In some societies, early marriage and traditional gender roles are important factors in the rate of teenage pregnancy. For example, in some sub-Saharan African countries, early pregnancy is often seen as a blessing because it is proof of the young woman's fertility.In the Indian subcontinent, early marriage and pregnancy is more common in traditional rural communities compared to the rate in cities.
In societies where adolescent marriage is uncommon, young age at first intercourse and lack of contraceptive use may be factors in teen pregnancy. Most teenage pregnancies in the developed world appear to be unplanned.
Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Is Coffee Good Or Bad For You?
If you ever conduct a survey on the topic: “What wakes you up in the morning? What boosts your energy level and makes you feel fresh and activated?” …You will no doubt get this answer: Coffee or tea, both of which have a high level of caffeine, the coffee having a larger amount.
Caffeine is basically a drug which is gathered from tea leaves, kola nuts and coffee beans. It is widely used in medicines, chocolates, and even flavorings. Caffeine is highly addictive which enslaves its addict and increases his reliance on caffeine.
Caffeine addiction is one of the biggest problems in the world today, but people will never admit that they are facing this problem. Caffeine is widely popular because it helps to keep the body more alert, it increases the heart rate of the body, and it also increases the sugar level in the blood.
But caffeine’s negative symptoms are manifold. Regular use of caffeine causes the water level of the body to drop as caffeine is a diuretic causing frequent urination. It also reduces the span of deep sleep and the person becomes so addicted to caffeine that if its level per day is reduced the person will show negative behavior. Frustration, nausea, migraines, fatigue, lack of concentration and muscle pain are some of the symptoms of withdrawing from caffeine.
Caffeine should be avoided by pregnant women as it is known to have negative effects on the unborn child. Caffeine can enter the placenta and the fetus can be negatively affected by its strong effect and it can increase the risk of miscarriage. Caffeine is associated with lower birth weight of the infant and increased pain during labor. Pregnant women should cut out caffeine in their diet totally or confer with their doctor for more consultation.
A person will become more prone to panic attacks and nervousness if his intake of caffeine is three to four cups a day. Adrenaline level also shoots up due to caffeine which causes insomnia. This wakefulness is especially experienced by night shift workers as they cannot catch shut-eye even in the day. Dark circles under the eyes, edginess and jumpy nerves are a few more disadvantages of a high dosage of daily caffeine.
People also acquire cardiac problems and diabetes because of the rise in the heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar level. Moreover those suffering from gastric problems and stomach acidity should guard themselves and take caution with caffeine as it also causes stomach aches and increases the bowel movements. Bowel disorders are a very common side effect of caffeine.
Caffeine can trigger yearnings for food and thus result in obesity and weight gain. The disadvantages of caffeine seem limitless standing opposite to its advantages. Though coffee can revitalize the body, its effect remains only for four to six hours. Later the body hungers for the instantaneous power. This can induce dependence of caffeine. A healthy life can only be achieved if a person discontinues relying on caffeine for instant vivacity. Reducing caffeine from the daily diet should be accepted as a challenge.
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Sunday, March 8, 2009
Labor and Birth
Searching for information on labor and birth? Pregnancy-Info provides you with all you need to know about preparing for the birth of your baby.
It’s never too early to start thinking about a birth plan. Preparing a birth plan is a great way in which to stay in control as much as possible of the type of labor experience you will have. A birth plan can include whether to have a home birth or a hospital birth or even a water birth. You may also want to consider keeping a pregnancy journal to record your thoughts and emotions.
Of course, it’s natural to be worried about the different stages of labor. Find out how to tell whether your contractions really mean you’re going into labor as well as other common signs of labor. Here you’ll also find out about when inducing labor is a good option and information on whether natural labor is right for you.
