Most of us have heard that Halle Berry is pregnant at the age of 46. Wow, you go girl! And did you see the recent episode of Call the Midwife where a first-time pregnant woman (a twin) in her 40s gave birth to twins of her own? Some women are asking us “If they can, why can’t I?” Good question, complicated answer.
Women over age 35 may be less fertile than younger women because they tend to ovulate (release an egg from the ovaries) less frequently. Certain health conditions that are more common in this age group also may interfere with conception. These include endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes and fibroids.
If you are over 35 and haven’t conceived after 6 months of trying, make an appointment to see your health care provider. Studies suggest that about one-third of women between 35 and 39 and about half of those over age 40 have fertility problems. At age 47, most babies are conceived with some form of fertility treatment. This can be time consuming and expensive and there is no guarantee the treatment will work.
Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester for women of all ages, but the risk of miscarriage increases with age. Studies suggest that about 10 percent of recognized pregnancies for women in their 20s end in miscarriage. The risk rises to about 35 percent at ages 40 to 44 and more than 50 percent by age 45. The age-related increased risk of miscarriage is caused, at least in part, by increases in chromosomal abnormalities.
The good news is that women in their late 30s and 40s are very likely to have a healthy baby. However, they may face more complications along the way than younger women. Some complications that are more common in women over 35 include: gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, placental problems, premature birth, stillbirth. About 47% of women over age 40 give birth via cesarean section. You can see why it’s so important to keep all appointments with your health care provider.
All these things taken into consideration, many women who do conceive in their late 40s, either on their own (unlikely but not impossible) or with some fertility treatment, do manage to have healthy babies. The important thing to remember is to have a preconception checkup and early and regular prenatal care. Know the signs of preterm labor, and give your doc or midwife a call whenever you have a question or concern.
Cinemama is an iPhone app that lets you turn daily photos of your belly into a fun movie momento of your pregnancy. You can record memories and milestones in a diary while staying informed with weekly tips.
Track your growing belly with pictures organized by day and month in an easy to view calendar mode. The more photos you take the better your movie will be. Customize it with titles and one of our soundtracks for a great effect. You can keep it private or share it with friends and family.
On April 8, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug Diclegis (doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride) to treat pregnant women experiencing nausea and vomiting.
More than half of all pregnant women have some nausea during the first trimester. For most women this nausea usually goes away by the second trimester. But for some women, nausea and vomiting may continue even past the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Diclegis is a delayed-release tablet intended for women who have not adequately responded to conservative management of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, such as changes to their diet and lifestyle. These modifications include eating several small meals instead of three large meals, eating bland foods that are low in fat and easy to digest and avoiding smells that can trigger nausea.
“Diclegis is now the only FDA-approved treatment for nausea and vomiting due to pregnancy, providing a therapeutic option for pregnant women seeking relief from these symptoms,” said Dr. Hylton V. Joffe of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Observational studies have shown that the combination of active ingredients in Diclegis does not pose an increased risk of harm to a developing fetus.
For questions and answers about how drugs are approved by the FDA, click on this link.
Some women think that pregnancy is a time to sit back and put their feet up. Not so! For most women, it’s important to exercise during pregnancy. In fact, it has many health benefits, so put down the remote, step out of your office and tie up your sneakers.
Healthy pregnant women need at least 2½ hours of exercise each week. This is about 30 minutes each day. If this sounds like a lot, don’t worry. You don’t have to do it all at once. Instead, split up your exercise by doing something active for 10 minutes three times each day. Take Fido for his morning constitutional. Walk around the block or parking lot with friends on your lunch hour. Go for a walk or bike ride after dinner to pick up a decaf at the local café or to check out the neighborhood gardens. Exercise doesn’t have to be boring.
For healthy pregnant women, exercise can:
• Keep your heart, body and mind healthy
• Help you feel good and find the extra energy you need
• Help you stay fit and gain the right amount of weight during pregnancy
• Ease some of the discomforts you might have during pregnancy, like constipation, backaches, trouble sleeping and varicose veins (swollen veins)
• Prevent health problems like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes
• Help your body get ready to give birth
• Reduce stress
If you’d rather keep going to the gym, you probably can. With their health care provider’s OK, exercising during pregnancy is safe for most expecting moms and their babies. So talk to your doc or midwife before you start any exercise program, and ask about what kinds of exercise are safe for you to do.
