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Preeclampsia
Published in Charles Theisler, Adjuvant Medical Care, 2023
Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and signs of kidney damage (edema, proteinuria) and liver damage (elevated liver enzymes). Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are the most common causes of maternal death. Therefore, prevention as well as early diagnosis and management are imperative.1 Preeclampsia usually begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy and increases the risk of poor outcomes for both the mother and the baby. In severe preeclampsia, hypertension may be accompanied by hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets (HELLP). Complications of preeclampsia include seizures, fetal growth retardation, low birth weight, premature or stillbirth, and, for the mother, liver or renal compromise. Women who develop seizures are diagnosed as having eclampsia.1
Fetal Development and Maternal Diet
Published in Praveen S. Goday, Cassandra L. S. Walia, Pediatric Nutrition for Dietitians, 2022
There have been theories that avoiding or consuming common food allergens (peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, etc.) during pregnancy may impact the frequency of food allergies in the child; however, the evidence is inconclusive. More recent data suggests avoidance diets may actually increase risk of atopic disease in a child. In regards to allergenic food ingestion during pregnancy, it is recommended that women do not avoid certain foods and should follow a general, healthy diet with an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy (if tolerated), and lean proteins such as fish, as this may be associated with lower rates of food allergy development.
Preconception Care
Published in Vincenzo Berghella, Obstetric Evidence Based Guidelines, 2022
Detailed discussion regarding prescribed and over-the-counter medications should occur at the preconception visit. The indication, safety, effectiveness, and necessity of each drug need to be reviewed. Often, patients and their doctors stop efficacious and necessary medications as soon as the patient finds out she is pregnant, compromising the health of both the patient and her baby. The vast majority of prescribed medications are safe in pregnancy, even in the first trimester. Only a few drugs, chemicals, infections, or radiations are proven teratogens (Table 1.8) [84, 85]. These should be avoided, except in rare circumstances (e.g., the patient with mechanical cardiac valves who accepts the teratogenic risk of warfarin). This medication counseling is often a crucial part of preconception care and can save and ameliorate significantly the health of a future offspring. Great resources exist on the Web for up-to-date teratologic information [86–88].
The influence of laughter yoga on pregnancy symptoms, mental well-being, and prenatal attachment: A randomized controlled study
Published in Health Care for Women International, 2023
Safiye Ağapınar Şahin, Mine Bekar
Pregnancy is a period of physiological, psychological, and social changes. Pregnant women experience many pregnancy-related symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, heartburn, frequent urination, and psychological changes during this period (Beji & Dişsiz, 2015; Taşkın, 2016). Researchers use many complementary and alternative therapies to support the health and well-being of pregnant women in this process (Peprah et al., 2017). They also use these therapies to alleviate pregnancy symptoms and improve the psychosocial health of pregnant women (Field et al., 2004; 2008; Flynn et al., 2016; Furtado et al., 2019; Jallo et al., 2014; Moriarty, 2017). Since laughter yoga, one of the complementary practices, improves physiological, psychological, and social health (Mora-Ripoll, 2010; Mora-Ripoll, 2011; Tremayne & Sharma, 2019; Yim, 2016), pregnant women may also benefit from its positive effects.
Review of the international hypnosis literature
Published in American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 2022
Shelagh Freedman, Ian Wickramasekera
Preeclampsia is a serious condition, marked by high blood pressure, which can occur during pregnancy. Since perceived stress is a cause of preeclampsia, this study tested the effects of hypnosis on perceived stressed in pregnant women (32–28 weeks gestation) hospitalized with preeclampsia. The forty women who received interventions using hypnosis and were compared to 40 women who received routine pregnancy care only. The intervention consisted of three 30-minute sessions of stress reduction techniques during hypnosis over three consecutive nights, and self-hypnosis training. The pregnant women in the intervention group were taught progressive muscle relaxation, and the hypnosis involved the “acceptance or lack of aversion and attachment to life issues and release from entering the vicious cycle of problems.” Suggestions for vasodilation and lower blood pressure were also given. The women in the intervention group repeated the exercise with audio CD at night before bed. While no differences were found between the groups’ pre-intervention, using hypnosis was found to enhance the reduction of perceived stress. The authors conclude that hypnosis is a simple, low-cost, effective method for delivering intervention that can lower perceived stress in women with preeclampsia. Address for reprints: Dr. Mahin Tafazoli, Department of Midwifery, Evidence-Based Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. E-Mail: [email protected]
Transcriptomic analysis of human endometrial stromal cells during early embryo invasion
Published in Annals of Medicine, 2021
Shuo Han, Minghui Liu, Shan Liu, Yuan Li
To explore the complex interactions between the embryo and the endometrium, the most suitable endometrial stromal sample is from the human body at the time that the embryo has just invaded. Presently, the earliest time to accurately detect pregnancy is 5 days after embryo transfer, which can be detected by serum hCG levels after 4–5 days have passed since embryo implantation. At this time, embryo and endometrial stromal cells have finished the primary signal crosstalk, and the stromal cells have entered into the stages of angiogenesis and cell proliferation [8,24–26]. Therefore, an in vitro model including embryos and primary stromal cells may be a better way to study the embryo invasion stage. In the past, there were many in vitro models of embryo implantation, including different cell sources and different culture systems, according to different purposes. Cell sources include stromal cells, epithelial cells, natural killer cells, villous trophoblast cells, and human/animal embryos. The culture systems include methods of 2-dimensional culture, trans-well culture, and 3-dimensional culture [22,27]. To more adequately explore changes of key genes and signalling pathways within endometrial stromal cells during embryo invasion (48 h after embryo attachment), we established an in vitro model using human embryos and primary stromal cells.