Taking Drugs While Pregnant

Menopause is the time in a woman’s life that is often referred to as “the change of life.” It is the time when a woman’s body decreases its output of female hormones, which leads to the end of her menstrual cycle. Menopause usually begins between the ages of 40 and 50 and ends around the age of 60. It can also be kick-started by a radical hysterectomy at any age, or a round of chemotherapy that destroys the function of the ovaries.

Perimenopause

Perimenopause is the first of three stages of menopause. It usually occurs between the ages of 40 to 50 and is when a woman’s body begins to produce a decreased level of the female hormones progesterone and estrogen. It can last for a period of two to ten years.
Read the rest of this entry »

How much weight gain is appropriate during pregnancy depends on your pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). For a pre-pregnancy BMI of 18.5 to 25, the ideal weight gain should be somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds. An initial weight gain of 2 to 5 pounds is usually followed by a weekly gain of 1 pound in a normal pregnancy. If you have twins the gain usually falls between 35 and 45 pounds. Women who were overweight at the time of conception usually gain around 15 pounds and those who were underweight gain between 30 to 40 pounds. In case of obesity, your gain should not exceed fifteen pounds.

The most obvious impact of the weight gain can be seen in the form of pains and aches that you will have as your pregnancy progresses. A back ache is the most common complaint, followed by an awkward walk (thanks to your new found tummy). Another complain is of swollen legs, but that has nothing to with weight. It is a result of increased blood flow.

If you’ve had weight problems in the past or are generally finicky about your weight, you might find the gain hard to accept. But there is absolutely no reason to get agitated about the extra weight. In fact it is a sign of a healthy child growing inside you. You just need to pay attention to what you’re eating in terms of nutritional value. Also, you can track your weekly weight gain, and if you have any doubts in mind, you can consult your doctor. Tracking will also help adjust your diet according to the gain in order to get the best for your child. A stop on junk food and a start on some exercise will also help you along the way. Understand that eventually, all those extra pounds will wear off once you’ve delivered your little one. Read the rest of this entry »

Cecilie M Lander, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Queensland, and Senior Visiting Neurologist, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane

No antiepileptic drug is completely safe to use in pregnancy as the risk of fetal abnormality is increased. Valproate should be avoided if possible because of the risk of major malformations. Ideally a plan for managing the woman’s epilepsy during pregnancy should be prepared before conception. The occurrence of an unexpected pregnancy should not trigger sudden cessation or alteration of antiepileptic drug treatment without medical advice. The smallest effective dose of a drug with a low risk of teratogenicity should be used. Doses may need adjustment as the pharmacokinetics of some drugs change during pregnancy. Data are limited, but most antiepileptic drugs seem to have little effect on full-term breastfed babies.

Uncontrolled epilepsy in a pregnant woman is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition for both mother and child. Most pregnant women with epilepsy will need to take at least one antiepileptic drug. The goal for all concerned is a healthy, seizure-free mother and an undamaged child. The following somewhat contradictory issues need to be considered concurrently.

• The optimum treatment of the mother’s epilepsy requires that the most appropriate antiepileptic drug be used in effective doses throughout pregnancy. This requires  knowledge of specific epileptic syndromes and also antiepileptic drug pharmacokinetics before, during and after pregnancy.
• Any adverse effect that the antiepileptic drug could have on the developing child needs to be avoided or minimised during pregnancy and lactation.

Read the rest of this entry »

GIDEON KOREN, M.D., ANNE PASTUSZAK, M.SC., AND SHINYA ITO ,M.D.

Before marketing a new drug, the manufacturer almost never tests the product in pregnant women to determine its effects on the fetus. Consequently, most drugs are not labeled for use during pregnancy. Typically, descriptions of drugs that appear in the Physicians’ Desk Reference and similar sources contain statements such as, “Use in pregnancy is not recommended unless the potential benefits justify the potential risks to the fetus.” Since the risk has been adequately established for only a few drugs, physicians caring for pregnant women have very little information to help them decide whether the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the fetus. These typical disclaimers,although understandable from the medicolegal standpoint, put large numbers of women and their physicians in difficult situations for several reasons. One is that at least half the pregnancies in North America are unplanned,and every year, hundreds of thousands of women therefore expose their fetuses to drugs before they know they are pregnant. Such women often interpret the statement that use during pregnancy is not recommended as meaning that the drug is not safe during pregnancy. There is evidence that this perception of fetal risk causes many women to consider or even seek termination of otherwise wanted pregnancies. Another reason is that with  the recent increase in the age at which women have children, conditions that necessitate long-term drug therapy are diagnosed in larger numbers of women Bbefore pregnancy.  Furthermore, for pregnant women with certain conditions once believed to be incompatible with pregnancy, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and heart diseases, the outcome of pregnancy has improved dramatically in the past few decades.

