Water births are as safe as land births

A pain-less delivery would be a dream for many mothers, and a complete solution to that is yet to be found. But a new study found that water births are no more risky than land births. In water birth, the woman gives birth in a water-filled tub rather than a bed. Few US hospitals or birth centres offer tub births because of perceived risk to the newborn, mainly suggested by case studies of neonatal infections or cord tearing.

University of Michigan researchers analyzed 397 water births and 2025 land births from two midwifery practices. There were no differences in outcomes between water birth and land birth for neonatal intensive care admissions, and postpartum haemorrhage rates were similar for both groups. 

"The long and short of it is that if you use proper techniques...the outcomes are very good," said  senior author on the paper. "They mirror what we see in international studies of water birth." Ruth Zielinski, clinical associate professor of nursing and study co-author, said more facilities should offer water birth and have guidelines for implementing it.

Professional organizations tend to agree that women in labour should have access to water for comfort, but not all support birth in the water. This means hospitals must make women leave the tub before birth. During a water birth, babies take their first breath when removed from the tub. Until then, their lungs are filled with water, which is displaced when they hit the air and breathe. The connected umbilical cord provides oxygen.

"It's important not to re-submerge babies", Zielinski said. At U-M, they are birthed in the water, brought out almost immediately, and they're careful to not re-submerge them. Mom and baby exit the tub with help and warm blankets, typically prior to delivering the placenta so that blood loss can be more accurately calculated. Zielinski said more studies are needed to understand the satisfaction level of women who have water births.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement     

Eyes may indicate conditions caused by hypertension

When a Dr.  shines a bright light in his patient's eye, he's looking for more than just vision problems. 

He's searching for clues indicating the effects of high blood pressure, or hypertension, and what he finds could help prevent heart attacks, strokes and other serious health problems far beyond the eye.

'The silent killer'
"We can see changes due to vascular conditions caused by diabetes or hypertension," said  an optometrist. "The blood vessels in the retina can become a little more stiff and hardened. They'll push on each other and cross, like two hoses in a confined space.

"When it gets really bad, we'll see some of the blood vessels start to leak; we'll see some hemorrhaging. And that can cause a whole range of vision issues."

Vision symptoms may not show up for years. But ultimately, high blood pressure can result in hypertensive retinopathy, blood vessel damage causing blurred vision or loss of sight; choroidopathy, a buildup of fluid under the retina that can distort or impair vision; or optic neuropathy, a blood flow blockage that can kill nerve cells and cause vision loss.

Similarly, high blood pressure may not reveal itself for decades before causing a heart attack or stroke, which earns its grim description as the "silent killer". 

That is why detecting high blood pressure early and treating it with diet, exercise and medication is crucial, and why White says eye doctors are on the front lines of the battle.

Eye doctors need to educate patients
"Sometimes people will say, 'I'm just here to get my glasses. Why are you checking my blood pressure?'" he said. "We try to inform them about the unique opportunity we have to look at these blood vessels in the eye."

Researchers checked about 2 900 patients with high blood pressure for hypertensive retinopathy, then tracked them for an average of 13 years. They found that those with a mild form of the condition had a 35% greater risk of stroke. That increased risk leaped to 137% for those with moderate or severe hypertensive retinopathy.

Although more research is needed to confirm the findings regarding stroke risk, White has no doubt about the crucial role of eye doctors to educate patients about the need to control blood pressure.
"You're not just a pair of eyeballs walking into an exam room," he said. "We have to look at the entire person and the whole picture. These are things that can impact their lives significantly, and we have a responsibility for their overall health."

'I don't like going to the doctor'
But doesn't every medical checkup start with a blood pressure check? And doesn't every pharmacy have a machine to measure it yourself?

White said many people would be surprised how many of his patients rarely see another doctor, or if they do, don't always follow medical advice or don't take their blood pressure medication.

"Some people don't go for a routine checkup every year," he said. "They tell me, 'Look, I just don't like going to the doctor.' But their eyes are a problem, so they'll come to us."

Knowing the risks of high blood pressure, White said, keeps him vigilant.

"It's so important because of the silent nature of this problem," he said. "People can feel absolutely fine, but high blood pressure has a cumulative effect. If it's uncontrolled over years, it's going to cause damage later in life."

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                
 PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                               
     https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                     
  FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                              https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

Back pain causes: Painful symptoms could be a result of this serious health problem

Back pain is common and normally improves within a few weeks or months, but there are a variety of different things it can be caused by - some more serious than others. Your doctor will be able to to determine what the cause is when evaluating your back.

In most cases the pain is not caused by anything serious and will usually get better over time.

