Trusted Information for Healthy Pregnancies
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Mothers with Celiac Disease Face a Higher Risk of Underweight and Early-term Births
Jan 25th
Women with celiac disease face greater risks for adverse pregnancy outcomes. A team of researchers recently set out to examine the effects of treated and untreated maternal celiac disease on infant birthweight and preterm birth. Among their findings are that expectant mothers with celiac disease face a higher risk of underweight and early-term birth than those without celiac disease.
For their data, researchers used a population-based cohort study of all live births in Denmark between 1 January 1979 and 31 December 2004. During that period, 836,241 mothers gave birth to a total of 1,504,342 babies. Mothers with diagnosed celiac disease gave birth to 1105 of those babies, while 346 were born to women with undiagnosed celiac disease.
The team considered mothers with diagnosed celiac disease to be following a gluten free diet, and those with undiagnosed celiac disease to be on a gluten-inclusive diet. The team measured outcomes based on birthweight, small for gestational age, very small for gestational age and preterm birth. They then compared the results for the treated and untreated celiac disease mothers with those of a celiac-free reference group.
The research team found that mothers with untreated celiac disease gave birth to smaller babies [difference = –98 g (95% CI: –130, –67)], with a higher risk of SGA [OR = 1.31 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.63)], VSGA [OR = 1.54 (95% CI: 1.17, 2.03)] and early birth [OR = 1.33 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.72)] compared with women with no celiac disease.
The good news is that mothers with treated celiac disease showed no increased risk of reduced mean birthweight, or of delivering SGA and VSGA infants or preterm birth compared with mothers with no celiac disease.
From the results, the research team concluded that untreated maternal celiac disease increases the risk of low birthweight, SGA and VSGA, and preterm birth.
Diagnosis and treatment of maternal celiac disease with a gluten-free diet seems to return the birthweight and preterm birth rate to one comparable to women without celiac disease.
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How to Train a Baby-Friendly Dog
Jan 14th
At this stage of your pregnancy, you now have nine months or less to change your dog's behavior, to keep his world spinning on its axis, but to graduate him from number one spoiled brat to the loving, happy, welcoming family pet, you surely want.
Begin teaching your dog not to touch, destroy or bury baby toys. You begin by selecting toys for your dog that look and feel no different from your babies toys. This is important, because a dog would find it difficult to differentiate between his own, squeaky toys and the squishy toys you picked out for your son or daughter. Spend a few minutes playing with the dog and his favorite toy. When he is fairly excited at the toy, throw it away, but keep it directly in his view. Then, put a couple of baby toys on the floor and tosses into their midst. Encourage him to go get his toy, and then go nuts when he consistently chooses baby toys instead of the dog toy. Trade the right toy for a treat. Try training as often as you can, at least once a week for a month and slowly increase the number of baby toys each time.
If your dog had never been around a baby, it's a very good idea to teach them not to get excited or scared by the crying, screaming, or gurgling he's likely to experience. You can desensitize your dog to baby sounds by placing your dog in a room with a CD player, or a tape of baby noises. Sit down and relax before turning on the player. Then put one hand on the volume control and watch the dog closely. Slowly raise the vitamin to up and watch this recognition from him, typically a dog will turn his head from one side to the other or prick up one or both ears. Let the tape play for the longest possible. 24 hours will be ideal but if it is not possible, then the first exposure must be in excess of four hours. The more the tapes play over the first two days the better this works. This is the desensitization process in which a dog learns to accept the sounds.
A professional dog trainer should deal with dogs who are truly aggressive toward people and or dogs and other animals. Don't let him become obsessed with the ball or toy. A run in the mornings is a good idea, or the park might work, because dogs who exercise makes far more relaxed and happy companions who are likely to sleep the rest of the day.
Dogs learn that they can get considerable attention by jumping up and grabbing a hand or clothing. Even negative attention such as shouting or pushing a dog away. This can be dangerous when the baby is around because it would be considered playing too rough if the dog is jumping on the baby. To help the dog learn not to jump, keep a container of dog treats just outside your front door. When visitors come to your home they should each put a few treats in their pocket before coming in. Everyone should ignore all of your dog's attempts to gain attention. No looking, no talking, and no touching! Eventually fed up with being ignored, your dog will sit down or wander off. At this time, you or your visitors can quietly call for him and ask him to sit. Then, he can and get treats, but only when he stays calm.
