One of the most memorable times of parents' lives is the birth of their child; however, not every birth results in a healthy newborn. The March of Dimes reports that a low APGAR score in a newborn indicates some type of trauma during childbirth....
Immediately after your baby's birth, the attending medical staff assesses her vital signs to ensure that the birthing process did not have any adverse effects on her health. These vital sign checks are performed at one and five minutes after...
If your baby has heart or lung problems, he may require increased amounts of oxygen. Additionally, sometimes immediately after birth, a baby may need oxygen initially, just to get him breathing on his own. Although giving a baby oxygen is a...
There are many reasons for a c-section, including a baby who is too big to fit through the vagina safely, slow labor, an infection like HIV, or fetal distress. Unfortunately, certain health risks are associated with the surgical procedure and...
Any type of alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have dire consequences. Alcohol is immediately passed from the pregnant woman's blood stream to the unborn baby. The alcohol can damage the cells inside of the baby and also affect its growth...
Newborn babies are at risk for a variety of lung and respiratory illnesses. The risk level greatly increases if the baby is born prematurely, even by just a few weeks. Full-term newborns also have risks, however, and prevention of lung problems is...
A birth defect that can affect the brain, cerebral palsy affects about 10,000 babies each year in the United States, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Symptoms of cerebral palsy can start by the time the...
The developmental path of twins is similar to that of single-born children. However, many people assume that twins have a greater likelihood of experiencing a speech or language delay than single children. Many twins develop their own private...
Meconium aspiration is a potentially serious birthing complication that could result in severe respiratory complications in affected newborns. This condition occurs when a baby breathes in meconium, the black, sticky waste product that has been...
Having chronic hypertension that starts before pregnancy or during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy can cause complications. Chronic hypertension can have harmful effects on a fetus, and it also increases the risk of developing other diseases in...
When a woman becomes pregnant her body undergoes many physiological changes. Her hormone levels change not only to support the pregnancy but also to help redirect nutrients to support the nutritional demands of the developing baby. Maintaining a...
Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency, or PDCD, is a rare genetic disorder that affects the body's capability to process energy from the food you consume. Linked to sex chromosomes, this disease disrupts the citric acid cycle, depriving the...
Birth is a natural process that can occur without interventions in most cases. In the Western world, however, the medicalization of labor and delivery has made the use of drugs to start labor, control labor and manage pain commonplace. These are...
Midwives often use herbal remedies to start contractions or to ready the uterus and cervix for labor. While many herbs can stimulate uterine contractions, some should not be used in pregnancy. Herbs should be used only at the time during pregnancy...
Following a nutritious eating regimen and maintaining a healthy lifestyle increase your chances of delivering a healthy baby. Pregnant mothers really are eating for two, or possibly more. That means you need additional calories and more of several...
An Apgar score is used to determine the health of a newborn baby by measuring pulse, breathing, muscle tone, reflex and appearance. Learn how to use the Apgar score in this pregnancy video.