“Non-specific” back pain, where there is no obvious cause, tends to be down to posture, and tends to get better or worse depending on your position.

Conditions such as a slipped disc can also cause back pain. But in very rare cases, beck pain can be a sign of a serious problem - one of these being a broken bone in the spine.

According to experts, the main clinical symptoms of a fracture in the spine can include sudden onset of back pain.

Pain worsening with standing or walking, pain reducing after lying on your back, limited spinal mobility, height loss and deformity and disability can also be symptoms of a broken spine.

If you see your GP with back pain, they will look for signs of a broke bone in the spine.

Other more serious problems linked to back pain include an infection, cauda equine syndrome (where the nerves in the lower back become severely compressed), and cancer.

Fibromyalgia and osteoporosis can also cause lower back pain, but Boots WedMD also notes a more serious cause - cauda equine syndrome. It describes the condition as a “medical emergency”. 

It explains: “Disc material expands into the spinal canal, which compresses the nerves. A person experiences pain, possible loss of sensation and bowel or blaster dysfunction. This can include inability to control urination, causing incontinence, or the inability to begin urination.”

Other possible causes of cauda equine syndrome indulge a spinal lesion or tumour, a spinal infection, inflammation, haemorrhage or fracture, or a birth defect such as an abnormal connection between blood vessels.

Symptoms of the condition may vary and come on slowly. You may also experience pain, numbness or weakness in one o both legs that causes you to stumble or have trouble getting up from a chair.
Recent problems with bladder or bowel function, such as trouble eliminating urine or water or trouble holding it in, could also be signs.


The doctor has four tips that may help reduce your backache and speed up your recovery. It lists the following:
Stay as active as possible and try to continue your daily activities - this is one of the most important things you can do, as resting for long periods is likely to make the pain worse.

Try exercises and stretches for back pain; other activities such as walking, swimming, yoga and pilates may also be helpful.

Take anti-inflammatory painkillers, such as ibuprofen - remember to check the medicine is safe for you to take first and ask a pharmacist if you’re not sure.

Use hot or cold compression packs for short-term relief - you can buy these from your local pharmacy, or a hot water bottle and bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a cloth will work just as well.

The health body adds: “Although it can be difficult, it helps if you stay optimistic and recognise that your pain should get better, as people who manage to stay positive despite their pain tend to recover quicker.

If you develop any of the symptoms of cauda equine syndrome you should seek medical advice immediately or visit the accident and emergency department of your nearest hospital.

In the majority of cases, back pain is not caused by anything serious and will usually get better over time.

A GP can examine your back and discuss possible treatments, but there are things you can do at home to relieve it.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                      PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/   
FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                           https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                              
FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         https://my crochet creations.blogspot.com/ 

The R 50 miracle drug that prevents maternal deaths from excess bleeding

An inexpensive and widely available drug given intravenously within three hours of childbirth could save the lives of one in three new mothers who would otherwise bleed to death after delivery, reports a study in The Lancet. 

A global WOMAN (World Maternal Antifibrinolytic) Trial of more than 20,000 women from 193 hospitals in 21 countries, including India, found that giving drug called tranexamic acid (TXA) within three hours after childbirth reduced death from bleeding by 31% and lowered the need for emergency surgery to control bleeding (laparotomy) in one in three (36%) cases.

TXA stops bleeding by stopping blood clots from breaking down too quickly. Severe bleeding after childbirth (known as post-partum haemorrhage or PPH) is the leading cause of the 100,000 maternal death worldwide. 

TXA injections are manufactured by several pharma companies in India and cost between R 30 and R 50.

The study found 89 women given tranexamic acid died compared with 127 given placebo in addition to standard care. There were no side effects for either mothers or babies. The study builds on previous research involving 20,000 trauma patients, which showed that tranexamic reduced deaths due to bleeding by almost a third if given within three hours.

India’s maternal mortality rate (deaths per every 100,000 live births) is 167, shows data from the sample Registration System. In 2015, around 45,000 women died from childbirth-related causes, including post-partum haemorrhage -- defined as a blood loss of more than 500ml -- within 24 hours of giving birth.

“We now have important evidence that the early use of tranexamic acid can save women’s lives. It’s safe, affordable and easy to administer, and we hope that doctors will use it as early as possible following the onset of severe bleeding after childbirth,” said Haleema Shakur, associate professor of clinical trials at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Project Director on the WOMAN Trial.

