Aspirin and Pregnancy and Mothers and Smoking

Aspirin reduces the risk of complications in pregnant women with anti-phospholipids syndrome. The birth rate without complications, in women taking aspirin, has risen from 38% to 72%.

Aspirin administration significantly reduces the risk of complications in patients with anti-phospholipids syndrome, according to the research conducted by Dr. Munoz Rodriguez, who has been promoted by the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona and the Institute of Biomedical Research. The study, the results of which were published in the journal Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, shows that aspirin consumption lowers the chances of the occurrence of venous or arterial thrombosis and abortions, complications usually related to this autoimmune disease. In particular, the rate of births without complications has increased from 38% to 72% in pregnant women who take aspirin as a preventive measure.

The research conducted by the team doctor Rodríguez Muńoz focused on one hundred patients with anti-phospholipids syndrome who underwent a follow-up period of more than four years. Specialists found that 91% of patients treated with aspirin developed new thrombosis, while the risk with those who were given aspirin was reduced to 42%.

The long-term treatment with anticoagulants was found to be even more effective: only 19% of subjects who received it were affected by new episodes of thrombosis. Aspirin has an especially good effect in pregnant women undergoing prophylactic aspirin.

The anti-phospholipids syndrome is an autoimmune disorder characterized by fatal arterial and venous thrombosis, abortions or thrombocytopenia in association with the presence of anti-phospholipids antibodies. The syndrome is considered primary if it is not associated with other underlying diseases and secondary if it appears linked to other autoimmune diseases like lupus erythematosus.

Mothers and Smoking
 
Recent studies have shown again that children of smoking mothers are more likely to have respiratory disorders, especially if the mothers smoked during their pregnancy.

The reason is that children are receiving less oxygen than necessary than usual and this can lead to complications, affecting the small airways.

The effect on the fetus is more serious and important during the first three months of pregnancy, since the airways and the lungs are made of spongy tissue in this embryonic stage.

It has also been shown that quitting smoking during pregnancy results in a less responsive reaction to sensorial stimuli of the newborn, which is essential for the development of the child's intelligence.

Viewing these results of the studies on whether to quit or not to quit smoking during pregnancy, it seems clear that it is always best not to smoke before, during and after pregnancy.

Pregnancy

When a couple has decided to start a family, it seems that the next step is easy. In most cases, it is, but in many others, the pregnancy is delayed. The waiting makes every attempt a bit more exciting and it can sometimes give the impression that nothing changes after the occurrence of the event and that everything is just as exciting.

If the pregnancy is planned with care, it is much more enriching and the responsibility which comes with the baby's arrival it is more enjoyable. As a result, you may not have any negative feelings towards the problems that can occur during pregnancy and that usually make it so difficult for a mother to raise her baby.

There are several things you have to consider when you make this decision. Some of you can plan to make it soon enough. There are a lot of things which change on the run, but there are also many things which remain unchanged, which is why you should get some help, just like you should get divorce help when facing a troublesome situation in the family.

The strangest conceptions occur about two weeks before the waiting period. This means that you may not know you're pregnant until you're already in the third month. It is during the first eight weeks after fertilization when the baby is more delicate. So whatever you do can affect you without you even knowing. So, you had better start taking care of yourself as if you were pregnant before you actually are.

One of the first things you can do is to visit your doctor.

The following areas should be of concern to you and your doctor:
Your medical history to see if there is any possibility of diabetes, high blood pressure or a family genetic problem.

You have to keep the pressure in mind if you develop preeclampsia.

You should do some investigations in order to make sure that everything is in order (uterus, ovaries and cervix).

You should ask for a urine analysis and complete blood work which will help you verify several things: the existence of urinary tract infection or diabetes, as well as your blood type and group (your partenr should also know about everything that is going on).

Hypothyroidism can cause malformations in the baby and future problems with their breastfeeding.

If the woman has had or will have contact with cats and their feces, it is best to check if their blood test detects antibodies to fight against toxoplasmosis so that the woman is not infected during pregnancy, seriously affecting the baby.

It is also important to assess if you have had rubella, and if not, you should get a vaccine before pregnancy, because passing this disease during pregnancy can lead to abortion.

It would also be prudent to get vaccinated for tetanus, but before going for these vaccines, it is always advisable to decide if it's worth taking the risk. It's a personal decision.

See a doctor if you take any special medication you cannot give up on during your pregnancy, especially if the drugs are associated with asthma, epilepsy, thyroid or migraines. Some drugs can be taken without any problem.

It is also interesting or recommended to visit the dentist. During their pregnancy, some women have very sensitive gums, so the dentist can perform a thorough dental cleaning so that your teeth have no problems during your pregnancy.

If you are not the ultimate model when it comes to staying fit (you are overweight, you have a sedentary lifestyle, etc), it would be useful to take up a healthy diet and to try to lose some weight. However, what is most important is that you exercise. You should not go for anything strenuous; just get fit. They say that giving birth is like a marathon, so you have several months to prepare, because the event can be delayed or come in advance! The sooner you start, the better you will be and it will be and the more probable and safe your pregnancy and delivery will be. Walking for an hour a day and taking up activities such as swimming, yoga and gymnastics are highly recommended.

Reduce the number of alcoholic beverages. In fact, quit drinking any such beverages. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks should be reduced, too, but it is not necessarily for you to eliminate them. Now is the best time to quit and give up any other drugs. Do not miss it for when you get pregnant. Think about that when you find out that you are pregnant. Imagine your baby with a cigarette in their mouth when you feel like smoking a cigarette. Ah, and your partner must also quit smoking!

Avoid steam baths or hot tubs. In the first quarter, any changes in your body temperature may be the cause of malformations in the baby and they can even lead to abortion.

It is recommended that you take folic acid before your baby starts to grow, since it is established that it minimizes the risk of spina bifida, even if there have been some previous cases. You need to take about 0.4 mg or 400 micrograms per day. You should eat foods that are rich in vitamin B such as the juices of citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, asparagus, peas, broccoli and cereals. But keep in mind that you should not take more than a thousand micrograms a day because such a quantity could mask an anemia.

The choice of whether your pregnancy and childbirth will be under the control of a private or public institution should also be made several months earlier. In some cases, private institutions do not take care of all expenses. Thus, although you can change your mind afterwards, it is always preferable to go for an option that covers all the problems which may occur during a pregnancy or a delivery.

It may be interesting to try to better understand the female fertility during the months prior to your delivery. So, you can prevent a pregnancy and encourage it when the couple decides that the time for a baby has come if you know which are the days when a woman is most fertile

Most family planning methods focus on preventing unwanted pregnancies, but few seek help, just like it happens with divorce advice for women. The sympto-thermal method allows nerves to know better and avoid such a situation when unnecessary, as there is more certainty about the right time for a pregnancy. Some authors claim that you can even choose the sex of the baby by having the sexual activity at a certain time.

Françoise Soler was the person who introduced this method in Spain, more precisely in Barcelona, founding an association for the dissemination of Natural Family Planning (ACODIPLAN). She is the author of a very enlightening book on the subject. Anyway, it is wise to consult an expert or an NGO to verify whether you are following the method correctly.