Tag Archives: Pregnancy

Methamphetamine and Pregnant Women

September 16, 2014

Methamphetamine Causes Health Problems to Pregnant Women

Methamphetamine is drug with many names, users have given it very many names but this is not strange as this is always the case with any illegal drug. This drug is illegal and users call it crank, ice, speed, crystal and meth just among the many tittles it has got just in a bid to conceal what it really is from concerned authorities. This drug is used as a stimulant. It works in such a way that it floods the brain with extra dopamine hence stimulating the entire central nervous system (CNS). Dopamine is a chemical that is known to stimulate pleasure and this has led to use of not only meth but also other illegal drugs that induce production of dopamine.

methamphetamine

The use of this drug is not good especially to the women who are on their way to being mothers. Pregnant women should avoid the use of this drug more than anybody else. This is because it affects pregnancy negatively in many ways and if a woman continues to indulge in the risky behavior of using this drug when pregnant then at least she should know the dangers she is exposing herself to.

Generally, Methamphetamine causes irregular heartbeat, insomnia, paranoia, anxiety, heart damage, stomach cramps and high blood pressure just among the many side effects it’s known to cause. These side effects are not good for a pregnant woman and affects them adversely here are some more was that this drug adversely affects the life of a pregnant mother.

Methamphetamine may cause Placenta Abruption

Placenta abruption is the case when the placenta prematurely gets detached from the uterine wall. When placenta gets detached from the uterine wall before labor has begun it is termed premature and it can cause even death of both the mother and the child if emergency medical attention is not sought. Normally, the placenta remains attached to the uterine wall until after delivery after which it gets detached in thirty minutes. If accidental abruption occurs, emergency cesarean procedure must be done without which the mother and the baby may be lost to death. Methamphetamine affects the placenta adversely as it constricts the blood vessels hence causing lack of oxygen and nutrients to the baby. This leads to long term effects on the baby as a result of lack of significant nutrients in early life. Placenta abruption is dangerous and therefore it is worth quitting the use of methamphetamine for.

Meth and Preterm labor

Naturally the body of a woman should be able to know the right time to give birth but women who are victims of drug addictions have their bodies disabled to sense this right time. This may lead to early labor. Scientists have not made it known what causes the contractions during the 9 month gestation periods but several research findings have found that women who continue to use meth during their pregnancy mostly fail to contain the pregnancy to the full nine months.  In United States alone half of women who use this drug during their pregnancy fail to carry the pregnancy to full term. Most of women using this drug give birth to underweight babies if they are lucky enough to carry the pregnancy to the full term.

Methamphetamine causes high blood pressure

As scientists have proved, Methamphetamine increases catecholamine activity in the branch of the peripheral nervous system responsible for controlling heart rate and blood pressure.  This is the basis of all the heart related problems caused by this drug; Excessive catecholamine activity. The high levels of catecholamine are cardio toxic hence causing constriction and spasm of the blood vessels, rapid heart rate (tachycardia), high blood pressure (hypertension), and rupture of heart muscles. It may also lead to increment in the sizes of heart muscle tissues which in turn narrows the heart muscles. In the end of it narrow vessels leads to high pressure building in the blood vessels. Possible death of the heart muscle.

methamphetamine

In pregnant mothers high blood pressure can cause serious complications, the foetus is still having most of its features being developed and its blood vessels are still very weak to put up with high blood pressure.

Methamphetamine and Growth retardation

A child who is born of a mother who is addicted to meth and continued to use it during the gestation period is exposed to myriad of health problems. To begin with it is known that the drug constricts the vessels through which oxygen and nutrients are transferred from the mother to the baby, this causes deficit in the nutrients that reaches the baby and this explains why most women who continued to use this drug end up giving birth to babies that are underweight. These nutrients that the baby has missed are very crucial for its growth and this is just one way through which the use of methamphetamine causes growth retardation in babies born of mothers addicted to this drug.