While they’re not always planned, Cesarean sections account for almost 30% of births in the United States. Learn about in which cases a Cesarean section is recommended over vaginal birth and how a Cesarean section affects your future pregnancies.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Pregnancy
Congratulations and welcome to Pregnancy.org's Pregnancy section! There's an exciting journey ahead for you and your little one-to-be. As you continue on your journey towards parenthood, you'll discover how much there's to learn and how valuable those who are just like you can be! We're not only committed to providing you with a team of professional experts, informative articles, helpful tools, supportive communities, but the ability to customize your own profile as well! If you're
Violence in Pregnancy
Experiences of violence are common for women and affect pregnancy and childbearing in a myriad number of ways. How a woman may be affected is as individual as she is and depends on the type of violence she experienced, for what duration, what type of support she received at the time and continues to receive and numerous other factors. It is important that women know that they are not alone as it is essential that caregivers, nurses, doulas, therapists, social workers, policy makers, police and others become actively involved in educating themselves on how to best support women who are victims or survivors of violence in their lives. The silence that surrounds childhood sexual assault, incest, intimate partner violence, woman abuse and systematic oppression needs to be broken in order for healing to take place. This wiki is an avenue for speaking up and out as it is a tool for those who wish to educate themselves and contribute to the growing body of information on how to optimally ensure the health and well-being for mother and child when violence and abuse are or have been present in their lives.
Not only can violence escalate during pregnancy, it can begin during a pregnancy or even in the postpartum period. Some women experience traumatic births that include interventions such as episiotomies they didn't want or felt weren't needed. Past traumatic experiences with childhood sexual abuse or rape may resurface during the childbearing year and be triggered by multiple sources. It may not be easy for the survivor to understand where her feelings are coming from, especially if she blocked out the memory of the event.
In considering these dynamics, what can be done by women and those who support her to ensure the best possible outcomes?
A woman can find a caregiver that she is comfortable with and feels respected by. This may mean speaking to a few or changing an established physician/midwife if they are not willing to be flexible and work with her. Ideally, if she found a caregiver that she was able to have a mutually respectful relationship with and she was comfortable with disclosure, she could tell them and ask them to support her in her wishes to whatever degree necessary. Some caregivers are very flexible with this and others are more rigid. Each individual woman will have to define her own comfort level. This pregnancy and birth can be a healing and empowering experience if she feels supported, is a partner in making informed decisions about her care, and is respected as knowing what is best for her.
She may enlist the support of loved ones, trusted friends or a doula to honor her birth plan and nurture her during this powerful time. A wonderful book by Penny Simkin is called The Birth Partner: Everything You Need to Know to Help a Woman Through Childbirth. This book is packed with information that will help a support person know what to expect and how to provide comfort measures in labor. Doulas can be found through local organizations or national organizations. Word of mouth is often a great way to find a doula or another woman who has experience attending women during their birth. Caregivers such as midwives and physicians, childbirth educators or prenatal yoga instructors may know of doulas in your area.
In our culture, media and belief systems, blame has been heavily shifted onto the victim. It is important that we work to deconstruct this and place blame where it belongs, on the perpetrator and the social belief systems that are at the core. We need to consider as well that those who make the rules and laws are those with the most power, and these statutes benefit them, not those who are powerless. This system makes it very difficult for victims to experience justice. Perpetrators of sexual assault and violence do not fit a certain profile and neither do their victims. The belief that victims "should have known better" than to be doing whatever they were doing, wearing whatever they were wearing or being wherever they were is erroneous. There is no right way to exist in order to prevent rape or sexual assault because the control is not in the victim's court. The blame is not theirs, it is the perpetrator's. It would be severely mentally disturbing and unhealthy for any individual to attempt to live in such manner as to not attract an assault because, as the statistics demonstrate, this would be impossible.
Responding to Abuse During Pregnancy from the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence. This is Canadian though it souces American journals. It is a comprehensive resource and applicable beyond the border. Canada is more progressive in addressing this issue and it could be questioned whether American statistics might be even worse than theirs given the weaker social support system in place, the deeper silence, the continuing violence, wars, occupations, the high poverty and crime rates here and on and on ...
Not only can violence escalate during pregnancy, it can begin during a pregnancy or even in the postpartum period. Some women experience traumatic births that include interventions such as episiotomies they didn't want or felt weren't needed. Past traumatic experiences with childhood sexual abuse or rape may resurface during the childbearing year and be triggered by multiple sources. It may not be easy for the survivor to understand where her feelings are coming from, especially if she blocked out the memory of the event.
In considering these dynamics, what can be done by women and those who support her to ensure the best possible outcomes?
