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| Pregnancy Information |
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Vitamin C Prevents Pregnancy Complication
Women who supplement with a small amount of vitamin C during the second half of pregnancy reduce their risk of one contributor to premature birth, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005; 81:859?63). The end of pregnancy and the beginning of the birth process is marked by rupture of the walls (membranes) of the sac that holds the growing fetus and the amniotic fluid. A healthy pregnancy usually lasts around 40 weeks. Premature birth occurs when the membranes rupture and birth begins before 37 weeks of pregnancy. PROM (premature rupture of the membranes) occurs in 10 to 20% of pregnancies worldwide and is the most common cause of premature births. Babies born prematurely face many health risks including underdeveloped lungs which do not function properly, increased susceptibility to infections and difficulty with nursing. Vaginal infection, smoking and poor maternal nutrition can all increase the risk of PROM. Studies have suggested that inadequate levels of vitamin C in the cells of pregnant women might be linked to increased PROM risk. Vitamin C, an antioxidant nutrient found in fruits and vegetables, plays an important role in the production and repair of connective tissues throughout the body and is believed to be critical to the maintenance of the fetal sac membranes. In one study, women with high dietary intake of vitamin C were less likely to experience PROM than women with low intake. The effect of vitamin C supplementation on risk of PROM has not been previously studied. In the current study, 120 healthy women who were less than 20 weeks pregnant were randomly assigned to receive either 100 mg of vitamin C per day or placebo. Each woman was evaluated upon entry to the study and every four weeks from week 20 of their pregnancy until delivery. PROM incidence was 74% lower in the women taking vitamin C than in the women receiving placebo (7.69% versus 24.5%). The incidence of premature births was also lower in the vitamin C group than in the placebo group (13.4% versus 24%); however, this 44% reduction in risk was not statistically significant because of the small number of people studied. The results of this study suggest that supplementing with vitamin C can reduce the risk of PROM. Since PROM is involved in more than 40% of all premature births, it is possible that small amounts of supplemental vitamin C might help prevent premature births. A larger study is needed to determine this more definitively. Vitamin Herb University is the premier online course and informational resource for dietary supplements, supplement reviews, vitamin information, herb information, and drug herb interaction.
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Alternative Medicine Kegel Exercise for a Healthy Pregnancy With Kegal exercise, your pregnancy can be more comfortable before, during, and after your baby is born. With the proper kegal exercise, you can strengthen the vaginal muscles and allow for smoother pregnancy. Kegal exercises strengthen your pelvic muscles, which become weakened during childbirth. This could lead to bladder control problems. Is Pregnancy Changes You? People say pregnancy is a fun and exciting time. Probably they are right, but don't you think that behind the fun and excitement, you also feel the changes in your body. Any woman who has ever been pregnant knows that changes come with the nine months as the "Baby Carrier." Will I Get Stretch Marks? If I Do, What Can I Do? It doesn't seem possible at the outset of pregnancy, but your skin really will stretch enough to accommodate your baby. Collagen and elastin in the skin guarantee it. It seems that collagen has the tensile strength of steel and by the end of the pregnancy, you'll understand why this is important. Problems Associated With Teen Pregnancy Pregnancy is one of the pivotal moments of a woman's life but not when you are young with a bright future ahead. Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult experiences any young woman can go through. The stress of pregnancy, revelation of pregnancy to parents, and moving on despite the shame and worry can be nerve-racking. Indeed pregnancy especially during teenhood will never be easy. How to Get Your Pre-pregnancy Body Back The second biggest question you will ask yourself as a new mom is, "Will I be able to get back into shape after I give birth?" (The first, of course, is, "Will I be a good mother?") The truth is, yes, you can get back into pre-pregnancy shape and, if you desire, you can get yourself into even better shape than you were in before your pregnancy. Is A Baby Allowed To Play In Its First Month? What should you do to have a happy pregnancy? Many things you could do, but what most pregnant women rarely do is having a vacation. Get a life and try to relax a little bit. Or take an extended weekend just to refresh and recharge your batteries. Pregnancy Preparation: Who is a Baby Whisperer? A baby whisper is a Dr. Mommy who inspires and instructs new Moms on building strong connections with their babies. Vacation Is One Way To Run Away From Stress During Pregnancy