Generally, a pregnant woman should avoid the use of methamphetamine at all costs as it causes serious health problems to both of the baby and the mother. Among other problems that it can cause is stillbirth. This is when a baby dies in the uterus after being alive for the 24 weeks. No woman would be happy to have a stillborn baby and so all pregnant mothers should avoid methamphetamine.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She is also dedicated to offer help to addiction patients. She founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center which is home to many people seeking health breakthrough. Call on her now and learn more on how to fight drug addiction.

Methamphetamine Causes Health Problems to Pregnant Women

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Effects of Obesity before Pregnancy

September 2, 2014

Effects of Obesity before Pregnancy – What you need to know

Obesity

Effects of obesity before pregnancy is very vital for it goes along way in protecting the good health of both the mother and the baby

The issue of weight gain is developing in a very high speed and it is becoming the concern of all healthcare providers globally. It has in the recent past become the obvious metabolic disease and this has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to consider obesity as one of the most serious global health problems of the 21st century. It is not a simple thing for the WHO to list obesity in this ranking and so we all have a duty to share and make contributions toward bring this condition to some degree of control. Therefore, what is this condition called obesity? By definition obesity is a health condition in which the accumulation of excessive body fat to an extent that is highly likely to impair health and increase morbidity and mortality. The most commonly use method of measuring obesity is body mass index (BMI) where an individual will be considered to be overweight if their BMI is between 25 and 30 kg/m2 while those with more than 30 kg/m2 are considered to be obese. In this article we are going to interrogate the effects of obesity in women who are planning to get pregnant in the future, in other words the focus of this article will be obesity before pregnancy. As we get into this discussion, I want to introduce to you one of my cherished professional dealing with issues of weight gain in the most natural way, I am talking about doctor Dalal Akoury who has been in this practice for well over 20 years and we will be making reference of her practice from time to time so that you can call her to attend to your situation.

According to WHO the prevalence of obesity in pregnancy cut across 1.8 to 25.3% with effects of obesity before and during pregnancy constituting a major risk factor for both maternal and fetal complications. While appreciating that children born of obese mothers may become obese in their childhood and develops metabolic syndrome in their adulthood, it is possible to address some of the issues relating to obesity during pregnancy since at this time mothers will be more willing to accept certain changes in their lifestyle like a well-balanced diet and bit of indulgence in physical activities, practicing this will certainly improve the fetal health. It therefore goes without saying that a well-balanced body weight at this point is very important, we will continue with this in our next article but for now let us get back to the discussion of obesity before pregnancy.

Are you planning to get Pregnant?

It is very essential that women planning to get pregnant make effort to maintain normal body weight because being obese or even being underweight has negative effects on pregnancy, these two conditions can cause a woman to have a reduced fertility in all dynamics that is to say when observed in both natural conception and conception achieved by assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs). In many instances when subfertility is observed in obese women, it is always occasioned partially due to the decrease in frequency or complete absence of ovulation.

The dominant cause of anovulation is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is characterized by central visceral obesity in 40% of the cases. Moreover, in a wider context of metabolic disorders,

  • Low concentration of serum
  • High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
  • High concentration of triglycerides
  • Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
  • Increased concentrations of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) tend to co-exist.

All these metabolic derangements increase the risk of developing:

  • Arterial hypertension
  • Coronary heart disease and
  • Thrombosis

In addition, hyperinsulinemia promotes the production of testosterone and Δ4-androstendione from the theca cells in the ovary and results in a condition of hyperandrogenemic anovulation, with a phenotype characterized by hirsutism, obesity, acne, seborrhoea and hair loss.

Obesity has been observed to exert a negative impact on ARTs. Specifically, obesity may adversely affect the duration of ovarian stimulation, number and quality of oocytes and embryos, fertilization rate, embryo transfer rate as well as implantation and pregnancy rates. In obese women, a longer duration of ovarian stimulation and higher doses of gonadotropins are required. Additionally, higher cancellation rates and higher incidence of follicular asynchrony are often observed. The lower number of oocytes retrieved in overweight and obese as compared to normal weight women may be due to the lower number of follicles, technical difficulties or both.

