Stress During Pregnancy

          My stress level is the number 79 which is a low susceptibility to a stress related illness. I can reduce stress in my life by regularly making time for fun and relaxation. This will put me in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come. I can do this by going for a walk, exercise, have warm coffee or tea, read a book, listen to music, or watch a comedy.

High stress levels have a gargantuan impact on both the mother and child during the pregnancy and it can be very harmful. There are many negative side effects of stress during pregnancy. Studies show that very high levels of stress may contribute to an increased risk of premature delivery or low birth weight babies. Overly high stress levels can increase your heart rate, blood pressure and produce chronic anxiety. Ones stress level and emotional health also affects the baby so it is important to properly cope with or manage ones stress for the good of both mother and child. it is important that you work to reduce your stress and anxiety levels during pregnancy as much as possible. Fortunately there are many simple ways to reduce stress levels. One way to reduce stress is to eat a healthy diet. This will provide the energy needed to get through the day, especially when feeling tired. The junk food will increase the stress level in ones body so it is best to avoid it. Another way to reduce stress levels during pregnancy are to get a lot of sleep because the less sleep one receives the more stressed they are likely to be. Use a comfortable body pillow or buy new sheets and even a It is helpful to take a relaxing bath before bed and also avoid eating up to one hour before bed to prevent heartburn, which can disrupt your sleep and increase your level of stress. Exercise is an ideal way to help cope with daily stressors because it gives you energy to deal with daily stress stimulators. Women find that exercising after work helps provide them the time they need to distress from work. Exercise can also help ease labor and alleviate some of the anxiety associated with the upcoming delivery. Biofeedback, yoga or meditations are non interventionist ways to help one focus, identify stressors and release stress in a healthy, safe manner. Your partner can help you work through your anxiety and help comfort you in times of high stress sp talk to them often. Lastly reducing ones workload will reduce stress significantly. Carrying a baby for nine months is a lot of work so be sure to reduce work level if possible.

http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/preg_stress.htm

Pregnancy Articles

          The article “'Pregnant Man' Gives Birth to Girl” tells the story of how Thomas Beatie gave birth. Born a woman, Beatie, 34, who had had his breasts surgically removed and legally changed his gender from female to male, leaped to prominence around the world in April when he revealed he was pregnant. Despite years of taking hormones and living outwardly as a man, Beatie maintained that he retained his female sex organs because he intended one day to get pregnant. Beatie was impregnated with sperm from a donor. His wife, Nancy, inseminated him at home with a device she said was like a syringe without the needle. They bought it from a veterinarian and it is typically used to feed birds. Before reading this article I did not know that transgender men could have children or would even want to. It is extremely surprising to me that Beatie was allowed to have a child after taking many hormones to become a male. This article changed my view on pregnancy very deeply.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5302756&page=1

          The article “Forcing Pregnant Women to do as They're Told:

Maternal vs. Fetal Rights” deals with the issue on if pregnant women should be forced to undergo medical care. Research in medicine continues to reveal more and more ways in which a baby's health can be jeopardized by what a woman does during pregnancy. Most women welcome these developments but some are unwilling to avoid those activities or behaviors that could harm their offspring and who refuse to undergo medical treatments that would prevent birth defects. Almost half of the maternal-fetal specialists surveyed in a recent national study thought that pregnant women who refused medical advice should be detained in hospitals and forced to "follow doctor’s orders." A growing number of legal cases throughout the U.S. show a trend toward forced treatment of pregnant women. I learned from this article that what the mother does can drastically affect the lives of their children. I think these women should be forced to follow medical care because it is not just about their lives anymore it is for the better of the child. It surprises me that women refuse medical care even if they know it is what’s best for their child. Now I believe that the right of the fetus overrides the rights of the mother.

 http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n2/pregnant.html

          The article “Natal wonders: Local baby born with teeth” tells the story about newborn baby Jayce was born with teeth. Jayce was delivered naturally. He weighed in at 7 pounds 14 ounces, was 21 inches long and when he was placed on his mother’s stomach, 26-year-old Ashley Padgett noticed that her baby had two lower front teeth.  Jayce’s doctor isn’t concerned about his natal teeth. Mother is advised to watch them closely and to make sure there aren’t any changes. In many cases, natal teeth become loose because the root isn’t formed completely. There is a risk of the tooth falling out and a newborn inhaling it, which is usually why they are removed. There also are potential pitfalls with breast-feeding. As of right now, Jayce doesn’t need to have his teeth pulled. His gums have swelled around one of the teeth, covering it up some. I had no idea before this article that children could be born with teeth and this is what surprised me the most. Now I see that there are many oddities that occur with children besides major birth defects or diseases.

