All Entries in the "Pregnancy & Birth" Category

Prudent Pointers to Maximize Pregnancy Chances – Part II

Weighty issues Impinge on Fertility Either being over or underweight could have a major bearing on one’s likelihood of getting pregnant. A research undertaken on women showed that those with higher than normal levels of BMI or Body Mass Index  needed twice the time for getting pregnant as compared to those women with normal BMI level. Even overweight men were noted to have more possibility of depleted testosterone levels. A scientist from the National Institutes of Health revealed that a twenty pound weight increase could raise the chances of sterility by ten percent. Image Source: WebMD Age directly proportional to Fertility Chances A lady’s downslide in fertility begins near thirty years. Hence, experts profess that it is time to seek medical assistance if the woman is below 35 years  [...]

Prudent Pointers To Maximize Pregnancy Chances – Part I

Figuring out one’s Monthly Cycle The preliminary phase commences with the foremost day of one’s periods. One’s body releases hormones that cause stimulation of the eggs to mature inside the follicles in one’s ovaries. During the days lying between the seventh and the eleventh day, those hormones additionally aid in thickening the uterine lining to prep itself up for the embedding of a fertilized egg. Image Source: WebMD Occurrences during Ovulation Majority of women have a monthly cycle that lasts from 26-30 days duration. Typically, ovulation occurs during the days that lie between the 11th -21st days subsequent to one’s last occurred period, though it varies in each woman. There is a surge in the brain hormone known as the LH or luteinizing hormone that triggers the discharge of  [...]

Albendazole – An Important Part Of Antenatal Package In Hookworm-Rife Zones – Part II

A continuing forthcoming study was undertaken for assessment of variations in hemoglobin concentrations and the neonatal birth weight of chronically anemic mothers that were administered a dose of albendazole during the antenatal phase. The candidates for this study were chronically anemic women that were: Pregnant women. Pregnant women in their second or third trimester with at least 2 years birth gap. Hemoglobin levels were lesser than or equal to 7gm%. The candidates excluded from this study included those with: Related medical disarrays if any. More than one pregnancy. Hypertension. Antepartum bleeding or placenta previa noted during ultrasound scan. Those aged past 35 years of age. Past of any bleeding disorders. For the study 161 moderately chronic anemic women were taken  [...]

Albendazole – An Important Part Of Antenatal Package In Hookworm-Rife Zones – Part I

The WHO has estimated that nearly 43% of all those non-pregnant women living in third-world countries develop anemia during the course of pregnancy. Anemia has been identified as the risk aspect leading to still births and underweight new born babies. Dearth of proper hygiene and personal cleanliness coupled with warm and sultry climatic conditions becomes the idyllic hot bed for hookworm infestation. The prevalence of hookworm invasion has been cited to lie between 36% and 74% during pregnancy. It is a dismal state of affairs that the issue of iron deficiency anemia – a largely avertable condition still hangs heavy and prevails, taking major toll on maternal lives. Hookworms are the widely prevalent intestinal parasitic forms that lead to chronic forms of anemia due to deficit of iron caused  [...]

Role Of Probiotics In Post-IVF Pregnancy Problems And BOH – Part II

A widely known fact is that the lower genital tract is a haven for a host of bacterial forms that turn pathogenic in nature once the body’s resistance depletes. This categorically leads to undesirable conditions like sterility, fetal loss and untimely labor. A study was undertaken to examine the advantages of the usage of probiotics like the urogenital probiotic strain, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 in situations of bad obstetric past while averting post IVF pregnancy complications. The study sets of seventy pregnant women were administered probiotics strains of GR-1 and RC-14 alongside being given treatment for infertility; and were evaluated against analogous number of seventy cases from a control group that were not administered probiotics but were treated  [...]

Role Of Probiotics In Post-IVF Pregnancy Problems And BOH – Part I

The widespread reason behind countless women globally ailing from leucorrhoea is bacterial vaginosis, secondary to improper personal sanitation. This condition is related to rising cases of sterility, in addition to fetal loss like missed and unprompted abortion, premature delivery and raised occurrence of neonatal transience and morbidity. This form of infection takes place despite innate safeguard mechanisms that are there in the vulval, vaginal, cervical and uterine regions. The aprocrine gland that secretes undecylenic acid acts as an innate protection to the vulva due to its fungicidal properties. The labia close the introitus that offers protection to the genital tract located above. The vagina shields itself by a myriad of ways like its acidic natured pH, production of antibodies by  [...]

The Fetal Fibronectin Test – A Crucial Prerogative During Pregnancy

The fetal fibronectine test is an FDA-approved, non-invasive testing procedure that aids in identifying the risk of premature delivery in pregnant women. A negative test outcome guarantees 99% assurance that an expectant woman would not undergo delivery within the span of the subsequent fourteen days. The fetal fibronectin test facilitates doctors in deciding who the most apposite candidate was for medical intercession, while at the same time providing relief for several women that unnecessarily underwent treatment inclusive of strong steroid medications and avoid being hospitalised. This testing method is an effectual technique in detecting premature birth. ‘FullTerm, The Fetal Fibronectin Test’ as it is known as, is the sole, highly potent self-determining forecaster of preterm delivery  [...]

Safe Exercises For Pregnant Women

Keeping up a fit lifestyle through the course of pregnancy is the most favourable course of actions any woman could undertake that would not merely boost her health but also foetal health. Those women that followed a properly balanced dietary intake and exercised on a regular basis during their pregnancy had least likelihood of giving birth to children that were either premature, underweight or with congenital defects. Exercising during pregnancy helps in maintaining a woman’s basic muscle tone and building muscle, raising strength and endurance that would go a long way in easing the process of child birth and also aiding in lowering the foetal blood pressure. Prenatal exercises have been proven to be a crucial step towards having an uncomplicated and successful pregnancy, safe labor and  [...]

Preterm Labor And Delivery Linked To Bacterial Vaginosis – Part II

During the course of the comparative study undertaken to find the link between the presence of Bacterial Vaginosis(BV) and idiopathic preterm labor on 75pregnant women admitted with preterm labor without any noticeable cause, a vaginal examination was additionally done to note the dilatation and cervical effacement and to corroborate the existence of membranes. An Amine test was carried out by adding KOH of ten percent strength to the vaginal discharge and the emanation of an odious amine similar odour was noted that was an indicator of a positive amine test. A smear was made for gram stain for clue cells. The detection of BV was affirmed on the basis of Nugent’s criteria on gram stain that recognized the varied morphotypes as lactobacillus type, Gardnerella vaginalis and bacteroides type  [...]

Preterm Labor And Delivery Linked To Bacterial Vaginosis – Part I

Pre-term labor or PTL accompanied by ensuing premature delivery continues to be the significant cause of perinatal deaths and morbidity in many underdeveloped countries. The etiological factor that leads to PTL is still vague in huge percentage of cases leading to augmented incidence of idiopathic PTL. Lately, the infection of the lower genital tract particularly bacterial vaginosis or BV has been highly doubted as being the aberrant agent in idiopathic cases of PTL cited till now. A recent study undertaken in India to examine the relation of BV with idiopathic PTL and preterm delivery involved 150 women hospitalised with idiopathic PTL that were chosen for the study on the basis of the following criteria stated below: Inclusion criteria Singleton pregnancy. Gestation age lying between 28  [...]