Moreover, obesity can prevent proper trans-abdominal ultrasonography imaging during embryo transfer. All these mechanisms may be responsible for the decrease in implantation and pregnancy rates in obese women undergoing ART.

What to do before pregnancy?

There are certain important things that you need to consider when you’re planning to get pregnant, for instance emphasis needs to be out in normalizing your weight. You should neither be over or underweight because having normal weight is not only good for conception but also for the outcome of the pregnancy. While appreciating that most pregnancies are not planned it is very important that you consult a specialist on how to lose weight and calling doctor Akoury an expert in matters relating to weight and obesity will be the starting point. Remember that things are changing and the prevalence of obesity is worrying today we have established fact that weight loss before pregnancy results in a better chance for conception and increases the percentage of live births for obese women with or without PCOS.

Obesity is not an easy condition to manage and it even gets more complicated when pregnancy is involved. It is therefore very essential that obese women are fully informed about the risks of obesity and the benefits of weight loss. This valuable information will be available at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care. At this facility you will meet real expert who will attend to you professionally and help you in the management of your weight by encouraging an improved lifestyle through balanced diet and physical exercise. Besides this doctor Akoury together with her team of her experts will focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. The sole objective of experts at this facility under the able leadership of doctor Akoury is to restore your self-esteem and face life positively a head of your planned pregnancy. Call now and experience the real life fulfillment thereafter.

Effects of Obesity before Pregnancy – What you need to know

 

 

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Fetal complications of Obesity

September 2, 2014

Fetal complications of Obesity – Taking positive Precautions

Obesity

Fetal complications of Obesity does not discriminate between the mother and the baby both are at risk and a lasting solution is needed immediately

Not again shall we let our mothers die of conditions we can manage and correct, obesity prevalence is a health condition you and I have the power of controlling. Our people are dying because of lack of knowledge and this article is meat to correct that. Take for instance the numerous complication reported in various health institutions globally, a very good portion of them is directly associated to excessive weight and obesity. Why am I saying this, maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk for perinatal mortality and occurrence of genetic disorders. The most common complications for the fetus include:

  • Intrauterine death
  • Genetic disorders
  • Macrosomia

In the long term, large for gestational age (LGA) neonates of obese or diabetic mothers are prone to development of childhood obesity and metabolic syndrome in their adult life.

Fetal death

How painful it is for us to be losing mother who are only trying to give bundles of joy to the society because of weight related complications? It has been established that fetal death constitutes a dramatic development of any pregnancy this even becomes more painful especially when it takes place in late pregnancy. The understanding of this is that by this we shall have lost two lives that of the mother and the baby. In some studies it has been established that an up to five-fold increase in intrauterine death as well as increased infant mortality rate has been recorded in obese women. The findings also indicate that there is a strong relationship between maternal BMI and infant mortality rate. The question I ask is why must this take place when we have professionals who can fix the situation? If you dint know then call doctor Akoury an expert of over two decades in weight related conditions and she will greatly help you get out of this precarious condition.

Congenital anomalies

Prenatal screening for congenital anomalies becomes challenging in obese women because of difficulty of interpreting blood serum indices alongside the inability to display the fetal anatomy on the ultra-sonogram. These difficulties could be the indicators explaining the increased incidence of congenital anomalies in fetuses of obese women. Nevertheless, there are data supporting an actual association between maternal obesity and genetic disorders. Specifically, the fetuses of obese mothers have a higher risk of developing abnormalities of the neural tube, as for example spinal bifida, cardiovascular abnormalities, as well as abnormalities of the abdominal wall such as omphalocele. These abnormalities are more prevalent in offspring of women with type 2 diabetes and folic acid deficiency, disorders that often coexist with obesity. Finally, maternal obesity results in an increased admission rate of the offspring to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Macrosomia

