Disorders During Pregnancy That Can Cause Problems For Women And-Or The Fetus
Women can develop disorders during pregnancy that increase the risk of problems for the pregnant woman and/or the fetus. In this article you will read about a few of those disorders which include:
o High fever
o Infections
o Disorders that require abdominal surgery
Examples of disorders more likely to occur during pregnancy because of the changes pregnancy cause in a woman's body include:
o Thromboembolic disease
o Anemia
o Urinary tract infections
Fevers in Pregnant Women
If a pregnant woman develops a temperature greater than 103 degrees F during the 1st trimester, risk of miscarriage and defects of the brain or spinal cord in the baby are increased. If a pregnant woman develops fever later in pregnancy it can increase the risk of preterm labor.
Infections in Pregnant Women
There are some infections that occur coincidentally during pregnancy that can cause birth defects. Examples are:
o German measles (rubella) that can cause birth defects especially of the heart and inner ear
o Cytomegalovirus infection can damage the fetus's liver and brain
Other viral infections that may harm the fetus or cause birth defects include:
o Herpes simplex
o Chickenpox (varicella)
Protozoal infections that may cause miscarriage, death of fetus or serious birth defects include:
o Toxoplasmosis
Bacterial infections of the vagina that may lead to preterm labor or premature rupture of the membranes containing the fetus include:
o Bacterial vaginosis
Treatment of infections with antibiotics may reduce the likelihood of these problems.
Disorders that require surgery during pregnancy are usually delayed as long as possible unless the woman's long-term health may be affected. Examples are:
o Appendicitis: Surgery to remove the appendix is performed immediately because a ruptured appendix may be fatal. An appendectomy is not likely to harm the fetus or cause a miscarriage. The problem lies with diagnosing appendicitis during pregnancy because the cramping pain of appendicitis resembles uterine contractures that are common during pregnancy.
o Ovarian cyst: If an ovarian cyst persists during pregnancy, surgery is usually postponed until after the 12th week of pregnancy. Sometimes the cyst producing hormones supports the pregnancy and will disappear without treatment. If the cyst or another mass enlarges, surgery may be necessary before the 12th week. A mass such as this may be cancer.
o Intestinal obstruction: This can be serious during pregnancy. If the obstruction leads to gangrene of the intestine and peritonitis, a woman may miscarry and her life is endangered. Exploratory surgery is usually performed promptly for pregnant women experiencing symptoms of intestinal obstruction. This is especially true if the woman has had abdominal surgery or an abdominal infection.
o Thromboembolic Disease: Is the leading cause of death in pregnant women in the United States. This disease manifests itself with blood clots forming in the blood vessels that may travel through the bloodstream and block an artery. There is risk of developing thromboembolic disease for about 6 to 8 weeks after delivery. Complications due to blood clots usually result from injuries that occur during delivery. This risk is much greater after a cesarean section than after vaginal delivery.
Blood clots usually form in the superficial veins of the legs or in the deep veins. Symptoms include:
o Swelling
o Pain in the calves
o Tenderness in the calves
Severity of symptoms does not correlate with the severity of the disease. If a clot moves from the legs to the lungs it may block one or more arteries in the lungs. The blockage is called pulmonary embolism and can be life threatening. If a clot blocks an artery supplying the brain, a stroke may result. Blood clots can also develop in the pelvis area.
Blood clots can be prevented from forming in women who have had a blood clot during a previous pregnancy. Heparin (an anticoagulant) during subsequent pregnancies helps prevent blood clots.
Women who have symptoms suggesting a blood clot are often given a Doppler ultrasonography to check for clots. Heparin can be started without delay if a blood clot is detected. Treatment continues for 6 to 8 weeks after delivery if the risk of blood clots is high. After delivery, there are other drugs that may be used.
Source: The Merck Manual Online Medical Library
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All health concerns should be addressed by a qualified health care professional.
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Plastic Surgery – Safe Or Not Safe? That Is The Question
Plastic surgery is growing in popularity today especially in the Southern California region. It is also growing rapidly in Texas, so much that it may surpass California in number of procedures performed each year. Plastic surgery is a surgery that is performed by a specialized doctor to improve an individual's body image. There are dozens of plastic surgery procedures that focus on all parts of the human body. There are also dozens of procedures that are not considered surgical like Botox.
One thing you can be sure of is that any plastic surgery procedure is pretty safe as long as you have a well trained doctor performing your procedures. As with any surgery, plastic surgery carries some risk, but not as much as other procedures like open heart surgery, or getting some sort of a transplant.
It has been fun over the years to see what advances have been made in cosmetic surgery. Each and every advance has made it safer, more affordable, and have less recovery time if you choose to have these procedures performed on you. The most important decision that you will make when choosing to have plastic surgery is choosing the right surgeon. Do your research and make sure that they are good and have been practicing for at the very least five years. Make sure that he or she is certified by the board and has good testimonials and recommendations from past patients. If you find each of these things and feel good about the doctor then you are in good hands.
Keep in mind that with any other type of surgery, there is always a risk of something going wrong. It is definitely the same with plastic surgery! Although no one has ever died of plastic surgery, you are always at risk for infection, allergic reactions to medicines or anesthesia, or the procedure just didn't turn out right.
