Bacterial vaginosis is actually quite common. With vaginosis, the bacteria that are normally in small amounts in the vaginal area grow, replacing other kinds of bacteria that keep the pH of the vagina steady. Symptoms include itching, fishy odor,...
Group B streptococcus, also known as Group B strep or Baby Strep, is a common bacterial infection found in the vagina, rectum and lower intestine of many healthy women. Although the chances of a pregnant mother passing GBS to her baby during...
Although personal hygiene should always be an important part of your daily routine, when you are pregnant, proper hygiene becomes even more critical. Improper hygiene can lead to infections that can endanger your unborn child. However hygiene is...
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) reduces the strength of the body's immune system, making it difficult to fight off normal infections. HIV increases an individual's vulnerability to certain types of cancers and to infections the body would...
Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria widely found in the environment, causes the infection listeriosis. In the United States, about 2,500 people become seriously ill and about 500 die each year from listeriosis. Pregnant women are 20 times more...
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....
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...
A fever is often a worrisome condition, especially if you are pregnant. It occurs during pregnancy for a variety of reasons, some of which require urgent treatment from a doctor. Although treating your fever will not cure the illness or infection...
A positive pregnancy test sends many women through a flurry of emotions and questions, including the gender of the baby. While some couples wait until the baby is born, many others prefer to find out the baby's gender before the birth. Methods of...
In 2006, according to the Guttmacher Institute, 750,000 females under the age of 20 became pregnant. This represents about seven percent of young girls in the United States between the ages of fifteen and nineteen. California, Texas and New York...
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...
White blood cells (WBCs) are a type of body cell found in the bloodstream that help fight infection. According to MedlinePlus, WBCs are also called leukocytes and the normal amount found in the bloodstream of a newborn infant is between 4,500 and...
Bacterial vaginosis is an infection that occurs when the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disturbed, allowing harmful bacteria to enter the vagina and spread throughout the reproductive tract. Symptoms may include watery discharge,...
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...
Supplies needed during childbirth can vary, depending on whether the birth takes place in a hospital or at home, and the type of delivery. However, some standard supplies are commonly used for all types of births.
Approximately 12 percent of babies born in the United States are premature, according to 2007 information from the American Pregnancy Association. Often there are no complications, but premature births increase the risk of certain medical...
At most first prenatal appointments the doctor and patient work together to determine the estimated due date of the baby. However, a due date is not a guarantee of when the baby will arrive. Any mother or medical professional will agree that a...
Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums that results from inadequate oral hygiene. Pregnant women are more susceptible to gum disease than non-pregnant women because pregnancy hormones soften the gums and make them more penetrable to...
A premature birth is one that takes place before 37 weeks of gestation, three weeks or more before the baby's due date. Premature babies can develop a range of health problems, which are more severe the younger the baby is when he is born. In some...
Cravings during pregnancy can lead to pregnant women desiring a wide variety of foods, but some foods may be dangerous during pregnancy. Soft serve ice cream is listed as one of the foods that pregnant women should avoid, though not all doctors...
If you're in the third trimester of your pregnancy, you are probably getting more and more anxious about the big delivery day. After the 38th week of your pregnancy, your baby could come at any time, even if you are still a few weeks from your due...