No doubt you have heard that Kate Middleton, Dutchess of Cambridge, is pregnant. The news came as she was admitted to hospital suffering from a severe form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum, HG.
As many of you moms well know, 50-90% of women report some nausea and vomiting, especially in early pregnancy. But in rare cases, about 1 in 200, pregnant women develop this severe morning sickness that prevents them and their babies from getting the nutrients and water they need. HG is marked by severe nausea and vomiting accompanied by dehydration and weight loss, and women can report feeling their heart racing or lightheadedness. It’s a serious matter and must be treated and watched carefully.
Join us and Dr. Dolan this Wednesday, Dec. 5th, at 3 PM ET for a #pregnancychat on hyperemesis – who’s at risk and different treatments. Feel free to ask questions. Did you have hyperemesis? Share your experience, how you handled it, what support you got or needed.
You’re pregnant and you know you need to be eating right. But do you draw a blank when you walk into the grocery store? Did you leave your list at home? Do you have “pregnancy brain” and can’t remember half of what you need? Not to worry.
In this video, Dr. Siobhan Dolan goes food shopping to talk about the essential nutrients pregnant women need, and provides tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy diet.
Many women want to get into really good shape before having a baby. This is an excellent idea, because you don’t want to diet or start a new and aggressive exercise routine when you’re pregnant. Start a healthy habit now.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that healthy pregnant women get at least 2 1/2 hours of aerobic exercise every week. This means that most pregnant women should try to get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on most, if not all, days. Go for it, exercise during pregnancy and stay fit.
BUT, If you have any of the conditions below, do not exercise. Check with your health care provider.
• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• Incompetent cervix: The cervix is the narrow, outer end of the uterus. If it is weak, it cannot hold the fetus in the uterus.
• Preterm labor (before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy)
• Multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets or more) at risk for preterm labor
• Frequent bleeding from the vagina during months 4-9 of pregnancy
• Placenta previa: The placenta connects the baby’s blood supply to the mother’s blood. Attached to the mother’s uterus, it is an unborn baby’s lifeline. Placenta previa is a low-lying placenta that covers part or all of the cervix. This can block the baby’s exit from the uterus.
• Hypertension
Remember, if you experience any symptoms of a problem, or your’e just not sure, stop exercising and call you doc right away.
Whenever I turned on the TV over the weekend, I saw a lot of coverage of tropical storm Isaac and its threat to Florida and the Republican National Convention and then New Orleans. Memories of the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina still are fresh in everyone’s mind and the press isn’t letting us forget. Drama and politics aside, however, we need to remember that we are in hurricane season. For all of you who live along the coasts that may be affected by a hurricane, it is important to remember safety preparation tips.
The needs of a pregnant woman during a disaster are unique. Prepare as much as you can before a disaster strikes. This will help you to stay healthy and safe. Follow these tips:
- Make sure to let your health care provider’s office (doctor, midwife or nurse-practitioner) know where you will be.
- Make a list of all prescription medications and prenatal vitamins that you are taking.
- Get a copy of your prenatal records from your health care provider.
- If you have a case manager or participate in a program such as Healthy Start or Nurse-Family Partnership, let your case manager know where you are going. Give him or her a phone number to use to contact you.
- If you have a high-risk pregnancy or you are close to delivery, check with your health care provider to determine the safest option for you.
If you have recently had a baby or you are caring for a newborn, this article is designed to help you prepare for a disaster. If you are caring for an infant and have questions about the health effects of a potential disaster, please talk with a health care professional.
The media may be a bit dramatic at times, but they are right about one thing. Now is the time to make preparations and have a plan in place for your family to follow in case you ever need it.
As you gain weight in the front of your body during pregnancy, your center of gravity shifts. This can make you more vulnerable to falling. As your pregnancy progresses, make sure you wear low-heeled shoes to help with your stability. Save those sexy heels for date night with your spouse once your baby is home. Use handrails when going up or down stairs to insure you don’t take a tumble.
