Blood pressure, rich blood affect baby's growth | Reuters

Blood pressure, "rich" blood affect baby's growth

WASHINGTON

Tue Feb 9, 2010 5:53pm EST

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -

Women with high blood pressure and blood over-rich in red blood cells are more likely to give birth to babies who are too small or born too early, researchers in the Netherlands reported on Tuesday.

Health

Mothers who smoked or who did not take supplements correctly also were more likely to have babies who were underweight or born too early, the study found -- and these factors seem to affect the fetus during the first three months of pregnancy, before a woman has had much prenatal care.

But early ultrasounds may help identify the babies most at risk, the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggests.

Dr. Dennis Mook-Kanamori and colleagues at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam studied 1,631 pregnant women, doing ultrasound scans of their fetuses between 10 and 13 weeks gestation.

Babies that were the smallest during this period of early, rapid growth were also more likely to be born early or to be underweight at birth, Mook-Kanamori's team reported.

But as they grew into toddlers, these babies tended to grow too fast -- a pattern that can cause such children to become obese.

"Higher diastolic blood pressure and higher hematocrit levels were associated with a shorter crown to rump length," the researchers wrote. Hematocrit is a count of red blood cells in the blood.

A low hematocrit means anemia, but levels can be too high if a person is dehydrated, smokes or has some kinds of heart disease. The researchers suggested that if a woman was dehydrated, perhaps not enough blood was getting to the placenta to nourish the fetus.

Smokers and women who did not take folic acid supplements also tended to have small fetuses during the first trimester, the researchers found.

And these children, when born, grew at quicker than optimal rates. "Shorter first-trimester crown to rump length was associated with accelerated growth rates in early childhood," the researchers wrote.

"Complications of late pregnancy may, at least for some women, already be determined in the first 3 months postconception, even before a woman has sought prenatal care," Dr. Gordon Smith of Britain's University of Cambridge wrote in a commentary.

"Combined ultrasonic and biochemical screening in early pregnancy may be able to identify women at high risk of complications in late pregnancy."

(Editing by Eric Walsh)

via reuters.com

Posted via web from nzmidwife's posterous

Procrastination and a New Year

I could pretend I have had a really productive year and life is moving in really positive directions. I have managed to complete a paper for my Masters degree by the generous graces of the lecturer. I am working through a pregnancy acupuncture course and slacking on my adult teaching certificate. I am on longer on the DPB and I have managed to clear a huge debt through a summary instalment order which prevented me from being made bankrupt. However, I am still being harrassed by debt collectors because TelstraClear haven’t matched my payments properly to my account. All payments were made by the Courts authorised SIO administrator and every other company has figured it out. All of my battered and trashed furniture and appliances have been replaced through ingenious methods and hard work.

So I feel like I have cleared the physical and financial evidence of relationship baggage but I am physically carrying around far too much extra weight as emotional baggage. I feel stuck and procrastination is part of that…a bit of a “why bother” mentality. Part of avoiding my responsibilities is spending too much time online playing Perfect World where I bury myself. I think it might be a functional variety of depression where I get up, shower, go to work, do minimum housework and then go to the computer and hide. This essentially has me in contact with my brother and sister but cuts me off from improving my health, my environment, completing study requirements and having positive enriching time with my children. I know I’m doing it but I don’t have the motivation to do anything else at the moment.

I don’t know what 2008 will bring. If I had a really positive mindset I am sure I could create wonderful changes in my life. I do have wonderful things in my life but I feel burdened and overwhelmed and can’t see the path clearly.

Life Update

I haven’t been blogging much at all lately. I have even slipped up on once a month.

*I do have a new television as I decided not to fight the fight.

*I am taking a break from Flickr and photography and it is all my sisters fault.

*I am addicted to the free game Silkroad Online.

Still No Television

I finally traipsed into the local Warehouse store with my receipt and the Consumer article firmly in hand. I stated that it would be reasonable for a television to last at least the minimum 4 years as indicated by the Consumers Institute survey of manufacturers. I was requesting repair or replacement by the retailer. The manager stated that he was unable to help and now I will need to contact their customer service department at Head Office. Thank goodness I am quite enjoying not having a large television in the lounge, as I would guess that the majority of people would repair their televisions at their own cost because of the inconvenience.

Happy Finances Dance!

I am doing the happy dance because the summary instalment order I was paying off, and was close to the $12,000, has been completed. Now my debts are minor and manageable and I will never let them get to that level again.

My next financial goal is to get off the DPB. However, there are many factors in making that work. Commencing my Master’s degree is one component and the age of the children is another.

You can’t predict what will happen in a relationship and to end up with the kids and the huge debt burden definitely creates enormous stress. I have heard many times that he doesn’t have money and I am sick of it. It always comes back to one person choosing the path and the other person being pushed onto it unawares. A man typically comes out of a marriage breakup up better off, as evidenced that he is living in a 2 income household and they have purchased a house, and I am still on the DPB and renting. We were told in a lecture, while I was doing my midwifery training, that women are a marriage breakup away from poverty and need to make certain of their financial security and I have now experienced that. 2004 was the worst year ever!

While this sounds like a bit like an awards speech I must acknowledge and thank

my friend Kahurangi for the bag of groceries she surprised me with in 2004 when things were really tough

my budget advisor Lily-Ann for putting things into perspective and making it manageable, and for the Manchester House food parcels and the grocery vouchers at Christmas

Daphne and Jo for having the vision for me to work with them and achieve job satisfaction and a way of working that supports the needs of my children

Jill for creating an opportunity for the kids and I to have a holiday

Kylie and Paul for the very special adventure to Milford Sound

Julian and Viv for the second hand clothes for the girls and the extra $$ here and there for the internet

Hayley and Will for the times they have treated me and the kids

my mother for the unlimited love and support and all the bags of groceries and Thursday dinners and treats for the kids

I couldn’t have gotten through without this help and support, and there would have been no light at the end of the tunnel if my mother hadn’t been there every step of the way making sure we were okay. I love you Mum!!

What Happened Next?

I am still working my way through a mountain of photos from my sister’s wedding and also compiling a slideshow.

My television is still sitting in my garage and waiting for me to take up the battle again.

The supermarket was extremely prompt and very friendly in following through on the FlyBuys voucher problem. The error seemed to be in the processing by the checkout staff that evening.

All I Wanted Was Sugar

Maybe I am far too sensitive? I had some vouchers from work and no money in my bank accounts. I needed sugar and thought it would be nice to have some special items as well as a better dinner. So I selected a range of items as one does and presented myself at checkout. The vouchers were all declined. One of our staff had spent close to half an hour activating them all and either FlyBuys have a problem or the supermarket processed them incorrectly.

I felt embarrassed and upset and the staff were trying to tell me what I needed to do to fix things - but not today of course. All I could think about was the things I had chosen with the kids that were going back on the shelf. And no sugar for my cup of tea…