Tag Archives: Pregnant

Is the Flu Shot Safe For Pregnant Women?

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Good news for flu-fearing moms-to-be: a massive new study confirms that the flu shot is perfectly safe for pregnant women, and could even reduce the risk of miscarriage and other complications.

Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) reviewed the medical records of 113,331 women pregnant in Norway during the 2009-2010 flu pandemic. While 2,794 expectant mothers were diagnosed with influenza, those who got the flu vaccination were about 70 percent less likely to get sick. However, women who contracted the flu while they were pregnant were more almost twice as likely to lose their babies before birth.

While there’s no firm proof that the flu directly causes a woman to miscarry or deliver a stillborn baby, the virus does appear to have a harmful effect on the fetus, according to Allen Wilcox, M.D., head the Reproductive Epidemiology Group at The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and study co-author.

That said, faulty research and hype about vaccine safety has made some pregnant women skeptical about protecting themselves from the flu. “There is no evidence of harm from the vaccine, and plenty of evidence of benefit,” says Wilcox. No wonder the World Health Organization has recommended it for years.

Wilcox says the vaccine can protect pregnant women in any trimester, the sooner the better. To locate the nearest available flu shot and schedule an appointment pronto: download the TalkTo app or visit Talkto.com, type in “flu shot” and your location, and text the closest pharmacy or doctor’s office. You’ll get a response within minutes.

Here’s everything else you need to know to keep yourself and your loved ones safe from the flu:

Flu Update from the CDC

Could This Be the Worst Flu Season EVER?

Should You Get the New Flu Shot?

5 Times You Should Call in Sick to Work

The Anti-Flu Drug That Might Not Work

Germ-Proof Your Office

6 Ways to Fight the Flu

What Causes the Flu?

Your Body On… The Flu

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

 

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Are Antidepressants Safe for Pregnant Women?

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Good news for medicated moms-to-be: Taking a popular type of antidepressant during pregnancy does not increase the risk of newborn death, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.

This research, which was partly funded by the Swedish Pharmacy Company, used data from 1.6 million women in Nordic countries, including nearly 30,000 women who had filled a prescription for a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) while pregnant. Although women who took an SSRI did have higher rates of infant death than those who did not, researchers say it’s due to external factors and not the medication itself.

“We found higher rates of stillbirth and post-neonatal mortality among women exposed to SSRI,” says Olof Stephansson, MD, PhD, co-author of the study and a clinical epidemiologist with Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden. “However when we took confounding factors such as maternal age and smoking into account as well as disease severity there was no risk associated with SSRI use and stillbirth and infant mortality,” he says.

SSRIs are used for depression and anxiety treatment. Although they have been associated with a small risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, they are relatively safe to use during pregnancy, says Stephansson. However, one specific SSRI, Paroxetin, has shown an increased risk in cardiac issues of the newborn and should not be taken while pregnant, he says.

Pregnant women should always discuss these types of medication with their doctors, of course, and they are advised to use the lowest dose possible required to treat depression, says Stephansson.

Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from WH:
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All-Natural Depression Fixers

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Can You Have Sex While You’re Pregnant?

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A long-held pregnancy myth, busted: According to a new study from Malaysia, having sex while pregnant will not induce labor.

Over one thousand women between 35 and 38 weeks pregnant participated in the study. Researchers told half of the women to “have sex frequently,” while telling the other half that even though sex during pregnancy is safe, the effects are unknown. The women who were urged to have sex reported a higher frequency of intercourse than the other group, but both groups of women still delivered their babies on average at 39 weeks.

It was originally thought that sex could induce labor because semen contains prostaglandins, hormones that trigger delivery, says Peng Chiong Tan, MD, an obstetrics and gynecology professor at the University of Malaya and one of the study’s authors. But based off of the study’s findings, it’s clear that the magical labor-inducing properties of semen are nothing more than an old wives’ tale.

That said, while sex won’t help induce labor, pregnant moms-to-be should still feel free to get frisky. Just follow these guidelines on how to do so safely.

Try These Positions
Ultimately, the best sex position is the one you’re most comfortable with. However, these are some popular options, according to Laura Corio, MD, an OBGYN at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, you can try.

  • Spooning: Both you and your significant other lay on your sides so you fit together like spoons. “This works well because the belly is out of the way and there is minimal penetration,” Corio says.
  • Sitting in a char: Sit on the chair and let him kneel in front of you. Ideally, make the chair a little higher than your guy, so he’s pushing up instead of right on the tummy. “This position works well if your partner is worried about hurting the baby,” Corio says. That said, it’s a frivolous concern—no matter how well-endowed he may be, he will definitely not poke the baby.
  • Woman on top: Hop on the saddle like you normally would. “This gives the woman the control to move how she feels most comfortable,” Corio says.

Embrace Oral
It’s safe to receive oral sex while pregnant, but make sure your partner doesn’t blow air into your vagina. If he does, a burst of air might block a blood vessel, which can cause an air embolism, a potentially life-threatening condition for you and the baby, Corio explains.

Just Say No If…
If you’re having a high-risk pregnancy, have a history of miscarriages, or have placenta previa, which is when the baby’s placenta partially or totally covers the mother’s cervix, you should abstain from sex, Corio says. Also, “Once your water breaks, don’t even think about having sex,” she adds. If you’re worried about whether it’s safe for you to knock boots while you’re pregnant, it’s always best to double check with your doctor first.

photo: Image Source/Thinkstock

More from WH:
What You Should Know About Pregnancy
The Best Sex Positions Ever
Pregnant Yoga: Happy Baby, Healthy Baby


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