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The Pregnancy Blog Review for Sept 10-21

The pregnancy blog review is a regular synopsis of recent posts in the blog. I try to cover all topics related to conception, fertility, pregnancy, labor, birth and beyond. Catch up on recent topics in the review. If you have any suggestions for future articles, they are always welcome. Placental abruption is a condition in which part of the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus. The severity of the tear can range from mild to severe. Learn more in What is Placental Abruption? The other main complication involving the placenta is known as placenta previa. This is when … Continue reading →

A Link Between Gender and Preterm Birth?

Is there a link between preterm birth in twins and gender? American and Canadian researchers set out to find the answer. Researchers in Ottawa and New Jersey looked at twin births and discovered that mothers having twin boys were more likely to have a preterm birth. Until now, the bulk of research into preterm births has focused on factors in the mother that predict a greater risk of preterm birth. However, recent research into full term births has suggested the baby may be responsible for setting labor in motion, rather than mom. Animal studies have suggested fetal factors in preterm … Continue reading →

Long Term Implications of Preterm Birth

If you have signs of preterm labor or are in a high risk category, your health care provider will monitor you for signs of preterm labor. Testing will be done when necessary to assess the baby to help prolong the pregnancy. The best way to prevent health problems related to preterm birth is to keep the baby inside Mommy for as long as possible. The prevailing thought has been that the most critical time for problems is after the birth or in infancy. By the time preterm babies are off to school, thoughts of the preterm birth may be a … Continue reading →

Routine Screening for a Shortened Cervix

You’ve heard the saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Ben Franklin said those wise words and they still hold true today, especially when it comes to pregnancy. For example, we all know the importance of taking our prenatal vitamins, doing Kegels in the checkout line (or anywhere you remember), getting good prenatal care and taking childbirth classes. It’s always better to catch something before it becomes a problem. Preparation is key in pregnancy. Prevention is the driving force behind screening. We screen for gestational diabetes. We screen for anemia. We screen for blood type. If … Continue reading →

Of Mice and Babies

What causes a woman to go into labor? If you answered, “I don’t know,” then you know just as much as the rest of us. We know the signs of impending labor and we know how to (sometimes) synthetically get it started, but the mystery behind why exactly labor starts has baffled doctors and researchers. Now they are getting one step closer in discovering the secret and using it to prevent premature births. Thirteen million babies are born premature each year. One million of those preemies do not survive. For those that do, many will suffer respiratory distress syndrome, apnea, … Continue reading →

Kidney Infection in Pregnancy

Kidney infections often result from untreated bladder infections. When a bladder infection is left untreated, the bacteria can continue to travel up the urinary tract, until it reaches the kidneys. The symptoms of kidney infection include fever, pain in the abdomen, pain in the back, under the ribs and chills. There are a few different causes of bladder and kidney infections. E coli and group B strep are common culprits. Certain sexually transmitted diseases can also result in kidney and bladder infections, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. In early pregnancy, most women are tested for these STDs, but they can … Continue reading →

Bladder Infection in Pregnancy

Bladder infection is a bacteria infection that causes inflammation in the bladder. This is also called cystitis or a urinary tract infection. The urinary tract runs from the kidneys to the bladder to the urethra. A bladder infection results when bacteria enter the urethra and travels to the bladder. If the infection continues up the tract to the kidneys, the condition is far more serious. The condition is fairly common, affecting about five percent of pregnant women. Hormonal and physical changes during pregnancy cause women to be slightly more at risk of developing the infection when they are pregnant. Symptoms … Continue reading →

When to Worry About Spotting in Pregnancy

Realizing you are spotting is one of the scariest moments in a pregnancy. It immediately brings fear of miscarriage to mind. However, there are several causes of spotting in pregnancy. Some are potentially dangerous and others are less serious. Spotting isn’t all that uncommon. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, about twenty percent of pregnant women experience spotting in the first trimester of pregnancy. While spotting may not be cause for alarm, you should always report it to your health care provider. Spotting is one of the main symptoms of a miscarriage, so call your doctor and … Continue reading →

What is Placental Abruption?

The short answer is placental abruption is when part of the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus. The condition generally occurs in the third trimester of the pregnancy. About one in one hundred women will experience placental abruption during their pregnancies. The symptoms of placental abruption are vaginal bleeding, combined with some degree of pain ranging from mild to severe. The amount of bleeding varies depending on the size of the tear. In all cases, there is danger of oxygen deprivation in the baby. Less common, but possible is danger to the life of the mother due to … Continue reading →

What is a Short Cervix?

A short cervix is often diagnosed during the routine ultrasound performed about half way through your pregnancy. If you are told you have a short cervix, you may not know what this means. Essentially, it just means your cervix is shorter than would be considered normal at this stage of pregnancy. Typically, the cervix ranges from an inch and a half to two inches in thickness at the mid stage of pregnancy. Women with a short cervix can measure as little as a half inch in thickness. The cause is basically unknown. What is known is that women with a … Continue reading →