Fortifying the U.S. food supply with the B vitamin folic acid has helped to decrease the number of birth defects known as neural tube defects (NTDs) since it became mandatory to do so, new research suggests. According to a study appearing in the June 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, there has been a 19 percent decrease in NTDs since mandatory fortification began.
Folic Acid Fortification Reduces Birth Defects
February 13th, 2012Nutrition and Pregnancy
September 5th, 2011Being a clinical dietitian and currently seven months pregnant, nutrition during pregnancy is very important to me. Nutrition is the one big way we can help determine pregnancy outcome (that along with proper weight gain). After suffering the loss of my first at 16 weeks and now wanting to do everything possible to prevent this from happening again, I have been studying pre-natal nutrition. Here are the basics and the most important things to consider:
Ovary Grafts Onto Forearms Produce Eggs
August 4th, 2011Some women wear their heart on their sleeve. And others may keep something a little more exotic there.
New York scientists say they’ve enabled two infertile women to produce eggs by grafting their ovary tissue under the skin of their forearms. Radiation for cervical cancer had made one woman, aged 35, sterile, and surgery for benign ovarian cysts resulted in sterility for the second woman, 37.
Study Faults Too-Early Home Pregnancy Tests
July 19th, 2011Finds One Chance in 10 of False Negative
A negative result on a home pregnancy test can be misleading if it’s done very early, a government study finds.
In a study of 221 women, 10 percent of the negative readings of tests on the first day of a missed period turned out to be wrong, says a report in the Oct. 10 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Preparing to Nurse
May 27th, 2011Pregnant women who plan to nurse their babies often ask nursing Moms or their caregivers, “What can I do to prepare for nursing my baby?”
What exactly does she need to know? Can one prepare for any aspect of motherhood? We go through the motions of preparation during pregnancy in hopes that we can prepare our homes and our lives for the addition of a new life. We buy baby equipment. We read books on baby care. We buy more baby equipment. We talk to other parents. We buy even more baby equipment. We might even spend time interacting with our friends’ babies. And did we mention baby equipment? Read the rest of this entry »
How Long Should I wait to Exercise Postpartum?
May 25th, 2011Q: After my baby is born, how long should I wait to start exercising? Also, I plan to breast-feed; will this make a difference? I’ve heard that breast milk tastes bitter to the baby after the mother works out. Read the rest of this entry »
Low Sperm Count
January 21st, 2011My husband has a low sperm count. What are our chances of having a baby? What do we need to do?
The first thing to remember is that a low sperm count is NOT the same as infertility — which is defined as trying to conceive without success for one whole year. Nor is infertility the same as sterility; the annals are filled with stories of couples for whom the stork came along years after they stopped filling the bird-feeder.
Pre-labor or the Slow-start Labor
December 21st, 2010Some labors seem to take forever to get started! Contractions may come and go for many hours or even days before the cervix begins to open. This type of labor is oftentimes more discouraging and tiring than it is painful. Before a cervix can dilate, it must move forward, soften and thin. This most often takes place in the weeks prior to labor, but sometimes it happens only when the contractions are felt, causing the mother to consider herself to be in labor a little longer. Read the rest of this entry »
Getting Started
November 9th, 2010Perhaps you have consciously planned your lovemaking for months in the hopes of getting pregnant but to no avail. You or your spouse have subsequently been diagnosed with infertility and you are contemplating seeking the help of a fertility specialist. Or, perhaps you and your spouse are considering having a fertility work-up or are wondering what might be in store for you if you elect to pursue fertility treatment. Whatever your exact set of circumstances, if you are here, you want information on choosing a fertility specialist, you want to better understand the process of fertility treatment, and you want to be better prepared to manage your treatment options.
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