If amniotic fluid begins leaking during pregnancy, it may increase the baby’s risk of experiencing a birth injury. Sometimes, it may be difficult to determine if a pregnant person is leaking amniotic fluid or another substance, such as urine or vaginal discharge. (It is important to consult a doctor if there is any uncertainty.) What…
Meconium aspiration is a fairly common occurrence during pregnancy and delivery. However, if doctors fail to appropriately treat it, or if treatment is delayed, the effects may be tragic.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are some of the most common infections. Although anyone can get a UTI, women are more susceptible because they have shorter urethras, which makes it easier for bacteria to ascend into the bladder. At least 60% of women experience a lower urinary tract infection (involving the urethra and bladder) during…
Every day, our nurses and attorneys receive calls from expectant mothers with concerns about symptoms they’re experiencing during their pregnancy. They’re curious if their symptoms are normal, and they wonder what their next steps should be. Patients should always visit a medical professional with concerns and receive appropriate care for maternal-fetal conditions and illnesses that…
When a newborn baby begins to have seizures, parents wonder what is causing the seizures, how neonatal seizures are treated, if seizures mean the baby has a brain injury, and if the baby will have lifelong problems. Parents also want to know if the medical team did something wrong during or near the time of birth that caused the baby to have a brain injury, resulting in seizures.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo gained attention in April 2018 for driving initiatives to combat the horrific maternal mortality rate among black women in his state. A key element of this task force was for Medicaid to cover the use of doulas, or trained birth coaches. What is a doula? Doulas are professional birth…
Every day, our nurses and attorneys receive calls from expectant mothers with concerns about symptoms they’re experiencing during pregnancy. They’re curious if their symptoms are normal, and they wonder what their next steps should be. Patients should always visit a medical professional with concerns like these and receive appropriate care for maternal-fetal conditions and illnesses…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has devoted countless resources to ongoing research regarding the effects of the novel Coronavirus on pregnancy, and vice versa. Even in light of these efforts, much remains unknown about pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic (1). One area experts have recently weighed in on is the increased interest in home…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a recent summary of pregnancy-related deaths from 2008-2017 (1). The data summarized was voluntarily given to the CDC by 14 Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) across the country. In an effort to understand the incidence of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S., these committees reported a vast amount…
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread concern over the past few months, especially in women who are pregnant or plan to be. Many questions have emerged regarding how COVID-19 can affect a pregnancy, and vice versa. JAMA released a study on June 5 called Caring for Women Who Are Planning a Pregnancy, Pregnant, or Postpartum…
