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…
One common labor and delivery complication is the failure of the baby’s head to “engage” in the mother’s pelvis. This means that although the baby is otherwise ready to be born, their presenting body part has not yet moved into a position that will allow for a safe and comfortable birth. In some cases, this…
Magnesium sulfate is an inorganic salt that may have a variety of health benefits during pregnancy. It can be prescribed to mothers in order to treat preeclampsia or eclampsia (1). Additionally, when premature birth is expected, it can be used to protect a baby’s brain. There is evidence that antenatal magnesium sulfate reduces the risk…
Each year, the March of Dimes issues “report cards,” which summarize the effectiveness of individual states’ efforts to prevent premature birth and its associated complications. These report cards include both written commentary and a letter grade. For the year of 2018 (these reports were released only recently), Georgia got an “F.” It was among six…
According to a recent Vox article, a South Carolina physician named Amy Crockett changed the way her women’s health clinic was operated in 2008 (1). South Carolina’s horrific infant mortality rates in those years (49th in the nation, second to Mississippi) drove her to try a new approach to prenatal care. Crockett got a grant…
Proper nutrition is vital for the development of the baby. Because the mother is supporting the needs of her baby and herself, she will need more of certain nutrients during pregnancy and lactation. If you are pregnant or hoping to get pregnant, prenatal vitamins are recommended to complement a healthy diet (1). They are similar…
Pregnancy by trimester Fertilization Fertilization, the union of the egg and the sperm into a single cell called a zygote, occurs in the fallopian tube. During the following days, the single cell divides into more cells and migrates to the uterus, where it implants. After implantation, the fertilized egg is called an embryo, and at…
What is placenta accreta? In a normal pregnancy, the placenta is attached to the uterus until birth and is naturally expelled after the baby exits the birth canal. Placenta accreta is a condition in which the placenta is unable to properly separate from the uterus during labor and delivery because it has grown too deeply…
