Health & Pregnancy

Late menopause is a time when most women don't expect to be--expecting. As unusual as it may be, it can happen. There are several things the menopausal mother, or mother to be, needs to know about...

Along with all the wonderful things that pregnancy brings comes the dreaded sinus infection. According to Lisa Rodriguez, R.N., and Marjorie Greenfield, M.D., pregnancy increases nasal congestion,...

You just found out that you are pregnant---congratulations! Now is the time to be thinking about how the things you do can affect the baby growing inside of you. There are many ways to keep...

Peanuts are great source of folate, an important part of folic acid. Folic acid is important for fetal development. Many people have questions about whether pregnant women can eat peanuts or...

If you are hoping to become pregnant, you may have an exciting period of time ahead of you. You may analyze how you feel each day, looking for any sign that may indicate you have conceived. You...

As the number of women with careers continues to increase, so too does the number of women who choose to begin a family at or after 40. However, becoming pregnant after 40 proves to be difficult...

In today's "I want it now" society, we expect just that. Having to wait 9 months for your most cherished thing is unbearable enough so here are a few tips on getting your family started...

Natural labor induction is typically more gentle for mother and baby than a medical induction, which overpowers the body's natural ability to go into labor. With natural labor inducers, the...

The first two months of pregnancy mean a lot of changes for both the pregnant mother and the baby. Embryos develop rapidly and change drastically every day. An embryo's brain develops quickly...

Pregnancy is an exceptionally exciting and sometimes difficult time. It is important that you do everything you can to prevent too much stress from entering the body. It is said that stress causes...

Generally, the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. However, you may experience symptoms beforehand, such as fatigue and nausea. You can see your doctor for a blood test, which detects hcG,...

Air travel during pregnancy has become a necessity in today's world of business travel and scattered families. Women fly even late in pregnancy. The Mayo Clinic suggests checking with your doctor...

If you have flu symptoms and are pregnant, call your doctor right away. This flu season it is more important than ever to do so because the H1N1, or swine flu, is more severe in pregnant women....

Yoga is not recommended for any woman in a high risk pregnancy. Failure to abide by this can result in bleeding and fetal death. Your doctor will determine your risk level and will inform you...

Deciding to come off the pill is a big step. Suddenly you are working toward the very thing you had been avoiding for years. So imagine the disappointment of thousands of women when they don't get...

Antidepressants work by building up in the system over time to alleviate the problems of depression. Depression medication should never be stopped suddenly, even if pregnancy occurs. The decision...

Cord blood, which is rich in blood-forming stem cells, is collected after a baby's birth and stored in a cord blood banking facility for future use by family members or the general public to treat...

Unless you work for a company that offers group benefits, it's likely that your insurance doesn't cover pregnancy even if you have an otherwise comprehensive private policy. Fortunately, natural...

Most women who have uterine fibroid tumors are unaware of their existence due to the lack of symptoms associated with them. Although they are typically discovered during an annual pelvic exam, a...

When starting oral contraceptives, the body may react to the new hormone changes by mimicking some common symptoms also reported by women who are experiencing premenstrual symptoms or have become...

Uterine fibroids are large masses of tissue cells from the uterus that may range in size from a few centimeters to 15 centimeters or more. Most women with fibroids who become pregnant have normal,...

Dealing with a miscarriage is a very stressful experience. Unfortunately, while struggling with pregnancy loss, many parents must also face worries about paying for miscarriage-related treatment....

According to the American Pregnancy Association, swelling or puffiness of the extremities and face is very common during pregnancy. The body produces 50 percent more in fluids during pregnancy to...

Whether you are looking forward to or dreading the idea of labor, it is a good idea to have your body in top shape for the process of giving birth. Toning your muscles and concentrating on the...

According to "What to Expect When You're Expecting," eczema is a common condition of pregnancy. Pregnant women must be careful with treatment as traditional treatment methods may not be safe...

You will learn how to give you and your baby the maximum health benefits of breast milk without actually breastfeeding.

YAZ, a brand of low-dose oral contraceptive pills, are taken every day. A pink pill containing a low dose of the hormones estrogen and progestin is taken every day during the first 24 days of your...

Sonography or ultrasound is the technique of using computer-generated sound frequencies to view internal objects, in this case, a baby. Through ultrasound technology, a doctor can view a baby's...

Many parents wish to determine their baby's sex before birth. The most common way to tell the baby's sex is by ultrasound examination. This test is non-invasive with very few risks or complications.

Pregnancy is an amazing time in a woman's life. Bringing a new child into the world is an exciting journey, and choosing how to reveal the big news is just one of the many decisions to be made....

Whether you face a potential unplanned pregnancy or anticipate a carefully planned one, the wait before your period is due to start can seem excruciatingly long. While simple home pregnancy tests...

Joint pain is a common complaint among pregnant women. The hormonal changes that occur throughout pregnancy compounded with weight gain and added stress on the musculoskeletal system can cause...

Track your ovulation cycle. The best advice is find out first if you are ovulating. There are ovulation kits that help determine your expected ovulation by picking up the luteinizing hormone...

Expectant mothers can benefit from federal government resources that will assist them during and after their terms of pregnancy. The government offers these programs to help pregnant women with...

An ultrasound is the use of sound waves to formulate images from inside the body, especially in monitoring a pregnancy. With today's technology, there are more options available than the standard...

High risk pregnancy describes pregnancy with significant risks to the health of both mother and child. These risks can be caused by certain conditions as well as factors such as age, being...

Kyphosis is characterized by spine curvature that results in a bowing of the back, causing a slouching posture or hunchback. It can be caused by developmental, degenerative or traumatic...

Pregnant women are at increased risk for developing blood clots in the legs because blood flow speed is reduced during pregnancy. It is believed that the body also changes its normal clotting...

The medical community has made it clear that human breast milk is the best thing for babies. Not all women, however, can produce enough milk for their baby. It was common in the past to have...

Positive affirmations are statements that reinforce something you desire to do, be, or have. Many people, such as athletes or public speakers, use positive affirmations as part of visualization....

It may not be possible to completely avoid fluid retention and swelling in the later stages of pregnancy. According to the American Pregnancy Association, swelling during the third trimester is...

Abortion is a medical procedure much like other surgeries. Even though not all women will experience problems with abortion, it is important to be aware of the problems and side effects that can...

When it comes to determining whether or not you're pregnant, you want quick, accurate results. Thanks to advances in modern science, home pregnancy testing is both, and has the added benefit of...

Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters for a total of about 40 weeks. The first trimester lasts from week one to week 12. During the first trimester, your baby begins to develop a heart, brain...

If you've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you're probably concerned for your own health and the health of your baby. While you should follow your doctor's directions about monitoring...

If you are pregnant, or thinking of having a baby, the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting" can be a comprehensive resource to guide you through your pregnancy and childbirth experience. If...

Premature refers to a baby that's born at least three weeks before the due date. Premature birth can cause many health problems to a baby.

When a woman takes birth control pills, she typically takes a number of active pills--often 21--each month, followed by several inactive pills--usually seven. Most women experience vaginal...

Many people may take the ability to become a parent for granted. However, some people try for years and are never able to conceive on their own. A woman may become an egg donor to help single...

If a woman is having trouble conceiving a child or does not have a partner, she may turn to an artificial insemination center for assistance. The center may help her by injecting donor sperm, or...