In this article, we review current knowledge of the fetal and neonatal effects of prescription and over-the-counter drugs given to pregnant women, with an emphasis on the approaches used to determine safety and risk. In addition, we review approaches to communicating such information to pregnant women and their families.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Densie Schlingman DVM

Let’s start this article with three facts that need to be understood from the beginning.

1. There are no drugs approved for use in alpacas in Canada at this time.
2. Drugs that are used in alpacas have their dosages, frequency and safety extrapolated from other species.
3. All drugs, dosages, safety and use discussed in this article have come from my past experiences or from other veterinarians. This does not guarantee that there will be no adverse affects from them when used by the reader.

Last but not least, there will probably never be drugs approved for alpacas in the near or distant future due to the extreme costs required to have an animal included on a label. This problem also applies to sheep and goat drug usages. The following are drugs I have used and feel confident in recommending. Remember, if given a choice, it is best not to use drugs during pregnancy, especially during the first 60 days when the embryo is developing. This is the time when the fetus is forming and implanting into the uterus. It is common for there to be a high incidence of early embryonic loss or reabsorbtion of the fetus, and I do not want drugs to increase this risk. However, if the situation indicates a drug is needed, then it should be given to save the mother. You can always re-breed at a later date.

Read the rest of this entry »

Acne is mainly caused because of hormonal changes in the body. The hormones increase production of sebum and this sebum fills the glands to form acne. During pregnancy the hormonal activity is at it’s highest. But a pregnant woman may not use many acne medications. Let us find out now.

Acne and Differin

Differin is one of the most common retinoids that are used to treat acne. Differin clears the upper layer of the skin by peeling it off. Differin gives very good results in acne treatment and in improvement of skin.

Click here to buy Differin

Acne and Accutane

Accutane is an extremely powerful and potent acne-controlling medicine, is used in the treatment of moderate to severe acne that has failed other therapy. Accutane can treat the severe forms of acne. Accutane is taken orally to treat acne.

Click here to buy Accutane

Acne and Antibiotics

Many antibiotics are not allowed to be used during pregnancy. You must talk to your doctor before using any antibiotic in any form during your pregnancy.

Acne during pregnancy what else to use?

The choices are many to treat acne during pregnancy. Benzoyl peroxide, AHAs, Salicylic acid and few other products may be allowed by your doctor to treat acne. You should use any topical or oral medication even if it is OTC, only after consulting your doctor. Somehow, the acne clears off magically immediately after pregnancy. Is not that good news?

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

I made it to seven months pregnant. The baby kicks and moves around so hard it feels like there’s a party in my uterus. I tell him to live it up because soon he’ll be bigger and there won’t be as much room to move around.

I’ve been really sick lately so that has made the nausea and heartburn even more unbearable. Last week I experienced the worst ‘charlie horse’ ever. I don’t even know if that’s what they’re called but it felt like my calf muscle was literally ripping away from my leg bone. It happened so suddenly and I screamed and cried (poor Jai must have thought something was wrong with the baby) and then limped for three days.

When my leg felt better I got a cold sore that led into a terrible cold. I coughed so hard and so much that I threw up and strained all my stomach muscles. I feel a bit better now but it was kind of torturous going to work while that sick. Not that anyone would cover for me if I wanted to stay home. I guess the only ‘good’ excuse would have been going to the ER. I phoned the nurse hot line to see what kind (if any) cough syrup would be acceptable. There really isn’t anything recommended to take while pregnant but the nurse on the line told me I could take Robitussin in a small amount so long as it didn’t have certain ingredients in it. I took it one night and the coughing subsided a little. I took some the next morning and threw it up immediately. That’s the end of that I suppose.

Just before my cold was at its worst, we spent Thursday afternoon doing ‘baby stuff.’ We had an ultrasound and then had to go to the hospital for my Rhogam immunization.

