Ideally, a woman's overall health would be at an optimal level before conception. Good nutrition plays an important role during pregnancy. The body mass index, or BMI, is an important indicator of nutritional status. A BMI outside of the normal...
Exercise is an important part of pregnancy health and good prenatal self-care. While it brings many benefits, such as improved mood, improved sleep and decreased aches and pains, it is possible to over-exert yourself. Advice from medical...
Gone are the days when doctors recommended rest during pregnancy. Now, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that, "Becoming active and exercising at least 30 minutes on most, if not all, days of the week can...
In most cases women can and should exercise during pregnancy if given approval by their obstetrician. Performing regular moderate intensity exercise during pregnancy can benefit both mom and baby. Exercise programs for pregnant women may need to...
Exercise during pregnancy is important. It can help improve many aspects of life during pregnancy, including reductions of aches and pains, as well as swelling. It can help promote health in the cardiovascular system and also help the body use...
Some people think that exercising during pregnancy is unsafe and that it could harm the baby. Yet you may want to continue your regular workouts during pregnancy. There are many myths and rumors surrounding exercise during pregnancy. Heart rate is...
Tachycardia is defined as a faster than normal heart rate; normal being between 60 to 100 beats per minute in a healthy adult at rest. The heart is made up of four chambers, two atria at the top and two ventricles at the bottom. The rhythm of the...
At one time, pregnancy was considered a medical condition, and pregnant women were advised to get lots of rest and avoid strenuous activity. Today, however, experts agree that exercising during pregnancy can help the mother stay fit and even ease...
Heart rate during pregnancy is one of the many issues that women should be aware of during the natal period. Pregnant women's bodies need more blood, requiring a more rapid heartbeat. This need is not only to accommodate the mother's increased...
Many women find out they are pregnant by using one of the many home pregnancy tests on the market. These tests measure the quantity of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is the hormone pregnant women produce, in the urine. Most pregnancy...
A woman’s body changes so much during pregnancy that it can be hard to keep up with the differences, even from day to day. Most women know to expect nausea and sore breasts early on, and back pain as a growing baby stresses the spine. Few...
Pregnancy brings about many changes in a woman's body. Included in those changes may be your pulse rate, which increases during pregnancy. According to Baby Fit, a resting pulse rate is different for every woman, and is based on your level of...
During pregnancy, your resting heart rate will rise slightly because the heart is pumping more blood throughout the body than usual. The Merck Manuals online medical library says that, while the normal resting heart rate of a woman of childbearing...
A woman does not have to wait long to find out if she is pregnant. Home pregnancy tests can be used even before a missed period. These tests measure the amount of hCG or human chorionic gonadotropin--a hormone produced during pregnancy--that is...
The heart is one of the earliest developing organs in a new baby, and hearing that tiny heartbeat is one of the first pregnancy memories for many new parents. During pregnancy, a baby's heart goes through many changes during development that...
Exercise is recommended for all people to maintain their health, including pregnant women. Pregnant women should get approximately 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most, if not all, days of the week, according to the American Congress of...
Pregnancy is a normal phenomenon. Still, your body's adjustments to pregnancy require major changes in your cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular adaptations serve a number of purposes, including to protect your normal physiologic functioning, to...
If you're pregnant, you may feel tired and out of sorts as your body goes through a myriad of changes to meet the demands of the baby growing within your womb. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the additional...
During your pregnancy, your doctor will likely use a doppler instrument to listen to your baby's heartbeat at each prenatal appointment. Should something sound different to him, he may order a non-stress test or a half-hour monitoring of your...
Exercise during pregnancy is a beneficial part of your prenatal care. As long as there are no major complications, exercising on a regular basis will help prepare your body for labor as well as for getting back in shape after childbirth. One...
When a pregnant woman experiences bradycardia, or slow heart rate, it can have negative consequences for her health and that of her unborn child. Fortunately, access to pregnancy health care can often prevent and even resolve any medical issues...
In seasons past, pregnant women were not encouraged to do a lot of exercise. These recommendations have changed throughout the years. Your body, even when pregnant, still benefits from a health and wellness routine. After speaking with your doctor...
You probably think you're doing your baby and your body a favor by sticking to your exercise routine. While that idea is mostly true, strenuous exercise also poses health risks to pregnant women and their babies. Fast heart rates can lead to birth...
Weight and body mass index, or BMI, can impact a woman's fertility, whether she's overweight or underweight. A man's BMI can also have an effect on fertility, particularly if he's overweight. Overweight women may also suffer from metabolic...
Many couples prefer to use condoms for birth control. Properly used, condoms prevent not only pregnancy, but sexually transmitted diseases. Condoms cost little, require no prescription and are easy to use. Some condoms can enhance the sexual...
Myths about the best timing and frequency of sex when trying to get pregnant can lead to unnecessary stress. Even when a couple is trying to conceive, they do not need to have sex every day and there is no need to drop everything and rush into bed...
IUDs (intrauterine devices) are an easy to use, effective, cost effective form of birth control, but they're not perfect. Pregnancy can occur with an IUD, even when it's being used properly.
Infertility can be a heartbreaking problem, leading those who suffer from it to try anything that they hear will improve their chances of conceiving. When it comes to herbs, there are several that are said to offer help but very few with...
DHEA is a dietary supplement that has been associated with increased pregnancy rates and reduced miscarriage rates in a few studies, but there is still insufficient scientific evidence to conclude that it is effective for treating infertility....
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a generic medical term used to cover inflammations of the uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. Learn more about pelvic inflammatory disease in this obstetrics video.
Symptoms of ectopic pregnancies. Learn about obstetrics from a doctor in this video on understanding pregnancy.
A fetal heart monitor can detect a baby's heart rate as early as the first trimester. Learn how to use a fetal heart monitor in this pregnancy video.