  • The relationship between maternal obesity and fetal Macrosomia has been established by many studies. Maternal weight and insulin resistance before pregnancy affect fetal growth, as is reflected in the birth weight.
  • Obesity and insulin resistance alter placental function which, during the last weeks of pregnancy, increases the availability of glucose, free fatty acids and amino acids to the fetus. Thus, maternal hyperglycemia induces fetal hyperglycemia and, as a consequence, hypertrophy/hyperplasia of the fetal pancreas and hyperinsulinemia.
  • Insulin has a direct effect on cell division that leads to macrosomia. Therefore, women with diabetes are at high risk of delivering macrosomic babies.
  • Obese women even with normal glucose tolerance have a two-fold higher risk of giving birth to macrosomic babies since both conditions are independently correlated to macrosomia.
  • Given that the incidence of obesity is approximately ten-fold that of gestational diabetes, it is evident that maternal lifestyle exerts a great influence on the incidence of fetal macrosomia.
  • Once more this brings in quantitative relationship between maternal BMI and the risk of delivering a macrosomic/LGA neonate.
  • Macrosomia, as well as maternal height and weight, gestational age and number of prior deliveries, are considered reliable predictors of the risk of obstetrical events, such as shoulder dystocia and injury of the branchial plexus.
Long-term complications

There is considerable evidence that the complications of maternal obesity extend beyond intrauterine and neonatal life into childhood and adulthood, thus leading to serious lifelong health problems. Maternal obesity constitutes a risk for childhood obesity, irrespective of birth weight and of smoking during pregnancy, as well as a risk for the appearance of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in adulthood.

There are a large number of pathophysiologic mechanisms that could explain the fact that obese mothers give birth to obese children. Genetic factors are undoubtedly responsible to a certain degree for the tendency of both mother and child to be overweight.

Besides that the impact of the environment is to be taken into account since mother and child typically share the same eating habits. Moreover, the increase in food intake during pregnancy has a quantitative effect on the fetus, promoting the development of adipose tissue.

Childhood and adolescent obesity exerts a long-lasting physical and psychological impact and increases population morbidity and mortality.

The increasing prevalence of maternal obesity before and during pregnancy results in a vicious circle of obesity in subsequent generations. Thus, obese mothers give birth to obese daughters, who have a higher risk of suffering from obesity and diabetes during their own pregnancies.

Developmental origin of adult disease

The abnormal development of the fetus results in increased morbidity during childhood, adolescence and adulthood, a phenomenon known as “fetal programming” or “developmental origin of adult disease”.

The fetal adjustment to the uterine environment leads to permanent changes in the phenotype (i.e. physical structure, physiology and metabolism) which might not be fully functional in extra-uterine conditions.

Finally the dangers associated with maternal obesity constitute a serious health risk for the mother and fetus, the intensity increases with the degree of obesity. A non-balanced diet during pregnancy contributes not only to abnormal fetal development and subsequently increased neonatal morbidity and mortality but also to increased morbidity during childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Therefore systematic effort for weight reduction is very necessary if we have to avoid transferring obesity from generation to generation this you can do by calling doctor Dalal Akoury a dedicated expert in reinstatement of complications related to obesity. Doctor Akoury founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center to help you out of situations like this. While at her office she will together with her team of experts focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. Remember that achieving this goal will result in a sharp decrease in fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality and will improve the outcome of offspring and of future pregnancies.

Fetal complications of Obesity – Taking positive Precautions

 

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Vasectomy and Sex and Orgasm

September 1, 2014

Vasectomy and Sex and Orgasm – Are there sexual risks to the operation?

Vasectomy

Vasectomy only affects the flow of sperms but when it comes to Sex and Orgasm it has very little effects

The purpose of vasectomy is to make a man sterile permanently that is to say, with vasectomy done the individual will not be able to father children all the remaining days of his life. It is done through a process that blocks or cuts the tubes carrying sperms from the testicles. On completion of the process, sperm cannot be mixed with semen (semen is the fluid a man ejaculates during orgasm). It is important to know that semen is not manufactured in the testicles and therefore vasectomy doesn’t affect the semen or how it is ejaculated. It’s just that after vasectomy, a man’s semen not have any sperm, so he cannot make a woman pregnant. I want to believe that from the introduction of this article, you’re already wondering how this will affect your sexuality. You’re very much in order and I want to encourage you to stay in very close touch with doctor Akoury an expert in this line and all your worries will be addressed professionally but in the meantime let us explore more on the topic.

