Commonly called amniotic band syndrome, amniotic banding is a rare abnormality of the placenta that may affect up to 1 out of every 2250 live births, according to data from Carole Kenner, coauthor of the book "Comprehensive Neonatal Care."...
If you're leaking amniotic fluid during your pregnancy, you may be concerned -- and rightly so -- that your baby is in danger. While it's possible to leak amniotic fluid slowly, in which case it's generally replaced, some leaks lead to too much...
Amniotic fluid is what fills that comfy pool your baby-to-be floats, flips, and lounges around in for nine months. Aside from cushioning him from trauma, it also helps to maintain a constant temperature in the womb, prevents against infection,...
Eating a balanced diet is necessary when you are dealing with amniotic fluid problems. Ask your doctor for the guidelines you should follow for your amniotic fluid condition. You may be required to limit sodium, drink extra fluids or eat more...
Amniotic fluid is the fluid that surrounds your baby in the womb.This clear-colored liquid protects the baby and provides it with fluids, reports the March of Dimes. Your baby breathes and swallows amniotic fluid. The medical term for low fluid is...
Fetal movement is an important indication that your baby is growing well and is healthy inside the uterus. A variety of factors can influence both the baby's movements and your perception of the baby's movements, including how much fluid you drink...
Conception and pregnancy are complicated; many systems must work perfectly or problems with the fetus can occur. Problems that occur at conception are usually caused by chromosomal errors or abnormalities and can't be avoided. Fetal malformations...
Breaking water, also called amniorrhexis or rupture of membranes, is a normal part of labor and giving birth. The "water" is actually amniotic fluid, a straw-colored liquid with a faint odor that may be confused with urine. During...
A woman goes through a variety of physical and emotional changes during pregnancy. Among the many changes, her hormones surge, her appetite fluctuates, her belly grows and her posture changes to accompany her new size. She also might notice a few...
Pregnancy puts a great amount of strain on a woman's body. During a nine-month pregnancy, a woman endures many physical, emotional and hormonal changes. One major concern among many pregnant women is whether or not they will return to their...
Distress for an unborn baby can mean several things, but most commonly it means a lack of oxygen. This can be caused by a maternal lack of oxygen, a problem with the placenta or umbilical cord, or a problem with the baby. Most women receive...
While your skin has elastic properties that help it to bounce back when pulled, when the skin is stretched too far, stretch marks can occur, according to the Mayo Clinic. Stretch marks resemble jagged lines of skin that are red or purple in color....
Premature rupture of membranes is the early rupture (tears or bursts) of the amniotic sac, after 37 weeks gestation. Typically, a mom-to-be's water will break (or rupture) after the first stage of labor. When the membranes rupture prior to the...
Amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS) are two types of invasive tests administered to pregnant woman to gain information about the health of the fetus. These tests could potentially harm the fetus or jeopardize the pregnancy, so...
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, occurs when blood pressure reaches or exceeds 140/90. Hypertension affects 10 percent of pregnancies, according to OBGYN.net. While it can be dangerous for the mother and may necessitate bed rest...
As a pregnant woman's due date approaches, she may begin to wonder if she will be able to recognize the signs of labor. While the only sure indications of labor are killer contractions and the amniotic sac rupturing, there are signs that occur as...
It is possible to test a baby's DNA before birth. Known as prenatal genetic testing, this is generally performed when there is a family history of a genetic syndrome or features of a genetic syndrome have been during the pregnancy. Prenatal...
Labor and delivery of a baby may last from only a few hours to several days. During this time, women experience numerous physical and emotional sensations as their bodies prepare to give birth. While each woman's labor and delivery is unique, the...
Most pregnant women should drink eight to 12 8-oz. glasses of water each day, but this amount can vary among individuals. During pregnancy, your body relies on water for additional functions, and not getting enough water can have negative effects...
A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered premature. According to 2010 information supplied by the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, approximately 12 percent of all babies in the United States are born prematurely. The...
Weight gain is an expected part of any pregnancy. A woman's pre-pregnancy weight determines the amount of weight she is expected to gain. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women who are underweight should...
A fetus in the womb does not begin its existence with fully functioning lungs. Instead, the infant relies on its mother to provide the oxygen required for living. A fetus doesn't really breathe in the womb. The lungs are full of amniotic fluid....
Although kidney cysts can be diagnosed at any age, the majority of cases are identified through renal ultrasound or shortly after a baby is born. The severity of this condition is highly variable. In some instances, people make it to adulthood...
During pregnancy, a fetus is protected from the outside world by the amniotic sac, a tough, fluid-filled membrane that encircles it. According to the University of Alabama, the membranes rupture before labor starts in around 10 percent of...
In the movies, labor is usually preceded by a dramatic and public breaking of the water, but in real life, only a very small percentage of women experience their water breaking before they go into labor. So if you're nervous about your water...
At 12 weeks, the embryo is a fetus. According to the Endowment for Human Development, "a second huge burst of growth" has occurred between 11 and 12 weeks and increased its weight "by roughly 58 percent." The fetus is about 2-1/2 inches in length...
Introducing your new bundle of joy to the world is an exciting and emotional experience. However, expectant mothers may also be curious as to how much weight will be lost once delivery is complete. During the course of your pregnancy you have...
During a 38-week pregnancy, one fertilized egg cell develops into a fetus that is soon ready to become a newborn baby. The process of fetal development consists of a set of stages that unfold with consistent order and timing. Fetal development...
Before the fetus is born, a precisely ordered and timed set of developments takes place. Over the course of eight weeks, a single, fertilized egg cell grows into a ball of cells called the blastocyst, then an embryo and then a fetus. The fetus...
Demonstration of ultrasound use. Learn about obstetrics from a doctor in this video on understanding pregnancy.
