The British Medical Journal analysis looked at the findings from 44 previous studies involving more than 7,000 women. The London-based team said following a healthy diet - and not eating for two - prevents excess weight gain and cuts the risk of complications.

But current guidelines do not advocate dieting or weight monitoring. The advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), published in 2010, says: "Dieting during pregnancy is not recommended as it may harm the health of the unborn child."

However women are advised to aim to reach a healthy weight before conceiving. Babies' weights 'unaffected' Half the UK population are either overweight or obese and the rates are rising. And in Europe and the US, between 20% and 40% of women gain more than the recommended weight during pregnancy. High weights are linked to complications such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes and high blood pressure as well as early delivery.

This review, funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), compared diet, exercise or a combination of the two. Dietary advice was based on limiting calorie intake, having a balanced diet and eating foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and pulses.

The researchers then examined how much weight women gained during their pregnancies and if there were complications. While each approach reduced a woman's weight gain, diet had the greatest effect with an average reduction of nearly 4kg (8.8lbs).

With exercise, the average reduction in weight gain was just 0.7kg (1.5lbs). A combination of diet and exercise led to an average reduction of 1kg (2.2lbs). Women following a calorie-controlled diet were significantly less likely to develop each of the complications considered, but the researchers say those findings need to be repeated in larger studies.

Babies' birth weights were not affected by dieting. 'Simpler and easier' Dr Shakila Thangaratinam, a consultant obstetrician at Queen Mary, University of London who led the study, said: "We are seeing more and more women who gain excess weight when they are pregnant and we know these women and their babies are at increased risk of complications.

"Weight control is difficult but this study shows that by carefully advising women on weight management methods, especially diet, we can reduce weight gain during pregnancy.  "It also shows that following a controlled diet has the potential to reduce the risk of a number of pregnancy complications."

She added: "Women may be concerned that dieting during pregnancy could have a negative impact on their babies. This research is reassuring because it showed that dieting is safe and that the baby's weight isn't affected."

But in a commentary in the journal, women's health experts from St Thomas' Hospital in London - including Lucilla Poston who helped develop the NICE guidance, said it would be "premature" for the current guidance, which only recommends women be weighed at their first pregnancy check-up, to change.

Dr Janine Stockdale, research fellow at the Royal College of Midwives, said: "We should be careful to note that the researchers are not advising women to lose weight during pregnancy; this is about managing excessive weight or weight gain.

"If a woman is on target to gain the right amount of weight during her pregnancy, then 'dieting' and 'calorie-controlled dieting' as we commonly understand these terms, is not for her. "We need to reassure women that under the care of a midwife or other health professional, weight management is safe."

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If you're over 40 and trying to conceive, a new study suggests that maintaining a healthy weight before getting pregnant can modify increased risks.

"If you are healthy, over 40, and not obese, your risks of pregnancy complications are certainly less than an obese 40-year-old," stated researcher John R. Barton, MD, director of maternal-fetal medicine at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. "And not that much different, other than a higher C-section rate, than a non-obese, younger woman."

Barton presented the findings last week at the annual meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in San Diego, California. While birth rates in younger women have been declining, pregnancy after 40 is on the rise, according to the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In his research, which looked at data from some 53,000 women who were pregnant for the first time, obese women 40 and older had more complications than older women at healthy weights - including increased risks of early delivery, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia. A body mass index (BMI) of 25-29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.

PREGNANCY & NUTRITION
Older women, regardless of their weight, had a greater likelihood of having a C-section than younger women. And prior research has found that women over 35 have a greater chance of fertility issue. Men aren't off the hook either: for men, research suggests that children of men 40 and older have a higher risk of autism.

Babycenter.com advises that if you're trying to get pregnant, schedule a preconception visit with your doctor and talk to him or her about any weight issues you might have. Also start taking folic acid and give up drinking, smoking, and drugs - and even caffeine. Some studies have shown a link between high caffeine intake and infertility. Also eat plenty of healthy foods and follow an exercise program.

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A recent study has exclaimed that even after knowing all risks associated with smoking, while pregnancy, one in five white women smoke cigarettes when they are pregnant.

