mom sectionmom section
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that lead is a dangerous toxic metal that may cause birth defects, developmental disabilities, seizure disorders and even death by lead poisoning. Lead was once used in almost all interior and exterior paints; it flows into streams, rivers and groundwater from mining and drilling operations, is emitted from automobiles and factories into the air we breathe and is both naturally occurring and introduced by mankind into dirt and dust. The EPA encourages homeowners and citizens in general to hire professionals to perform lead abatement procedures rather than attempt do-it-yourself lead removal.
The microwave oven was created in the late 1940s and has since spread throughout the world as a convenient cooking device. The microwave oven uses microwave radiation to heat polarized molecules like water to evenly heat many different food and liquid items. While all microwaves have been tested, some natural health practitioners, like enzyme nutritionist Lita Lee and naturopathic physician Edward Group, believe that microwaves may cause harm to those standing in front of them.
Pregnancy is one of the most important times in a woman's life, so protecting your gestating baby is crucial. There are certain drugs that are harmful to a fetus. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ranks drugs into categories based on how harmful they are to your unborn child. If you are pregnant, it is important to stay away from these drugs until your baby is born.
A cleft palate or lip is a type of birth defect. Cleft lips or palates occur in one out of every 700 to 1,000 births. Cleft palates are more common in girls, while cleft lips occur more often in the male gender. There are a number of potential causes for these birth defects.
Prolonged exposure to chemicals which we call-BioMutagens-can lead to long-term damage to your health because they can trigger hormone imbalance. For instance, phthalates are a chemical widely used in many perfumes, cosmetics, nail polish, and plastics. Women who frequently use products containing this hormone disrupter are more likely to experience fertility problems and may increase their risk of cancers in their sons. There are numerous known BioMutagens, but rather than memorizing a list of all of the potential ingredients that can cause harmful side effects, here are five ways to help you choose your cosmetic products more carefully:
There are two ways couples may attempt gender selection: preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and sperm separation. PGD occurs after fertilization, and sperm separation happens before. Some couples wonder whether gender selection causes birth defects.
People with reduced height due to limb deformities can have their limbs lengthened, resulting in more height. Other people who are short, including those who have dwarfism, can get taller with the same surgery. Doctors at the Hospital for Special Surgery report being able to lengthen the legs of dwarf patients as much as 12 inches. The procedure is based on a theory called distraction osteogenesis in which bones are forced to grow longer.
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 yourself and your baby healthy and to reduce his odds of having a birth defect.
Although pregnancy can often go undetected by mothers in its first weeks, the newly conceived embryo is undergoing dramatic growth and development. Embryonic development is a rapid process, and many important changes take place during this delicate and crucial time.
The lower vertebra of the human spine can slip from beneath the rest of the spine resulting in an often-painful condition called spondylolisthesis. Back pain can indicate a serious problem and should be thoroughly discussed with an orthopedic doctor. This article is not meant to replace a doctor's advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the oldest consumer protection agency in the U.S. federal government. The FDA's modern regulatory functions began in 1906 with the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act. The Foodm Drug &Cosmetics (FD&C) Act is regulated by the FDA and was passed in l938 in response to a drug poisoning crisis. The public reaction to this and other disasters led to the passing of this landmark legislation. The Act keeps potentially harmful, mislabeled foods, cosmetics, medical devices and dangerous drugs from being distributed to consumers.
Botox infections have become a concern among the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen because of cited cases of Botox infections among children and adults. The Food and Drug Administration has taken drastic measures to ensure the risks of Botox are adequately explained and available to patients before any Botox procedure is performed.
The cytomegalovirus is a common virus that normally displays no symptoms. The most common test to diagnose for the cytomegalovirus is a blood test that looks at the proteins in the blood. The Mayo Clinic recommends that pregnant women be screened for the cytomegalovirus on a regular basis to defend against potential birth defects.
An omphalocele is a obvious birth defect that is diagnosed during pregnancy, and then treated immediately after birth. As scientists become more proficient at gene mapping, the genes that cause an omphalocele are becoming more evident. But more research needs to be done before any pre-birth treatment can be developed.
Retrolisthesis is a problem occuring in the lower back where the vertebra or bone slips backward onto the bone below it. There are several causes for this problem. There are different reasons for this condition in children and adults.
Phalloplasty is cosmetic surgery on the penis. There are several different types of phalloplasty intended for different purposes. A person who has a phalloplasty isn't necessarily trying to be "bigger and better" than other men. Some men may require the surgery to repair a defect or injury.
An omphalocele is a congenital defect of the abdomen wall that is diagnosed and treated at birth. Surgery is required to correct the defect, and full recovery is expected.
First described in 1782 by a Belgian obstetrician, spondylolisthesis occurs when one a vertebrae in the spine slips forward and overlaps the other vertebrae around it. Usually caused by stress fractures in the spine, spondylolisthesis is most commonly found in the lumbar region of the spine and may lead to individual having a swaybacked appearance in left untreated.
Smoking can cause significant birth defects, including the development of smaller fetuses, growth delays and an increase in risk of congenital malformations. Learn about the relationship between cigarette smoking and cleft palettes with help from a pulmonary disease research expert in this free video on the effects of smoking.
The March of Dimes is a well-known charity in the United States that today leads the way in genetic research funding and helping educate the public about birth defects and premature births. However, it had another purpose when it was founded many years ago. This is the story of the early years of the March of Dimes, including who founded it.
Anything that a pregnant woman ingests into her body travels to the baby by way of the blood stream. When a pregnant woman smokes, her body and lungs absorb the nearly 2,500 different chemicals present in cigarette tobacco. These same chemicals are absorbed into the mother's blood stream and travel to the baby via the umbilical cord.
A coloboma is a hole in one of the eye's structures such as the eyelid, iris, lens, retina or optic disc. It is frequently a congenital defect that occurs when a choroid fissure fails to close during fetal development.
Every year about one third of all infants in this country are born with some kind of birth defect, which causes physical and/or mental disability. Of those, an estimated 150,000 babies are born with serious birth defects. Since many birth defects appear to be caused by a combination of both genetic and environmental factors, awareness about causes and prevention is believed to help reduce the risk. Although there are certain birth defects, which cannot be prevented, there are common-sense precautions you should take before and during pregnancy.
Hypogonadism is the inability of the male body to produce testosterone, sperm or both. It is also known as testosterone deficiency. There are two types of hypogonadism known creatively as Type I and Type II. Type I is caused by an abnormality in the testes, while Type II is usually due to a defect of the brain or pituitary gland.
