Q. What are some causes of normal vaginal bleeding during pregnancy?
A. There are a few normal reasons for vaginal bleeding.
* Implantation of your fertilized egg causes slight spotting in a minority of woman. If it happens, it will be near the time you would normally have your period. This bleeding should be very light spotting and last for a day or two. [Spotting: very light bleeding similar to the end of your period.]
* Cervix is more prone to bleed as blood flow is naturally increased during pregnancy. That said, anything that may touch or irritate the cervix can cause bleeding. Sex, gynecological exam, pap smear, physical work, exercise. This bleeding should only spot and last for a day or two.
* If you notice spotting after exercising or working, ease off a bit and see if the spotting stops. Keep a log of your workouts and spotting frequency. This way you know how much you can work or exercise.
* If you are spotting for more than two days, or see an increase in the amount, or do not see a cause of the bleeding, contact your health provider.
* At around 37 weeks, a mucous plug may come out tinged with blood. This is an early sign of labor.
Q. What are some causes of abnormal vaginal bleeding during pregnancy?
A. As the cervix is more engorged, STD’s or any type of vaginal infection may cause bleeding. Infections irritate the cervix causing bleeding or spotting for more than a day or two. Bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, Chlamydia, Herpes are some common infections that may cause prolonged bleeding. See your health provider. They will do a pap or wet mount slide prep to see if an infection is present and treat accordingly.
Spontaneous abortion is a cause of abnormal bleeding. Of the 10% to 25% of women who report spotting during the 1st trimester, 20% to 50% of those will spontaneously abort. If you cannot pin-point a cause of the spotting or it progresses, see your health provider.
Pain with spotting may indicate an ectopic pregnancy or early signs of miscarriage. Pain and spotting is not normal. An ectopic pregnancy must be terminated for the woman’s safety. Ultrasound can confirm or rule out an ectopic pregnancy. This occurs in the first trimester and occurs in 1.5% of all pregnancies.
Abnormal bleeding in pregnancy may indicate placenta problems (eg. placenta previa during any trimester which presents as painless bleeding) or premature labor. Again, if bleeding is more than spotting, increasing in amount or duration, call your health provider.
Q. What is too much bleeding?
A. Duration or quantity are the keys here. If spotting is happening for more than two days and you cannot pin-point a normal cause, contact your health provider.
If bleeding is increasing beyond spotting, it is necessary to contact your health provider. There does not have to be pain associated. If painless bleeding is present, do contact your provider.
If you think it is too much bleeding and you need reassurance, call. Relaxation is very important for a healthy mom and baby. One cannot relax when unsure. Don’t be tough. Call. Your health provider is there to assist and educate you during this amazing time.
GOOD NEWS! ;)
An ultrasound that shows a heartbeat between 7 - 11 weeks, the chances of continuing the pregnancy are better than 90%
Disclaimer: This is information only. Seek the advice of a trained healthcare professional. Bleeding during pregnancy can be life-threatening to the woman and/or the baby. Do not delay professional assistance.
Benjamin Lynch has a BS degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Washington. Currently, he is obtaining his doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University. Visit Ben's natural health product store, HealthE Goods where one can use our free health information service where one may ask specific health questions. We provide physician-grade non-prescription natural health products. Wholesale spa products are available to all that qualify. Do visit our Healthy Lifestyle and Wellness Blog. We are here to help serve the public with proper health information and effective products. Products described in the article are available at HealthE Goods.
copyright 2005 by Benjamin Lynch and HealthE Goods, Inc.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Lynch
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Weight Loss Myth - Weight Loss While Pregnant Or Nursing is Unsafe
Weight loss at any time in your life is never unsafe - IF it is approached with healthy foundations and not in response to your emotions. "I'm FAT. I Have to lose weight NOW! is emotional. With this kind of thinking you will be tempted to do one of those disposable, temporary diets that usually are severely limited in their caloric intake and missing some essential nutrition.
