Trusted Information for Healthy Pregnancies
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Stress, Anxiety Can Up Risk of Depression in Pregnancy
Jan 22nd
Stress, history of depression, lack of social support and unintended pregnancy are among the major factors that contribute to increased risk of depression in pregnant women, a new study shows.
Other important factors are maternal anxiety, domestic violence and having public insurance coverage, said the University of Michigan researchers, who reviewed 159 studies conducted between 1980 and 2008.
The study appears in the January issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Depression, which occurs in about 12.7 percent of pregnant women, can cause problems for mothers and babies, including pre-term delivery, preeclampsia, sleep disturbances and disrupted mother-infant bonding.
It's important for physicians to know how to identify depression in pregnant women, said the study authors, who noted that not all women who test positive on depression screening tests have or will develop clinical depression.
"We are hoping that [health-care] providers can use the presence or absence of risk factors such as those identified in our study to enhance their assessments for depression in addition to the information they obtain from the screening test," study author Dr. Christie A. Lancaster, a clinical lecturer in the obstetrics and gynecology department at U-M, said in a news release.
Source
Nine Ways for Pregnant Moms to Avoid Premature Birth
Nov 17th
The following statistics regarding premature birth are sobering, to say the least.
- Currently the number of premature births in the United States is over 540,000 per year.
- The United States' infant mortality rate exceeds that of China, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Australia, and Singapore.
- It's estimated that simply by cutting the preterm birth rate in the US in half, to match Sweden's, would save approximately 8,000 babies.
- Even though preemies in the US are more likely to survive than anywhere else, they are still more likely to die than full-term infants.
- Just under half of premature babies grow up with some form of neurological or developmental disorder.
- Premature infants can develop lifelong health issues such as cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing loss and learning disabilities.
- Despite the increase in medical advances in the US, the amount of premature births has increased 36% in the last 25 years.
- It is the group of “late preterm” births, which occur after 34-37 weeks of pregnancy, that are the fastest growing subgroup of premature births.
- Get proper prenatal care throughout your pregnancy.
- Don’t smoke, drink or take drugs while pregnant.
- Avoid violent or abusive situations.
- Lower stress levels. Only take on as much as you are capable of, avoid extremely stressful situations and practice stress-relief exercises as needed.
- Avoid early elective inductions and cesareans. These might be used in emergency situations for the better of mom and baby, but elective cesareans and inductions should not be undertaken before 39 weeks of pregnancy.
- Eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet, including fish or fish oil and folic acid.
- Exercise regularly.
- Avoid exposure to environmental toxins like car exhaust, pesticides and phthalates.
- Avoid working situations where you need to stand for long periods of time.
- To learn more about premature labor, click here.
- KeepEmCookin.com is another resource that I would strongly recommend for patients at risk for preterm labor
