Epidural anaesthesia
Epidural anaesthesia is the term used to describe the blocking of nerve routes from the spinal cord with a local anaesthetic or painkilling medication. It is also known as an anaesthetic of the nerve roots. It is commonly used in childbirth to ... [... more]
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Complications during labour
Not so many years ago, having a baby was a bit of a lottery - there was a frighteningly high chance that either mother or baby would be injured or even killed in the process. Of course, these days things are very different. Pain relief in labour ... [... more]
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Pregnancy-induced high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia)
Up to 1 in 10 pregnant women develop raised blood pressure accompanied by the appearance of protein in the urine (proteinuria) and retention of excessive amounts of fluid in the body (oedema). It is not usually seen before the sixth month of ... [... more]
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Pregnancy diabetes (gestational diabetes)
Resistance to insulin develops in all mothers during pregnancy. In about 2-4 per cent of women this results in temporary diabetes. It happens because pregnant women have less ability to produce extra insulin to overcome this insulin ... [... more]
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How do I know if I'm pregnant?
For most women, the first sign of pregnancy is when their periods stop. Although the absence of menstruation can be caused by many things if, in addition, a woman's breasts feel swollen or tender and she feels nauseous - especially in the morning ... [... more]
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Too posh to push?
Pregnant women are increasingly choosing to have their babies by Caesarean section. Statistics reveal that as many as one in ten of these surgical procedures performed in NHS hospitals are done not so much for medical reasons as simply for the ... [... more]
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Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis is one of several diagnostic tests that can be carried out during pregnancy. It is used to detect any possible chromosome abnormalities in the unborn child that may cause Down's syndrome or other congenital problems. In ... [... more]
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The first six weeks
Within hours of your new baby's arrival you'll be settled either on the postnatal ward, or back at your own home. Most women, even if they have experienced a long and exhausting labour, will be on something of a 'high' initially. The excitement ... [... more]
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To eat or not to eat
Eat at least five servings of fruit and veg a day during pregnancy The first point to make is that pregnancy is not a green light for bingeing in the hope the baby will absorb the extra calories. During pregnancy a woman's body absorbs higher ... [... more]
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Why do babies cry?
Why does every mother and baby picture from the Madonna and Christ-child onwards show a serene woman cradling a contented baby in her arms? For most mothers reality is quite different: driven to distraction and despair by a baby that cries long ... [... more]
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Exercising during pregnancy
Providing your pregnancy is normal, you can continue to exercise throughout the nine months. There are few hard and fast rules about whether exercise is beneficial or harmful in pregnancy. However, you should always stop exercising immediately ... [... more]
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What should I eat during pregnancy?
It has often been said that a pregnant woman should eat for two people, but this is not true. What is true is that during pregnancy a woman has to provide good nutrition for two individuals. The growing baby gets all its nourishment from its ... [... more]
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