What should you do to have a happy pregnancy? Many things you could do, but what most pregnant women rarely do is having a vacation. Get a life and try to relax a little bit. Or take an extended weekend just to refresh and recharge your batteries. Why Pregnant Women Get Stressed and Depressed? If you are a pregnant mother or soon will be, this is the most important reality you going to face. You will get stress and depress. Why? The physical and mental changes of a pregnant woman can affect her stress levels-especially since she is forced to see herself in a new light. The woman who was once the prettiest girl at the dance may have turned into a sluggish, chubby grouch seemingly overnight. In her mind, she sees herself as ugly and dumpy, even though others just see her beautiful motherly glow. Obesity And Pregnancy If you are overweight when you become pregnant, your physician will likely recommend that you gain less weight than a woman who is average or normal weight. You should not diet during pregnancy because it is vital that you supply your body and unborn baby with an adequate number of nutrients. What you can do however to minimize your weight gain is to ensure that you eat a healthy selection of foods during your pregnancy. Exercising After Pregnancy Generally most women can begin a formal exercise program within 6 weeks of giving birth, though this time frame might be slightly longer for some women, including those recovering from a C-section. Most women recovering from a C-section will be able to exercise after there incision has healed and their doctor has cleared them for exercise. Hyperpigmentation - Skin Discoloration - Pregnancy Mask First and foremost I want to start by emphasizing that it can take quite a while to get rid of discoloration! It can take months to years! You will have to be patient and consistent! Blimpy: Pregnancy Weight Gain The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women gain somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. Of course, this poundage depends on the woman's starting weight. If she is overweight, then she should gain less and if she is underweight, then she should gain more. Easy enough. Now, let's assume that your gal starts her pregnancy at a healthy and sexy weight. What the heck will she look like with thirty more pounds? Don't worry! It gets evenly distributed throughout her body and doesn't all go to her ass. Here's a general breakdown of where the weight goes: What Would I Do Without My Doula? By the time my husband and I finally got pregnant the first time, I had done a lot of reading about birth options and we had already decided to have a midwife instead of a doctor. We believe that pregnancy is a healthy state of being, and unless something came up, a midwife was the best way to go for us. Besides, where we live, a midwife can deliver babies at hospitals, so I felt that was the safest way to go. (Although, now, I feel I could have had my babies at home... but that is a whole other article!). How To Prepare For Natural Childbirth SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT BIRTH IS NATURAL, NORMAL AND HEALTHY. Your Role as an Expectant Father Quite often expectant fathers get bent out of shape over what they should be doing during the pregnancy. The pregnant woman is often the focus of all attention. She's the one carrying the baby. She's the one doctors examine. She's the one with oodles of books written especially for her. She's the one who has to push when the time comes and they put the baby on her belly when it is delivered. So, the question is: Are you only along for the ride? Yes, you really are only along for the ride. Alcohol And Pregnancy If you have been drinking up until the point when you become pregnant or smoking it is also vital that you stop doing so immediately. Many women worry that they consumed a few alcoholic drinks prior to learning they were pregnant. If you are concerned you should talk with your healthcare provider. Chances are that everything will be just fine as long as you stop immediately. At this time there are no recommended safe limits of alcohol to consume during pregnancy, thus it is best that you avoid alcohol all together. Baby Shower Gift Ideas Selecting a present for a new mom or dad can be a challenging task. Baby showers are a great way to help support a new mother with her new baby. New mothers can sign up at a gift registry to avoid duplicate gifts and to indicate her gift preferences. Here are some good gift ideas for baby showers: Pregnancy, Diabetes, and Your Feet There are so many changes the body undergoes during pregnancy that it becomes easy to ignore the changes in the feet. During pregnancy the body releases hormones that allow the ligaments to relax in the birth canal. The ligaments in the feet also relax, causing the foot to lengthen and widen. Many will complain of a shoe size increase by one or two sizes. In most circumstances, this flattening and widening of the foot is benign and no problems result. The First Warning Signs of Pregnancy Pregnancy can be exciting or daunting, depending on the circumstances. Do you suspect you are pregnant? Below are some of the tell-tale first signs of pregnancy.
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