Latest stories

  • Word Matrix: Birth
    in

    Word Matrix: Birth

    <birth> “bear offspring,” from Old Norse burðr, byrd, replacing Old English ġebyrd “birth, descent, race; offspring; nature; fate,” from PIE *bhrto past participle of root *bher- “to carry; to bear children” with -th suffix meaning “process” Word Sums Birth Birth + s = births Birth + ed = birthed Birth + ing = birthing Birth […] More

  • What to Pack in Your Hospital or Birthing Center Bag
    in

    What to Pack in Your Hospital or Birthing Center Bag

    Thank you to Americord for sponsoring the following post. All opinions are my own. While I gave birth to both my babies through preplanned homebirths with a midwife, many moms-to-be feel more comfortable welcoming their babies into the world in a hospital or at a birthing center. If you are planning a birth outside the […] More

  • Cutting Umbilical Cord
    in

    Delayed Cord Clamping May Improve Fine Motor Skills

    Adding to the growing body of evidence of the benefits of delayed cord clamping, a follow-up study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics reveals an associated between delayed cord clamping (DCC) and fine motor skills at age 4, especially among boys. The original study led by Dr. Ola Andersson, a researcher at Uppsala University and […] More

  • Obese Black Woman
    in

    Bariatric Surgery Affects Risk of Pregnancy Complications

    Obesity is a known risk factor for complications during pregnancy and birth such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, stillbirth, macrosomia, and birth defects. Bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, refers to a number of surgical procedures that help obese individuals lose weight. Now a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that […] More

  • Pregnancy Eviction Notice
    in

    Proactive Labor Induction Can Improve Perinatal Outcomes

    Labor induction is a procedure used to stimulate uterine contractions during pregnancy before labor begins naturally. Inducing labor comes with both risks and benefits to both mothers and babies. Now a new Danish study published in the BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology suggests that proactive labor induction can improve perinatal outcomes among […] More

  • Pregnant Woman Sitting on Exercise Ball
    in

    Exercise Balls Reduce Labor Time and Cesarean Sections

    Women — including women with an epidural — who use a peanut-shaped exercise ball during labor give birth more quickly and are half as likely to undergo a cesarean section than women who do not use the ball, says a new study by nurse researchers at Banner Health published in the Journal of Perinatal Education. […] More

  • Pitocin
    in

    Study Finds No Link Between Induced or Augmented Labor and Autism

    Inducing or augmenting labor with pitocin does not increase the risk of autism among children, says a new study presented at The Pregnancy Meeting™, the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, in San Diego, California. Pitocin, a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin widely used to start or assist the progress of labor, […] More

  • Nurse Administering IV
    in

    Study Finds No Link Between Oxytocin and ADHD

    Previous research on an association between oxytocin during labor and the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) produced opposing results. Now a large cohort study in Denmark concludes that medical augmentation of labor does not increase the risk of ADHD in a child. Pitocin, a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin widely used to start or […] More

  • Medical Scissors
    in

    Episiotomy Rates Declining

    Episiotomy occurred in 25 percent of vaginal births in the United States in 2004. However, following the recommendations from various experts for the restricted use of the procedure, episiotomy rates fell between 2006 and 2012. A obstetric procedure, episiotomy is a surgical incision used to enlarge the vaginal opening during the birth of a baby. […] More

Load More
Congratulations. You've reached the end of the internet.