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy During Pregnancy
Smoking during pregnancy is known to increase the risk of stillbirth and pregnancy complications. To assist in smoking cessation, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is commonly prescribed but there is little information about the effects of NRT on a pregnant woman and her baby. New research to be published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology examines whether NRT is safe to use during pregnancy.

Role Of Obesity In Preeclampsia Studied At University Of Pittsburgh
A plague of obesity in the United States already is known to increase the risk of illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and joint problems. Now, an infusion of $6.4 million in grant support from the National Institutes of Health will enable researchers at the University of Pittsburgh-affiliated Magee-Womens Research Institute to investigate what role obesity may play in preeclampsia, a common complication of pregnancy that can be life-threatening for mother and baby.

Prenatal and Pregnancy

Prenatal vitamins are one of the most important vitamins that you take through out your pregnancy. Ideally, you should start taking prenatal vitamins when you are trying to conceive a baby. By taking prenatal while you are trying to conceive, you are preparing your body for the challenging task that lies ahead. Some experts believe that taking prenatal before you are pregnant might actually reduce your risk of a miscarriage after you become pregnant.

Taking prenatal before pregnancy is not always possible for some people, but taking them during pregnancy is essential. Prenatal vitamins contain one of the most important nutrients that a new mother needs and that are folic acid or folate. By taking in extra folic acid, you lower your chances of your baby being born with an incomplete spinal column which is known as spina bifida. In order for your baby to be protected, it is imperative that folic acid is taken in the first four weeks of fetal development.

This can be a problem for women who do not take prenatals before they are pregnant. Most of the time, most women do not know they are pregnant until after they missed their period which is about two weeks after conception. This is why if you are of child bearing age, you should make it a habit of taking folic acid even if you are not planning to become pregnant and we all know that not all pregnancies are planned.

You can still get your folic acid in food. Folic acid is added to many breads and pastas and is found in dark green and orange fruits as well as vegetables. Keep in mind though that taking a daily supplement of folic acid offers more protection from spina bifida then eating the same amount of folic acid in food.

While you are pregnant you should aim to take at least 600mcg of folic acid a day. If you have had a baby with a neural tube defect, you will have to take 4000 mcg or 4 milligrams of folic acid every day, starting at least a month before you get pregnant.

Some women report that they can not take their prenatals especially in their first trimester. Women who suffer from morning sickness and food aversions find that they can not eat much food. Taking a prenatal on an empty stomach can leave you feeling sick and queasy which is why so many women in the first trimester do not take them. Another reason some women report upset stomachs is due to the high iron level that some prenatals have. Not only could this cause an upset stomach, this can also lead to constipation which can already be a problem for some pregnant women.

If you find that you can not take your prenatal, talk to your doctor to see if he can give you a prenatal with less iron or give you a folic acid supplement also. The worst thing you could do is not take anything, especially during those first few weeks.

Preterm Birth Risk Linked To Diversity Of Microbes In Amniotic Fluid
US researchers have discovered a significant link between the number and range of bacteria or fungi in a mother’s amniotic fluid and the degree to which her baby is born premature and sick. Scientists at Stanford University Medical School in California, and colleagues from other establishments, published their findings in the 26th August issue of the open access online journal PLoS One.

Amerigroup Will Pay $225M To Settle Allegations That It Denied Coverage Of Pregnant, Sick Illinois Medicaid Beneficiaries
Amerigroup will pay $225 million to settle allegations by federal and Illinois state authorities that Amerigroup’s health plans denied coverage to pregnant women and people with health ailments in the Illinois Medicaid program, the insurer and the U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday,

New Mothers Speak Out Report Paints A Troubling Picture Of American Women In Postpartum Period
Childbirth Connection, a leading national not-for-profit organization that works to improve the quality of maternity care, today released New Mothers Speak Out, National Survey Results Highlight Women’s Postpartum Experiences.

Pregnancy and Nutrition

You are besides yourself with joy as you see that your pregnancy test is postive. You find yourself already caressing your stomach in hopes that your little one can feel you. The next nine months are going to be an exciting time for you and your baby. You are going to have a human life grow inside of you and feel them move as they get bigger. Your baby is going to go from a single sperm and egg into pounds of adorable flesh that you can’t help but kiss over and over again. It truly is a miracle.

In order to help this miracle along, it is essential for you to eat as good as you can through out most of your pregnancy. The first three months might be a little difficult to eat balanced meals when you are dealing with food aversions and morning sickness. If you are one of the rare lucky ones whose stomach doesn’t so much as move during your first trimester, then you can take full advantage of eating healthy right out of the gate.

