OBGYN Category
Study Suggests Increased Risk of Birth Defects With UTI Treatments
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- Study Suggests Increased Risk of Birth Defects With UTI Treatments
(Report via Med Page Today) Although most antibiotics are safe for pregnant women, two preferred classes of drugs for urinary tract infections were associated with significant, life-threatening birth defects, according to a CDC-sponsored study.
More Birth Defects Found In Babies Born of Diabetic Women
A study that looked at birth records of 13,000 births from ten different states found that birth defects were three to four times more likely to develop in women who had a form of diabetes termed “gestational” diabetes. The study provides detailed information on the types of deformities diabetic mothers are likely to incur with their infants which includes heart defects, missing kidneys and spine deformities.
Miscarriages related to caffeine
Based on findings from a recent study of 1,063 women, the intake of more than 200 mg of caffeine may double a woman’s chance of miscarriage. That is the amount of caffeine found in two cups of coffee or five 12 ounce cans of soda. Caffeine is speculated to decrease blood flow to the placenta and may also affect cell development.
Malnutrition during pregnancy
Malnutrition during pregnancy and infancy can be responsible for more than a third of child deaths and may be at the root of disease on a global basis. More than 1/4 of lives could be saved by enforcing the importance of vitamin supplements (especially folic acid) and breastfeeding initiation programs. The most important interval for the effect of good nutrition is between pregnancy and the age of two years.
