The post Study: Closely timed pregnancies may shorten pregnancy duration appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the study examined interpregnancy intervals (IPIs) from 454,716 live births of mothers who experienced two or more pregnancies over a period of six years.
Subjects were divided into three categories according to their IPIs. The shortest IPI category consisted of those under 12 months, next came 12 to 18 months, and finally an IPI of over 18 months, considered by the researchers to be optimal.
Results concluded that mothers with the shortest IPIs were likely to give birth before their 39th week, which could lead to problems even though the CDC considers pre-term birth as occuring before 37 weeks.
According to the CDC, women seeking to schedule their births should elect to do so after the 39th week to avoid the problems associated with pre-term birth such as sensory and feeding problems as well as cerebral palsy.
“Short interpregnancy interval is a known risk factor for preterm birth, however, this new research shows that inadequate birth spacing is associated with shorter overall pregnancy duration,” said Emily DeFranco, Assistant Professor of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio and the Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and co-author of the study.
Mothers in the shortest IPI category of under 12 months delivered before 39 weeks at a rate of 53.3 percent. Women in this category were twice as likely to deliver before 37 weeks.
For women in the second and third categories, the rate dipped to 37.5 percent.
“This study has potential clinical impact on reducing the overall rate of preterm birth across the world through counselling women on the importance of adequate birth spacing, especially focusing on women know to be at inherently high risk for preterm birth,” said DeFranco.
(AFP Relaxnews)
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]]>The post Newborn Swaddling: The pros and cons appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>While many parents say the technique is soothing and aids their child’s sleep, researchers underlined that links have been observed to osteoarthritis and hip replacement in middle age.
“Traditional swaddling is a risk factor for DDH (developmental dysplasia of the hip),” paediatric orthopaedic surgeon Nicholas Clarke wrote in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, a British journal.
“In order to allow for healthy hip development, legs should be able to bend up and out at the hips. This position allows for natural development of the hip joints.
“The babies’ legs should not be tightly wrapped in extension and pressed together.”
Clarke cited figures that about 90 percent of infants in North America are nowadays swaddled in the first few months of life, and that demand for swaddling clothes increased by 61 percent over a year in the UK in 2010-11.
The practice, believed to go as far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans, is said to mimic the baby’s experience in the womb by creating a sense of warmth and security with light pressure all over the body.
It fell out of favour in the Western world decades ago over fears of adverse effects, but remains popular in the Middle East and some tribal communities.
An education programme in Japan against swaddling saw the prevalence of hip dislocation halve, said Clarke.
Store-bought swaddling clothes must have a loose pouch or sack for the baby’s legs and feet, allowing for plenty of hip movement and flexing, he added.
Commenting on the article, orthopaedic surgeon Andreas Roposch of the Great Ormond Street children’s hospital in London, agreed there was evidence that swaddling could affect the normal development of infant hips.
“Swaddling should not be employed in my view as there is no health benefit but a risk for adverse consequences of the growing and often immature hips,” he said in comments distributed by the Science Media Centre.
Paediatrician Alastair Sutcliffe of University College London pointed out that in countries like Nigeria where women traditionally carry their babies with the legs splayed around their waist, there was a “virtually unseen” rate of hip dislocation.
“I would advise that if a baby needs to be wrapped up to get off to sleep that parents do this in a sympathetic and loose manner, and not tight especially around the babies’ hips,” he said.
(AFP Relaxnews)
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]]>The post Guidelines to a healthy pregnancy appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>There are few human processes that carry with them as many associated emotions as falling pregnant.
A pregnancy is divided into three trimester periods that are used to describe prenatal development. Pregnancy is different for every woman. Knowing what to expect will help you get ready for the months ahead.
Some women glow with good health and vitality during the first three months; others feel nauseous and exhausted.
The first trimester is often associated with the onset of morning sickness (usually from six weeks) and carries the highest risk of miscarriage (the natural death of the embryo or foetus).
As you enter your second trimester, the morning sickness and fatigue of the first three months should fade, leaving you feeling more energetic and like yourself again. The second trimester is when many women feel their best. Take advantage of this time to start planning for baby’s arrival. The baby’s development is rapid in the second trimester.
The third trimester comes with the challenges of carrying around the extra weight of your baby. Make sure you get enough rest and good quality nutrition. You’ll start thinking about your birth options at this time too.
All mothers desire the best for their children. Start before your baby is born by making wise lifestyle choices…
Check in with your gynaecologist or obstetrician early in your pregnancy for a risk assessment (at about seven to eight weeks).
This allows for a personalised approach and identification of any risk factors or early concerns.
Blood tests will be done at your first visit with your doctor or midwife. They are a routine part of antenatal care. Among these will be tests for checking your blood group, whether you are rhesus positive or negative, your immunity to rubella (German measles), for syphilis and hepatitis B, and for HIV. These tests are important as they allow for early intervention once abnormalities or presence of disease is picked up. Mothers-to-be who test HIV positive should start antiretroviral treatment straight away so they can reduce their chances of passing the virus to their babies.
Improve your diet by eating twice as well, not twice as much. Right from conception your baby is in a critical period of growth, where he or she is largely dependent on your nutrition. Eat a wide variety of foods and eat regularly, without skipping meals, especially breakfast – morning sickness is often worse when your tummy is empty.
Smoking is hazardous to an unborn baby as it decreases oxygen and blood supply to the foetus, and puts the baby at risk for growth restriction, low birth weight and respiratory problems. Plus, heavy smoking (more than 10 cigarettes a day) is associated with an increased risk of pregnancy loss, confirms a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
It’s best to avoid alcohol altogether since it’s known to be an agent that causes malformation of an embryo. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a birth defect caused by heavy alcohol consumption (usually in a binge pattern) during pregnancy. It is characterised by growth retardation, facial and neural abnormalities as well as malformation of other organ systems. The prevalence of FAS in certain areas of South Africa is the highest in the world.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical well-being – especially while preparing to be a parent. Rest as much as you can, particularly in the third trimester.
Regular exercise can give you the strength and endurance you’ll need to carry the baby weight and help you handle the physical stress of labour. It boosts the circulation of blood and oxygen, and it will also make it much easier to get back into shape after your baby is born. Exercise boosts mood and can help to ward off depression.
You can usually continue to do the exercise you did before pregnancy, but check with your doctor, and avoid high-risk activities or contact sports.
Your pelvic floor is one of the key areas of focus during pregnancy as this is one of the muscle networks most impacted by the baby’s weight and childbirth. Pilates, aqua aerobics, low-impact walking or swimming are great choices.
Be sure to choose a qualified instructor with training specifically for pregnant women.
About the Author:Dr Noluthando Nematswerani is a Discovery Health Clinical Specialist. For more information on Discovery, visit www.discovery.co.za.
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