Think about the impact on the baby smells are going to have on your dog. I suggest you get your doggies used to as many smells as you can, including baby powder, the lotion, diaper rash cream, and so on. Put a smell on a cloth, and leave it in your dogs resting area for a day. After substituting in different smells, your dog will come accustomed to normal baby smells.
One of the traditional ways to introduce the newborns to the resident dog is to let him sniff a blanket that your baby has slept on. Certainly there is no harm in doing this, and it will be the first real exposure to your baby. Leave the blanket with your dog overnight.
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Tips for Pregnant Pet Owners
Jan 12th
Stephanie Shain lives with her husband, Adam, two daughters, two dogs and five cats.
Everyone needs attention. So when she was pregnant with her youngest, Mia, she knew she had to get her animals used to the idea of having a new baby in the house. Because of her work with the Humane Society, she knew animals handle change slowly.
Two or three months out start making those changes, so it's not a lot of changes all at once.
That means setting up the baby's room in front of the pet, and if the pet isn't allowed in the room keep the door shut.
And know your pet. If your cat or dog is protective, try to wean yourself away but let them know they are still loved.
If you're primarily the one who walks the dog, have someone else walk the dog; if you're spending a lot of time playing with your cat every day, make sure that someone else starts playing with your cats.
And if you're pregnant and have a cat, experts say be aware of Toxoplasmosis, a disease, caused by a parasite found in cat feces. It can cause birth defects. Doctors say the disease can be avoided by practicing good hygiene.
Usually the recommendation is to get somebody else to change the litter box.
Shain says taking precautions has paid off. Five-year-old Mia loves her fuzzy house mates and they seem happy to share the house with her.
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No Link Seen Between Acetaminophen, Birth Defects
Dec 21st
New study findings offer reassurance to pregnant women that acetaminophen does not appear to raise the risk of birth defects.
Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in Tylenol and certain other painkillers, and is often found in over-the-counter cold and flu remedies. Taken as directed, acetaminophen is considered safe during pregnancy, making it the medication of choice for pregnant women's body aches and fevers.
However, there are still some questions about whether the drug can contribute to birth defects. Studies looking at birth defects as a broad group have either found no link to acetaminophen use or have yielded inconclusive findings.
Some research, meanwhile, has suggested that the drug may be linked to a higher risk of a birth defect called gastroschisis -- but other studies have found no such connection. Gastroschisis refers to a defect in the abdominal wall that allows the intestines to protrude; it has been linked to aspirin use during pregnancy.
In the new study, researchers analyzed data from a large U.S. study that included more than 11,600 children born with congenital defects such as spina bifida, cleft lip and various defects affecting the brain, heart, lungs, limbs and gastrointestinal system. They were compared with 4,500 children born with no major anomaly.
Overall, the study found, there was no evidence linking mothers' acetaminophen use in the first trimester to a heightened risk of any birth defect.
In fact, women who took the medication to treat a first-trimester fever had a lower risk of certain birth defects -- including gastroschisis -- than women who did not treat their fevers with acetaminophen.
Researchers led by Dr. Marcia L. Feldkamp, of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, report the findings in the January 2010 issue of the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.Among women who had fevers in early pregnancy, babies born to those who used acetaminophen had a 65 percent to 83 percent lower risk of certain birth defects of the brain, a 56 percent lower risk of cleft lip and a 59 percent lower risk of gastroschisis.
The researchers note that hyperthermia, or excessively high body temperature, has been implicated in the risks of certain birth defects. More studies, they conclude, are needed to confirm whether treating fevers with acetaminophen does in fact prevent some birth defects.
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Sofia Coppola Expecting Second Child
Dec 16th
Congratulations to Sofia Coppola and partner Thomas Mars who are currently expecting baby no. 2!
Thomas recently confirmed the pregnancy in a backstage interview with Chicago's WXRT where, when asked if Sofia was expecting, seemed surprised, but nodded with affirmation.
The Phoenix frontman is already hoping to impart some musicality on his second child: "I heard the story that if you play Bach, [babies in the womb] get smarter,” says Thomas, adding however, that he’s “not sure it’s a good idea” to play his child any music from his band’s latest release, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.
Sofia and Thomas, who have been together for four years, are also parents to 3-year-old Romy Mars.
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Kerri Walsh Is Pregnant Again!
Dec 15th
Seven months after giving birth to her first child, two-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh is pregnant again. She says she will skip the 2010 season and longtime partner Misty May-Treanor will play with a new teammate for the first time since 2001.
Kerri Walsh amazed mothers everywhere in August when she stepped back into a bikini and competed on the AVP Tour just more than two months after giving birth to her first child. She'll impress many more if she can do it again.
She'll have a chance again this summer because she's almost four months pregnant with her second child, Walsh told UniversalSports.com on Friday.
"I'm pregnant again so I'm taking the year off and Misty is going to be playing with a different partner," the 31-year-old said, adding, "My due date is May 30, so end of May I'll be taking care of my family and starting to creep back into shape and I'll be ready for the 2011 season. My hope and my plan is for Misty and I to get back together and be better than ever."
"The goal is to play together and win in 2012, to win an Olympic gold medal," Walsh said.
Though Walsh, who is married to fellow AVP star Casey Jennings, says she's aiming to be back for the 2011 season, few would be surprised to see her sooner. She gave birth to a son, Joseph Michael, on May 22 and was back on the court in early August. Walsh says she's itching to play again right now.
"Part of the challenge of coming back this year was to make sure that I could do it and I did physically. And once I can wrap my head around it mentally then I know I'll be a better player than ever before," Walsh said.
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Amanda Peet is Pregnant Again!
Dec 10th
Amanda Peet is pregnant again!
The actress, 36, and her husband of three years, screenwriter David Benioff are expecting their second child, her rep tells Usmagazine.com exclusively.
In 2007, Peet - who recently appeared in the sci-fi flick 2012 - welcomed daughter Frances "Frankie" Pen, whom she named after her mother, Penny.
Peet has said motherhood is not what she expected.
"One surprise of motherhood for me was how little control I have," she told Cookie magazine last summer. "I thought it would be an extended, blissful romance with me at the helm, cuddling this little creature to life. It's been bittersweet and humbling to let her lead, and to try not to be perfect myself."
Last month, Peet told Parade she hopes her daughter doesn't grow up too fast.
"I'm trying not to think about what the world will be like when she grows up," she said. "I think more about when is she going to start drinking and wearing a G-string and how can I stop those things from happening."
Congratulations to the happy family!
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Amy Adams is Pregnant!
Dec 7th
Amy Adams and her fiance Darren Legallo are expecting their first child together, PEOPLE reports.
The couple have been together for seven years since meeting in acting class. They became engaged in July 2008.
The 35-year-old Enchanted actress will next be seen in the romantic comedy, Leap Year, which hits theaters on January 8.
Congratulations to the Adams-Legallo family!
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Participation Needed in Study on Decisions Made during Pregnancy
Dec 4th
The National Institute of Health is conducting a study aimed at enhancing decisions about prenatal testing for pregnant women who are uncertain whether they want to undergo amniocentesis or CVS. The purpose of this study is to learn more about how women make decisions whether to have prenatal testing and how to best help them when they are uncertain. The study is done on-line and useful information is provided. The aim is NOT to promote testing, rather they hope to help women make good informed choices. You can take part if you are a pregnant woman eighteen years of age or older considering prenatal testing (amniocentesis or CVS), have not had amniocentesis or CVS and are uncertain whether to have testing.
To participate in the study, click here.
Monica Bellucci is Pregnant!
Nov 23rd
Italian actress Monica Bellucci is expecting her second child, mediafax reports.
Reportedly, The Matrix star was in the Romanian town of Buftea last week while working on her latest film, The Whistleblower, and told some of her colleagues that she is three months pregnant.
The 45-year-old actress and model is married to fellow actor, Vincent Cassel. They are already parents to 5-year-old daughter, Deva.
Monica has also starred in The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009), Shoot 'Em Up(2007), and The Passion of the Christ (2005).
Congratulations to the beautiful actress and her husband!
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