The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville is busy this year. Every day, there are more than a dozen babies born who are hooked on painkillers and other drugs. It’s an alarming trend that has health officials worried. They’re calling it an “epidemic” that could become commonplace across …
The rapidly rising risk of autism is a serious concern among expectant parents, especially since many new studies suggest that the factors that influence autism often happen in the womb. Now a new study suggests that artificially inducing labor is associated with a greater risk of autism, though that increased risk is small.
Over the last three decades, non-profit groups and public health agencies have waged a relentless campaign to spread the word about the risks of drunk driving. In response to these efforts, a number of laws have been passed at the state and federal levels that have reduced allowable blood-alcohol content percentages for drivers, strengthened DUI-related …
Study: 18 Percent of Pregnant Women Drink Alcohol in 1st Trimester Read More »
Flu is the common term for seasonal influenza, an infectious disease that occurs when certain species of viruses gain a foothold in the body’s respiratory system. Some forms of seasonal influenza produce only minor threats to human health, while others can produce severe threats or even kill affected individuals. According to the results of a …
Pregnant Mom’s Flu Can Trigger Bipolar Disorder in Offspring Read More »
Postnatal blood test developed by British doctors deemed breakthrough in treatment for new mothers. Having a baby should be a joyful time and a reason for celebration. Unfortunately, many women struggle with a mix of emotions—not all happiness and rainbows—after giving birth. If you have experienced childbirth, you know the feeling of delight, terror, anxiety …
‘Extremely Important’ Blood Test Could Predict Postpartum Depression Read More »
We have long known that a pregnant woman’s actions impact her unborn child. These impacts can even ripple outward into the child’s life many years later. Bad habits like drinking and smoking can cause birth defects that last a lifetime and good habits like eating well can give a child a leg up in life. …
Dad’s Stress Damages Sperm, Affects Baby, Study Finds Read More »
The message that drinking and pregnancy poses considerable risk to the unborn fetus appears to be getting through. Over the last decade, alcohol use among pregnant women has decreased, according to a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. More troubling, however, is that during that same 10-year period, illicit drug …
Pregnant Women Using Less Alcohol, More Illicit Drugs Read More »
Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a relatively rare mental health disorder that appears in some new mothers in the weeks immediately following childbirth. As the name of the disorder strongly implies, affected individuals develop symptoms of the mental state called psychosis, which can include both hallucinations and delusional thinking. Preexisting bipolar disorder is a known risk …
Links Between Postpartum Psychosis and Bipolar Disorder Read More »
Having a baby is usually a joyous occasion. After a safe delivery, maternal instincts begin to grow. Bonding begins as a mother finally gets to hold her child in her arms and continues through each feeding, swaddling, and kiss goodnight. But some women cannot enjoy these wonderful new bonding emotions and, rather, find themselves drifting …
Infertility is the general term used to describe an inability to conceive a child despite conscious efforts to do so. This inability can stem from reproductive problems in a woman or in a man. Both men and women can develop significant psychological problems as a consequence of infertility, and in turn, some researchers believe that …