The study commissioned by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), termed that 21.8% white women aged between 15 and 44 agreed that they smoke, while they are pregnant. However, the proportion was much low in case of Black and Hispanic women, who accounted for 14.2% and 6.5% respectively.

However, in case of consuming illegal drugs, the proportion was a bit opposite, while the black women pregnant accounted for 7.7%, white pregnant women accounted for 4.4% and pregnant Hispanic women accounted for 3.1%.

In case of drinking, both white pregnant women and black pregnant women were found to be accounting for the same ration of 12% to 13%. However, in case of Hispanic pregnant women, the consumption rates were low.

It has been warned that pregnant women subjecting themselves to drugs, alcohol, and smoking are not only posing health problems for themselves, but are also risking the life of the still to be born baby.

SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said “Pregnant women of different races and ethnicities may have diverse patterns of substance abuse. However, the above mentioned message should be delivered to all”.

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Early pregnancy, the normal menstrual cycle in healthy women of reproductive age, once the period expired more than 10 days, pregnancy should be suspected. Early pregnancy to the development of a fertilized egg from implantation, placenta formation of estrogen, progesterone, human chorionic gonadotrophin from the smooth progress of the maintenance of pregnancy, the mother of these endocrine changes that produce a series of reactions.

Early pregnancy symptoms
Early pregnancy symptoms - early pregnancy and menopause are the main symptoms. Normal menstruation is normal, once the menopause, more than 10 days and has transcended trend should not think of pregnancy.

Early pregnancy symptoms - early pregnancy in response to stop after 6 weeks, there are dizziness, fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite, a partial eclipse, as favored by eating acid foods, greasy and so tired, and have exceptionally degree of nausea, vomiting, vomiting and more in the morning.

Early pregnancy symptoms - frequent urination, enlarged uterus during early pregnancy in the pelvic trample bladder, frequent urination symptoms are obvious. When the uterus continuously increases, beyond the pelvic cavity, urinary symptoms but disappeared. Therefore, frequent urination is a symptom of early pregnancy diagnosis.

Early pregnancy symptoms - breast tenderness pregnancy as estrogen and progesterone stimulation, breast enlargement, pain, there is a small nodules protruding areola.

Common early pregnancy detection methods
Pregnancy test
This test can diagnose early pregnancy. When the fertilized egg implanted in the uterus, the pregnant women to produce a new hormone called human chorionic gonadotrophin, its role is to help maintain the pregnancy. This hormone, in about 10 days after conception can come from a urine test. Check out all the urine human chorionic gonadotrophin, a pregnancy under normal circumstances. Therefore, the urine test called chorionic gonadotrophin pregnancy test. Urine pregnancy test, be sure to use the morning urine, because morning urine concentration, the higher hormone levels. In order to improve the positive test rate, the first night should be to minimize the amount of drinking water. Best to take container from the hospital laboratory, due to which preservatives, non-perishable urine, unconditional who used any jars, but need to wash and rinse with boiling water, boiled or sterilized. About 10 ml of urine collected after the morning, quickly sent to the hospital laboratory, such as time delays too long, can affect the test's accuracy, especially in summer, should pay attention to this.

Pregnancy test strip instructions
Earlier pregnancy testing: high sensitivity, usually after conception period expires the day the first 3-4 days before menstruation can be detected. More responsive: simple, fast, 1 minute displays the results. Results more clear: run fast board, floor board after running a clean, clear lines of interpretation.

B-type ultrasonic inspection
B ultrasound diagnosis of early pregnancy with the most accurate and reliable way. The first 5 weeks of pregnancy, as it is overdue menstrual week, the B-type ultrasound screen can show a circular ring inside the uterus, also known as pregnancy, ring, ring of dark areas of the amniotic fluid, which also shows rhythmic fetal heart beat.