Making sure you eat balanced nutritious meals is laying down the foundation for your baby. A diet of junk food is not going to help your baby with bone development and organ formation. Potato chips will not help with brain development. Your baby and your body need calcium and vitamins to achieve all of this.

Eating well during pregnancy is going to help your baby eat well after it is born and on solid foods. As your pregnancy progresses, some of what you eat will cross the placenta and the taste will be in your baby’s amniotic fluid. Babies swallow this fluid and their taste buds are so develop that even in the womb they are able to taste the flavors. Doctors believe that babies who are exposed to a wide variety of fruit and vegetables while in utero have less of a chance of being a fussy eater later in life. They believe that these are the babies who will eat their fruit and vegetables without putting up any fight.

Doctors also believe that moms who drink their milk through out their pregnancy have an easier time weaning their babies from formula or breast milk to regular milk. This however is only one benefit, the other benefit of drinking milk throughout your pregnancy is all the calcium you will be giving your baby’s bones. Many doctors recommend that you drink at least one eight oz glass of milk, usually fat free a day. Calcium is a must have your baby’s bones and his teeth, even though you won’t see his teeth for at least a few months.

This isn’t to say that you have to stay away from all sweets all the time. You can indulge every now and then and thanks to cravings you may find yourself wanting sweets more often than not. You do have to keep it in moderation. Being pregnant should not be looked at as an excuse to eat whatever you want for nine months. Both you and your baby could pay a dear price.

Highlights From Biology Of Reproduction, September 2008
Proteomes to unravel gonadotrophs Although the basic developmental lineage of pituitary gonadotrophs is known, it has been harder to associate specific changes in gene expression with maturation due to the limited cell population. In an article on p. 546 of the September 2008 issue of Biology of Reproduction, Feng et al. take the approach of comparing the nuclear proteome of two gonadotropic cell lines that were immortalized at different stages of development.

New Mothers Speak Out Report Paints A Troubling Picture Of American Women In Postpartum Period
Childbirth Connection, a leading national not-for-profit organization that works to improve the quality of maternity care, today released New Mothers Speak Out, National Survey Results Highlight Women’s Postpartum Experiences.

BJOG Release: Stop Smoking If You Are Pregnant
New research to be published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology examines the results of maternal smoking on birth outcomes. Previous studies have focused on the consequences of smoking during each pregnancy, in isolation. This new study analysed outcomes according to whether women continued to smoke in successive pregnancies, or managed to give up smoking after their first pregnancy.

Planning Ahead While Pregnant

Planning ahead when it comes to food could mean the difference between making wise choices and making irrational choices. It helps us learn how to undo our bad habits and being pregnant is a great time to try and change any bad habits you may have. The best way to break bad habits and to form new ones is to constantly plan ahead.

You want to plan for snack attacks especially if you are not going to be home. You want to make sure you take some healthy food with you, so that you can resist the temptation of going to the vending machine and taking out that candy bar. Throw some nuts into your pocketbook or some cheese sticks in case of any hunger that might hit you through out the day.

Plan your food shopping list. Some people find that when they go to the supermarket with just a rough idea of what they need they usually wind up forgetting something important or they wind up buying half of the food store. Take a few minutes to plan your meals for the week and buy what you need to go with it.

Speaking of planning meals, that is a excellent idea. Plan for meals you can realistically prepare. Do not plan for meals that you do not have the time to prepare. You are only going to stress yourself out. Look for recipes that are easy and quick to make. Do not try to make something where you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients and need to shop at a gourmet cooking store. Chances are you are still working and the last thing you want to do is come home after a long day and then slave over a complicated recipe.

Also, planning your meals out for the week tends to help you be a little more organized for the week. It is no secret that pregnant women tend to forget things and this is due to their changing hormone level. By taking out the time to sit and plan your meals for the week will help you stay a little organized and save you a lot of time. If you already know what you are making for dinner, you do not have to worry about coming home after a long day and standing in front of the fridge trying to decide what to make.

You also want to make sure that get yourself in the habit of using vegetables are your main dish. Instead of doing chicken breast with a side salad, make your salad your main dish and the chicken breast a side one. You also want to buy your vegetables as fresh as possible, even if that means making two trips to the grocery store through out the week. The fresher the vegetable, the better they are for you and your baby. The same holds true for fruit also. Keep plenty of fruit on hand, especially if you tend to crave sweet stuff through out your pregnancy. Instead of reaching for a candy bar, you can reach for a piece of fruit dipped in cool whip

By planning ahead for the week or even month to come will help you stay on track with your eating and decrease the risk of you making the wrong choice if a craving should hit you.