Whenever anyone takes on a weight loss program to lose excess fat, they must come to terms with the fact that they will be in this for the long haul. Real weight loss programs consist of healthy balanced meals that anyone can use (unless you have specific allergies or limitations imposed by your physician). So it stands to reason that a nursing mother, even a pregnant woman can safely lose weight by eating smaller meals of real foods.
Weight loss is something a woman must undertake to gain over all health. When approached with an attitude that you are going to eat like this for the most part for the rest of your life, then weight loss becomes part of the natural course of things. You lose weight eventually when you eat smaller, more balanced meals.
As it happens, most of us want to lose it all now. We see our bulges and flabby tummies and we react by severely cutting our food intake. This causes more weight gain as the body feels it is starving and conserves food as fat.
What anyone, pregnant or nursing or otherwise, must realize is that weight loss is going to be the result of a conscious choice to make the right eating choices and eating on a regular basis and coupling it with sensible regular exercise. There is no short cut to a slim body. No "nine pounds in 14 days diet" will work in the long run.
True weight loss depends on you making a commitment to establishing good habits. Get serious about eating good food and allow yourself planned treats. Take up walking or biking on a regular basis. These are things that anyone can do to start on the way toward a healthy weight.
The key is to not react to your fat but respond by planning to lose safely no matter how long it takes. So, Mama, be patient. Be consistent. Make better food choices. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with healthy snacks in between. Walk wherever you can. Take up a favorite sport for exercise. Above all, enjoy life and let the weight take care of itself one pound at a time.
Marie Stimson is a research writer and freelance author specializing in fitness and weight loss. Not satisfied with all the confusion in the marketplace about fat loss and health, she uncovered the truths about weight loss and fitness in her report, Fat Loss Secrets of the Ages. Get a free copy here: http://besthealthyweightlossdiet.com/dietreport.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marie_Stimson
Whenever anyone takes on a weight loss program to lose excess fat, they must come to terms with the fact that they will be in this for the long haul. Real weight loss programs consist of healthy balanced meals that anyone can use (unless you have specific allergies or limitations imposed by your physician). So it stands to reason that a nursing mother, even a pregnant woman can safely lose weight by eating smaller meals of real foods.
Weight loss is something a woman must undertake to gain over all health. When approached with an attitude that you are going to eat like this for the most part for the rest of your life, then weight loss becomes part of the natural course of things. You lose weight eventually when you eat smaller, more balanced meals.
As it happens, most of us want to lose it all now. We see our bulges and flabby tummies and we react by severely cutting our food intake. This causes more weight gain as the body feels it is starving and conserves food as fat.
What anyone, pregnant or nursing or otherwise, must realize is that weight loss is going to be the result of a conscious choice to make the right eating choices and eating on a regular basis and coupling it with sensible regular exercise. There is no short cut to a slim body. No "nine pounds in 14 days diet" will work in the long run.
True weight loss depends on you making a commitment to establishing good habits. Get serious about eating good food and allow yourself planned treats. Take up walking or biking on a regular basis. These are things that anyone can do to start on the way toward a healthy weight.
The key is to not react to your fat but respond by planning to lose safely no matter how long it takes. So, Mama, be patient. Be consistent. Make better food choices. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with healthy snacks in between. Walk wherever you can. Take up a favorite sport for exercise. Above all, enjoy life and let the weight take care of itself one pound at a time.
Marie Stimson is a research writer and freelance author specializing in fitness and weight loss. Not satisfied with all the confusion in the marketplace about fat loss and health, she uncovered the truths about weight loss and fitness in her report, Fat Loss Secrets of the Ages. Get a free copy here: http://besthealthyweightlossdiet.com/dietreport.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marie_Stimson
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Can You Really Trust A Conception Chart?
Almost everyone in the family gets excited when the mother is conceiving a child and everyone would want to know as well whether the baby’s a girl or a boy. Upon knowing the baby’s gender, most couples rush to the store to buy clothes and other stuff for the baby. This is especially true for first-time parents.
Today, most couples rely on the doctor’s ultrasound findings to know their unborn baby’s gender. The picture of the baby’s body tissues that is shown in the machine’s screen are outlined by the echo patterns produced by the bouncing of the high-energy sound waves on the internal tissues and organs.
