Illness you can
really do without
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 By
Ankita Goel |
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A pregnant
woman has to be very careful about exposing herself to diseases
which may affect her baby. Although most of the common diseases
do not really affect the fetus (because much is unknown) the
best prevention a mother can take is to make her immune system
strong.
The idea of
informing about these diseases is not to scare the mother
or overload her with medical information, but to make the
mother aware of the potential risks. Since these diseases
are becoming more common, a pregnant woman may submit herself
completely to the medical fraternity and lose touch with her
own intuition and natural experience. So, it is best for a
mother to understand the importance and create a healthy environment
within herself (a healthy body) and around. She should take
care of the people she is meeting to know how close she is
to illnesses.
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| Some of the diseases to
look out for are: |
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Chicken
Pox - Exposure to this disease can lead to a miscarriage
during the first 2 months of pregnancy and increased
risk of birth defects up to 20 weeks. It incubates for
up to 2 weeks unseen, and is contagious when spots are
present. The prevention is to stay away from a suspected
chicken pox sufferer and their family until confirmed
as no longer infectious.
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Rubella
(German Measles) - Exposure of the mother to rubella
can lead to miscarriage, deafness, mental retardation,
and defects in major organs in the baby. The risk is
greatest in early pregnancy (prior to 12 weeks) but
reduces in later trimesters.
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Genital
Herpes (HSV-2) - Around 30% of all women carry genital
herpes and are unaware of it. If you carry this virus,
it is wise to inform the birthing team about it because
internal examination and fetal monitoring can spread
the virus from the vagina to the fetus. If your partner
has this virus, be sure to use condoms during sex.
If affected,
the baby can have an outbreak of rashes or sores on
the skin (usually hands and feet). More serious conditions
like brain infection, lethargy, fits, jaundice or apnoea
can develop if not diagnosed early.
To prevent
any bad affect, a woman may get herself tested for the
virus. If you discover that you carry this virus, a
combination of yoga practices, cleansing techniques
and lifestyle adjustments (diet, stress) can help.
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Group
B Streptococcus (GBS) - It is a bacterium found
in the rectum, vagina or bladder of women (about 15-40%
women carry it). It is the #1 cause of life threatening
infections in newborn babies. Most of the times the
infection spreads to the baby during labor (occurs in
1-2% of babies of infected mothers). The baby if infected
can suffer from inflammation of lungs, spinal cord or
brain; some may even die; some may be at a risk of getting
meningitis.
Women
at highest risk are those with a history of bladder
or kidney infections; where labor is premature or when
the mother has fever before or during labor. It is usually
tested for in suspected women at around 35-37 weeks,
who are then treated with intravenous antibiotics during
labor, if tested positive.
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| Cats & Meat During Pregnancy: |
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A parasite
called Toxoplasmosis is usually found in some forms of meat
and sometimes in the faeces of cats. So a pregnant woman can
get infected if she eats raw or poorly cooked meat or if she
comes in close contact with infected domestic animals and
where they have soiled.
This parasite
if transferred to the baby during the 1st trimester, can cause
birth defects and other less serious ailments.
So the experts
advise that pregnant women should take precautions by not
handling cat litter at all; and if they have to, then gloves
should be used. Washing hands after such activity is recommended.
As far as meat
eating is concerned make sure you eat properly cooked meat
and be cautious of where you purchase your meat and how you
store it.
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| Other Children And Pregnancy: |
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A pregnant
woman should exercise very careful hygiene habits in all situations
of toileting young children and her elder children.
There are certain
virus which are found in the faeces of young children like
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| 1. |
Cytomegalovirus
- If contracted during pregnancy, the baby can develop
fetal defects - some visible at birth and others that
develop in early childhood.
To prevent
it, it is best to maintain hygiene.
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| 2. |
Parvovirus
B-19 or Fifths Disease or slapped-cheek virus -
It is a mild airborne infection, which spreads easily
through classrooms during autumn and winter.
If the
pregnant mother is affected, it can interfere with the
production of the baby's RBCs and can cause early miscarriage
and stillbirth.
Avoidance
of childcare centers and schools is recommended.
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| 3. |
Loxsackievirus
- This virus thrives in the human intestine and
is passed by human faeces.
If infected
during 1st trimester, birth defects can occur.
Later infection increases the risk that the baby may
develop conditions as diverse as schizophrenia and diabetes.
To prevent
it one should make sure that all the adults and children
around use good hand washing techniques - before eating
and especially after toileting and nappy changing.
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Warm wishes,
Ankita Goel
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This newsletter
is based on my experience and understanding of "Mother
as First Guru" by Swami Gurupremananda Saraswati which
I consider a complete 'Biblical Guide' to natural womanhood,
pregnancy and spiritual mothering. To read more about it,
go to:
http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/preg/mafg_intro.html
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Interesting
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Sprouter
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Neti
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To help you treat sinus infections in pregnancy naturally
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