Emily Alexander is 29 years old and works in the healthcare industry. She and her husband, Don, have been married for 1 year. Though they weren’t really trying to get pregnant, Emily had gone off the pill (after 12 years on) to give her body a rest and to prepare for conception. Her periods become […]
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Samantha Allen is 25 years old and has been happily married for four years. Samantha works part-time as a Children’s Choir Director. Fortunately, her job is flexible enough to allow her to take her baby to work with her. Though she comes from a very large family, Samantha and her husband plan to have only […]
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What Is an Anal Fissure? Anal fissures are painful tears or ulcers on the lining of the anus. Anal fissures occur most often in infants and the incidence decreases rapidly with age. What Are the Symptoms? Painful bowel movements, blood on toilet tissue, blood on the surface of stool (but not mixed in with stool), […]
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Many women experience bleeding early in pregnancy. If you are in your first trimester and notice bleeding, you should contact your physician. There are several possible causes of bleeding in pregnancy. Of utmost importance is determining whether you have an ectopic pregnancy, are having a miscarriage, or have a normally developing pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy […]
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What Is It? An episiotomy is a small incision made at the bottom of the vaginal opening, through the perineum. This incision is intended to prevent tearing of the vaginal wall and perineum during childbirth. What Conditions Is It Designed to Treat? If a woman’s vaginal opening has not relaxed enough to accommodate the child’s […]
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A cesarean delivery (Cesarean section or “C-section”) is the delivery of the baby through an incision in the abdomen and through an incision in the uterus. Much has been written in the lay press about C-section and the number of C-sections performed in the United States. Nationally, about 20% of pregnancies are delivered by C-section. […]
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There are many hematologic problems that may be present in pregnancy. These include anemia, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and thrombocytopenia. Anemia Anemia is a fairly common condition among women. Due to physiologic changes seen in pregnancy, anemia is even more common. Anemia is defined as low hemoglobin concentrations. There are multiple causes of anemia in […]
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What Is a Cervical Cerclage? Cerclage is the placement of a stitch around the opening of the cervix. This obstetrical procedure is used to prevent pregnancy loss in a woman who has an incompetent cervix. The stitch is made with non-absorbable material and is removed when the pregnancy is at full term to allow labor […]
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How do you know when it is not Braxton Hicks and time to go to the hospital? This is my third child, both of my previous were preemies and my water did not break on them. Braxton Hicks contractions are also known as false labor. They usually begin sometime after the 20th week of pregnancy. […]
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One of a woman’s greatest concerns is “How will I know if I am in labor?” This is especially true in first pregnancies. There are several signs of labor or pregnancy emergencies that should cause you to phone your physician or head to the hospital. The first sign of labor is uterine contractions. Uterine contractions […]
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Is it safe to get a flu vaccine during pregnancy, even if I have never gotten a flu vaccine before? Are there any risks to mother or baby with the vaccine? Are there any risks to mother or baby from the flu? Vaccination against influenza has been shown to be safe in pregnancy. In fact, […]
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Brachial plexus palsy and fractured clavicles are fetal injuries that often result from difficult vaginal deliveries. These injuries usually result from shoulder dystocia (difficulty delivering the shoulders) in an infant with macrosomia (large gestational weight). What is a brachial plexus palsy? The most common injury to the macrosomic infant at birth is brachial plexus palsy. […]
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What are Amniotic Constriction Bands? Amniotic Constriction Bands are created with the placenta (amnion) is damaged during pregnancy and produces fibrous bands that can entrap the fetus—thereby causing deformities of the face, abdominal or chest walls, club foot, or missing limbs or digits. Also known as Amniotic Band Dysruption Sequence Syndrome. What are the symptoms? […]
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What is ABO incompatibility? ABO incompatibility results when the fetal blood type is different from the mother’s blood type. When the blood types differ, the mother creates antibodies against the fetus’ incompatible blood type. These antibodies enter the placenta and begin to destroy the fetus’ blood cells. What are the symptoms? Incompatible maternal and fetal […]
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Having a cesarean birth will not affect your body’s ability to produce breast milk. Just as in a vaginal delivery, the normal hormonal process that stimulates milk production begins as soon as the placenta is removed from the uterus. If your cesarean delivery is planned, you can prepare ahead of time by discussing your desire […]
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New parents want to give their babies the very best. When it comes to nutrition, the best first food for babies is breast milk. More than 2 decades of research has established that breast milk is perfectly suited to nourish infants and protect them from illness. Breastfed infants have lower rates of hospital admissions, ear […]
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While breastfeeding, your breasts and nipples don’t require any special care. The small bumps on your areola produce a special oil, which naturally cleans, lubricates, and protects the nipples. Just rinse your breasts and nipples with plain warm water during showers or baths. Avoid using soaps, astringents, or alcohol, as they are drying and contribute […]
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Partial or complete absence of the abdominal muscles so that the outlines of the intestines are visible through the thin, lax, protruding abdominal wall. Also called the “prune belly syndrome.”
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An aneurysm situated within the abdomen (belly). An aneurysm is a localized widening (dilatation) of an artery, vein, or the heart. At the area of an aneurysm, there is typically a bulge and the wall is weakened and may rupture. The word “aneurysm” comes from the Greek “aneurysma” meaning “a widening.” An aneurysm may involve […]
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This disorder is characterized by multiple birth defects including wide spaced eyes (ocular hypertelorism), front-facing (anteverted) nostrils, a broad upper lip, a malformed (“saddle-bag”) scrotum, and laxity of the ligaments resulting in bending back of the knees (genu recurvatum), flat feet, and overly extensible fingers.
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