http://www.thetimesnews.com/articles/jayce-42191-born-ago.html

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy in a woman who previously had normal blood pressure.Preeclampsia develops only during pregnancy. Risk factors include: history of preeclampsia, first pregnancy, new paternity, age, obesity, multiple pregnancy, prolonged interval between pregnancies, diabetes and gestational diabetes, history of certain conditions, having other health conditions, vitamin D insufficiency,  and high levels of certain proteins. Left untreated, preeclampsia can lead to fatal complications for mother and child. The only cure is delivery of the baby.No one knows  how to prevent preeclampsia. A number of studies have looked into whether taking extra calcium, vitamins, or a low dose of aspirin can help.when preeclampsia is severe, it can affect many organs. Preeclampsia causes the blood vessels to constrict, resulting in high blood pressure and a reduced blood flow that can affect organs in your body, such as your liver, kidneys, and brain.When less blood flows to your uterus, it can mean problems for your baby, such as poor growth, too little amniotic fluid, and placental abruption. In addition, your the baby may suffer the effects of prematurity if you need to deliver early to protect your health. People should make commericials or doctors should make sure to tell their patients so more parents can become aware of this issue.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/preeclampsia/DS00583
http://www.babycenter.com/0_preeclampsia_257.bc#articlesection2

Prenatal Hazards

There are many potential hazards to prenatal development. Many of these harmful agents are a direct result of drug and alcohol use. However, there are many other factors that can cause detrimental effects to a child during prenatal stages. These factors cam include maternal diseases and environmental problems. Prenatal care is especially important as it can reduce the risk greatly of encountering any problems and result in a happy healthy baby. The use of teratogens should be avoided as they can negatively affect the child during the prenatal stages.

For a pregnant woman, drug and alcohol abuse is very dangerous. First, drugs and alcohol may harm her own health, interfering with her ability to support the pregnancy. Second, some drugs can directly impair prenatal development. Virtually all illegal drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, pose dangers. Legal substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, are also dangerous, and even medical drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, can be harmful. At the prenatal stage, certain drugs and alcohol may damage organs that are still developing, such as the eyes, as well as the nervous system. Drug and alcohol use also increases the risk of miscarriage and premature delivery. The greatest danger drugs and alcohol pose at this stage is their potential to interfere with normal growth. Alcohol breaks down chemically to a cell-damaging compound that is absorbed by the fetus. Drinking during early pregnancy greatly increases the risk of birth defects known as fetal alcohol syndrome. While pregnant, women should avoid the use of all drugs and alcohol to prevent damage to themselves and the child. Radiation, chemicals and other hazards in the environment can endanger the fetus. Chromosomal abnormalities are higher among the offspring of fathers exposed to high levels of radiation. Environmental pollutants and toxic wastes are also sources of danger to prenatal development. The dangerous pollutants can include carbon monoxide, mercury and lead. Cats are common carriers of toxoplasmosis, especially outdoor cats that eat raw meat and mother may pick up the virus through the cat litter box. Toxoplasmosis is a mild infection that causes cold-like symptoms or no apparent illness in adults, but can cause eye defects, brain defects and premature birth in the fetus. Maternal diseases and infections can produce defects by crossing the placental barrier. Maternal diseases and disorders that can affect prenatal development include Rh factor incompatibility, high blood pressure, diabetes, rubella, and sexually transmitted diseases such as toxoplasmosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, genital herpes, and AIDS. The effects of maternal diseases rely on the stage of fetal development during which they are contracted, and the length of time that they last.

Teratogens are the broad range of substances (such as drugs and pollutants) and conditions (such as severe malnutrition and extreme stress) that increase the risk of prenatal abnormalities. Abnormalities include physical problems (such as missing limbs) and impairments such as brain damage that first appears in elementary school. Specific teratogens may damage the body structures, the growth rate, the neurological networks, or all three. Development can be compromised and the effects of that impairment last a lifetime. Prenatal care is extremely essential for a healthy baby. One can see an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) for prenatal care, or a family practice doctor, a certified-nurse midwife or other health professional. It helps you and your health provider monitor how your pregnancy is going. It also helps spot any potential health problems before they become serious. Regular prenatal care helps to better manage any health issues that may come up.

http://www.acde.org/parent/Pregnant.htm

http://www.saskschools.ca/~psychportal/Psych30/Ejournal-Prenatal/influences_on_prenatal.htm

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072820144/student_view0/chapter4/

http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/prenatalcare.html

A Deeper Look Into Prenatal Development

1. What developments occur during the germinal period?

The germinal stage starts as soon as the child is concieved. The sperm and egg cell unite in one of the two fallopian tubes. Then the zygote moves toward the uterus and 24 to 36 hours after conception cell division begins. First it divides into two cells, then into four, eight, sixteen, and so on. Once the eight cell point has been reached, the cells begin to differentiate and take on certain characteristics that will determine the type of cells they will become. The outer cells eventually become the placenta while the inner cells form the embryo.Cell division continues until the cells t develop into a blastocyst. Lastly, the blastocyst arrives at the uterus and attached to the uterine wall.

http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/prenataldevelop.htm

2. What major developments occur during the period of the embryo?

This stage begins the third week after conception.The embryo divides into three layers which will become an important body system. 22 days after conception, the neural tube forms. At the fourth week, the head begins to form quickly followed by the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. During the fifth week arm and leg buds appear. The cardiovascular system is where the earliest activity begins as the blood vessel that will become the heart start to pulse.By the eighth week the baby has all of its basic organs except the sex.