How is vasectomy done?

There are two main techniques for performing vasectomy with the common denominator being that they both block or cut the two tubes known as the vas deferens that carry sperm cells from the testicles:

Conventional vasectomy

In this approach, a physician makes one or two small cuts in the skin of the scrotum, which has been numbed with a local anesthetic. The vas deferens is cut, and a small piece may be removed. Next, the doctor ties or clips the cut ends and sews up the scrotal incision. The procedure is then repeated on the other side.

Vasectomy and Sex and Orgasm – Less Pleasurable Sex Very Rare

It is true that the process of vasectomies rarely affects men sexual abilities and that many men who have gone through the process have little or no experience of releasing at the time of orgasm. This may then explain why many healthcare providers who have performed numerous vasectomies may have not come across a patient reporting that their experience of sex deteriorated after the vasectomy and probably that could be the reason why all the doctors you’ve met and interacted with have had little to say in response to this question “Does vasectomy affect orgasm or masculinity?” if I have got your attention then it is important to note that even though the above is the case, it does not necessarily mean that your opposite experience isn’t valid or doesn’t warrant attention. Take note of this having a vasectomy can affect men’s feelings about themselves, their bodies, and their sexuality in very important ways. These effects may necessitate that you consult with a qualified trained professional or therapist to further explore how having a vasectomy has impacted your sex life.

Like I have mention above all matters relating to sexual dysfunctions for whatever reason are best handled with doctor Dalal Akoury. There is no amount of fear or embarrassment that can bring solutions to health complications. It will therefore be prudent that you seek for medication attention now even if you’re still not very sure of your feelings. Those feelings may be pointing at very serious health issues. I recommend that you take that bold step and call the expert at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This is a medical facility founded by Doctor Akoury purposely to administer treatment for people like you who need extra degree of confidentiality. When you get to the doctor’s office, you will be attended to by the doctor herself professionally and exclusively focusing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. The solution is on the way just waiting for your call to the doctor.

Advantages of vasectomy
  • A one-time, relatively inexpensive cost but the good news is that it is often covered by insurance or state grant programs
  • More dependable than any other form of birth control
  • Less expensive and poses less of a medical risk than female sterilization
  • Easier to reverse than female sterilization
  • Eliminates risks to female partner of oral contraceptives or IUDs
  • Freedom from hassle and worry of contraception
  • One of the main advantages of vasectomy that it is relatively permanent this can also be a disadvantage if at a later date the man changes his mind about having children. Even though it is possible to reversing a vasectomy it will be very difficult and expensive operation with no guarantee of success.
  • The possibilities of keeping semen in a sperm bank to preserve them with a view of producing pregnancy some day is realistic. However, doing this is costly, and the sperm in stored semen do not always remain healthy and able to cause pregnancy. For all of these reasons, doctors advise that vasectomy be undertaken only by men who are prepared to accept the fact that they will no longer be able to father a child. The decision should be considered along with other contraceptive options. It is also important that married men or those in serious relationships should discuss this subject with their partners intensively.
  • Although it is extremely effective for preventing pregnancy, vasectomy does not offer protection against AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. And for this reason it is important that vasectomized men continue to use condoms which offer considerable protection against the spread of disease, in any sexual encounter that carries the risk of contracting or transmitting infection.
Disadvantages to vasectomy

Finally whatever the decision you make or what you choose to do it is important remembering that doctor Akoury will always be there for you solely to help you overcome all your sexual fears, frustrations or any other concerns you may have. Life must go on in the most fulfilling way and calling doctor Akoury will guarantee this, try her now.

Vasectomy and Sex and Orgasm – Are there sexual risks to the operation?

 

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Is there a Law to Govern Drug Abuse by Pregnant Women?

August 16, 2014

Drug Abuse By Pregnant Women

What does the law require?

drug abuse by pregnant womenThis new law does not affect men; it is among the few laws which affect a given gender, the females only. This law seeks to protect the newborns against the effects of drugs as result of abuse of these drugs by the mother while they are pregnant.