New Mothers Speak Out Report Paints A Troubling Picture Of American Women In Postpartum Period
Childbirth Connection, a leading national not-for-profit organization that works to improve the quality of maternity care, today released New Mothers Speak Out, National Survey Results Highlight Women’s Postpartum Experiences.

First At-Home Screening Test For Amniotic Fluid Leakage During Pregnancy Now Available
AmniScreen? is the first and only FDA-approved at-home screening test for amniotic fluid leakage during pregnancy, a condition that may lead to serious complications such as infection and preterm labor. AmniScreen? is now available by prescription only and can be purchased in retail pharmacies. AmniScreen? is a panty liner test that offers the convenience of at-home screening for pregnant women who experience unexplained vaginal wetness.

Researchers Block Damage To Fetal Brain Following Maternal Alcohol Consumption - Sheep Study Holds Promise For Humans, But More Research Needed
In a study on fetal alcohol syndrome, researchers were able to prevent the damage that alcohol causes to cells in a key area of the fetal brain by blocking acid sensitive potassium channels and preventing the acidic environment that alcohol produces. The cerebellum, the portion of the brain that is responsible for balance and muscle coordination, is particularly vulnerable to injury from alcohol during development.

Planning Ahead While Pregnant

Planning ahead when it comes to food could mean the difference between making wise choices and making irrational choices. It helps us learn how to undo our bad habits and being pregnant is a great time to try and change any bad habits you may have. The best way to break bad habits and to form new ones is to constantly plan ahead.

You want to plan for snack attacks especially if you are not going to be home. You want to make sure you take some healthy food with you, so that you can resist the temptation of going to the vending machine and taking out that candy bar. Throw some nuts into your pocketbook or some cheese sticks in case of any hunger that might hit you through out the day.

Plan your food shopping list. Some people find that when they go to the supermarket with just a rough idea of what they need they usually wind up forgetting something important or they wind up buying half of the food store. Take a few minutes to plan your meals for the week and buy what you need to go with it.

Speaking of planning meals, that is a excellent idea. Plan for meals you can realistically prepare. Do not plan for meals that you do not have the time to prepare. You are only going to stress yourself out. Look for recipes that are easy and quick to make. Do not try to make something where you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients and need to shop at a gourmet cooking store. Chances are you are still working and the last thing you want to do is come home after a long day and then slave over a complicated recipe.

Also, planning your meals out for the week tends to help you be a little more organized for the week. It is no secret that pregnant women tend to forget things and this is due to their changing hormone level. By taking out the time to sit and plan your meals for the week will help you stay a little organized and save you a lot of time. If you already know what you are making for dinner, you do not have to worry about coming home after a long day and standing in front of the fridge trying to decide what to make.

You also want to make sure that get yourself in the habit of using vegetables are your main dish. Instead of doing chicken breast with a side salad, make your salad your main dish and the chicken breast a side one. You also want to buy your vegetables as fresh as possible, even if that means making two trips to the grocery store through out the week. The fresher the vegetable, the better they are for you and your baby. The same holds true for fruit also. Keep plenty of fruit on hand, especially if you tend to crave sweet stuff through out your pregnancy. Instead of reaching for a candy bar, you can reach for a piece of fruit dipped in cool whip

By planning ahead for the week or even month to come will help you stay on track with your eating and decrease the risk of you making the wrong choice if a craving should hit you.

Preeclampsia Can Increase Women’s Risk Of Kidney Failure Later In Life, Study Finds
Preeclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure and other problems in about 5% of pregnancies, can significantly increase risk of developing kidney failure later in life, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine,

Census Bureau Report Finds Women Having Fewer Children, Giving Birth Later In Life
More U.S. women in their early 40s do not have children, and women who are having children are having fewer than ever before, according to a Census Bureau report released Monday, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports.

Role Of Obesity In Preeclampsia Studied At University Of Pittsburgh
A plague of obesity in the United States already is known to increase the risk of illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and joint problems. Now, an infusion of $6.4 million in grant support from the National Institutes of Health will enable researchers at the University of Pittsburgh-affiliated Magee-Womens Research Institute to investigate what role obesity may play in preeclampsia, a common complication of pregnancy that can be life-threatening for mother and baby.

Planning Ahead While Pregnant

Planning ahead when it comes to food could mean the difference between making wise choices and making irrational choices. It helps us learn how to undo our bad habits and being pregnant is a great time to try and change any bad habits you may have. The best way to break bad habits and to form new ones is to constantly plan ahead.

You want to plan for snack attacks especially if you are not going to be home. You want to make sure you take some healthy food with you, so that you can resist the temptation of going to the vending machine and taking out that candy bar. Throw some nuts into your pocketbook or some cheese sticks in case of any hunger that might hit you through out the day.