It’s quite interesting to note that long before this modern imaging method was invented, the Chinese people in particular have already devised a method to know beforehand the gender of the baby. They use the conception chart.
Conception chart has also been referred to as Chinese gender chart, Chinese birth gender chart and Chinese gender selection birth chart. This method of knowing the gender of the expected baby is an ancient method, discovered in the thirteenth century in a place near Beijing, China. It was buried for more than seven centuries in a tomb that is believed to belong to a noble Chinese. If you happen to go to Beijing, you can find that antique Chinese conception chart in the Beijing Institute of Science.
This chart has two variables: the month the baby was conceived and the age of the mother. It looks like a multiplication table where rows and columns are headed by the two variables. In the cells below or beside the column and row headings are letters “B” and “G” that stand for boy and girl respectively. The months can be placed either on top of and across the grid while the ages are on the left side downwards or vice versa.
One can determine the gender of the baby by cross-referencing the first variable with the second. So for example, if an 18-year old mother conceives in September, the baby is a boy as predicted by the conception chart. If a 30-year old mother conceives in May, the baby is a girl. When the mother is 45 years old and conceives in the month of January, her baby is a girl.
To date, scientists still remain skeptic about its accuracy as no scientific study has ever verified it yet. Science maintains that gender is determined by the baby’s chromosomes. Those who believe and use the old Chinese conception chart method though claim that the conception chart is 93% accurate.
Trying this method can be fun. Just like in a guessing game, finding out that the chart’s prediction is actually correct after you or your wife have given birth gives you a feeling of victory. You can find lots of copies of this chart online so just browse through the Internet to get one and predict your child’s gender in no time. But if you want a very accurate and reliable answer, it would be best to go to your obstetrician for an ultrasound.
Dave Poon is an accomplished writer who specializes in the latest in babies and toddler care. For more information regarding conception charts, please drop by at http://www.babyinfoforyou.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Poon
Today, most couples rely on the doctor’s ultrasound findings to know their unborn baby’s gender. The picture of the baby’s body tissues that is shown in the machine’s screen are outlined by the echo patterns produced by the bouncing of the high-energy sound waves on the internal tissues and organs.
It’s quite interesting to note that long before this modern imaging method was invented, the Chinese people in particular have already devised a method to know beforehand the gender of the baby. They use the conception chart.
Conception chart has also been referred to as Chinese gender chart, Chinese birth gender chart and Chinese gender selection birth chart. This method of knowing the gender of the expected baby is an ancient method, discovered in the thirteenth century in a place near Beijing, China. It was buried for more than seven centuries in a tomb that is believed to belong to a noble Chinese. If you happen to go to Beijing, you can find that antique Chinese conception chart in the Beijing Institute of Science.
This chart has two variables: the month the baby was conceived and the age of the mother. It looks like a multiplication table where rows and columns are headed by the two variables. In the cells below or beside the column and row headings are letters “B” and “G” that stand for boy and girl respectively. The months can be placed either on top of and across the grid while the ages are on the left side downwards or vice versa.
One can determine the gender of the baby by cross-referencing the first variable with the second. So for example, if an 18-year old mother conceives in September, the baby is a boy as predicted by the conception chart. If a 30-year old mother conceives in May, the baby is a girl. When the mother is 45 years old and conceives in the month of January, her baby is a girl.
To date, scientists still remain skeptic about its accuracy as no scientific study has ever verified it yet. Science maintains that gender is determined by the baby’s chromosomes. Those who believe and use the old Chinese conception chart method though claim that the conception chart is 93% accurate.
Trying this method can be fun. Just like in a guessing game, finding out that the chart’s prediction is actually correct after you or your wife have given birth gives you a feeling of victory. You can find lots of copies of this chart online so just browse through the Internet to get one and predict your child’s gender in no time. But if you want a very accurate and reliable answer, it would be best to go to your obstetrician for an ultrasound.
Dave Poon is an accomplished writer who specializes in the latest in babies and toddler care. For more information regarding conception charts, please drop by at http://www.babyinfoforyou.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Poon
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