If this is the case, another surgery may have to be performed to correct the earlier ones that didn't go as planned. Keep in mind that some scars become do not fade away after a period of time. Think about it, if you are getting a breast augmentation, you are stretching that skin a lot further than it has ever been stretched before. Would you honestly expect to not get stretch marks?
Also keep in mind that each case is different in terms of results and problems that may occur, but most patients are happy and satisfied with the plastic surgeries that they undergo and there are not too many complaints.
Let Beverly Hills Cosmetic Dental Surgery Brighten Your Smile
Are you shy about smiling because of missing, stained, or broken teeth? Do you only wish that your smile were perfect enough to make you feel more self- confident? If you are struggling with self-esteem because of these problems, let Beverly Hills cosmetic dental surgery help you smile again!
Cosmetic dentists are groups of dental professionals whose goal is to help their clients smile look as beautiful as they have always hoped. They perform many dental procedures that help to increase the self-confidence and improve the self-image of their customers. Many dentists located in and around Beverly Hills practice with just this goal in mind.
Teeth whitening is one of the most popular types of cosmetic dental surgery. Dental professionals make molds of a person's teeth, and then use these to form plastic trays. These trays are filled with a peroxide-based gel and applied to the teeth. The dentist then applies a laser light to the teeth, activating the gel and whitening the teeth.
Some people have experienced severe damage to their teeth because of health conditions such as bulimia or antibiotic therapy. If the enamel of the teeth is destroyed beyond easy reparation, a porcelain veneer can be applied to the visible surfaces of the teeth. This improves the teeth's appearance, and prevents further breakdown of the enamel.
A crown is another type of cosmetic dentistry that works much the same way. A cap, or porcelain coating, can be placed over individual teeth that have broken or chipped. They can also be used to seal failed fillings or root canals. These crowns are recommended when there is no abscess and the tooth has not decayed too much to be salvageable.
Another way cosmetic dental professionals can help people to smile again is by using appliances such as bridges. Bridges are used to close the gap between existing teeth. These items are very useful when people have teeth missing because of injury or trauma.
While bridges are very useful for people who have missing teeth, sometimes people have only a small gap between their teeth. If no teeth are missing, the dentist might opt instead to use composite bonding. This procedure is also useful if a tooth is cracked or only slightly chipped.
Seeking a Beverly Hills cosmetic dental surgery professional allows you to find highly qualified individuals to brighten your smile. Their top clients are Hollywood stars; for what higher recommendation can you hope?
Spring Allergy Season – A Few Good Remedies To Stave Off Sneezing And Allergy Symptoms
Well, spring is in the air, noses are sneezing and it's allergy season. The trees are starting to sprout new leaves and with the new leaves and spring flowers comes the dreaded allergy season. My worst allergy enemy is pollen. In fact, this morning I had to hose down my car because it had yellow layer of pollen on it...despite it being kept in a closed garage.
I've had a few natural remedies that have really worked wonders against seasonal allergies. Ordinarily I would be sneezing, stuffed up and very tired. Instead, I can get the paper without a full on allergy attack all without the use of conventional pharmaceutical drugs.
An allergy is the result of your immune system's over-reaction to pollens, grass, airborne fungi and even certain foods and cosmetics. When an allergen is introduced, the body fights back by producing an excess of inflammatory chemicals, such as histamine, from mast cells. This attempt to seek-and-destroy the allergen brings on the familiar symptoms of runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing.
OTC antihistamines merely block the action of histamine at receptor sites. They only suppress the appearance of physical symptoms but do nothing to redirect the underlying cause. Antihistamines also often produce undesirable side effects, such as dizziness, drowsiness and even depression. Therefore treating allergies naturally gets to the root cause of the symptoms and side effects we detest.
During serious bouts with allergies, you may want to assume an all vegan diet, or at least consider reducing your consumption of meat and dairy products.
ESSENTIAL HERBS TO FIGHT ALLERGIES
Nettle (Urtica dioica): Nettle has enjoyed a long history as a treatment for seasonal allergies. Dr. Andrew Weil, author of Natural Health, Natural Medicine (Houghton Mifflin, 1998) reports success with this herb to treat his own allergies. Be careful not to confuse this herb with another species, U. Urens, which contains high levels of leukotrienes and histamine.
Ephedra (Ephedra sinicia): Also known as mahuang, the generic name of this herb may be familiar since a synthetic version of its primary alkaloid, ephedrine, can be found in many conventional remedies as pseudoephedrine. This herb has been used to treat bronchial and inflammatory disorders in Chinese medicine for more than 5,000 years. In fact, ephedra is often used to treat asthma. Note: Ephedra can raise both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and can cause excitability in some individuals.
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea): Also known as purple coneflower, this Native American herb is one of the best immune enhancing supplements you can take. Echinacea has been the subject of more than 50 years worth of study and has clearly demonstrated an ability to increase the production of a number of T-cells and their distribution in the blood.