Plan your food shopping list. Some people find that when they go to the supermarket with just a rough idea of what they need they usually wind up forgetting something important or they wind up buying half of the food store. Take a few minutes to plan your meals for the week and buy what you need to go with it.

Speaking of planning meals, that is a excellent idea. Plan for meals you can realistically prepare. Do not plan for meals that you do not have the time to prepare. You are only going to stress yourself out. Look for recipes that are easy and quick to make. Do not try to make something where you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients and need to shop at a gourmet cooking store. Chances are you are still working and the last thing you want to do is come home after a long day and then slave over a complicated recipe.

Also, planning your meals out for the week tends to help you be a little more organized for the week. It is no secret that pregnant women tend to forget things and this is due to their changing hormone level. By taking out the time to sit and plan your meals for the week will help you stay a little organized and save you a lot of time. If you already know what you are making for dinner, you do not have to worry about coming home after a long day and standing in front of the fridge trying to decide what to make.

You also want to make sure that get yourself in the habit of using vegetables are your main dish. Instead of doing chicken breast with a side salad, make your salad your main dish and the chicken breast a side one. You also want to buy your vegetables as fresh as possible, even if that means making two trips to the grocery store through out the week. The fresher the vegetable, the better they are for you and your baby. The same holds true for fruit also. Keep plenty of fruit on hand, especially if you tend to crave sweet stuff through out your pregnancy. Instead of reaching for a candy bar, you can reach for a piece of fruit dipped in cool whip

By planning ahead for the week or even month to come will help you stay on track with your eating and decrease the risk of you making the wrong choice if a craving should hit you.

BJOG Release: Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy During Pregnancy
Smoking during pregnancy is known to increase the risk of stillbirth and pregnancy complications. To assist in smoking cessation, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is commonly prescribed but there is little information about the effects of NRT on a pregnant woman and her baby. New research to be published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology examines whether NRT is safe to use during pregnancy.

Amerigroup Will Pay $225M To Settle Allegations That It Denied Coverage Of Pregnant, Sick Illinois Medicaid Beneficiaries
Amerigroup will pay $225 million to settle allegations by federal and Illinois state authorities that Amerigroup’s health plans denied coverage to pregnant women and people with health ailments in the Illinois Medicaid program, the insurer and the U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday,

TIME Examines Debate Surrounding Home Births, So-Called ‘Direct-Entry’ Midwives
TIME magazine recently examined the growing appeal of home births among pregnant women in the U.S. According to TIME, although home births only account for less than 1% of U.S. births, “there’s a movement afoot to license more lay midwives to attend home births.” The article was published online last week and is scheduled to be in the magazine’s Aug. 18 issue.

Planning Ahead While Pregnant

Planning ahead when it comes to food could mean the difference between making wise choices and making irrational choices. It helps us learn how to undo our bad habits and being pregnant is a great time to try and change any bad habits you may have. The best way to break bad habits and to form new ones is to constantly plan ahead.

You want to plan for snack attacks especially if you are not going to be home. You want to make sure you take some healthy food with you, so that you can resist the temptation of going to the vending machine and taking out that candy bar. Throw some nuts into your pocketbook or some cheese sticks in case of any hunger that might hit you through out the day.

Plan your food shopping list. Some people find that when they go to the supermarket with just a rough idea of what they need they usually wind up forgetting something important or they wind up buying half of the food store. Take a few minutes to plan your meals for the week and buy what you need to go with it.

Speaking of planning meals, that is a excellent idea. Plan for meals you can realistically prepare. Do not plan for meals that you do not have the time to prepare. You are only going to stress yourself out. Look for recipes that are easy and quick to make. Do not try to make something where you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients and need to shop at a gourmet cooking store. Chances are you are still working and the last thing you want to do is come home after a long day and then slave over a complicated recipe.

Also, planning your meals out for the week tends to help you be a little more organized for the week. It is no secret that pregnant women tend to forget things and this is due to their changing hormone level. By taking out the time to sit and plan your meals for the week will help you stay a little organized and save you a lot of time. If you already know what you are making for dinner, you do not have to worry about coming home after a long day and standing in front of the fridge trying to decide what to make.

You also want to make sure that get yourself in the habit of using vegetables are your main dish. Instead of doing chicken breast with a side salad, make your salad your main dish and the chicken breast a side one. You also want to buy your vegetables as fresh as possible, even if that means making two trips to the grocery store through out the week. The fresher the vegetable, the better they are for you and your baby. The same holds true for fruit also. Keep plenty of fruit on hand, especially if you tend to crave sweet stuff through out your pregnancy. Instead of reaching for a candy bar, you can reach for a piece of fruit dipped in cool whip

By planning ahead for the week or even month to come will help you stay on track with your eating and decrease the risk of you making the wrong choice if a craving should hit you.