Basal body temperature measurement
This is the most simple way. Bed every morning after waking body temperature, when the body temperature is called basal body temperature. Normal body temperature at 36.5 degrees before ovulation, less progesterone rise after ovulation, acting on the body temperature, so that the temperature rise 0.3-0.5 degrees. If not fertilized egg, then about a week after the progesterone drop, the body temperature returned to normal; if pregnancy is to maintain high levels of progesterone the same, so that the temperature remained high. Basal body temperature curve in the high-temperature phenomenon lasted 18 days or more, generally can be sure of early pregnancy. Also need to be reminded that, X-ray can not be used to diagnose pregnancy. Because only 18-20 weeks after pregnancy, X-ray can see the shadow of fetal skeleton, and when the X-ray early pregnancy can damage the fetus.

Early pregnancy detection
Early pregnancy strip test results in two ways: drops of urine on the detection of holes in the strip, such as in the control zone in a test paper with ribbon (some test strips were red, and some test strips were blue), that is not pregnant On the contrary, as apparent in the detection area Ribbon, then positive, indicating the occurrence of pregnancy.

Self-test early pregnancy women must keep in mind: early pregnancy test paper only as a screening examination. : Women of childbearing age appear to menopause, early pregnancy do not rely solely on a paper self-test to determine if they are pregnant. To be safe, you can then test again in three days. Of course, the most reliable or timely to the hospital to conduct a comprehensive examination, especially for weak-positive, in order to take measures. Here in particular, to point out that in recent years, frequent ectopic pregnancy, early pregnancy if for self-test false negative, while ignoring the timely diagnosis and treatment, a part of the amount of ectopic pregnancy implantation bleeding, rescue is not timely life-threatening.

Early pregnancy test, if you purchase the test strips stored for too long (more than 1 year), or strip damp, and did not pay attention to keep the normal room temperature (not cold Zang), may be invalid, false negative results occur. Early pregnancy test, if the beginning of pregnancy, or ectopic pregnancy (ectopic pregnancy) may, in vivo detection of HCG level is generally low the sample to be standing more than 3 minutes (usually 1 minute), and must be careful to identify whether there is weak positive - only looming detection area Ribbon.

Early pregnancy detection, and in extreme cases, such as mole, choriocarcinoma, the body will be too high HCG levels, but not the urine test showed positive.

Early pregnancy test, after 3 months of pregnancy, HCG levels drop, urine testing can sometimes be negative, or weakly positive. Early pregnancy test, positive result does not mean one hundred percent pregnancy. Because some tumor cells such as mole, choriocarcinoma, bronchial cancer and kidney cancer, also can secrete HCG. We also encountered patients with endometrial hyperplasia HCG test positive.

Notes on early pregnancy
Early pregnancy is a pregnancy in the first three months of this period is the formation of an embryo stage, any damage could affect the normal development of the embryo, or even cause early miscarriage or congenital malformations, pregnancy precautions so very important. Any exposure to harmful substances such as mercury, benzene, Xie radiation, noise and other working environment, they should apply for these jobs temporarily removed to avoid these influences embryonic development, causing birth defects.

Early pregnancy shall avoid infection, especially viral infections. Pregnancy if pregnant women suffering from rubella, can lead to congenital heart disease, microcephaly, deafness, mental retardation and so on. If the early pregnancy pregnant women suffering from severe cold, can cause fetal cleft lip, cytomegalovirus inclusion virus, hepatitis B virus and so can make the fetal loss, malformations, early pregnancy, so pregnant women should pay attention to health, little streets, or stopping to avoid contact with sick people, to prevent the spread of various diseases. Once sick, you should go to doctors at the treatment, indicating that you are pregnant, not self-Lan Fu, drugs, certain treatment by your doctor.

Second, we should feel happy, thinking relax. Trimester of pregnancy reaction (ie, "morning sickness" phenomenon), as long as the proper treatment of treatment, usually after 3 months will gradually return to normal. In order to avoid or reduce nausea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal discomfort, frequent meals can be way, light diet, do not eat greasy and spicy food, but we must insist on eating, otherwise it will affect the health of pregnant women, is not conducive to embryonic development . Pregnant women can eat sour foods, such as bayberry, citrus, vinegar, to increase appetite and help digestion. Sometimes may take some vitamin B complex and vitamin C or calcium, to supplement their nutrition. Vitamin B6 may reduce the pregnancy reaction. Not to collect clothes "antiemetic", "secret" or "recipe" and prevent the occurrence of adverse consequences.

