Testing It Up

Over the past few months, marijuana has found itself in the middle of the spotlight, with debates ringing far and wide calling for its legalization or otherwise. While this is going on, however, the illicit use of marijuana continues to thrive, and with it are side effects that could certainly have been avoided.

Marijuana debates have undoubtedly included arguments that relate to the substance’s “deadly” factor. We have posted features before that presented a comparison between how deadly marijuana use is to the community as opposed to excessive alcohol consumption, and we definitely see where advocates are coming from.

Still, as in anything, not all substances are for everybody. The recreational use of marijuana may have adverse effects on a certain rather delicate group of people — pregnant women.

The effect that marijuana use may have on pregnancy is discussed in a feature on drugfreehomes.org. While the mother herself may not find any noticeable differences to her physical state while using marijuana, or other drugs, studies would show that it is the one we do not see – the unborn child – that takes the brunt of adverse effects. The child, after all, is more sensitive than his or her mother, and it is the child who will suffer highly from the effects of marijuana use.

The active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, reportedly hinders neuron development. This can lead to the development of problems pertaining to basic cognitive skills such as memory retention in the child. Basically, marijuana use during pregnancy may have effects to the unborn child’s mental development, which will manifest themselves during the child’s formative years.

Doctors now say that the popular home version of the fetal monitoring device used by doctors may actually make it more likely a mother will wait to seek treatment than if she had gone without it. The false sense of security these monitors offer is to blame, causing mothers to wait unaware that the machine may not be catching their child’s heartbeat but their own among other dangers. This very thing happened to one mother who waited several days to seek medical help believing that she heard the steady heartbeat of her child, prompting the warning.

Fetal heart monitors are not always valid ultrasound machines and regardless of quality shouldn’t be treated as a valid way to monitor a baby’s safety and wellbeing. Some companies make the entertainment purposes of these machines clear while others don’t, the child’s safety is at risk if the parents don’t seek help when it is needed.

While the fetal heart rate is part of the overall safety and health status of an unborn baby it’s only a small part and without training can very easily be misheard or misconstrued as normal. If there are any major changes in the overall movement of the baby, the way you feel or there are any signs that make you concerned for the safety of your child it’s best to seek medical care right away to verify the health of the child and yourself. While home monitors can be a great way of listening to the child they should be regarded as the entertainment and interaction tools they are.

While you may have read that recent research could make it possible to transplant a human womb in as little as two years researchers say that this is an estimate that’s far off the mark. An overly optimistic assertion the news became widespread recently and indicated new hope for women who had difficulty in conceiving due to damage to, removal or the lack of a uterus. The reality is that such research has only begun and despite recent success with testing and research on rabbits, human subjects aren’t likely to be tested for years yet. Even if research did get as far as humans there’s no guarantee that it would become a procedure that would be given medical merit either due to its potential for failure and the risk of it being labeled a “cosmetic” procedure.

What many are unaware of is that rather than being a simple transplant of the uterus alone this research in rabbits also includes the transplant of major blood vessels and even an aorta. It was also a small research group that involved 5 rabbits of which 2 only lived for 9-10 months after the procedure. It’s also worth noting that while their bodies maintained blood flow to the uterus they never conceived due to blockage in the fallopian tubes.  The damage could be caused by a cut that was made to the fallopian tubes that the researchers say they would not do un humans however. While the study does have merit and could show promise toward eventually helping women with fertility issues it shouldn’t be hailed just yet.

Pregnancy prevention methods were first introduced in response to unwanted pregnancies and early parenting. This took place during the 1960s to 1970s. At this point in time, researchers found the need of educating the populace about responsible parenthood. Social services were extended to pregnant women in their adolescent and adult stages.

During the first two decades of extending these social services, some of the contraceptive methods were also introduced. Birth control methods using a condom and other contraceptives were also launched. These methods were created not only for pregnancy prevention but for decreasing STD possibilities as well.

In the 1980’s, researchers saw the need to bring the pregnancy prevention measures into a better approach. Aside from education on unwanted pregnancies, the reproduction process was also taught to concerned individuals. Proper utilization of contraception methods and the value of sexual abstinence were also discussed.
During the 1990’s, another program was included in these pregnancy prevention methods. By this time, the services were extended due to the spread of immune deficiency syndromes. This period also led to production of effective contraceptive pills and encouragement of condom use. In some areas of the country, abortive pills were permitted for special cases.

For full version of this article, please visit “Evolution of Pregnancy Prevention Methods in History“.

Pregnancy seems to be very natural to all. But there are those married couples who keep on trying their luck but do not have the capacity to bear a child. Therefore, ovulation predictors and calculators will be deemed necessary. These gadgets help determine the best times for a woman to conceive. Together with this, one may utilize the signs and symptoms of ovulation.

There are a number of ways to predict ovulation. Manifestations include increase in basal body temperature and pain in the lower portion of the abdomen. Tests for these symptoms may also be calculated. In this case, one may opt for detection of ferning appearances through the aid of the fertility microscope. Additionally, the ovulation predictor test kit or ovulation calculators may also be used.

Ovulation calculator is termed as such because it is used to calculate a female’s ovulation period. One has to simply enter certain facts about her menstrual cycle and the calculator provides results on that person’s ovulation period. With these gadgets, the need for ovulation calendars is eliminated.

For full version of this article, please visit “The Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation and Ovulation Calculators“.

We recently talked about hormonal changes in women and how this affects asthma. In a woman’s lifetime, there are two events where a woman’s hormones can go haywire –pregnancy and menopause.

For pregnant women, there is no standard impact that asthma can do during pregnancy. Pregnancy can cause one of three very different effects to a woman suffering from asthma — the symptoms may worsen; it may get better; or there may be no changes to their symptoms.

