Women’s Health

Mucus Plug in Pregnancy

During pregnancy, secretions amass together at the uterus’s orifice and form a kind of a plug at a women’s cervix, blocking the cervical canal. This plug is helpful to the Mother –to- be, as it protects the infant from all the worldly infections, by forming a protective barrier of sorts. It acts as a wall to keep the growing fetus safe from all kinds of bacteria, etc which may hamper its growth. Thus, protection of the child is the mucus plug’s basic task.At the time of labour, the cervix has to open up, to allow safe passage of the baby from the womb, into the outside world. So, at this time, the plug opens up and falls off. The plug may be reddish in colour or a bit on the pinkish side, and is also sticky.

After this is done, depending upon the situation, one will have to contact the health provider. If the plug expelled out is normal in colour, without any aberrations, then he may be contacted as per the decided schedule. However, if the plug is totally red, and if the amount thrown out is more than 28grams, then the Health Care Provider has to be contacted at the earliest.

In fact, he has to be called immediately, as there may be complications, like the mother suffering from placental previa or placental abruption, which may be a problem for the child. So, in such situations, special and proper care has to be taken, and he should be contacted whenever it is necessary to ask questions regarding pregnancy.
It’s believed that secretion of the plug is the first sign that labour will start, however that isn’t a guarantee. Sometimes it may start directly after secretion, and sometimes it may need weeks. The plug is generally ejected in the 36th or 37th week of pregnancy, and after that occurs, the patient is advised to calm down, and keep a cool temperament.

HIV Symptoms in Pregnancy

Here you can read about HIV symptoms in pregnancy. If you are HIV positive and you are pregnant, you must take up some measures to prevent HIV transmission to your unborn baby. You can do several things. Antiretroviral medications are considered very effective in preventing mother-to-child transmission. These medications cannot make HIV go away from your body, but they can prevent it from spreading and affecting your baby.

Antiretroviral Medications

These medications have proven effective in protecting the baby from HIV. However, they are effective in treating HIV only if the infection is detected early.

HIV can be transmitted to a baby in several ways. It can happen anytime during pregnancy or it can happen during delivery. Cesarean section is one of the ways to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

However, you should never take any medication without your doctor’s knowledge. Keep in mind that not all HIV medications are good for your baby. There are many different HIV medications. You must know that some of these can affect your baby and cause problems.

Different medications are administered in different periods of your pregnancy. An antiviral medication known as AZT (or ZDV) is used from the fourteenth week of pregnancy.

The treatment will continue after delivery and the baby will receive proper medications during the first several weeks (depending on a particular case). As we know, HIV infection takes some time to develop, so you will have to wait six months after your delivery to know whether your baby is infected or not.

Post-natal care is another important issue to consider. Your doctor will give you the best advice and you will have to be careful when feeding your baby. Formula milk is a good alternative for breast milk. As we know, breastfeeding is not recommended to HIV positive mothers, since HIV can easily be transmitted through breast milk.

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in Pregnant Women

Here you can read some useful info on vitamin D deficiency symptoms in pregnant women. Pregnant women have to take extra care of their health. Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women can cause serious problems. It is equally harmful for both the mother and the baby. Some of the conditions that are caused by vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women are bowed legs, rickets and several types of bone deformity in a child. There are more risks for the baby, like type 1 diabetes and asthma in later life.

Vitamin D and Pregnancy

Recent studies have shown that the percentage of pregnant women who have developed serious problems due to vitamin D deficiency. Pregnant women must eat sufficient amounts of food rich in vitamin D and spend enough time outside, especially in the sun. Of course, it is important that you do not exaggerate with exposing your skin to sun. Apply protective sun creams and be careful not to burn.

You should learn more about foods high in vitamin D. These are cereals, fish, milk products etc. However, these amounts (contained in the food) are not always sufficient, especially for pregnant women. Therefore, your doctor should prescribe some vitamin D supplements and give you some good advice on how to get you daily dose of vitamin D. It is also important not to take too much of vitamin D. Vitamin D overdose can lead to vitamin D toxicity and this can be harmful for both you and your baby.

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms and Pregnancy

Vitamin D deficiency symptoms in pregnant women are nearly the same as in any other person. However, these symptoms can be very harmful for the mother and her baby. Vitamin D deficiency symptoms are difficult to recognize in time. In fact, by the time you notice them, you will already have vitamin D deficiency and it will be late for you to prevent the symptoms. All you can do in this case is to start treating vitamin D deficiency. Keep in mind that the best way to treat vitamin D deficiency is to prevent it form occurring in the first place.

How to Recognize the Symptoms of Gall Bladder in Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, you will probably be interested to learn how to recognize the symptoms of gallbladder in pregnancy. Gallbladder problems are common during pregnancy. In fact, when it comes to common surgeries during the pregnancy period, gallbladder removal comes second, right after appendix removal surgery. Women are prone to gallbladder problems – more than man are. Researches have shown that gallbladder problems fall into the group of common health issues during pregnancy. Generally speaking, women have twice more chances to develop gallstones than men do. This can happen to any woman, regardless of her age.

What Are the Causes of Gall Bladder Problems in Pregnancy?

Contraceptive pills and estrogen are contributing factors to gallstones developing. During pregnancy, the chances to have gallbladder problems are increased because of higher estrogen levels. Progesterone levels are also increased, which leads to slowing down the gallbladder functions. Further on, this causes formation of gallstones. Other causes can be bile salts, cholesterol, lecithin etc.

The Symptoms of Gall Bladder in Pregnancy

Gallbladder attacks in pregnancy often occur right after large or fatty meals. They occur at night and can last from fifteen minutes to ten (or more) hours. Some of the common symptoms are pain the abdomen (upper), back pain, vomiting and/or nausea, pain near the right shoulder, belching, gas and bad digestion. Other symptoms include chills, mild fever, increased sweating and changes in stool color.

The problem with gallbladder symptoms during pregnancy is that they are often mistaken for other pregnancy problems. For example, if you have problems with vomiting and nausea, you may think that this is happening because of pregnancy itself. Gas and abdominal pain can also be mistaken for other pregnancy problems. It is very important to check your health regularly, especially during pregnancy. If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, visit your doctor.