| Doctors find way to detect fetal alcohol disorders in newborns
VANCOUVER -- A test developed by medical researchers in Toronto is providing a new means for Canadian doctors to detect fetal alcohol syndrome among newborns -- a problem that has become "a huge national disaster," costing Canadians an estimated $4 billion each year, an expert in fetal alcohol disorders said Sunday. Fetal alcohol syndrome and related disorders, including birth defects, brain damage and other developmental problems in people whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy, have until now been difficult for doctors to diagnose, since mothers with drinking problems are often unwilling to admit how much alcohol they consume, according to Dr. Gideon Koren, the founder and director of the Motherisk Program at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. But Koren and his fellow researchers at Motherisk have discovered that fatty acid ethyl esters, a byproduct of alcohol, can be traced in stool samples taken from newborns in their first two days, which can indicate whether a baby is at risk of having alcohol-related disorders.
Pregnancy Symptoms For Mothers-to-be
Pregnancy is a natural process involving changes in a woman's body. Most women have uncomplicated pregnancies and their daily routines may not change until the last few weeks before delivery. Other women have difficult pregnancies that change their daily lives right from the start.
Most women experience emotional shifts and mood swings. It's natural to feel doubt, anxiety, and fear about pregnancy and childbirth, as well as happiness, excitement, and anticipation. Keeping a online pregnancy journal can help you keep track of your emotions. Plus, it will serve as a wonderful keepsake of your pregnancy in the years to come.
As soon as you think you might be pregnant, you should visit a pregnancy help center or clinic right away for a pregnancy test. If you are pregnant it is important to learn more about what to expect from pregnancy and how to care for yourself and your growing baby. If you smoke or drink, you should stop immediately -- tobacco and alcohol can harm your unborn child. Certain medications can also harm your child. [More about prenatal risks.]
Molecules in blood foretell development of preeclampsia
High levels of two proteins in the blood of pregnant women appear to indicate the subsequent development of preeclampsia, a life-threatening complication of pregnancy, report a team of researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The proteins, which interfere with the growth and function of blood vessels, also signal the development of high blood pressure during pregnancy. The findings appear in the September 7 New England Journal of Medicine. "This finding appears to be an important step in developing a cure for preeclampsia," said Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., Director of the National Institutes of Health. "It may also provide the basis for predicting whether or not a woman will develop the disorder." Preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal death and often occurs without warning.
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