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A Green Pregnancy

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I’m not one to jump on the bandwagon “just because,” but I’m glad to see environmentalism reach a peak of popularity in our society. Living “green” is often synonymous with a frugal lifestyle, living responsibly and gratitude for our resources. No matter what your reasons are for going green, it’s a move that benefits everyone. You can do little things in every area of your life to reduce your footprint, even during pregnancy. Having a green pregnancy could mean restricting yourself to a completely organic diet, but not everyone has that kind of grocery budget and there is more to … Continue reading →

Pesticides in the Placenta

The dangers of exposure to chemicals and pesticides have been debated for years and most people understand that we are exposed to an alarming number of chemicals every day. Some of these chemicals accumulate in the body, often stored in fatty tissue. It turns out our exposure may start in the womb. A recent study at the University of Granada studied the placentas of pregnant women for the presence of pesticides. The results were astonishing, 100% of the placentas tested positive for pesticides. The study tested for 17 known pesticides. While all the mothers tested positive for at least one … Continue reading →

A Pollutant with an Effect on Baby’s Gender?

By now, most of us have heard of PCBs. Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, are man made chemicals. The chemicals were widely used in industry for decades. In 1976, the federal government in the US banned the production of the chemicals. However, there is still significant contamination of PCBs in the environment. This is largely due to contamination resulting from improper disposal of the chemicals. PCBs have been found in newborn babies and breastmilk, over thirty years after the chemicals were banned. One of the problems with PCBs is they are not soluble in water. This results in a process known … Continue reading →

The Pregnancy Blog Review for Dec 7 – 15

The weeks leading up to Christmas are among the busiest of the year. Add the fatigue of pregnancy and it can be hard to keep up with the hectic pace. The week in review is the perfect way to catch up on recent topics in the pregnancy blog. Tattoos have become really popular in recent years, especially among women of child bearing age. If you’ve been dying to get a tattoo, you may be wondering if it is safe for the baby. Learn more in Is it Safe to Get a Tattoo? Winter is certainly here. In an effort to … Continue reading →

The Effect of Pesticides in Pregnancy

Pesticides have been in the news for many years as a cause of a wide range of health issues. In areas known for high concentrations of pesticides, studies have documented negative effects on growing fetuses. All pregnant women should be aware of the risks posed by pesticides. The degree of risk to the fetus is directly related to the amount of exposure. Some of the effects of pesticide exposure include neural tube defects in the baby and a higher rate of cleft palate. With higher exposure, the risks can include defects of the heart and limbs. Exposure to pesticides is … Continue reading →

Prenatal Vitamins (part I)

As soon as a woman discovers she is pregnant, she will most likely be advised by her doctor or midwife to take a prenatal vitamin supplement which may bring up a couple of questions: Why do I need to take a prenatal vitamin? Which prenatal vitamin should I take? Maybe you never bothered to ask these questions because your doctor or midwife simply told you to take “this specific prenatal” 3 times a day for the duration of your pregnancy (and while breastfeeding). I think most of us have enough common sense to be able to say that pregnant women … Continue reading →

Does Exposure to Chemicals Affect Fertility?

I read this article in which upcoming research into the affect of exposure to chemicals in the environment is discussed. It immediately resonated with me. We are exposed to literally thousands of chemicals, many of which bioaccumulate in the body over time. This article resonated with me because I have long suspected this to be the case. The number of people in my circle of friends who have experienced infertility is alarming. This appears to be a much larger problem than it was for my mother or grandmother’s generation. I’ve looked for research on this subject in the past, but … Continue reading →