Many substances including alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs of abuse can have negative effects on the developing fetus because they are transferred to the fetus across the placenta. For example, nicotine has been connected with premature birth and low birth weight as has the use of cocaine. Whether a baby's health problems, if caused by a drug, will continue as the child grows, is not always known.

In pregnant women, there is evidence that untreated chlamydia can lead to premature delivery. Babies who are born to infected mothers can get chlamydia in their eyes and respiratory tracts. Chlamydia is a leading cause of early infant pneumonia and conjunctivitis (pink eye) in newborns.

Essentially the risk is rather small depending upon how far along the pregnancy is. However, it is not insignificant. For a more in-depth discussion about this topic, I suggest reading my previous question "Chicken Pox and Pregnancy".

A woman usually becomes pregnant after having sexual intercourse. This is where a man puts his erect penis inside a woman's vagina. The friction caused by moving his penis in and out of her vagina will cause him to get increasingly excited until eventually he ejaculates (or 'comes') and releases a sticky white substance called semen.

Many substances including alcohol, nicotine and drugs of abuse can have negative effects on the developing fetus because they are transferred to the fetus across the placenta. For example, nicotine has been connected with premature birth and low birth weight, as has the use of cocaine. Scientific studies have shown that babies born to marijuana users were shorter, weighed less and had smaller head sizes than babies born to women who did not use the drug.

More and more women are waiting until their 30s and 40s to have children. Actually, about 20 percent of women in the United States now have their first child after age 35. So age is an increasingly common cause of fertility problems. About one third of couples in which the woman is over 35 have fertility problems.

The effects depend on timing of the infection. If a mother develops infection during early pregnancy (e.g. first three months of pregnancy), the growth of various fetal organs may get affected and baby may be born with skin scarring, abnormalities of limb development and cataract. These babies may be mentally retarded, and may develop heart defect too. There is a possibility that abortion may occur in the pregnant woman.

If a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, she may give the infection to her baby as the baby passes through the birth canal during delivery. This can cause blindness, joint infection or a life-threatening blood infection in the baby. Treatment of gonorrhea as soon as it is detected in pregnant women will reduce the risk of these complications. Pregnant women should consult a health care provider for appropriate examination, testing and treatment, if necessary.

The bacteria that causes syphilis can infect the baby of a woman during her pregnancy. Depend­ing on how long a pregnant woman has been infected, she may have a high risk of having a stillbirth (a baby born dead) or of giving birth to a baby who dies shortly after birth. An infected baby may be born without symptoms of disease. However, if not treated immediately, the baby may develop serious problems within a few weeks. Untreated babies may become slow developing, have seizures or die.

There appears to be a higher rate of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, and premature delivery in women with PCOS. Researchers are studying how the medicine, metformin, prevents or reduces the chances of having these problems while pregnant, in addition to looking at how the drug lowers male hormone levels and limits weight gain in women who are obese when they get pregnant. No one yet knows if metformin is safe for pregnant women.

There appears to be higher rates of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia), and premature delivery in women with PCOS. Researchers are studying how the diabetes medicine metformin can prevent or reduce the chances of having these problems while pregnant. Metformin also lowers male hormone levels and limits weight gain in women who are obese when they get pregnant. Metformin is a FDA pregnancy category B drug.

infected woman who is pregnant may give the infection to her infant as the baby passes through the birth canal during delivery. Most states require that the eyes of newborns be treated with silver nitrate or other medication immediately after birth to prevent gonococcal infection of the eyes, which can lead to blindness. Because of the risk of gonococcal infection to both mother and child, doctors recommend that a pregnant woman have at least one test for gonorrhea during her pregnancy.

The answer lies in the wording of the question. More precisely, it is essentially impossible for a woman to get pregnant during her period, but on rare occasions it is possible for a woman to get pregnant from intercourse during her period. Since sperm can live for five days, a couple could have sex near the end of the woman's period, and the sperm could then live long enough to fertilize an egg several days later, if the woman had a very early ovulation.

Pregnant women can have some light irregular bleeding during pregnancy, but it should not be like a “normal” period. Some women can confuse this for their period because often it can come right around the time she was expecting her normal period. The irregular bleeding or spotting that can occur during pregnancy is often a dark brown color or a light pinkish. It should not be enough bleeding to fill pads or tampons over a few days.

Active bulimia can cause a woman to miss her period sometimes. Or, she may never get her period. If this happens, she usually does not ovulate. This makes it hard to get pregnant. Women who have recovered from bulimia have a better chance of getting pregnant once their monthly cycle is normal. If you're having a hard time getting pregnant, see your doctor.

If a woman has unprotected sex, she is at risk of becoming pregnant at any time during the month. Women ovulate at differing times, depending on the length of their menstrual cycle. The most fertile time is generally 3 days before and 3 days after ovulation.

During pregnancy the maternal autoantibodies may cross the placental barrier, recognize the fetal platelets, and lead to their destruction. Therefore ITP in pregnant women can induce moderate to severe thrombocytopenia in the fetus or in the newborn. A very small percentage of infants born to mothers with ITP will have severe thrombocytopenia. However the overall risk of long-term complications for the newborn is low.

No. Diet drugs have not been fully tested in pregnancy, for one thing, but more importantly such dieting can lead to poor nutrition. You want a healthy baby, so it is best to keep your system as drug free as possible. Some literature suggests one should try to be drug free -- including over the counter medications, for 3 months prior to seeking pregnancy. See medical journal abstracts.

Stop taking the diet drugs as soon as you know you are pregnant. Tell your physician you were on the drugs so that s/he is aware. Chances are your baby will be fine. You need to start eating a balanced diet as soon as you learn you are expecting.

During the birth, blood from the mother gets inside the baby’s body. A very small number of babies get infected while the infected mother is pregnant. There is no treatment to prevent this from happening.

No! Pregnancy is usually a healthy time in a woman’s life. You need to exercise to stay in shape for the athletic event of giving birth. Most activities that you pursued before pregnancy can continue, with a few modifications. Avoid excessive bouncing, avoid possible trauma to the abdomen, take special care to remain hydrated, and avoid letting your core temperature and pulse rate get too high. Lisa Stone at Fit for 2 is also a great resource for exercise during pregnancy.

Internal cleansing/detoxification is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women. A fetus or newborn baby should not be exposed to the toxins eliminated from the mother’s body while cleansing. The mother should wait until her baby is weaned completely.

All potentised homeopathic medicines are safe for pregnant woman. Since pregnancy is a special period the medicine should be taken only after proper consultation. I have been suffering from a skin disorder for the past 6 years for which I have been taking homoeopathic treatment but the problem doesn’t seem to disappear permanently. It keeps recurring.

Yes, if the physician feels that the situation warrants it. Scanning during the first trimester, however, is generally not advised.

Yes, it's important that a woman have her blood glucose levels in control BEFORE she becomes pregnant. Once the egg is fertilized and starts dividing specialized organs and tissues are formed and it's imperative that the mother's diabetes be in good control (as possible)