ZIKA VIRUS: WHAT PREGNANT WOMEN NEED TO KNOW, Daniel Saltzman, MD (Video)
The Zika virus has been concerning the nation, especially since it poses a high risk to pregnant women. Although everyone should be aware of this virus since it can lead to further health complications, pregnant women should be more cautious. Potential Zika virus symptoms are generally mild, including fever, rash on the hands or face,
SEVERE PREECLAMPSIA SYMPTOMS, Andrei Rebarber, MD (Digital)
Pre-eclampsia with severe features include several symptoms and features that may correspond to those seen in uncomplicated pregnancies such as increasing leg and hands swelling and headaches. But the severity of these symptoms and the unremitting nature of the signs combined with other features described below should give some women a warning that a potential
TESTS TO PREDICT PREECLAMPSIA, Andrei Rebarber, MD (Digital)
Pre-eclampsia is a disorder that may develop anytime from the later part of the second trimester to the first several weeks postpartum. The ability to predict the disorder has limited current clinical benefit given that there is no known therapeutic intervention to alter its course or severity besides delivery. However, accurate prediction may help identify
THE RISK FACTORS OF PREECLAMPSIA, Andrei Rebarber, MD (Digital)
When discussing risk factors of pre-eclampsia, it is important to remember that the cause of pre-eclampsia is unknown as it appears to have multi-factorial processes affecting the final event. Many of the risk factors of this issue are epidemiologic risk factors, or health conditions, that generally cannot be altered. Some of the most classic risk factors of
HOW COMMON IS PREECLAMPSIA?, Andrei Rebarber, MD (Digital)
In the case of pre-eclampsia, diagnoses frequency varies around the globe. Worldwide, pre-eclampsia occurs in about 7.5% of pregnancies, but can be as low as 2% in some countries and up to 10% in others. In the United States, pre-eclampsia occurs in about 3.4% of pregnancies. It is speculated that there are a few factors
PREGNANCY OUTCOMES FOR WOMEN OVER 45 YEARS OLD, Nathan Fox, MD (Digital)
There have been multiple studies that have documented pregnancy outcomes for women over the age of 45 and 50. In 2002, Paulson et al study reported outcomes for 77 women older than 50 with no chronic medical conditions. All of these women underwent embryo transfers conceived after in vitro fertilization with donor egg. There was
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF RPL (REOCCURING PREGNANCY LOSS)?, Nathan Fox, MD (Digital)
Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses before the 20th week of gestation. Although there can be many causes of RPL, genetic cases are overwhelmingly the most common, making up approximately 90% of recurrent losses. Of these, 60-80% are caused by recurrent aneuploidy (extra or missing chromosome, such as
PRETERM LABOR RISKS FOR THE BABY, Andrei Rebarber, MD (Digital)
Preterm labor and delivery happens between the 20 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, can be dangerous for a baby. If a baby is born premature, it’s not fully developed and may not survive outside of the mother’s womb. If the baby does survive, there can be short- and long-term consequences. Preterm babies have been quoted
MAGNESIUM SULFATE FOR SEVERE PREECLAMPSIA, Nathan Fox, MD (Digital)
Severe Preeclampsia A woman who has preeclampsia has a serious condition during pregnancy. If the condition continues to get worse a woman could start experiencing seizures. Magnesium Sulfate is a medication, actually a mineral, given to women who are experiencing severe preeclampsia. In this country, we give magnesium intravenously (through a vein) to reduce the
PREECLAMPSIA RISK FACTORS, Nathan Fox, MD (Digital)
About 5% of women will get preeclampsia, and the majority of those will get it late in pregnancy in a mild form. However, there are women who are at an increased risk for preeclampsia. Women with multiple pregnancies like twins or triplets, women who are older, and women with a history of preeclampsia in the