The drug, however, did not prevent a new mother’s risk of having her womb surgically removal (hysterectomy). In situations where safe blood supply is limited, a life-saving hysterectomy is sometimes done immediately after severe haemorrhaging starts, which left no time for TXA to have an effect.

 this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations 
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement   

Mild hyper-tension can be treated without drugs

For people with mild hyper-tension, encouraging lifestyle changes should be the first line of recommendations for physicians rather than putting them on drugs, suggest experts. Lead researcher Stephen Martin and colleagues argue that the current strategy is failing patients and wasting healthcare resources. ‘Over-emphasis on drug treatment risks adverse effects such as increased risk of falls and misses opportunities to modify individual lifestyle choices,’ they noted.
 
They called for a re-examination of the threshold and urge clinicians to be cautious about treating low risk patients with blood pressure lowering drugs. Up to 40 percent of adults worldwide have hyper-tension, over half of which is classified as mild. Low risk indicates that an individual does not have existing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes or kidney diseases.

Over the years, hyper-tension has been treated with drugs at progressively lower blood pressures. ‘We urge clinicians to share the uncertainty surrounding drug treatment of mild hypertension with patients, measure blood pressure at home, improve accuracy of clinic measurements and encourage lifestyle changes,’ Martin concluded. They were scheduled to discuss the findings at the 2014 Preventing Over diagnosis Conference hosted by the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine at the University of Oxford.

Here are ten ways high blood pressure affects your body.

Affects the blood vessels
In hypertension the wall of the blood vessels lose their elasticity and become firm or hard, a condition called arteriosclerosis. Because of the constant pressure the walls of the artery become weak and over time, may cause a part of it to bulge. This forms an aneurysm (distension or a pouch-like structure in the vessel wall) which can rupture and is invariably fatal.

Fails your heart
High blood pressure thickens and damages the lining of the blood vessels of the heart.The damaged blood vessels are prone to the formation of clots which can grow and block the blood supply to the heart. This can reduce the efficiency of the heart and also damage its tissues leading to angina (chest pain). Increased blood pressure also increases the workload of the heart.This causes thickening of its muscle wall especially the left ventricle (left ventricular hypertrophy)which in turn compromises the heart’s ability to pump enough blood to the different organs eventually leading to heart failure.
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.

Affects the brain
Hypertension increases the risk of brain haemorrhage (stroke) by almost 10 times. According to a research, even if your blood pressure (BP) is slightly elevated, you may be prone to a stroke. In fact high BP is responsible for 80% of all heart attacks and stroke. Increased blood pressure weakens the small vessels in the brain causing them to rupture. Interruption of blood flow to the brain may also increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. 

 THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.








PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP:GSEASYRECIPES.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP://KNEE REPLACEMENT-STICK CLUB.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS

HTTP://MY CROCHET CREATIONS.BLOGSPOT.COM

How conflict affects women's reproductive health

Gender-based violence, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity all flourish in times of conflict, says a review, suggesting clinicians need to be sensitive and aware of the unique challenges of women's reproductive health needs in such times.

"In an increasingly globalised world, a working knowledge of reproductive health during conflict allows clinicians to approach subjects sensitively with women, building a relationship of trust and understanding, allowing women to gain access to services they need," said Benjamin Black from Medecins Sans Frontieres in Sierra Leone.

Approximately 1.5 billion people are currently living in countries affected by conflict, fragility or large-scale violence.

Women and children account for approximately 75 per cent of those displaced by conflict and roughly 20 percent of those displaced are women of reproductive age.

Conflict can negatively impact all aspects of reproductive health, directly through damage to services, gender-based violence and forced displacement of populations and indirectly through reductions in the availability of basic healthcare, the researchers noted.

Further, the loss of access to adequate family planning and basic health services also increases reliance on traditional or harmful methods, including unsafe termination of pregnancy.

Looking at maternal mortality specifically, high rates are frequently encountered in conflict-affected populations -- eight of the 10 countries with the highest maternal mortality ratios have experienced current or recent conflict.

Approximately 15 percent of displaced pregnant women will encounter a potentially life-threatening complication, such as haemorrhage, sepsis, obstructed labour or eclampsia, the review noted.

In the context of conflict and displacement, services are often scarce, resulting in delays in reaching the care required. Furthermore, the poor security conditions, exodus of healthcare providers, lack of transport and loss of facilities result in heightened vulnerability and reduced access to life-saving interventions.

Awareness and recognition by medical staff to these issues may be beneficial to the women's care and aid them in accessing the appropriate services, the authors concluded.

The review appeared in the journal The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist. 

 

 

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.

PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP:GSEASYRECIPES.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP://KNEE REPLACEMENT-STICK CLUB.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS

HTTP://MY CROCHET CREATIONS.BLOGSPOT.COM