A woman can find a caregiver that she is comfortable with and feels respected by. This may mean speaking to a few or changing an established physician/midwife if they are not willing to be flexible and work with her. Ideally, if she found a caregiver that she was able to have a mutually respectful relationship with and she was comfortable with disclosure, she could tell them and ask them to support her in her wishes to whatever degree necessary. Some caregivers are very flexible with this and others are more rigid. Each individual woman will have to define her own comfort level. This pregnancy and birth can be a healing and empowering experience if she feels supported, is a partner in making informed decisions about her care, and is respected as knowing what is best for her.
She may enlist the support of loved ones, trusted friends or a doula to honor her birth plan and nurture her during this powerful time. A wonderful book by Penny Simkin is called The Birth Partner: Everything You Need to Know to Help a Woman Through Childbirth. This book is packed with information that will help a support person know what to expect and how to provide comfort measures in labor. Doulas can be found through local organizations or national organizations. Word of mouth is often a great way to find a doula or another woman who has experience attending women during their birth. Caregivers such as midwives and physicians, childbirth educators or prenatal yoga instructors may know of doulas in your area.
In our culture, media and belief systems, blame has been heavily shifted onto the victim. It is important that we work to deconstruct this and place blame where it belongs, on the perpetrator and the social belief systems that are at the core. We need to consider as well that those who make the rules and laws are those with the most power, and these statutes benefit them, not those who are powerless. This system makes it very difficult for victims to experience justice. Perpetrators of sexual assault and violence do not fit a certain profile and neither do their victims. The belief that victims "should have known better" than to be doing whatever they were doing, wearing whatever they were wearing or being wherever they were is erroneous. There is no right way to exist in order to prevent rape or sexual assault because the control is not in the victim's court. The blame is not theirs, it is the perpetrator's. It would be severely mentally disturbing and unhealthy for any individual to attempt to live in such manner as to not attract an assault because, as the statistics demonstrate, this would be impossible.
Responding to Abuse During Pregnancy from the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence. This is Canadian though it souces American journals. It is a comprehensive resource and applicable beyond the border. Canada is more progressive in addressing this issue and it could be questioned whether American statistics might be even worse than theirs given the weaker social support system in place, the deeper silence, the continuing violence, wars, occupations, the high poverty and crime rates here and on and on ...
Symptoms and Treatment of TB in Pregnancy
While tuberculosis isn't terribly common, it is still around. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of tuberculosis infection in the United States is about 5.3 per 100,000 for women of child bearing age. It stands to reason that some diagnosed will be pregnant women.
The rate of TB is much higher within certain populations. For example, the rate of TB in foreign born people in the year 2007 was 20.7 per 100,000, compared with 2.1 per 100,000 in American born people. Women born in Africa, Asia or Latin America are at higher risk of TB infection. Women who are at higher risk for TB and their doctors should be aware of the added risk.
mptoms and Treatment of TB in Pregnancy
27 Feb 2009 03:58 PM
Symptoms and Treatment of TB in Pregnancy
by Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger
While tuberculosis isn't terribly common, it is still around. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of tuberculosis infection in the United States is about 5.3 per 100,000 for women of child bearing age. It stands to reason that some diagnosed will be pregnant women.
The rate of TB is much higher within certain populations. For example, the rate of TB in foreign born people in the year 2007 was 20.7 per 100,000, compared with 2.1 per 100,000 in American born people. Women born in Africa, Asia or Latin America are at higher risk of TB infection. Women who are at higher risk for TB and their doctors should be aware of the added risk.
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The symptoms and affects on the mother and baby depend on whether the case is active or latent. Latent TB is asymptomatic and the person is not contagious. Most people infected with TB have the latent form. However, with an active TB infection, the bacterium is quite contagious. It is spread through the air by being near someone with TB and breathing in the bacteria.
The symptoms of TB include a severe cough that lasts longer than three weeks, coughing up blood, pain in the chest, lack of appetite, fatigue and weakness. If you have symptoms and believe you have been exposed to TB, talk to your health care provider about testing. Even if you don't think you've been exposed, talk to your doctor, as these symptoms are serious and require attention.
Testing is safe and includes a skin test to check for exposure to TB. If the skin test comes back positive, a chest x-ray will likely be done. While x-ray is often avoided during pregnancy, most doctors believe it is safe in this case and definitely warranted. Untreated TB is deadly.