It is important for pregnant women to keep their asthma under control. If this is accomplished, there will be no increase in the risk of complications for both mother and infant. Exactly how should this be done?

It is critical at this time in an asthmatic woman’s life to take maintenance medication. It is therefore important to work closely with your ob-gyn as well as the physician treating you for asthma. Pregnancy is a time when taking medications should be closely monitored, which is why a lot of pregnant women are concerned about having to take medication and the impact this may have on their child. There are times, though, that the risk of not taking medication can have a more adverse effect than that of taking medications. So ask your doctor; they would know.

For women undergoing menopause, this is a time when there are rather dramatic fluctuations in estrogen levels. If these hormone fluctuations are kept to a relative constancy and sudden highs and lows are avoided, then the symptoms for asthma are better managed.

And then, of course, there is the rather surprising possibility that a woman who previously did not suffer from asthma may suddenly develop symptoms while going through menopause, so it is important that one is sensitive of unusual coughing or wheezing. Women whose asthma is triggered by menopause may work with their physician regarding the possibility of temporarily using hormone replacement therapy.

While contraception is not acceptable in other beliefs, others would rather embrace the practice than suffer the consequences of having more children later on. In this regard, family planning is a must for most couples who believe in responsible parenthood. For those who have prepared for pregnancy, the ovulation predictor test is of great help though.

The ovulation predictor test revolves around the principle of giving a forecast for women who want to increase their chances of getting pregnant. The test detects monthly luteinizing hormone or LH peaks. The LH peak is a period when the LH has substantially increased. From here, the ovulation period comes next. During this period when a woman is most fertile, partners should have sexual intercourse.

The ovulation predictor test comes with a kit. A woman has to take her urine sample then place it inside the container. A vertical strip is utilized in order to detect if she is fertile or not.

For full version of this article, please visit “How Does Ovulation Predictor Test Work?“.

This kit however may not apply to all. The results will not be as favorable to women in their forties since this is a period where the LH hormone increases. In this case, ovulation period is not predicted by the test.

Asthma is one of those chronic illnesses that affect a cross-section of people of all ages. However, there is a special connection between this disease and the female gender. According to Dr. Neil Kao, an asthma and allergy specialist in Greenville, South Carolina who was quoted in a feature on WebMD, women who have asthma have an even harder time than others simply because they are who they are – women.

The reason for this is the fact that aside from external allergens that all people with asthma have to face, women periodically go through hormonal changes over a certain period of time and at certain stages in their lives that can affect how well they can breathe. Being pregnant, or having your period, or dealing with menopause can all affect a woman’s breathing. In other words, as in a lot of things in a woman’s life – it’s a girl thing.

When we talk about the female hormone estrogen and its effect on asthma in women, we are not exactly pointing to it as the reason for triggering asthma symptoms. It is the fact that estrogen levels fluctuate at certain periods that can trigger an inflammation in a woman’s airways, leading to the appearance of asthma symptoms.

So, for women who live with asthma, it is not enough to simply be knowledgeable and conscious about the seasons and the specific allergens that trigger their asthma symptoms. It is also necessary to be aware of one’s menstrual cycle. Being pregnant and going through menopause and the hormonal changes that go with them can also have an impact on dealing with asthma.

Generally, significant changes in hormone levels happen throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle, regardless of whether her cycle is regular or irregular. For women with asthma, one should watch out during the time right before the start of her period, which is when estrogen levels are at their lowest. According to Dr. Maeve O’Connor, an allergist and immunologist from Charlotte, North Carolina who was quoted in the same feature, it is at this time in an asthmatic woman’s cycle that most asthma-related hospitalizations occur.

Folic acid, also known as folate is an essential vitamin from the B9 group. This water-soluble element is crucial to the body’s cell division and growth. Both children and adults are required to take in folic acid for anemia prevention. Moreover, this important vitamin should be taken by pregnant women.

Pregnant women should take folic acid not only for their own good. The vitamin will be more beneficial to the growth of the babies in their wombs. When a pregnant woman lacks this essential vitamin, there is a tendency for their unborn child to acquire the so-called neural tube defects or NTDs. This may lead to childhood paralysis. Lack of folic acid intake during pregnancy may also result to infant heart defects and cleft palate or cleft lip conditions.

There are a lot of good sources of folic acid aside from supplements that can be bought over-the-counter. Food sources include pasta, bread, canned corn, orange juice and leafy vegetables. All women – pregnant or in their child bearing age – are encouraged to take folic acid in its natural or pill form.

For full version of this article, please visit “Seeing the Value of Folic Acid during Pregnancy“.

A case in Japan has proven that cancer can be passed on to an unborn child from an affected mother, a potential risk that has long been considered possible by researchers. While there is a small risk of this phenomena occurring it’s unlikely, most cells from the mother are blocked by the placenta and these cells are destroyed before they can transfer from mother to baby. The immune system of the baby is already in defense mode in the womb and so it’s rare that the cancer is able to get past those defenses.

The mother in this case developed leukemia just after giving birth to her daughter who developed the same cancer at 11 months. Both mother and daughter were genetically tested and came up positive for the same cancer gene called BCR-ABL1.  The gene wasn’t inherited though and developed independently in the child. By way of genetic fingerprinting the researchers discovered that the cancer cells had developed and passed to the child in utero. The cancer was also found to have destroyed part of the infant’s DNA that distinguishes the separation point between a mother and child’s cells. The cells are believed to have passed through the placenta and implanted without having been distinguished as a threat by her developing immune system.

The rarity of this happening is increased by the rarity of cancers developing in pregnancy. Very few mothers find themselves with malignant tumors or cancerous cells during pregnancy and of those who do a very small fraction have children who’ve developed the cancer as well.