Category: Children’s Health

Title:

Title:
Morning Sickness : Causes and Cures

Word Count:
540

Summary:
Morning sickness is a feature of most women’s pregnancies. What causes it, and what can you do to get through it?

Keywords:
pregnancy,morning sickness

Article Body:
Morning sickness is often the first sign of pregnancy, as it can start as early as 2 weeks after conception. Despite the name, the sufferer can feel ill at any time of the day, although as an empty stomach is thought to be one of the triggers then mornings are a common time for it to appear.

Not every pregnant woman will experience morning sickness, although most do to some degree, and it can vary from a feeling of mild nausea or queasiness ranging up to feeling truly dreadful and unable to keep any food or liquids down. The severity of the effects seems to be greatest in women with a history of migraine or travel sickness.

It’s not known exactly what causes it, but most doctors agree that the changes in hormone levels that pregnancy triggers are the most major factor. One of the effects of these hormones is to change the way your digestive system works, which can lead to higher levels of acid.

Another possible cause is that many women experience a heightened sense of taste and smell while pregnant, which can make nausea feel worse when unpleasant or strong odours are around.

Finally, tiredness and stress play a part, and most pregnant women are tired and stressed a lot of the time!

Morning sickness can occur over the full range of your pregnancy, but most women find that it more or less disappears by around 14 weeks as hormone levels in the body stabilise.

There are dozens and dozens of traditional ‘cures’ for the feelings of nausea, with every mother having an opinion on the subject! The fact is that every woman’s body is different and so no single thing will work for everyone. However, there are some simple things to try which can help most feel better.

As previously mentioned, an empty stomach can be a cause, so snack little and often to keep hunger at bay, and keep a couple of biscuits by your bed for if you wake up during the night.

Sucking on an ice cube can help, as can fizzy drinks. Fresh ginger is reputed to calm the stomach, so making a tea from crushed root ginger or even chewing on a piece can be worth a try.

Remedies for travel sickness can also help, so it might be worth trying the magnetic wristbands you can buy, but you should never take any medication while pregnant without consulting your doctor.

Morning sickness is a natural part of pregnancy and will not harm your baby in any way, but in severe cases you may be unable to keep any food or fluids down and if this continues you could become dehydrated, which is very dangerous for your baby. If your urine starts to become very dark in colour this is a sign that your fluid levels are too low, and you should speak to your midwife or doctor.

Finally, when you’re in a bout of morning sickness, don’t worry too much about what you’re eating – getting enough energy is more important than a balanced diet at that moment, so if chocolate makes you feel better then go for it! You can always stock up on healthier foods when the sickness has abated a little.

Title:

Title:
Invitro Fertilization – The Male Point Of View

Word Count:
514

Summary:
This article describes the process of Invitro Fertilization through the eyes of the male involved in the proces

Keywords:
Invitro, IVF, Artificial Fertilization

Article Body:
For many couples, the introduction of children into a relationship is the ultimate fulfillment and goal of the relationship. Unfortunately for some of the couples, medical conditions may exist that will prevent natural fertilization. In those cases, the affected couple may opt to conceive via Invitro Fertilization. For those couples of decide to pursue Invitro fertilization, the time leading up to the fertilization will be very process orientated – there will be consultations, evaluations, forms, literature and a lot of listening. At times it may seem overwhelming and frightening.

As the male participant in the process, your involvement will be largely in a support role, as most of the work that will need to be done will be with the female partner. To help make the process as easy for her, there are a number of facts to keep in mind and a number of actions you can take to help keep your partner’s spirits up and to help her in the necessary steps to achieve a successful fertilization.

– You and your partner may struggle with the fact that you are unable to conceive by natural means. However, keep in mind – although it may not be a natural form of conception, the end result and the end goal of the process is the same – a healthy child. The two of you are merely trying to maximize the possibility of a healthy & successful pregnancy. Talk through this point and be open to her feelings.

– There will be a lot of absorb about the process, so take notes and do your research.

– Some of the medications required for the process will need to be administered via injection. Offer to administer the shots if your partner is not comfortable doing so, and keep in mind that she will most likely be very sore in the injection spots because of repeated shots. A little tender loving care will help keep her confident and comfortable. Also, a heating pad may help during periods where her abdomen is very tender.

– Your partner will be asked to take very specific medications, at very specific times and she will

need to consult with the doctor on a somewhat frequent basis, often times on very short notice. Make sure to keep your schedule as free as possible so you can assist in transportation and medicine administration as needed.

– Your partner may experience emotional mood swing because of some of the meds. One minute she might be sitting at the table reading the newspaper, the next she is crying about something unrelated. Be prepared, be supportive and remember that her mood will return to normal in time.

– Always remember – you have the easy part of the process!

Invitro is not an easy process, especially compared to natural fertilization. But with care, cooperation and a willingness to help out where needed, you can be active and helpful throughout the fertilization period.

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or medical services. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your doctor promptly.