If a woman is found to have active TB infection, getting proper treatment is essential. There are some drugs that are known to be unsafe and others that are considered safe for pregnancy. A few of the medicines approved by the FDA for use in treating TB in pregnant women are ethambutol, rifampin, and isoniazid. Your doctor will determine the best course of treatment in an individual situation.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Adoption and the Juno Fairy Tale
On our first blog entry, we received a comment from Joi regarding adoption and teen moms:
I am a former high school teacher turned teen pregnancy presentor. Started a program 6.5 years ago talking to teens about the 3 options they face if they are in an unplanned pregnancy. Use this site quite a lot for facts, ideas, etc. Would like to know why adoption doesn't get much of a mention here?
Joi's comment is actually a pretty common one in our circle and every so often we are asked about the prevalence of adoption among teen moms. While adoption is obviously another option for teens if they face an unplanned pregnancy, the fact is that less than 3% actually choose adoption - fewer than 12,000 each year. In the absence of government statistics on adoption, and the small number of adoptions that occur, research on adoption, including the reasons for adoption and consequences of adoption (for both mom and baby) is rare.
So, while movies such as Juno might suggest that adoption is a common alternative to teen pregnancy, most teenagers decide to keep their baby and take on the daunting task of raising a child themselves at a very young age.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention
As a teen, finding out that you are pregnant is a life-changing and scary event. As a parent, finding out your teen is pregnant can both shock you and cause despair as you wonder, now what? Before this ever happens, you can help your teen learn important lessons on how to prevent teen pregnancy.
Unfortunately, teen pregnancy is a nationwide problem. However, there are programs set up through the government and other organizations aimed at prevention. For example the
- National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy: founded in 1996 with the goal to reduce teen pregnancy by one-third.
- Adolescent Family Life Demonstration and Research program: began in 1981 provides research grants and demonstrations to promote programs that help raise the awareness of abstinence. This is an arm of the Department of Health and Human Services.
For more resources on prevention programs in your area, go online or contact your local health department. Check also with the schools in your area to understand what kind of teen pregnancy prevention programs they offer.
Although the rate for teen pregnancies have dipped since the early 1990s, the United States still has the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of teen pregnancy among other countries of similar status. So if you are parent of a teenager, what else can you do to help prevent your teenager from getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant?
- Keep communication between you and your teen open so that talking about sex is easier to broach.
- Be approachable so that if your teenager has questions about sex or relationships, you can be ready with answers.
- Teach your family values and help your teen see how much they are worth. Explain that no one should be able to make him or her feel like they have to be sexually active.
- Encourage safe and fun activities and sports. Show them their strengths and keep education a top priority.
- Watch for warning signs of heavy relationships with the opposite sex. Also watch for signs of depression or a drop off in previously enjoyed activities. You may need to take further steps to help them avoid becoming sexually promiscuous.
- Teach your teenager the problems associated with unsafe sex. Show him or her the diseases that can result as well as the threat of unplanned pregnancy.
- Know what your teenager is doing and where they like to hang out. Make your home an open place for your teenager’s friends and encourage fun activities at responsible and respected places.
Finally abstinence is the only sure way of preventing teen pregnancy. Family values that promote abstinence as well as talking with your teenager over and over about the importance of abstinence can go a long way in preventing teen pregnancy.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Sources:
- Department of Health and Human Services: Office of Public Health and Services, “Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs,” [online].
- TeenPrengnacy,com, “So, I'm Not Pregnant. How Do I Prevent Getting Pregnant?” [online].
- TeenPregnancy.org, “Preventing Teen Pregnancy: Why it Matters,” [pdf online].
- TeenPregnancy.org, “So What?” “About the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy," “Fact Sheet: Dads Make a Difference,” [online].
Teen Pregnancy Statistics
The United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and births in the western industrialized world. Teen pregnancy costs the United States at least $7 billion annually
The fact that just under 1/3 of all girls in the United States will get pregnant in their teenage years is a sobering thought. Obviously, teen pregnancy is a problem in the United States. And the following statistics back that up:
- Every year around 750,000 teenagers will get pregnant.
