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1st Trimester

Ultrasound Scans

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

Who would have thought that sonar and radar used in the Royal Air Force in the 1950s would become a fundamental tool, used throughout pregnancies, to examine the foetus? Your first ultrasound will be an interesting experience. Your caregiver, or a sonographer, will first apply a special gel to your abdomen to reduce signal loss, apply the probe to your abdomen and move it around to find the best position. Once in place, the transducer then sends and receives ultrasound waves, which is translated into images on the screen. The movement on the screen allows you to see the heartbeat, whereas

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Smoking During Pregnancy

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

Smoking During Pregnancy Researchers at Bristol University claim up to 60 percent of cot deaths can be prevented, if mothers stop smoking while pregnant. Frightening isn’t it? The reality is that your baby is more at risk of dying or developing a life-long health problem because of your smoking habit. It’s a habit that you’re going to have to kick for life, if you want to give birth to and raise a healthy child. {module go to TOP link Module|none} How does smoking harm your unborn baby? Tobacco smoke contains poisonous chemicals,

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Pre-natal Tests

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

Pre-natal Tests It is important to see your doctor promptly after pregnancy is confirmed. This is because some tests for foetal abnormalities are carried out before you have your first pre-natal appointment. There are two categories of tests. Screening tests assess the risk of abnormality, while diagnostic tests determine for certain whether the foetus has a chromosomal abnormality or structural defect, such as spina bifida. Some diagnostic tests are invasive and hence carry a risk to the foetus. For example, CVS and amniocentesis both carry a risk of miscarriage of around one per

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Pregnant with Twins

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

Pregnant with Twins What to Expect There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared: twins.Josh Billings Learning that you are pregnant with twins brings with it a world of mixed emotions - shock, disbelief, joy and amazement. Once these emotions settle you will most likely be faced with many questions and concerns. This article strives to provide answers to the questions most commonly asked by moms pregnant with twins. We trust these will help to set your mind at ease. {module go to TOP link Module|none}

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Pink or Blue After Just 8 Weeks

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

Pink or Blue After Just 8 Weeks Pregnant women now have an additional 8 weeks to plan their baby rooms after local molecular technology firm DNAlysis Biotechnology licensed a foetal sexing test that has cut the time it takes to determine a baby’s gender from 16 weeks to 8 weeks. According to Dr. Daniel Meyersfeld, PhD, “Our new Pink or Blue test detects the sex of a baby by characterising minute quantities of foetal cellular material which is released into the maternal bloodstream as part of normal foetal development.” Not only has the safe,

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Miscarriage

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

Miscarriage Having a miscarriage can be one of the most traumatic experiences you’ll ever suffer.  Some women say it’s not only the physical loss that they feel, but also the hopes and dreams that die along with that baby. While your body will heal fairly quickly, the emotional toll could take much longer to get over. So what exactly is a miscarriage? A miscarriage is described as the loss of a pregnancy without obvious cause before the foetus is capable of surviving, usually before the 20th week. Approximately 15% of pregnancies end in

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twins

How Twins are Formed

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

How Twins are Formed All who would win joy, must share it; happiness was born a twin. Lord Byrone The news that twins are on their way is usually met with surprise and a fair amount of shock. Suddenly, a whole host of carefully made considerations must be multiplied by two. However, when the initial shock wears off, appreciation of the double miracle growing within takes hold. This is when you will more than likely become very interested in exactly what takes place when twins are conceived. Twins are either identical or fraternal:

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High Risk Pregnancies

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

High Risk Pregnancies For many expectant mom’s, pregnancy is a time of excitement, hope and dreams. We’d all be lying if we said we didn’t worry, at some stage, about whether our babies would be born with all their fingers and toes, but in general those concerns are relatively minor. For some pregnant women though, worrying is necessary because their doctors have placed them in the high risk category. A high risk pregnancy could mean anything, from chronic conditions you had before you fell pregnant, to problems you could encounter before the baby is

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Foods you can eat

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

Foods you can eat {module POULTRY & GAME}   {module FISH}   {module SHELLFISH}   {module COOK-CHILL FOODS}   {module FRUITS & VEGETABLES}   {module SALADS}   {module CHEESE}   {module MILK, CREAM & YOGHURT}   {module ICE CREAM|none}   {module EGGS|none}   {module MEAT|none} {module go to TOP link Module|none} {backbutton}

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Foetal alcohol syndrome

Staff Writer 1st Trimester

Foetal alcohol syndrome Nobody owes anybody a living, but everybody is entitled to a chance. Jack Dempseye For most, the term foetal alcohol syndrome conjures up images of the poor, the uneducated; of chronic alcoholics for whom being with child does not equal being without alcohol. However, the frightening reality is that this condition effects all socioeconomic groups and is on the increase globally. WHAT IS FOETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME? Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), first identified in the United States in 1973, is now more commonly referred to as Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

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