Health News
It?s a common fear: a woman becomes pregnant and starts worrying about the medications she is taking.
According to Michael Carson, M.D., who presented at Sinai Hospital Grand Rounds yesterday, internists need to become more familiar with the impact of disease on a pregnancy, and what medicines are safe. Carson is an assistant clinical professor in the Departments of Medicine and Obstetrics at the UMNDJ ? Robert Wood Medical School and the director of research and outcomes at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
?Women of childbearing age bear children. You need to address pregnancy with your patient before she becomes pregnant,? he told the group of Sinai physicians. ?Fifty percent of pregnancies are unplanned.?
It?s estimated that anywhere from 14 to 45 percent of women beginning prenatal care in the United States have medical problems. Physicians should talk about resources and options available for the patient, Carson said. According to a study published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, pregnant women ingest an average of three difference prescription medications during pregnancy. The most common are antimicrobial (to treat infections), antiemetics (to treat nausea), tranquilizers (to treat stress) and analgesics (to treat pain).
?Medication use is not a yes/no issue,? Carson said. ?You have to weigh the risks and benefits.?
Patients and physicians also need to discuss what is realistic. For example, a smoker may not be able to go cold turkey, but she can use a nicotine patch. A woman who is depressed may be able to cut back on her medication, but needs to be able to function.
There's a tendency to undermedicate during pregnancy, Carson says. The bottom line is internists need to make sure they're looking at the whole picture.
?The best thing for a healthy kid is a healthy mom,? Carson says.
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- Baby Fat: Sinai Hospital Helps Women With Gestational Diabetes
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by Anna Ostreicher, M.S, CRNP, CDE, Diabetes and Pregnancy Education and Management Program, LifeBridge Health Our Diabetes and Pregnancy Education and Training Program started in 2001 and is the only program in Maryland that's dedicated strictly...
- Maternal-fetal Specialists Help Ease Worry Of High-risk Pregnancies
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Health News
Presciptions in Pregnancy
It?s a common fear: a woman becomes pregnant and starts worrying about the medications she is taking.
According to Michael Carson, M.D., who presented at Sinai Hospital Grand Rounds yesterday, internists need to become more familiar with the impact of disease on a pregnancy, and what medicines are safe. Carson is an assistant clinical professor in the Departments of Medicine and Obstetrics at the UMNDJ ? Robert Wood Medical School and the director of research and outcomes at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
?Women of childbearing age bear children. You need to address pregnancy with your patient before she becomes pregnant,? he told the group of Sinai physicians. ?Fifty percent of pregnancies are unplanned.?
It?s estimated that anywhere from 14 to 45 percent of women beginning prenatal care in the United States have medical problems. Physicians should talk about resources and options available for the patient, Carson said. According to a study published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, pregnant women ingest an average of three difference prescription medications during pregnancy. The most common are antimicrobial (to treat infections), antiemetics (to treat nausea), tranquilizers (to treat stress) and analgesics (to treat pain).
?Medication use is not a yes/no issue,? Carson said. ?You have to weigh the risks and benefits.?
Patients and physicians also need to discuss what is realistic. For example, a smoker may not be able to go cold turkey, but she can use a nicotine patch. A woman who is depressed may be able to cut back on her medication, but needs to be able to function.
There's a tendency to undermedicate during pregnancy, Carson says. The bottom line is internists need to make sure they're looking at the whole picture.
?The best thing for a healthy kid is a healthy mom,? Carson says.
- Expectant Mothers Need To Get A Flu Shot
Expectant mothers need to get a flu shot as soon as it is available in their area, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only the flu shot, not the nasal-spray vaccine, is recommended for pregnant women because it is made with the inactivated...
- Madisonville Hospital Earns National Award For Program That Helps Pregnant Women Maintain, Improve Oral Health
For its work in improving oral health in prenatal patients, the Center for Women's Health at Trover Health System in Madisonville has received a national award. The William J. Gies Award for Outstanding Innovation is given to individuals and organizations...
- Baby Fat: Sinai Hospital Helps Women With Gestational Diabetes
The following is an excerpt from MdMD for Life 2011, available now. As a nurse, Lakecia Lewis knew what she needed to do to have a healthy pregnancy, including eating better. But when she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes in 2006, Lewis kicked...
- Diabetes And Pregnancy Quilt Wins Honors
by Anna Ostreicher, M.S, CRNP, CDE, Diabetes and Pregnancy Education and Management Program, LifeBridge Health Our Diabetes and Pregnancy Education and Training Program started in 2001 and is the only program in Maryland that's dedicated strictly...
- Maternal-fetal Specialists Help Ease Worry Of High-risk Pregnancies
Expectant mothers are filled with excitement and joy at the prospect of welcoming a new member to the family. Nurseries are prepared and baby showers are planned with the expectation that the pregnancy will go smoothly. But what should you expect if your...