Garlic (Allium sativum): The antiviral properties of garlic have been well examined for many years. In Russia, the herb is known as "Russian penicillin" where it was once used to treat respiratory disorders in hospitals. Recent Japanese studies have found that aged garlic extract stimulates NK activity and a potent antimicrobial action against bacteria and yeasts. Garlic owes its efficacy to allicin, a byproduct derived from the amino acid alliin reacting with the enzyme alliinase. The biosynthesis of these constituents however, can be unstable in their natural state. Raw garlic is certainly good for you and has several health benefits to offer otherwise, but the enzyme necessary to produce allicin is usually destroyed in the stomach before the conversion can take place. For this reason, enteric-coated tablets of dried or powdered garlic tablets is the best form of supplementation to take advantage of this herb's immune-boosting qualities. Note: Garlic, and other alliums can raise or lower blood sugar levels. Consult your health care practitioner if you are diabetic or hypoglycemic.
Honey helps your body build antibodies to the allergens themselves. Using honey in teas or on bread daily can help ward off allergies. The key is to use locally grown, organic honey. The sames bees populating the plants near you will help you build up an immunity to the allergens in your area. (For more info about honey - read our article about the benefits of honey.)
Dosages:
Stinging nettle - 250 mg. freeze-dried extract every 2-4 hours or until symptoms subside
Ephedra: 12.5 - 25 mg. 3x day
Quercetin - 400 mg. 2x day between meals
Echinacea - 350 mg 3x day
Garlic - tablet equivalent of 10 cloves of garlic
Honey- 2 tbs daily
Viagra may Restore Brain Damage due to Liver Failure
Scientists through the ages have been trying to solve the baffling puzzle behind
liver failure leading to brain damage. But a new research using Viagra has come up
with certain revelations that can uncover the whole mystery. Scientists used
laboratory rats to come up with this interesting medical discovery.
The study, involving rats, has shown that Sildenafil in Viagra can help in
understanding the mechanism responsible for learning impairment due to liver failure
and restore the cognitive function of the brain too. Liver disease sometimes causes
hepatic encephalopathy that results in brain damage, personality changes and
intellectual impairment due to hyperammonemia (high levels of ammonia in the blood).
A study at the Laboratory of Neurobiology in The Fundacion Valenciana de Investigaciones
Biomedicas in Valencia, Spain, led by Vicento Felipo postulated that a defect in the
(glutamate- nitric oxide-cGMP) pathway in the brain cause impaired learning. The study
also found that Sildenafil(Viagra) can restore the learning ability.
The research used laboratoty rats with liver disease that are fed on a normal diet with
and without Sildenafil. The rats were given a maze learning test for four weeks from
the day the drug treatment began. The results demostrated that rats with portacaval shunt
had learning impairment, while shunted rats that were given Sildenafil restored their
cognitive power. The tests further displayed that the concentration of cGMP was
lessened in the extracellular fluid in the brains of shunted rats as compared to the
cGMP concentration in rats that were given Sildenafil. Sildenafil restored levels of
cGMP in these animals.
Rats with portacaval anastomosis (shunts) and rats with hyperammonemia without liver
failure show conformity in the functions of the (glutamate-nitric oxide- cGMP) pathway,
extracellular cGMP and learning ability. It is a clear indication that hyperammonemia,
the only common alteration in both models,is responsible for the alteration of the
pathway's function. It proves that hyperammonemia is responsible for impairment of
learning ability. And Viagra can help you restore the cognitive function.
Plastic Surgery Facts – Truth About Cosmetic Surgery Procedures
Many people think that plastic surgery has to use fake looking plastic parts to replace your original skin, however this belief is not true. When you see someone with a plastic looking feature, this is actually a prosthetic and is used as an affordable replacement when tragedy takes away part of us. In some circumstances it is not possible to reconstruct a facial feature by means of plastic surgery. In the event of this hardship a prosthetic may be used.
Plastic surgery is not only about the reshaping of the body's features, but the reshaping as well as rejuvenation of ones emotional well being. Almost all of those who have undergone the knife, those who have had a successful procedure have seen an increase in their self esteem.
When a patient goes into a surgeon's office, he or she wants to change something that they do not like about themselves. In many cases these patients will try almost every alternative method before finally choosing to go with the surgical procedure. The goal is to limit your risks associated with your self improvement. If you can accomplish this goal by a non invasive procedure, than it is worth it but when all else fails you are left with no other choice but to have it fixed by a surgeon.
Many patients have gone through alternative method right after another with no results that are worthwhile. When they finally come into a surgeon's office, many times they are not confident that the surgeon can complete the task because no one else could by this point. It makes it a confidence issue until the results of the plastic surgery is seen.
There are a lot of people that think only the rich and famous go to a plastic surgeon office in order to make themselves look younger and more beautiful. Truthfully, most of these types are only the minority of those who seek plastic surgery. The largest percentage actually seeks a plastic surgeon as a last result when all other alternative have failed to remedy something that we or the rest of the world sees as wrong with us. It is in this thinking that allows a person who has undergone a procedure to increase their self esteem upon the unveiling of their new self.
Plastic surgery is a last resort, but at the same time can be very beneficial not only in a physical sense but an emotional sense as well.
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