Pregnancy Situations Have Impact On Brain Development In Preterm Infants
Brain development in infants who are born very prematurely is still incomplete. Factors that cause premature birth may have an impact on the development of the premature infant’s brain both during pregnancy and later on after birth. A project conducted as part of the Academy of Finland Research Programme on Neuroscience (NEURO) is concerned to study brain growth and development invery premature or low-weight infants.

An Unusual Form Of Inheritance May Have A Role In The Rising Rate Of Diabetes
A new study in the September issue of the Journal of Lipid Research suggests an unusual form of inheritance may have a role in the rising rate of diabetes, especially in children and young adults, in the United States. DNA is the primary mechanism of inheritance; kids get half their genes from mom and half from dad.

Amerigroup Will Pay $225M To Settle Allegations That It Denied Coverage Of Pregnant, Sick Illinois Medicaid Beneficiaries
Amerigroup will pay $225 million to settle allegations by federal and Illinois state authorities that Amerigroup’s health plans denied coverage to pregnant women and people with health ailments in the Illinois Medicaid program, the insurer and the U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday,

Peanuts and Pregnancy

Ask any parent who has a child who is allegeric to peanuts how difficult their live has become. Food shopping can take hours because every food label must be read it and studied to make sure it contains no traces of peanuts. Arrangements for peanut free foods must be made with the child’s school ahead of time and other children’s birthdays parties can be a parent’s worse nightmare. Peanut allergies although common can be one of the most fatal allergies a child could suffer from. Some children are so sensitive to their peanut allergy that if they come into contact with peanuts just from someone else’s skin, their life can be at risk. Peanut allergies can lead to anaphylactic shock which is a sever allergic reaction that can be fatal.

Peanut allergies are usually not diagnosed until a child reaches the age of 2 or even three years old. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that parents who have a peanut allergy in the family should wait until their child is at least three years old before giving them peanuts or anything containing peanuts. There are even some conservative obgyns who advise their pregnant patients not to eat peanuts especially if when they are in their third trimester regardless of if there is a history of peanut allergy in the family or not.

The reason for this is because in order for a peanut allergy to develop, the child has to come into contact with small traces of a peanut. This contact sensitizes the child so that they later have a severe allergic reaction. Some experts believe that this first sensitization can occur during pregnancy. It is believed that a tiny amount of peanut protein can cross the placenta. In fact a recent study showed that if a women ate peanuts or peanut butter while pregnant their baby could be four times more likely to develop a peanut allergy than a child whose mother didn’t eat any peanuts during her pregnancy.

This isn’t to say though that if you have a no history of nut allergies you should avoid peanuts at all costs. In fact, peanuts and peanut butter are very beneficial to you and your baby. Peanuts are a useful source of folic acid and protein, both which are very important to your and your growing baby. Peanuts and peanut butter has been said to help some women get through the first trimester morning sickness. Keep in mind however that there have been some instances when women who had no history of peanut allegeries in their family and ate a over whelming amount of peanuts or even peanut butter through out their pregnancies wound up with children who had a peanut allergy.

Before you decide to throw out all your peanuts and say good bye to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, talk to your doctor. Give your doctor a detailed family history and let him know if there are any peanut allergies in your family. With your doctors help you will be able to create a healthy peanut eating plan for your pregnancy. If you do not feel comfortable at all eating peanuts due to the risk do not let anyone change your mind. It is your body and your child and you have the right to make that decision.

Preeclampsia Can Increase Women’s Risk Of Kidney Failure Later In Life, Study Finds
Preeclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure and other problems in about 5% of pregnancies, can significantly increase risk of developing kidney failure later in life, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine,

New Mothers Speak Out Report Paints A Troubling Picture Of American Women In Postpartum Period
Childbirth Connection, a leading national not-for-profit organization that works to improve the quality of maternity care, today released New Mothers Speak Out, National Survey Results Highlight Women’s Postpartum Experiences.

First At-Home Screening Test For Amniotic Fluid Leakage During Pregnancy Now Available
AmniScreen? is the first and only FDA-approved at-home screening test for amniotic fluid leakage during pregnancy, a condition that may lead to serious complications such as infection and preterm labor. AmniScreen? is now available by prescription only and can be purchased in retail pharmacies. AmniScreen? is a panty liner test that offers the convenience of at-home screening for pregnant women who experience unexplained vaginal wetness.