In addition, family members should be concerned about women in early pregnancy, especially considerate husband to wife, not the line early pregnancy intercourse in order to avoid abortion, help women get rid of the troubled pregnancy reaction smoothly through the early pregnancy stage.

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The CDC released a report on Thursday regarding a national survey on the sexual behavior of 2,500 teens between the ages of 15 and 19 through the years of 2006 and 2010. This study finds that as many of 60 percent of the girls that have sex, are now using a more effective means of birth control, such as the pill or the depo-shot. That’s up from the 90’s when fewer than half of sexually active teens used contraceptives other than just condoms.

Crystal Tyler, an epidemiologist for the CDC, and a co-author of the report says that teen girls seem to be using hormonal birth control now because doctors appear to be more comfortable prescribing them to teens. She also says that some of them-like the vaginal ring-became available more recently.

This change in contraceptive use has led to an impressive 44% drop in the number of pregnancies in among American teens in the past decade. However, these numbers are still severely behind when it comes to more forward thinking countries like Europe and Canada.

In America parents and teachers are still preaching abstinence and turning a blind eye, believing it actually works. Religious groups fight to keep comprehensive sex education out of classrooms, and the results are stunning.

In Europe they began teaching more explanatory sex education years ago, and their teens are reaping the benefits. According to the Guttmacher Institute, teen pregnancy in America is at a 30 year low. And that means, 68.7 teen pregnancies out of 1,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19.

Europe has half that number, with 35.5 teen pregnancies out of 1,000 girls between those same ages. Canada is doing even better, coming in at an impressive 24.6 teen pregnancies out of 1,000 but they included 14 year olds as well, further making the numbers stand out.

Sexual educator Lyba Springs from Toronto says “We like to think it has a lot to do with our work.” She also says that more and more sexually active teens are using condoms, which isn’t the best contraceptive, but it’s a lot better than previous years.

“And that can only be attributed to an increase in education and access” She says. Even with Canada’s numbers where they stand, Springs believes there is a lot more work to be done. “There has to be (better) access to sexual health centers, access to birth control that’s affordable, effective and safe. And there has to be access to abortion services as a back-up”. In much of Canada the “morning after” or “Plan B” pill is available in most places over-the-counter, while here in America a doctor or nurse practitioner must prescribe it.

America has taken steps toward teens making better choices, but there’s a long way to go. Students and teens have begun taking a stand, such as Boston, where teens launched a campaign to make their voices heard, and push the schools into comprehensive sex education. Europe and Canada have proven that it not only lowers birth rates, but rates of sexually transmitted diseases as well.

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According to a study published in International Journal of Epidemiology, post term  babies are more likely to develop behavioral problems later in life. The study draws attention not only on the importance of calculating the exact age of the baby but also the possible link between prolonged pregnancy and behavioral disorders occurring in post-term babies.

Prolonged pregnancy is considered a pregnancy over 42 weeks. Normal pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, ie 280 days, starting with the first day of the last period (for a normal and regular menstrual cycle). The causes of prolonged pregnancy remain yet unclear. It seems that the factors involved are maternal, fetal and genetic. It was found that women at their first pregnancy have a higher risk of prolonged pregnancy, women also too young or too old have a higher risk of prolonged pregnancy. The longest recorded pregnancy in literature lasted 1 year and 24 days and the baby was born with anencephaly (no brain).

Usually, pregnancies over 42 weeks are associated with infants with malformations or abnormalities of the nervous system. However, prolonged pregnancy involves an increased risk of perinatal mortality.

Recently, researchers have found that babies born over 42 weeks recored a higher incidence of behavior problems than their normal peers born at term. Hanan El Marroun, the author of the study entitled ‘Post-term birth and the risk of Behavioural and emotional problems in early childhood,’ said these children have also a higher risk of having ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). It is very important for future studies to establish causal relationship between post-term birth and impaired behaviour.