- Depending on the state, teenage birth rates are incredibly different. Nevada has the highest rate: 113 per 1000 and North Dakota the lowest 42 per 1000.
- Unmarried teenagers having children account for 24 percent of all unmarried expectant mothers.
- More than 2/3 of all teenagers who have a baby will not graduate from high school.
- Billions of dollars are spent taking care of teenage mothers and their children and they are more likely to be in the poverty bracket. On the flip side, millions of dollars are spent in prevention programs.
The good news is that teen births have dropped by almost a third since the beginning of the 1990s. With pregnancy prevention programs and more understanding and teaching about safe sex, this number will hopefully drop even more. Here are a few other statistics that hopefully point to even better prevention rates in the years to come:
- In 2002 the abortion rate among teenager mother was 50 percent lower than its high point in 1988.
- Among black teenagers, the pregnancy rate dropped around 40 percent since 1990.
- Among Hispanic teenagers the pregnancy rate dropped around 19 percent since 1990.
- Among white teenagers, the pregnancy rate dropped around 34 percent since 1990.
So while teenager pregnancies are dropping, it is still a constant problem as there are more and more kids who enter their teenager years each year. Teenager pregnancy programs are important to as the above statistics are showing that these programs yield good results. These programs should be continually studied to make sure they are up-to-date and working in the education of teenagers on the problems of teenager pregnancy.
One way of making sure to keep the programs fresh is to talk with the teenagers themselves, asking what they think about sex and how it is portrayed in their school life, by their friends, in their families, and in the media. How much do each of these contribute to how a teenager views sex? Parents and educators are in a position to somewhat monitor how sex and especially unsafe sex is being digested by the teenagers today. As more questions are answered and prevention programs initiated and/or updated, hopefully these statistics can continually to fall.
As mentioned above, billions of dollars are spent taking care of teenage mothers and their children while only millions are needed to provide good prevention program. For more information on teenage pregnancy prevention, see the Preventing Teenage Pregnancy article on this site.
Teen Pregnancy Statistics Sources:
- Department of Health and Human Services: Office of Public Health and Services, “Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs,” [online].
- Guttmacher Institute, “U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity,” [pdf online].
- National Center for Health Statistics, “National Vital Statistics Reports, Volume 55, Number 1,” [pdf online].
- TeenPregnancy.org, “Preventing Teen Pregnancy: Why it Matters,” [pdf online].
- TeenPregnancy.org, “So What?” [online].
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Sex and Pregnancy
Sexual relations undergo a form of “change” during the nine months of pregnancy. This does not mean that sex will be less enjoyable or that is should be avoided. In fact, many couples report that their sexual appetites increased during the nine months of pregnancy.It is important to note that the sexual practices of couples vary. While one couple may think that sexual intercourse once or twice a week is a drop in sexual relations, another couple may feel that is an improvement. One couple may engage in sexual intercourse every few days, while another couple may only have sex a couple of times each month. The frequency of sex is a private matter between adults.
It is normal for the libido of a pregnant woman to wane during the first and last months of pregnancy. During the first weeks of pregnancy a woman may be experiencing nausea, painful breasts and fatigue. The last month of pregnancy may bring about aches and pains in the back and abdomen as well as a general feeling of fatigue.
Keep a Record of your Pregnancy!
Pregnancy and childbirth are certainly milestones within a woman’s life. Unfortunately, many women forget the emotions attached to this important transformation. Keeping a pregnancy journal is an excellent way to remember those moments, good and bad, that heralded the birth of your child. It’s also a good way to work out your feelings and allot some necessary "alone" time. If you want to share this special time with all your friends and family, then consider starting an online pregnancy journal.
When is sex during pregnancy NOT safe
Sex is safe during pregnancy unless your health care provider has indicated that you have a high risk pregnancy. Although there are few reasons to avoid sex during pregnancy, there are some situations when your health care provider may indicate that sex should be avoided. The best protection is to wear a condom.
When is sex during pregnancy NOT safe
Sex is safe during pregnancy unless your health care provider has indicated that you have a high risk pregnancy. Although there are few reasons to avoid sex during pregnancy, there are some situations when your health care provider may indicate that sex should be avoided. The best protection is to wear a condom.
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