National Maternal and Child Health Clearinghouse, Health Resources and Services Administration, 2070 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 450, Vienna, VA 22182, 703-356-1964, www.nmchc.org La Leche League International, 1400 North Meacham Road, P.O. Box 4079, Schaumburg, IL 60168, 800-LALECHE, www.lalecheleague.org For Parents of Preemies, Meriter Hospital, Neonatology 6C, 202 South Park Street, Madison, WI 53715, {ww2.medsch.wisc.edu/chilrenshosp/parents_of_preemie_index.html.

Cigarette smoke in the pregnant woman cuts the flow of oxygen to her unborn baby. This can be very dangerous, even life threatening to the fetus. Infants who are born to mothers who smoke are more likely to be born premature, which is the leading cause of infant death. Infants that are around secondhand smoke are at risk of dying of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

If your pregnancy is progressing normally, then there is no reason to suspect GBS is infecting your baby. If a GBS infection is present, you’ll usually go into labour or your membranes will rupture. And that’s the time to get to hospital as quickly as you can to receive the intravenous antibiotics to give your baby the best protection possible.

For women with certain risks or problems detected by their obstetrician, special fetal echocardiograms can be performed to evaluate the baby's heart while in the womb. Your obstetrician can advise you as to whether or not a fetal echocardiogram might be necessary. There are many different types of acquired heart disease that can affect children. Most of these are related to inflammatory diseases such as acute rheumatic fever, Kawasaki disease, or myocarditis (a viral infection).

Yes. The baby will not be affected by having sex. However if you have previously miscarried, you may be advised to resist intercourse during the first three to four months.

It is best to avoid caffeine during pregnancy as it can affect your baby's birthweight. Try to steer clear of coffee, tea, chocolate and cola and instead opt for herbal teas or fresh juices. However many experts say it is safe to have a small amount of caffeine (one cup of coffee a day).

Unless otherwise advised by a physician, x-ray tests should be postponed until after the baby has been delivered. If a woman has reason to believe she may be pregnant, she should consult her physician before an x-ray exam is given.

Large amounts of caffeine should be avoided, but the most recent studies seem to show that a small amount of coffee (one or two cups a day) is fine.

Variant CJD is a relatively new disease, and knowledge about it is limited. However, to date there is no evidence that transmission of variant CJD from a mother to her unborn child or through breast milk has occurred in people with variant CJD.

To date, there have been no proven ill effects from conducting regular ultrasound exams on pregnant women. BEECHSTREET CORPORATION – with over 500 insurance companies through the Beechstreet Network such as BENESIGHT OR CORESOURCE be sure to check beechstreet.com to see if your plan is covered under the Beechstreet Corporation

There are many reasons. Here is a list of some of the common blood tests your baby may have and the reasons required. A count of particles contained in blood, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are some of those particles and they are checked for anaemia, infection and clotting of the blood. Salts contained in blood which need to be kept balanced depending on the amount of fluid/feed baby receives and from the result can be altered with more or less fluid or feed. Cal&Mag.

Yes, the tests are necessary. Most infants with conditions identified by the Newborn Screening Program show no obvious signs of illness immediately after birth. However, each of these disorders can cause serious problems. If not found early and treated, all, except sickle cell anemia may cause brain damage and mental retardation. THERE ARE MANY OTHER CAUSES OF MENTAL RETARDATION. We have only dealt with the few for which there are good screening tests.

Hunterdon Medical Center provides many routine screening tests for newborns. New Jersey leads the nation in requiring many of these tests to guard the future health of your baby.

The use of medications during pregnancy and breast-feeding is a complicated issue. It is known that these medicines cross from the mother's blood to the fetus so it is important to discuss possible risks with your clinician to determine whether the dosage of the particular medication you are taking should be lowered or temporarily discontinued. In general, the most commonly used medications for PTSD, the SSRIs, have a good safety record when taken during pregnancy.

The People First Service Center urges employees anticipating the birth of a child to change to family coverage approximately 2-3 months prior to the birth of the child. If individual coverage is in effect at the time of the baby's birth, you will have 60 days from the birth of the child to enroll in family coverage. The effective date of coverage will be retroactive to the beginning of the month in which the child is born and premiums will be due accordingly.

There is a range of possible consequences to your baby when you use cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs during pregnancy, but all of are harmful. To learn more, go to "What's on the Menu" in the "Options Magazine Articles" section.

Normally we use ultrasound tests when it's prescribed by the physician. Any additional tests can be done if prescribed by the physician or if it's your wish. It's up to you to decide, because some tests can be quite dangerous for the pregnancy. We would work with any clinic chosen by our clients, it's up to you to decide, we can only give you some orientation. As for Moscow clinic, we've previously worked with AltraVita, Deti iz Probirki, Ma-Ma, Mat' i Dit'ia, Moskvorechje and some others.

Where indicated, we order HIV, drug screen, hepatitis and thyroid tests. If you request others, these can almost always be obtained.

Mild folic acid deficiency anemia may not produce any symptoms. As folic acid deficiency progresses, the following common symptoms of anemia may develop: If your health professional suspects folic acid deficiency anemia, he or she will ask about your medical history and conduct a physical exam. Be sure to discuss: Usually, your doctor will want to draw blood in order to perform standard tests.

The best way to try and prevent this disorder in your baby is to ensure that you get quality prenatal care throughout your pregnancy and that you are careful about your health and avoid infections or illness wherever possible. Once your baby is born, the recommended vaccinations can help to avoid disease that can result in this disorder. Cerebral palsy is often the result of human error and malpractice, but this can often be difficult to prove.

There has been one known case in the United States of a mother passing West Nile virus to her unborn baby. In this case, the baby was born with serious medical problems. However, it is not known whether the problems were caused by West Nile virus or by other factors. Since evidence shows it is possible to pass West Nile virus to an unborn child, pregnant women should take immediate steps to reduce their risk of mosquito bites if they are in an area where West Nile virus is active.

The risks of breast and cervical cancer increase with age. Women over 40 should have a mammogram every year and a Pap test every one to three years.

Patients with new onset or suspected heart failure should have a history and physical exam, lab tests (chemistry panel, CBC, Urinalysis), electrocardiogram (ECG) and chest x-ray. These will determine if the presentation fits the diagnosis of heart failure. An echocardiogram will assess left ventricular function and is important for finding the cause and severity of heart failure. Additional tests may follow as necessary. top

Newborn screening examines a number of analytes (substances in the baby's blood) that can be altered (either increased or decreased) in the presence of certain diseases.

Yes. St. Mary's requires all birth mothers to be tested for the presence of HIV and Hepatitis B & C. A drug screen is also done during her prenatal care. In the event a baby is born with concerns, we will have the baby seen by specialists regarding the baby's future health and care. top

In many states, the baby must be born alive for its death to be the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit. This is not always the case, however. In some states, the fetus must have been viable (able to live outside the mother's womb) even though it was not born; in other states, viability is not an issue. Because the law varies so much from state to state, it is wise to consult an attorney who knows the laws in your area.