Scientists conducted a prospective cohort study, that analyzed the cases of women who gave birth between April 2002 and January 2006 in Rotterdam. Of the 5145 babies, 382 (7%) were born post-term and 226 (4%) were born pre-term. Pregnancy age was established by ultrasound, and children were analyzed at 18 and 36 months using a standardized questionnaire completed by parents.

Researchers found that children born preterm and post term had behavioral problems. As Hanan Marroun, the author of the study,  mentions, further studies must be conducted to identify the cause of prolonged pregnancy and the connection between it and behavioral disorders in children. There are several assumptions that were under discussion. One of them is aging of the placenta which may not provide sufficient intake of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus after 42 weeks. Other causes are represented by endocrine disorders or maternal stress in certain key points of fetal development that can result in neuroendocrine abnormalities and may trigger behavioral disorders in children later in life.

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A big question about four-day school weeks — a budget solution that several Georgia systems adopted to cut costs  — was what students would do with that extra day off from classes.

An Elbert County teen health center is hoping that the answer won’t turn out to be have sex and babies at higher rates. Take a look at this interesting article in the Georgia Health News. Here is an excerpt:

“Elbert has had the problem of teen pregnancy for a long time,” said Adriane Strong, the adolescent health educator of the Teen Matters Clinic in Elberton. “The teen birth rate was higher several years ago, then it came down. But recently, it may have gone back up,” Strong said.

“Around 20 teens aged 15 to 18 visit our clinic every week,” said Strong, “The majority of them are seeking services including birth control and STD testing and treatment.”

Strong suspects that three-day weekends could contribute to the rebound of the teen pregnancy rate. “There is a large gap of time when teens are unsupervised on Mondays,” said Strong, “That may bring the potential for them to do things that they may not do when they are occupied with school, though they tell me they just stay at home or do babysitting.”

Lack of adult supervision is an established factor in studies of risky behaviors among teenagers, according to Matthew Lee Smith, assistant professor in the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior at UGA’s College of Public Health. “When students have additional unsupervised time, it may facilitate opportunities to engage in risky sexual behaviors,” said Smith.

Another factor may be the shortage of safe, constructive alternatives for teenagers in this rural county. “We have no malls, no movie theater, no bowling alley in Elbert,” said Strong. “There isn’t a lot for teens to do. When they have more time on their hands, we really cannot control what may happen.”

The last time the Northeast Georgia Health District surveyed teens about behavior and risk, in 2003, about 38 percent of Elbert County’s 15- to 19-year-olds said they were sexually active. Of those, 67 percent had multiple partners and 25 percent said they did not use condoms.

More surprisingly, Elbert County had a teen birthrate of 53 per 1,000 teens during the years 1996 to 2001. That was higher than the national rate, showing why teen pregnancy continues to be a top health concern in northeast Georgia, according to the BART survey.

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LANSING, MI -- Teens have the opportunity Wednesday to learn about health, responsible choices and abstinence on National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Planned Parenthood Mid and South Michigan offers evidence-based programs to educate teens about pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.

"We are thrilled to be part of a national movement to increase awareness about this serious problem," Lori Lamerand, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Mid and South Michigan. "Planned Parenthood has been in the forefront of finding innovative ways to support families and communities committed to reducing teen pregnancy in Michigan."

Thousands of teens nationwide will participate in the eleventh annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, the purpose of which is to increase awareness about the negative social and economic consequences of teen parenthood and to prevent teen pregnancy.

Teens can visit StayTeen.com to download online quizzes, games and discussion guides about sex and its consequences. Last year, more than 650,000 people participated in such online activities.
The teen pregnancy rate is the lowest its been in 40 years, but the Centers for Disease Control acknowledges more than 400,000 girls aged 15 to 19 give birth in the United States every year, the second highest rate among industrialized nations.

Every year, teen child-bearing costs U.S. taxpayer $9 billion. In Michigan alone, teen pregnancy costs taxpayers $302 million, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health. In Ingham County, 36 out of every 1,000 teens becomes pregnant, above the state average of 33 of every 1,000 teens.

In Lansing, PPMSM Community Outreach Educator Amber Duddy uses the evidence-based curriculum "Be Proud! Be Responsible!" to educate teens on healthy sexual decision making. "Teens deserve real information about their sexual well-being," Duddy said in a statement. "With the right information, Lansing youth can make sexual decisions that are right for them. The Be Proud! Be Responsible! program helps teens see the whole picture."