http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/prenataldevelop.htm

3. What major developments occur during the period of the fetus?

This stage begins during the ninth week and lasts until birth. The neural tube develops into the brain and spinal cord and neurons form and sex organs begin to appear during the third month. The end of the third month also marks the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. During the second trimester the heartbeat grows stronger and other body systems become further developed. Finger nails and hair become present. The fetus grows about six times in size and the brain and central nervous system become responsive. During period from seven months until birth, the fetus continues to develop, put on weight, and prepare for life outside the womb and the lungs begin expanding.

http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/prenataldevelop.htm

4. How and when does the fetus respond to the outside world?

From at least the 23rd week on the fetus's hearing is developed enough to enable it to respond to outside noise. From at least six months of pregnancy on the preborn baby is aware of and influenced by what's going on in the outside world. They can perceive different tastes and sights. Add sweetener to the amniotic fluid and the fetus doubles his rate of swallowing but add a sour substance and baby slows his swallowing. As early as the fourth month baby frowns, squints, and grimaces in response to experimentally produced outside stimuli. At five months the fetus can startle in response to a light blinking at mother's abdomen. This is a result of the developed cortex.

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/pregnancy-childbirth/fourth-month/7-ways-bond-your-preborn-baby

5. What are the factors that make a fetus more likely to survive if born at 38 Weeks rather than at 24?

In hospitals, 24 weeks is the cutoff for when doctors will use intensive medical intervention to attempt to save the life of a baby born prematurely. A baby born at 24 weeks would require a lot of intervention, potentially including mechanical ventilation and other treatments followed by a long stay in a NICU. Odds of survival increase as the pregnancy progresses. Low birth weight, placental abruption, and numerous developmental issues, as the baby has not yet finished growing, are all factors.  At 24 weeks the baby has a 39% chance of surviving while a baby at 34 has almost the same chance as a full term baby.

http://miscarriage.about.com/od/pregnancyafterloss/a/prematurebirth.htm

6. What public health measures can prevent cases of rubella and pediatric AIDS?

If you are of child bearing age but not pregnant, visit your doctor to have a blood test to ensure you are immune to rubella. If you are not immune, get your MMR vaccine and wait at least one month before trying to become pregnant. For AIDS 90 percent of HIV infections in children result from mother-to-child transmission, where the virus is passed from a mother living with HIV to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. The most effective method for preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission is by initiating lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) as early as possible in treatment-eligible HIV-positive pregnant women. In cases where a woman is not eligible for ART or ART is not available, a shorter, simplified course of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs can be given to the mother, starting early in pregnancy, and to her infant immediately following delivery.

http://www.pedaids.org/Publications/Fact-Sheets---Brochures/fact-sheets-and-issue-brief-updates-(january-2012)/PedAIDSIssueBriefENG

http://www.healthunit.com/article.aspx?ID=11481

7. What are some of the effects of drug abuse on the fetus?

Drugs can cause a baby to be born too small, too soon, or to have withdrawal symptoms, birth defects or learning and behavioral problems. Many pregnant women who use illicit drugs also use alcohol and tobacco, which also pose risks to unborn babies. Pregnant women who use drugs engage in other unhealthy behaviors that place their pregnancy at risk, such as having extremely poor nutrition or developing STI’s.

http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/alcohol_illicitdrug.html

8. What are the causes & consequences of low birth weight?

Low birth weight is the result of either the result of preterm birth, or of the infant being small for gestational age, or both. Risk factors in the mother that contribute to low birth weight include young ages, multiple pregnancies, previous LBW infants, poor nutrition, heart disease or hypertension, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, and insufficient prenatal care. Environmental factors include, smoking, lead exposure, and other types of air pollutions. The results are often a baby with fetal and perinatal mortality and morbidity, inhibited growth and cognitive development, and chronic diseases later in life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_birth_weight.

9. What is the relationship among the newborn's appearance, the Apgar scale, & health?

 The APGAR scale is referred to as an acronym for: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration.  Five factors are used to evaluate the baby's condition and each factor is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score: appearance, pulse, grimace response, activity and muscle tone, respiration. Doctors add these five factors together to calculate the Apgar score with 10 being the highest.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/q_a/apgar.html

10. What are advantages & disadvantages of the intensive-care nursery?

The advantage of the intensive care nursery is that babies are closely monitored by highly trained neonatologists, pediatricians and nurses around the clock with advanced technology.  A disadvantage is that it is more expensive and for parents it is hard to see their babies.

 http://www.stjosephhealth.org/Services/Newborns-Infants/Intensive-Care-Nursery/default.aspx

11. How is the formation of the parent-infant bond different in animals & in humans?

In humans bonding occurs from when the baby is in the womb and on. Humans care for their young much longer than other animals and remain with them for the longest out of all of the other animals. It is instinctual for animals to give birth and send their children off. Humans are able to form stronger bonds by remaining contact with the parents over long periods of time.