Salt Intake During Pregnancy

Salt Intake During Pregnancy

July 9th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Pregnant women are often advised to cut back on their salt intake during pregnancy by well meaning friends and relatives. Even the medical community believed that salt in the diet contributed to water retention resulting in swelling and bloating. While having too much salt in your diet can cause problems, especially if you have high blood pressure, a moderate intake of sodium is actually healthy for a pregnant woman. It helps to maintain the higher fluid levels required during pregnancy.

What Is Sodium?

Although it has a bad name due to the unhealthy effects of getting too much in your diet, sodium is actually a necessary mineral for good health. It is an electrolyte that helps regulate the fluid levels in the body and helps your body to absorb nutrients.

Salt and Edema

Many women experience problems with swelling of the legs and feet during pregnancy, a condition known as edema. While edema has traditionally been blamed on sodium in the diet, this is not entirely accurate. Edema is caused by higher levels of estrogen and the increased volume of blood in a pregnant woman’s body. Edema is not pleasant, but isn’t a matter for concern in a pregnant woman unless it is accompanied by signs of preeclampsia such as high blood pressure. Although a very high sodium diet may make edema worse, it is not the only culprit.

How Much Salt Is Ok to Eat?

The appropriate amount of sodium for an adult to consume in a day, including a pregnant woman, is about 2400 micrograms. Unfortunately, many of us consume far, far more than that amount. Thus, while it isn’t recommended that you consume too little sodium during pregnancy, if your diet is too high in sodium currently, you should reduce your intake for a healthy pregnancy.

Avoiding too much sodium can be tricky, as it appears in so many different processed foods, so be sure to read the label before you eat. Fast food is a huge culprit for large amounts of sodium. Ask to see the nutritional information before ordering or better yet, skip fast food altogether and go for a healthier option. Avoid using excess salt on your food at home as well. Remember that all kinds of things from salad dressing to ketchup contain sodium, so use them sparingly. And take it easy with the salt shaker too!

Sodium and Blood Pressure

Diets that are too high in sodium can result in high blood pressure, which is not healthy at any time including during pregnancy. Pregnant women are already at risk of pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, which can be a precursor of preeclampsia, a much more serious condition. If your blood pressure is elevated, you should be tested for other symptoms. Preeclampsia is a serious complication during pregnancy that can result in premature birth and dangerous health problems for the mother. It should be monitored closely. Women who have had preeclampsia in the past should discuss sodium intake with their doctor.

The bottom line on sodium is that it is an important part of a pregnancy diet, but should be watched carefully as it is easy to get too much. Before embarking on a low-sodium diet during your pregnancy, discuss it with your doctor. Both too much and too little sodium can be very unhealthy for you and your baby.

What You Need to Know About Pregnancy after 35

What You Need to Know About Pregnancy after 35

March 13th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

It is very common for women to wait until later in life to have children. Either they don’t find a partner until then and/or they choose to pursue their career before they settle down to have a family. Either way, the number of women who have their first baby later in life has increased significantly. The article “Babies Later in Life” on iParenting states that the number of women having their first baby between the ages 30-39 has doubled in the past 15 years. Women over the age of 40 having their first baby has increased by 50%.

This is important because there are special considerations for a woman when she has a baby over the age of 35. The first of these considerations is that a woman’s fertility begins to decline at around the age of 30. This means that by the age of 35, it can be more difficult to become pregnant as ovulation becomes unpredictable and erratic. It also becomes more possible for a woman to release two eggs during one ovulation and this means she will conceive fraternal twins.

When a woman who is age 35 or older decides to have a baby, her pre-pregnancy health is of the utmost importance, more so than if she were younger. Pregnancy over the age of 35 entails far more risks than pregnancy in younger women. Think about it like this. Females are born with all of their eggs. The eggs don’t form as women grow up or when they hit puberty. Every egg is already in a female’s ovaries when she is born. As the girl turns into a woman and the woman ages, so do the eggs. Over time, some of the aging eggs can become damaged or develop problems.

One of the risks with older eggs is the higher chance of a baby being born with chromosomal abnormalities. Down syndrome is one of the most common of these chromosomal abnormalities. The chances for younger women to have a Down syndrome baby are 1 in 1250. Once a woman reaches age 35, her chances are 1 in 378. By age 45, a woman’s chances of having a Down syndrome baby are 1 in 30! The chances of a baby with birth defects being born to an older mother increases as well.

Pregnancy itself is riskier when a woman is older. There is a higher risk that there will be complications. There is a higher risk of the mother having gestational diabetes, high blood pressure (known as preeclampsia), and vaginal bleeding. It is also more common for there to be problems with the placenta, placing both mother and baby at risk.

Of course, even with the higher risks, there are many, many mothers over the age of 35 who have happy healthy deliveries and babies. Having a baby when you are older does have its advantages. The mother is more mature and has more life experience to bring to her children. Of course, overall having a baby later in life is a personal choice that a woman must make. The important thing is that she makes that choice an educated one, being fully aware of the risks involved. Even more important is to make younger women aware of these risks. That way, if they don’t want to take the chances those risks entail, they may be able to choose to have their children at a younger age. If you do choose to have your children later in life, then take heart in knowing that successful pregnancies happen all the time and healthy babies are frequently born to older parents. No matter what you choose, enjoy the experience because there isn’t anything else like it in life!

Air Travel: Should You While Pregnant?

Air Travel: Should You While Pregnant?

March 8th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Cause for travel can come up at any point in life, and while you are pregnant there is no exception. This travel could be planned, such as a family vacation you have been planning for months, it could be a last-minute getaway before baby is due to arrive, or it might be a trip due to a family emergency. Regardless of the reason for you flight, the American Pregnancy Association states that it is generally safe to travel throughout your pregnancy.

Of course, there are times when you will be advised not to travel. If you have had any complications with your pregnancy, have high blood pressure, have had any bleeding, or any other notable issues, then your doctor will tell you not to fly. Otherwise, you are free to travel. It is important to be aware that most airlines have a policy that allows pregnant women to fly up until their eighth month, but they will generally allow you to fly in your ninth month if you have a signed notice from your doctor allowing you to fly.

When flying during pregnancy, there are a few things to keep in mind. Try to get an aisle seat so that you can stretch your legs and back. If you can get a bulkhead seat that is even better because you might be able to stand up and walk a bit. This is important, especially on long flights. Sitting in the aisle also makes it easier to get to the washroom more easily.

Now for the washroom discussion. The aisles and washroom on an airplane are small and cramped, which will make it more difficult for you to maneuver. It is important to hold on to the backs of seats or the hand rails in the bathroom. When pregnant your center of gravity is different and balancing is more difficult. You need to be prepared if you are standing when turbulence hits.

Another thing to note when flying is that dehydration can happen more easily. Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after your flight so that you can remain fully hydrated. While this might mean more frequent trips to an awkward washroom, it is better for you and baby.

You should also always travel on major airlines that have pressurized cabins. If you must travel on a small airplane, then be sure not to fly above 7,000 feet. You should also be sure to find out the regulations of the airline with which you are flying because you will need to know ahead of time if you need a note of permission from your doctor. Many airlines require this note to have been written within 48 hours of departure. Do not rely on the travel agency to inform you of these details as they often do not know them.

All in all it is safe for pregnant women to fly throughout their pregnancy. Of course, if you are close to term, you might want to consider if you want to risk having your baby on an airplane. Flying in your ninth month does pose the risk of going into labor on the airplane. You, with your doctor’s or midwife’s input, are your own best judge of your body, your pregnancy, and your situation. Whatever decision you make, enjoy your travel and enjoy your destination.