Full-Fat Dairy May be Better for Ovaries, Study Finds
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have recently published a report detailing their study of the dairy intake of 18,555 women aged 24-42 who were either pregnant or trying to become pregnant. They followed the women between 1991 and 1999. In that time, they measured what types of dairy the women were eating and how often. Of the women, 3,430 reported infertility, with over 2,100 visiting a physician for the condition; furthermore, some 438 said their infertility was related to an ovulation problem. What was most telling about the study was that the women who consumed two or more servings of low-fat dairy products had an 85% higher risk of infertility resulting form ovulation problem compared with women who ate one serving or less of the low-fat dairy each week. On the other hand, women who hate full-fate diary products each week had a 27% lower risk of infertility from ovulation problems compared with those who consumed one serving or less of full-fat dairy on a weekly basis. Jorge Chavrro, a researcher involved in the study, said this may indicate an association between fat content and ovarian function. Although he said that more research on the subject is needed, he did advise that women trying to conceive “consider changing low-fat dairy foods for high-fat dairy foods”. More specifically, women should increase their intake of high-fat fairy without increasing the total saturated fat and caloric intake. In addition, they should resume eating low-fat dairy after pregnancy. Source: MedicalNewsToday.com
March 6, 2007
Exercise for Pregnant Women on Bed-Rest
Exercise during pregnancy is recommended for all women experiencing a “low-risk” pregnancy. However, women who are considered at “high-risk” are usually put on bed rest and told to limit their physical activity. As a result of this inactivity, women can become physically weak, easily fatigued and many become depressed. To help curb these effects, Darline Turner-Lee of Next Step Fitness designed an exercise program targeted specifically at pregnant women. “When three of my friends were prescribed bed rest, I realized that they would have a really hard time laboring and delivering after a long period of inactivity,” says Turner-Lee, who is a physician assistant at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), a Certified Exercise Specialist(R) and a certified perinatal fitness instructor. “Yet I found no exercise programs addressed to this population.” The exercises are all approved by the guidelines set forth for exercise during pregnancy by the American College of Pbstetricians and Gynecologists. Of course, all pregnant women should consult their health care professional before beginning any exercise routine. Source: prnewswire.com
Vitamin D Deficiency too Common Amongst Pregnant Women
According to new research put forth by the University of Pittsburgh, taking prenatal multivitamins is not enough to prevent a vitamin D insufficiency in pregnant women. Left untreated, such a deficiency can lead to rickets and other musculoskeletal and health complications; it is also known to be a common condition during pregnancy, particularly for women living in Northern countries. “In our study, more than 80 percent of African-American women and nearly half of white women tested at delivery had levels of vitamin D that were too low, even though more than 90 percent of them used prenatal vitamins during pregnancy,” said Lisa Bodnar, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) and lead author of the study. “The numbers also were striking for their newborns - 92.4 percent of African-American babies and 66.1 percent of white infants were found to have insufficient vitamin D at birth.” Rickets – a condition that was thought to have been eradicated in the U.S. more than half a century ago – is closely associated with vitamin D deficiency, and can lead to type 1 diabetes, asthma and even mental health disorders, including schizophrenia. “A newborn's vitamin D stores are completely reliant on vitamin D from the mother,” observed Dr. Bodnar, who also is an assistant investigator at the university-affiliated Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI). "Not surprisingly, poor maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy is a major risk factor for infant rickets, which again is becoming a major health problem.” Key food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish as well as fortified foods such as milk, certain cereals and vitamin supplements. However, sun exposure remains a critical source of the vitamin. Source: MedicalNewsToday.com
March 3, 2007
Race a Variable in Risk of Pregnancy Complications
According to a new study, a mother’s ethnicity can impact her risk of complications. In particular, the study found that babies born to South Asian women are at increased risk of perinatal mortality (stillbirth) than those born to “black” or “white” women. Researchers pose that what may be at issue is the length of gestation amongst different racial groups. Currently, the World Health Organization defines a post-term pregnancy as one occurring after 41 weeks gestation. Because this is often associated with stillbirth, women are often induced at 41 weeks to curb this risk. However, research shows that the average length of gestation may be shorter for South Asian women, thereby limiting the effectiveness of the 41-week induction. As a remedy, the researchers recommend black women and those of South Asian descent be closely monitored at 40 weeks gestation. Source: MedicalNewsToday.com
Mild IVF Equally as Effective as Standard, With Less Side-Effects
A study published the most recent issue of The Lancet suggests that women who undergo mild in-vitro fertilization (IVF) – defined as “mild ovarian stimulation with GnRH antagonist cotreatment combined with single embryo transfer” – is just as effective in achieving pregnancy as the standard version of the treatment (itself defined as “stimulation with GnRH agonist long-protocol and transfer of two embryos”), but with significantly fewer side-effects. In addition, undergoing mild IVF is less costly than conventional IVF. The study, conducted out of the University Medical Centre in Utrecht, Netherlands, found that of the 404 patients treated with both types of IVF, those who underwent the mild version had a 43.4% chance of pregnancy leading to livebirth – a number very similar to the one for those who underwent standard IVF, who had a 44.7% chance of producing a similar result. However, the risk of multiple pregnancy was significantly lower for those who underwent the mild IVF (0.5% compared with 13.1% for the standard treatment); they also paid less too, with mean costs for the mild treatment at €8333 and €10745 for standard IVF. The authors commented that their findings “should encourage more widespread use of mild ovarian stimulation and single embryo transfer in clinical practice. However, adoption of our mild IVF treatment strategy would need to be supported by counselling both patients and health-care providers to redefine IVF success and explain the risks associated with multiple pregnancies, and by institution of reimbursement systems that encourage, rather than penalise, the practice of single embryo transfer.” Source: MedicalNewsToday.com
March 2, 2007
Back Pain During Pregnancy Requires Treatment
According to a study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, despite the fact that many pregnant women experience musculoskeletal pain (which in turn, puts them at increased risk for similar complaints in future pregnancies) not all have equal access to treatment. In fact, the study says, up to 85% of women experiencing musculoskeletal pain report not having received treatment – what’s more, of the small number who had undergone therapy, less than 10% were satisfied with the results. Dr. Clayton Skaggs, who authored the report, stated, “Based on the findings of this study, doctors of chiropractic and other health care professionals need to expand the musculoskeletal care available during pregnancy, especially in underserved populations,” referring to the fact that women in “underserved” populations are at particularly high risk of not receiving treatment. “As a proactive step,” he added, “health professionals should consider including back pain screening as part of early obstetrical care to help identify musculoskeletal risk factors and allow for early education and/or treatment.” The study also links back pain to sleep deficiency. Source: PRNewswire.com
