Health
04 Mar How Smoking Affects Your Baby
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).¹ Cigarette smoking is one of the hardest habits to quit. Many smokers who successfully kick the habit lament that quitting smoking is like saying goodbye to an old friend. It takes a lot of personal strength and willpower to quit, as well as the right support system. If you’re smoking and pregnant, we hope there’s information here that will give you the conviction to quit.
20 Feb What Not to Eat or Drink During Pregnancy
What Foods and Beverages Should You Avoid During Pregnancy?
It might be a little unnerving to know that your unborn baby can be affected by a food borne illness when you don’t become sick or show symptoms of infection. Tragically, some food borne illnesses can cause devastating and permanent effects to a baby, like neurological damage and developmental delays. Sometimes the damage from an infection is obvious at birth; sometimes it takes years to become apparent.
12 Feb Questions to Ask at Your Postpartum Checkup
What happens at Postpartum Checkups? After you give birth to your baby, you might be wondering how many postpartum checkups you’ll have. All mothers will have an initial checkup one to three days after giving birth. You will have a bedside visit from your provider if...
05 Feb Reducing the Maternal Mortality of Black Mothers
What is Maternal Mortality? In the United States, the month of February honors black history; the contributions and sacrifices African Americans have made for our country. It’s also a brief moment when we can shine a spotlight on the healthcare disparities amongst the melting pot of...
18 Jan Reducing Risk of the Top 5 Birth Defects
Posted at 15:33h
in Baby, Birth Defects, Health, Medical Concerns, Medical Concerns, Medical Concerns, Pregnancy
3% of infants in the U.S. are born with birth defects.¹
If you’re thinking about becoming pregnant or just found out that you’re pregnant, you may also be thinking about birth defects. January is Birth Defects Awareness Month so it’s a good time to discuss the basics and learn how they occur. Knowing the risk factors can help reduce your baby’s risk of developing a birth defect in the womb.
30 Nov What you Need to Know about Pelvic Girdle Pain during Pregnancy
Hey Mama! December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. While pregnancy is not often associated with disability, there is one condition that affects some pregnant women and presents similar acute and enduring challenges: Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP). Pelvic Girdle Pain is usually related to Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). SPD happens when the ligament that joins the right and left pelvic bones becomes too soft and stretchy. The pelvic bones often lose alignment and become unstable.30 Nov HIV: Mother to Baby Transmission during Pregnancy and After Birth
Mother-to-baby HIV transmission disproportionally affects black/African American people. In 2019, 61% of new mother-to-baby HIV diagnoses were black/African American.²What is Mother-to-Baby HIV Transmission?
Hey Mama! December 1 is World Aids Day and a time to bring awareness to HIV transmission from mother to baby. There is so much to plan and prepare for when you are thinking about becoming pregnant for the first time or growing your family. No matter your circumstances, it’s always best practice to get tested for HIV (and other sexually transmitted infections) before you conceive.01 Nov Effects of Gestational Diabetes on a Developing Baby
Posted at 11:04h
in Baby, Birth Defects, Delivery, Gestational Diabetes, Health, Medical Concerns, Medical Concerns, Medical Concerns, Pregnancy
High blood sugar around the time of conception and throughout pregnancy increases risks of: birth defects, still birth, preterm birth, c-sections, and the baby developing obesity and diabetes later in life.¹