by Jennifer Shakeel
Today’s purses are bright and cheerful. These large hold all, carry all bags are inexpensive and you can buy them anywhere. Stores like Target, and Kohl’s, Wal Mart and Macy’s have rainbows of pouches and purses. Their vinyl, PVC and faux leather surfaces wipe clean with soap and water, they resist spills, and you can have one to match every outfit, and every pair of shoes. These purses have great appeal to young and old. Unfortunately, they are slow killers.
Purses have joined the ranks of toxic consumer products, along with painted toys from China and play jewelry for children. A recent report from the not for profit Center for Environmental Health states that these bags, when tested, have levels of lead up to ninety times higher than the federal limit for lead in paint. This is a frightening finding for women, and their children. The lead is used to preserve colors and softness in purses and wallets that are sold in many national chain stores. Out of twenty one outlets in California, sixteen had contamination that exceeded the level required for labeling under Proposition 65. The colors that showed the highest levels of lead are yellow, and yellow tinted colors, such as green and orange. ABC News reports that H&M and New York stores are working to address this problem and pull contaminated purses from their shelves in California.More on Lead Found in Purses Risk for Pregnant Women
Pollutants in the air are something many people worry about, and in some areas of the country this information is reported on the evening news. It turns out, this fear is not unfounded. There is mounting evidence from studies conducted around the country that exposure to air pollutants during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of complications, negative outcomes at birth and problems throughout infancy and early childhood.
Several studies have looked at particulate and nitrous oxide emissions from vehicle exhaust and the effect of this exposure on the developing fetus. Most pregnant women are exposed to some level of fumes from vehicles, but the level varies throughout the country.
A new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggests that fetal growth may be slowed by exposure to air pollution, resulting in low birth weight and smaller head circumference. The study gathered data on over 400,000 pregnant women in the state of New Jersey from 1999 through 2003.
Data on the air pollution levels was gathered from EPA monitoring sites located near the homes of pregnant women. This information was used to determine the level of air pollution exposure during pregnancy. Based on this information, average pollution levels were assigned to study participants.
The results showed an increased risk of low birth weight baby with higher levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. The study showed a higher risk among low income women, who were more likely to live in congested areas with heavy traffic congestion and the related air pollution. Researchers found a higher correlation between air pollution and birth weight when an increase in exposure to pollution occurred in early and late pregnancy.
A separate study showed negative effects on the IQ in children with exposure to air pollution in the womb. This study was conducted by the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health at Columbia University and published in the journal Pediatrics.More on Fetal Growth and Air Pollution
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So, you are PREGNANT! Congratulations!! You are getting ready for a truely amazing journey. Learning that you are expecting a new baby can be one of the most exciting events in your life. As your body begins the changes that come along with pregnancy, there will be a lot of questions that you will be asking. Understanding the changes that your body is going through will help you deal with the symptoms that will invariably come along with your pregnancy. As you go through the first trimester, you may ask yourself what some of the physical changes are that your body will be going through. Being prepared will help you rest assured that things are going normal.
One of the first things most women notice to indicate pregnancy is a missed period. Although symptoms vary from woman to woman, your body will eventually stop having a period. Pregnancy tests can indicate pregnancy within days of the first missed period. If your body is on a very normal cycle and suddenly you don't have a period, you might want to look for other symptoms to follow soon.
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by Jennifer Shakeel
Congratulations you are pregnant! The next nine months are going to be incredibly exciting for you. I am sure that you have heard the stories from other people you know about the weight gain, cravings and morning sickness. What no one ever tells you about are all tests the doctor is going to want to do on you while you are pregnant. When you first hear them talk about the tests the initial reaction is, “Why would I want to have that done?” Then they answer that question and your mind if overloaded with information and concern. The goal is not to worry or upset you. To help offset that anxiety I am going to go over the most common tests performed and tell you what to expect so that you are prepared when your doctor starts talking about them.
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Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is defined as a fetus that is smaller in size than would be expected for the conception age. The threshold generally used for classifying a baby as having intrauterine growth restriction is being smaller than the tenth percentile. This means that over ninety percent of fetuses at the same stage of development are larger than babies classified as having IUGR.Filed under Pregnancy by
During your first prenatal visit, your health care provider will take blood samples. Several things will be tested, including your blood type. The reason this is done is to check for the presence or lack of Rh factor in the blood. This is important because if your baby has Rh factor in his blood and you do not, this could cause problems in later pregnancies.Filed under Health, Pregnancy Tests by
by Patricia HughesFiled under Pregnancy by
Is it Possible to Predict the Gender?
Throughout your pregnancy, you will hear predictions about the gender of your baby. Everyone from your mother in law to the cashier at the grocery store seems to have an opinion. One will tell you that the baby must be a boy because you are carrying low. Someone else will tell you that it must be a girl since you experienced severe morning sickness. Is there any truth to these gender prediction methods?More on Pregnancy and Gender PredictionFiled under Pregnancy by
by Patricia Hughes
One of the biggest worries during pregnancy is the fear that something is wrong with the baby. Women who experience this fear breathe a sigh of relief during prenatal visits when the baby’s heart beat is heard. Hearing the baby’s heart beat and movements is reassuring for these mothers. There is a way for you to monitor fetal movement at home, with fetal kick counts.Will it be a boy or a girl? Women having babies today have an option their mothers and grandmothers didn’t have, they can find out the gender of the baby before it is born. Throughout human history, mothers had to wait until the baby was born to discover the gender. With testing such as ultrasound and amniocentesis, you can learn the baby’s gender while you are still pregnant.
First of all, what is a midwife? For centuries giving birth was strictly an affair between the pregnant woman and a midwife. Though not always present, a mid-wife would frequently aid in the birthing process. The role was often performed by an older woman who had previously experienced birth herself. She gave comfort, medical knowledge based on real experience and a second pair of hands at a critical time.
With the rise of obstetrics in the 19th century, midwifery became much less common, almost disappearing from birthing practice in the U.S., except in circumstances of deep poverty or geographic isolation. In recent decades, it has risen again in a new form in which midwives are often licensed nurses with considerable traditional medical experience. More on Pregnancy – Midwife or Not?
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