Search Results for: pregnancy the first 9 months health 4

Medication and the First Trimester

At the beginning of the week I cautioned against going off medication when you get pregnant.  Now I want to write a follow-up, because it actually is important to know any potential dangers with medicine and the first trimester. As a rule I’ve avoided reading lists of dangers, side effects, and rare pregnancy and birth problems.  They’ll just cause me unnecessary stress, and since pregnant women usually see their doctors at least once a month, I trust mine to keep me informed about anything that will actually/is actually affecting me.  But it is important to know that the first trimester … Continue reading →

Alabama Has a Plan First Program

Every state has a Medicaid program. A portion of that program is designed to cover the health care needs of low-income women who are pregnant or are seeking family planning services. In Alabama, it is called Plan First. Medicaid is a public, or government run, health insurance program. It is designed to cover low-income individuals and families who cannot afford to purchase health insurance coverage from a private health insurance company. Medicaid is funded, in part, by the federal government. Medicaid is also funded by the government of an individual state. In Alabama, the Medicaid program is administered by the … Continue reading →

Alternatives to Private Health Insurance

My husband and I canceled our health insurance policy. To make a long story short, it was more expensive, (and provided less coverage), than we expected. What are we going to do now, without insurance from a private company? There are plenty of options. There are some alternatives to getting a policy from a private insurance company. Not everyone will qualify for public health insurance, but my husband does. He is legally blind, which means that he is disabled. This means that he is eligible for Medicare Part A. This is something that he has been getting for many years … Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About Pregnancy Intuition 1

Sensing a Pregnancy “Are you in there little fetus? In 9 months will you come greet us? I will buy you some ADIDAS!” Does everyone remember Phoebe from the hit show FRIENDS? She sang this song while sitting upside down on a sofa, after being implanted with the embryos of her brother and his wife. She offered to be their surrogate carrier, and although I knew I was pregnant and carrying my own fetus, I found myself humming this little song quite often during those first weeks. And yes, I will be buying some ADIDAS. But since baby is very … Continue reading →

Weeks 1-4 of Pregnancy

Congratulations! Pregnancy is a journey filled with milestones, worries, and daydreams. While you may not look pregnant to the outside world, inside your body is diligently working on creating a new little life. It is your job to give it the best start possible. So take a deep breath, and relax, your body knows just what to do! What you may be experiencing In the first few weeks you may be experiencing any of the following: missed period, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, bloating, mild cramping, frequent urination, and breast tenderness. Some women may experience minor spotting around the time that … Continue reading →

Sharing News of Your Pregnancy

You’ve found out your pregnant! Whether planned or not, this is an exciting time. You may be wondering when to share the news. Maybe you’re eager to shout it from the roof tops and tell everyone you know right away. On the other hand, you may be nervous and hesitant to share the news for a variety of reasons. Many pregnant women choose to wait until the end of the first trimester to share the news. After 12 weeks, the risk of miscarriage drops dramatically and your belly starts to give away the news for you. My husband and I … Continue reading →

An Introduction to the Pregnancy Blog

Hi Everyone, My name is Pattie and I’ve been hired to write the Pregnancy Blog on Families.com. I am very excited about this assignment, as pregnancy is something that is very near and dear to my heart. I have three children and recently found out that we are expecting baby #4 in July. It feels very fitting that I am beginning my journey into my fourth pregnancy at the same time I am beginning my journey into this blog. On my journey to motherhood, I have been through nearly every conceivable situation. My husband and I got married nearly fourteen … Continue reading →

ACOG Released a New Opinion on Delayed Cord Clamping

For decades, the prevailing viewpoint among healthcare practitioners was that it was best to cut the umbilical cord within 15 to 20 seconds after a baby was born. A new opinion from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists changes their previous recommendations regarding delayed umbilical cord clamping after birth. The umbilical cord functions as a lifeline between mother and baby. The baby receives oxygen rich blood from his or her mother through the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord is also the baby’s way of removing carbon dioxide and waste products. For decades, health practitioners would clamp the umbilical cord, … Continue reading →

Teen Birth Rate Hits All Time Low

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A study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the number of babies being born to mothers who are teenagers is at an all time low. It has been consistently dropping for the past two decades. More research is needed to conclusively determine what caused the decrease. According to the CDC study, from 2006 to 2014, the birth rate for teens aged 15-19 years declined 41% overall. The greatest decline was for Hispanic teens (51%), followed by non-Hispanic blacks (44%), and non-Hispanic whites (35%). The birth rate ratio also declined for black teens compared with … Continue reading →

UK Approves Three-Person IVF Techniques

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Couples who are having difficulty conceiving have the option of turning to in vitro fertilization (IVF). The process allows that couple to pass their own genetic material onto an offspring that is biologically theirs. The UK recently approved a new kind of IVF that has been referred to as “three-parent babies”. The two techniques are somewhat different but each can be used to help couples produce a healthy child. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a complex procedure that combines an egg and sperm outside of the body. The conception happens in a laboratory. Once an embryo (or embryos as is … Continue reading →