Title:

Title:
Identical Twins

Word Count:
458

Summary:
Twins are two people who have shared the same womb at the same time. They may also have come from the same egg. Twin births are becoming more and more common due to several factors such as increasing use of fertility treatments, child births at an older age, and even genetic factors. Women who are slightly above-average in build are also likely to have multiple births or twins. Certain ethnic groups are also found to have a greater twin population. One in every 250 births in the world could be an identical twin birth.

Keywords:
Twins, Identical Twins, Twin Babies, Conjoined Twins

Article Body:
Twins are two people who have shared the same womb at the same time. They may also have come from the same egg. Twin births are becoming more and more common due to several factors such as increasing use of fertility treatments, child births at an older age, and even genetic factors. Women who are slightly above-average in build are also likely to have multiple births or twins. Certain ethnic groups are also found to have a greater twin population. One in every 250 births in the world could be an identical twin birth.

Identical twins are also known as monozygotic twins. They are from a single egg that forms a single zygote that splits into two embryos. Two fetuses emerge from the two embryos in the same womb. The exact reason for this splitting hasnt been identified yet. Sometimes, identical twins also share the same amniotic fluid, making them monoamniotic. Otherwise, they are diamniotic. Twins sharing the same placenta are monochorionic. Those who dont are dichorionic. This happens only in the case of identical twins. All monoamniotic twins are also monochorionic. This depends on the stage at which the zygote divides. Twinning at the earliest stages would result in diamniotic and dichorionic twins. Twinning that occurs four to eight days after fertilization and eight to twelve days after fertilization results in monochorionic-diamniotic and monochorionic-monoamniotic, respectively. Twinning twelve days post-fertilization may result in conjoined twins. Conjoined twins are attached to each other at some place. They may be more dependent on each other physically.

Since identical twins share the same sac, amniotic fluid, and placenta, there could be some complications in pregnancy. These could be a result of the entanglement of the umbilical cords or twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome because of the shared placenta. This may cause one or both the babies to be underdeveloped.

Identical twins are generally of the same sex. They have identical DNA and shared genes. They may be very similar to each other, almost like mirror images. Some twins can be told apart only by their fingerprints, teeth, handwriting, or any other intricate observations. However, they have individually different personalities and character traits. Twins are generally emotionally attached to each other and are also believed to live longer because of this attachment. Some people even believe that identical twins have their own language through which only the two of them can communicate. Some identical twins are also mirror twinsthey are exact mirror images of each other. About one-fourth of all identical twins are mirror twins. Sometimes, one mirror twin may have a condition where some or all the internal body organs will be on the opposite side of the body. However, these are considered to be birth defects and are extremely rare.

Title:

Title:
How To Use A Pregnancy Test

Word Count:
465

Summary:
The question of whether or not you are pregnant is often one of the most exciting, anxious, and stressful queries that affect not only your health, but your life. There are different types of pregnancy tests on the market or available through your primary health care provider. Typically, the actual steps for using a pregnancy test are quite easy and can be performed in the comfort of your own home. However, the results of a home pregnancy test should always be confirmed with …

Keywords:
pregnancy test,pregnant,birth,teen birth

Article Body:
The question of whether or not you are pregnant is often one of the most exciting, anxious, and stressful queries that affect not only your health, but your life. There are different types of pregnancy tests on the market or available through your primary health care provider. Typically, the actual steps for using a pregnancy test are quite easy and can be performed in the comfort of your own home. However, the results of a home pregnancy test should always be confirmed with a blood test performed by your primary health care provider.

By far, the most commonly used method of pregnancy test is those that use urine to detect the hormone associated with pregnancy. This hormone is triggered when an embryo implants in the uterine wall, but it can also be produced if an embryo mistakenly implants in the Fallopian tubes, which is known as an ectopic tubal pregnancy. There are two different types of pregnancy tests. The first type can produce more accurate results, but may prove to be too messy. A cup is provided to catch urine, after which the urine is collected and a special stick or other device is inserted in the urine. Sometimes, the stick or device is dipped directly into the urine filled cup for a certain amount of time. Other times, a small eye dropper is provided to perform a more accurate version of the same test.

Although this method of urine testing may be more accurate, the devices meant to collect urine in mid stream are the most popular. These sticks are usually found over the counter in your local drug store or grocery store and can be completed within seconds. Instead of a more scientific project, this type of urine based pregnancy test is preferred by women because of the lack of steps. Simply hold the stick in a stream of urine for a specific amount of timeusually a few secondsand then wait for the results. As opposed to sticks that are more difficult to read, there are a couple companies that now have models on the market that have a digital read out system. Also, there are models available that allow you to determine whether or not you are pregnant much sooner than traditional home based tests.

For a more accurate test that can detect whether or not you are pregnant before a urine based test. This test must be performed in your physicians office and will require a few vials of blood drawn. After the blood is drawn, tests are performed to detect the presence and the amount of the hormone associated with pregnancy. Keep in mind that you should always have a blood test performed after you have received a positive reading for a home pregnancy urine based test.