Read the rest of this entry »

It is the dream of every one to lose weight after pregnancy.after pregnancy every body wants to lose their weight and become normal. A normal pregnant women gains more than 25 pounds.they lose some amount during the child birth.even though they have some more weight to lose. But they do not know the right process to lose weight.

weight loss program should not be started in the first three months after the birth of the baby. The weight gained by the pregnant women in nine months cannot be lost in a short period time.it probably takes still nine months to get their original weight. one should not expect fast and instant results.
First you should allow your body to recover after the child birth. You should take a low fat diet with some moderate exercise. Breast feeding alone is a good exercise. It is very interesting that breast feeding helps in the weight loss.during the process of breast feeding ,some hormones are released.

These hormones helps the uterus to regain its original shape and size. you should take valuable nutrients.your diet should at least contain 2000 calories a day. It is very necessary to take high nutritious food to keep your baby healthy. Junk foods should be avoided totally.

Exercise plays a major role in the weight program. A good exercise brings out from depression, improves your confidence.should not do heavy exercise because it may result in fatigue.

Eat healthy diet should contain a range of vegetables and fruits. Diet should be low fat but not no fat. Diet should be rich in vitamins and high fiber content. Should not take high fat containing foods ,which may result in adverse affects. So proper diet in which low fat content an high vitamin content.
A number of medical experts advice how to lose their weight after the child birth. It is very necessary to follow their advice. You should not neglect your baby’s health in reducing your weight. One cannot lose their weight at a time, needs some time.
While doing exercise take help of your relatives or friends.this will give you the emotional help and support while doing the exercise. These exercises will boost your energy levels and helps to remain fit.
Then after some days you look elegant, totally devoid of the fat during pregnancy time.

People that think of dieting mostly think of trying to lose weight but dieting is not merely a weight loss technique. Dieting is having an eating plan to achieve good body nutrition for the specific needs of a person. When a woman plans to get pregnant or discovers she is pregnant she needs to change bad eating habits and develop a healthy diet while pregnant. The woman needs to understand the basic needs of her body and that of the unborn child and the foods that will best meet those needs. During pregnancy a woman should not be focused on weight loss but she needs to be focused on maintaining healthy nutrition.

Caloric Intake For Dieting While Pregnant

The old adage that a pregnant woman is eating for two is not quite correct. The nutritional requirements for the unborn child are not for a lot of calories but are for highly nutritious foods. Most women only need to increase their caloric intake by about 300 calories for the growth and development of the baby. There are some high risk pregnancies that will require different nutritional amounts such as extremely obese women, teen mothers, underweight women and women with medical conditions such as diabetes. These women will need to be closely monitored by their physician and may even want to see a registered dietician for nutritional counseling and advice on dieting while pregnant.

Nutritious Dieting While Pregnant

For good nutrition a pregnant woman will want to be sure to include certain foods in her diet and will, also, want to avoid certain foods. The woman will need to increase her protein intake significantly. To do this she can eat one or two extra servings daily of lean read meat, poultry, lamb or pork, eggs, or a combination of beans and rice. She will also need to make sure and eat enough fruits and vegetables. One way to do this is to use these foods as snacks during the day. Raw carrots and other vegetables are great to munch on and provide key vitamins for the growth and development of the child. Of course, a woman also needs to increase her milk intake and make sure and eat enough whole grain foods. A woman should avoid eating foods that are high in calorie but have little nutritional value. Dieting while pregnant must be focused on eating foods that are high in nutritional value. This focus will enable to child to develop normally and will improve the mother’s health while she is pregnant and leading up to the birth and breastfeeding of the infant.

During the first trimester many women will experience physical and emotional changes. These early pregnancy symptoms can be managed by understanding their causes and knowing what to do.

The minute you notice an early sign of pregnancy – like lower back pain, breast tenderness or bouts of nausea, you rush to buy a testing kit – and when pregnancy is confirmed, you feel unmatched joy. However, in truth, joy is not the only feeling you experience. You are most likely to feel a wide range of emotions, from elation to apprehension, to anxiety and so on. Coping with some of the early symptoms of pregnancy can be extremely difficult, yet the more understanding you have about your body, the easier it will be for you to accept and deal with the changes. Here’s what to do and how to cope with your early pregnancy symptoms.

Your changing body

• Back pain

Early pregnancy symptoms can be a real pain in the back! Typically lower back pain is caused by several factors including weight gain, realignment of the posture and torso, the loosening of pelvic joints and ligaments and also lack of sleep. All of these changes added together can cause the early pregnancy symptoms of lower back pain.

- What to do? The best thing you can do is to stretch daily and attend antenatal yoga classes in order to relax any areas of body tension and strain. You can also ask your partner to give you a gentle massage or better yet, treat yourself to one by a professional.

Read the rest of this entry »