Among the drugs which triggered the enactment of this law were the heroine and heavy prescription drugs which the pregnant mothers abused and hence their effects depicted in the newborns. It was found that many of the newborns were born with dependency on the drug which the pregnant mother abused. This is what prompted the need to regulate the drug abuse by the pregnant mothers, with sight to protect the newborns from drug addiction.

Is this law in use anywhere in the world?

The law which criminalizes the use of drugs by a pregnant woman has not been embraced in many states of the world. The alternate laws have rarely been used to charge the women who cause harm on the newborn due to use of a certain drug while pregnant. Contrary to these countries, a country known as Tennessee has enacted a law which declares it a crime for any woman to use drugs while she is pregnant.

Drug abuse by pregnant women has been criminalized in Tennessee, and it remains to be seen whether more states will be following the suit. A bill signed into law by the Republican Governor of Tennessee Bill Haslam explicitly criminalizes drug abuse while pregnant. The law came into effect in July and will remain in effect until 1 July 2016. While other US states, such as Alabama and South Carolina, have used fetal harm laws to charge drug-using pregnant women, Tennessee is the first state to adopt this criminalization approach. The new law allows women to be criminally charged with an “assaultive offense for the illegal use of a narcotic drug while pregnant, if her child is born addicted to or harmed by the narcotic drug or for criminal homicide if her child dies as a result of her illegal use of a narcotic drug taken while pregnant”. Supporters of the new law say its aim is to protect babies but a coalition of medical, public health, women’s rights, and social justice groups worked to oppose the bill as it made its way through the Tennessee legislature: “Under the Obama administration, we’ve really tried to reframe drug policy not as a crime but as a public health-related issue, and that our response on the national level is that we not criminalize addiction”, Our national strategy is based on the fact that addiction is a disease. What’s important is that we create environments where we’re really diminishing the stigma and the barriers, particularly for pregnant women, who often have a lot of shame and guilt about their substance abuse disorders”.

Even after signing this bill into law, due to its controversy the Governor of Tennessee was quoted as saying, “I understand the concerns about this bill, and I will be monitoring the impact of the law and regular updates with the court system and health professionals,”

This law has already been put into use and some women have been charged for committing the crime of using heavy drugs while pregnant.

Does this law have any benefit?

Arguably, this law has benefits especially to the newborns. The law protects the newborn from effects of the heavy drugs which the pregnant mother may use. Research has shown that newborns can be born with dependency on the drugs which the mother abused during the pregnancy. This law seeks to reduce these chances of a child being born with dependency in a given drug.

Another advantage of this law is that it can help in the reduction of drug abuse and consequently addiction. Since pregnant mother will fear the course of the law due to the effects of the drugs they abuse during pregnancy. This will make such women to be willing to undergo recovery from drug addiction or stop taking drugs if not yet addicted. This temporal stoppage of taking of the drugs can cause the patient to permanently stop taking the addictive drugs.

drug abuse by pregnant women

What makes this law controversial?
This law has been controversial ever since it was a bill. The main problem with this law is that it focuses on the effect of the drugs on the newborn with a view that they were taken during the pregnancy period. The fact is that some people may be taking the drugs before the pregnancy and stop immediately they become pregnant but still pass the effects of the drugs to the newborn.

Another factor is that this law doesn’t respect the rights of drug addicts, who cannot be able to stop taking the drug during the pregnancy period. Even if they were to enter a recovery period during the pregnancy period, it is not possible to completely stop taking the drugs, since all the recovery programs emphasizes on gradual withdrawal from the drug, which is a process which can cover the entire pregnancy period before completely withdrawing from the drug.

Another controversy of this law is that it also talks about addiction from opioids which are prescription drugs which are likely to be prescribed to the pregnant women for pain killing. This aspect has attracted questioning of the law by doctors who claim that it is very likely that a pregnant woman will be prescribed opioids and thus the law would make the women charged for a mistake they cannot avoid.

Drug Abuse By Pregnant Women

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