Planned Parenthood Mid and South Michigan plans to educate more than 530 youth and 80 parents across the state on the importance of making healthy sexual choices through the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative and Taking Pride in Prevention programs, which are state- and federally funded.

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Mexico broadcasters "Televisa" and top daily newspaper recently ran a story about a woman who was pregnant with nine babies after undergoing fertility treatment. The claim from 32-year old Karla Perez of Villa Arteaga, Mexico, was made to Welfare officials in Mexico. She also reportedly provided proof of her multiples pregnancy to the officials in the form of an ultrasound video.
In an interview, Perez stated:

“I feel like I’ve been blessed by a miracle. I’m nervous but very happy. ”My Caesarean is scheduled for May 20 but the doctors have told me I must try to hold on for another month so the babies can grow stronger and don’t have to spend so much time in incubators. ”I haven’t got round to thinking about names yet, I’m just concentrating for the moment on making sure everything turns out okay.

”We’re confident it will, although I’m having sleepless nights thinking about how I’m going to buy things like milk, nappies and clothes for the babies when they are born. ”We don’t have private medical care or social security and my husband only earns money intermittently."After watching the story air, health authorities offered assistance to Perez, where they found out the story was not true.

The women went to the doctor for testing after the report aired and found out that she was not even pregnant with one child, let alone nine. Perez reported lied last year as well when she told authorities that she was pregnant with triplets. During the interview for her nonuplet pregnancy, she said she was scheduled to undergo a caesarean on May 20th, which was scheduled to take place at seven months into her pregnancy. There have been very few cases of women birthing nonuplets. The first known set was born in 1971 in Sydney, Australia consisting of five girls and four boys, however none survived after birth. In March of 1999, Zurina Mat Saad gave birth to five boys and four girls while living in Malaysia, however none survived longer than six hours after birth.

In a similar case, Nadya Suleman successfully birthed octuplets in January of 2009 in California after undergoing IVF. The octuplets, which consist of six boys and two girls, are the longest-living set of eight children known to exist.

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WASHINGTON - Newborns whose mothers are under stress during the first trimester of pregnancy may be at risk for low iron status, which could lead to physical and mental delays down the road, according to a study presented Sunday at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Boston.

Iron plays an important role in the development of organ systems, especially the brain. Well-known risk factors for poor iron status in infants are maternal iron deficiency, maternal diabetes, smoking during pregnancy, preterm birth, low birth weight and multiple pregnancy.

This study, conducted by researchers from Ashkelon Academic College and Barzilai Medical Center in Israel and the University of Michigan, is the first in humans to suggest that maternal stress early in pregnancy is another risk factor for low iron status in newborns.

Researchers recruited pregnant women who were about to give birth at Barzilai Medical Center. The first group of women (stress group) lived in an area where there were more than 600 rocket attacks during their first trimester of pregnancy. The control group lived in the same area and became pregnant three to four months after the rocket attacks ended.

Women were questioned briefly at the delivery room reception desk to determine whether they were healthy and without pregnancy complications. Eligible women who agreed to participate in the study were interviewed one or two days after delivery about their background and health during pregnancy.

They also filled out questionnaires about depression and anxiety, and rated their stress level during pregnancy. Cord blood was collected from newborns, and serum ferritin (iron) concentrations were measured. Results showed that the 63 babies whose mothers were in the stress group had significantly lower cord-blood ferritin concentrations than the 77 infants in the control group.

"Our findings indicate that infants whose mothers were stressed during pregnancy are a previously unrecognized risk group for iron deficiency," said lead author Rinat Armony-Sivan of Ashkelon Academic College. "Pregnant women should be aware that their health, nutrition, stress level and state of mind will affect their baby's health and well-being."

Armony-Sivan concluded that it may be advisable to consider additional blood work before the well-child visit at 12 months of age, especially in high-risk populations, so that iron deficiency, with or without anemia, can be detected early and treated before it becomes chronic and severe.

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