Do you do a lot of lifting and shifting of things on your job? Do you stand on ladders? An altered equilibrium might make some maneuvers difficult as you grow. Fine tuning your daily routine may be in order.
While exercise is very important, don’t forget that your balance has shifted so take extra care with some of your yoga poses. No need to fall on your noggin. Same thing goes for bike riding – perhaps a stationary bike would be best for now. While racquet sports like tennis and badminton are fun, rapid shifting from one position to another is likely to cause a mishap. Avoid downhill snow skiing, in-line skating, water skiing and other sports where a fall could be dangerous to both you and the baby.
You’ll get that spring in your step again once Junior arrives and you’ve had some time to recover. In the meantime, consider visiting the discount shoe stores and buying some comfy, adorable flats that will make you look hip… but not break one!
Yoga is tremendously popular throughout the world. If you have been taking yoga classes and now are pregnant, you will have to make some modifications but there probably is no need to quit.
Many places where yoga is taught have prenatal yoga classes, called hatha yoga. This type of yoga offers pregnant women many benefits.
• Meditation and relaxation techniques reduce tension; this allows you to sleep better.
• Yoga increases the flexibility and strength of the muscles involved in delivery.
• Yoga may help reduce normal back pain
• The breathing techniques you learn in yoga class may help you breathe better during pregnancy and may help you handle labor pains in the future.
It really is important, however, to speak with your doctor before starting a yoga class. If you have had a loss, are at risk for a premature birth, have a heart condition or chronic back pain, it might not be best for you to do yoga.
Consider the following when trying to pick a yoga class:
• Before registering for a class, ask if you can watch a session. That way you will become familiar with what goes on during a class.
• Look for a class taught by an instructor who has experience teaching pregnant women. If in your local yoga school there is no class specifically designed for pregnant women, ask the instructor what experience she has in this area. A good instructor will help you modify exercises and positions so they do not represent a risk for you or your baby. As your pregnancy advances, she will continue to modify the positions and will teach you how to use blankets and cushions so you can feel more comfortable.
• Start slowly and don’t try to assume postures you find uncomfortable. Be aware of any discomfort in your body. If you start feeling shortness of breath, reduce the number of positions and exercises.
• Make sure you don’t feel too hot. Drink lots of water to keep hydrated.
• As with any exercise, if you should start to bleed, feel contractions, or think your baby is moving less, stop doing yoga and call your doctor.
Even if you have been practicing yoga for a while, once you are pregnant verify with your doctor that it is all right to continue. Remember that even if you are a yoga expert, certain postures are not recommended during pregnancy, such as lying on your back or your belly, doing deep forward or backward bends, twisting or inverse positions.
Most of us have heard that Halle Berry is pregnant at the age of 46. Wow, you go girl! And did you see the recent episode of Call the Midwife where a first-time pregnant woman (a twin) in her 40s gave birth to twins of her own? Some women are asking us “If they can, why can’t I?” Good question, complicated answer. 
Exciting news - our iPhone app CineMama is 
Some women think that pregnancy is a time to sit back and put their feet up. Not so! For most women, it’s important to exercise during pregnancy. In fact, it has many health benefits, so put down the remote, step out of your office and tie up your sneakers.
Many women want to get into really good shape before having a baby. This is an excellent idea, because you don’t want to diet or start a new and aggressive exercise routine when you’re pregnant. Start a healthy habit now.
Whenever I turned on the TV over the weekend, I saw a lot of coverage of tropical storm Isaac and its threat to Florida and the Republican National Convention and then New Orleans. Memories of the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina still are fresh in everyone’s mind and the press isn’t letting us forget. Drama and politics aside, however, we need to remember that we are in hurricane season. For all of you who live along the coasts that may be affected by a hurricane, it is important to remember safety preparation tips.
As you gain weight in the front of your body during pregnancy, your center of gravity shifts. This can make you more vulnerable to falling. As your pregnancy progresses, make sure you wear low-heeled shoes to help with your stability. Save those sexy heels for date night with your spouse once your baby is home. Use handrails when going up or down stairs to insure you don’t take a tumble. 
Yoga is tremendously popular throughout the world. If you have been taking yoga classes and now are pregnant, you will have to make some modifications but there probably is no need to quit.
