Pregnancy

While rates for women aged 30 and younger fell between 1990 and 2009, with a notable decline among teenagers, they increased for those aged 30 and older, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The rate was 102.1 pregnancies for every 1...

While rates for women aged 30 and younger fell bet...

Pregnant women experience nasal stuffiness due to estrogen-induced hypersecretion of mucus. Epistaxis is also common. The safest treatment of these symptoms is a saline nasal spray. The following is a summary of respiratory changes: - Respiratory ra...

Pregnant women experience nasal stuffiness due to ...

Studies show a variable effect of acne in pregnancy. If treatment regimens that were working prior to pregnancy were abandoned, the patient can have initial flares that are not directly related to the pregnancy. Some studies show that as many as a th...

Studies show a variable effect of acne in pregnanc...

Appropriate childbirth preparation varies with each birthing woman. Women are recommended to learn a variety of coping techniques because one philosophy may not be what is needed during the work of labor. Some of the most popular methods include Lama...

Appropriate childbirth preparation varies with eac...

Maintaining an active lifestyle during pregnancy adds to a woman's overall health and may reduce complications. Some research shows that women who exercise have shorter easier labors, better newborn health, and higher newborn IQs. However, these same...

Maintaining an active lifestyle during pregnancy a...

Research indicates that sexual intercourse is safe in the absence of ruptured membranes, bleeding, or placenta previa, but pregnant women engage in sex less often as their pregnancy progresses. No studies have suggested that any particular position i...

Research indicates that sexual intercourse is safe...

Half of women report having back pain at some point during pregnancy. The pain can be lumbar or sacroiliac. The pain may also be present only at night. Back pain is thought to be due to multiple factors, which include shifting of the center of gravit...

Half of women report having back pain at some poin...

Most of the newest guidelines revolve around the patient’s individual risks and the likelihood of acute problems during the travel segment. The second trimester is considered the safest time to travel. Prolonged sitting in pregnancy is more restricti...

Most of the newest guidelines revolve around the p...

Nearly 20 years have passed since guidelines for pregnancy weight gain have been reissued from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). In that time, more research has been completed to better understand the effects of weight gain during pregnancy on the hea...

Nearly 20 years have passed since guidelines for p...

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a warning regarding eating fish in response to the US FDA's consumer advisory about the dangers of eating fish for nursing mothers and women who are or who may become pregnant. The...

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecolo...

Food concerns during pregnancy include raw vegetables, unpasteurized juices, liver, and undercooked meat, poultry, or eggs. Be aware of food poisoning. Raw vegetables, unpasteurized juices, and undercooked meat, poultry, or eggs have been linked with...

Food concerns during pregnancy include raw vegetab...

Hair changes in pregnancy are very common, and body hair changes are common as well. Many women develop mild hirsutism that may be due to levels of male hormone production by the ovary and adrenal gland. In nonpregnant patients, hair grows in the an...

Hair changes in pregnancy are very common, and bod...

A significant number of cardiovascular changes occur during pregnancy, which may be accompanied by dyspnea and a reduced tolerance for endurance exercise. During pregnancy, women expand their blood volume by approximately 30-50%. This is accompanied ...

A significant number of cardiovascular changes occ...

Pigmentation changes are directly related to melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) elevations during pregnancy. Some evidence suggests that elevated estrogen and progesterone levels cause hyperpigmentation in women. This is typically evident in the ni...

Pigmentation changes are directly related to melan...

Galactorrhea (milk secretion from the nipple) is the product of the combined effects of prolactin, glucocorticoids, progesterone, and human placental lactogen. Galactorrhea is not uncommon in the first trimester, although it usually does not occur un...

Galactorrhea (milk secretion from the nipple) is t...

Women experience a progressive increase in the anterior convex shape of the lumbar spine during pregnancy. This change, termed lordosis, helps keep the center of gravity stable and over the legs as the uterus enlarges (see below). Late in pregnancy, ...

Women experience a progressive increase in the ant...

Serum beta–human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is the hormone produced by the syncytiotrophoblast beginning on the day of implantation, and it rises in both the maternal blood stream and the maternal urine fairly quickly. The serum hCG test is t...

Serum beta–human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG...