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Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth

2 MAY 2012 | NEW YORK – Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth provides the first-ever national, regional and global estimates of preterm birth. The report shows the extent to which preterm birth is on the rise in most countries, and is now the second leading cause of death globally for children under five, after pneumonia.

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The Effect of Alcohol on Fertility

The data regarding the effects of moderate alcohol intake on fertility is inconclusive at this time. The largest prospective studies conducted in Europe indicate that high levels of alcohol consumption are associated with greater difficulty conceiving.

One small Danish study identified a slight delay in conception even with alcohol ingestion of 5 drinks or less per week. However, this research relies on self-reporting of alcohol consumption which may be inaccurate. In many cases, the studies do not fully account for other factors that could be affecting fertility.

Don’t Overdo It

When you are attempting to conceive, taking a moderate approach to alcohol consumption is the wisest course of action. If having an occasional beer or glass of wine once or twice a week is part of your normal lifestyle, this is unlikely to have a significant effect on your ability to conceive. Drinking every day or consuming several drinks at one sitting is behavior you should avoid. High levels of alcohol can negatively affect many aspects of your health and is probably not good for eggs or sperm development either.

Alcohol and Pregnancy

If you think you might be pregnant, it’s time to stop consuming alcohol. Fetal harm from exposure to alcohol in the womb can lead to lifelong health problems. In fact, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) caused by maternal alcohol consumption is the leading identifiable cause of neuro-developmental disorders and birth defects in babies. No “safe level” of prenatal alcohol exposure has been identified, so pregnant women are advised to abstain from alcoholic beverages altogether.

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Calling for RMNCH action at G8/G20

With just one month until President Barack Obama hosts G8 leaders at Camp David, The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health is joining other leading development organizations in a social media campaign to encourage political will towards RMNCH among a number of key issues at this high level meeting.

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Preconception Health

Getting pregnant and carrying a pregnancy to term is easiest when a woman’s overall health is optimized through appropriate self care. Here are the 5 main factors women can control to increase their fertility:

 

 

Nutrition
Eating a balanced diet promotes ideal health. In general, whole foods are the best choice. Women who avoid certain food groups due to dietary restrictions for health or other reasons may wish to consult with a nutritionist to ensure that they are still getting all the nutrients their body needs. Supplements such as prenatal rich in folic acid are recommended for women who want to get pregnant.
 
Harmful Substances
Women who smoke should stop as soon as possible since smoking delays the time to conception and can lead to early onset of infertility. Women who consume alcohol or caffeine in substantial quantities should cut back or cease using these substances to increase their overall wellbeing and lower the chance of miscarriage.
 
Weight Management
Maintaining a healthy body weight increases the chances of getting pregnant. It can also decrease the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and gestational diabetes. Eating a moderate amount of nutritious food and exercising regularly is the best way to achieve sustainable weight loss and prepare for pregnancy.
 
Stress Reduction
High levels of chronic stress affect hormone levels in the body and may interfere with fertility. There are a variety of relaxation techniques that can help with stress reduction including yoga, acupuncture, and acupuncture massage. In general, simply taking time out to relax is a good course of action for relieving stress in preparation for getting pregnant.
 
Frequency and Timing of Intercourse
An egg is viable for less than 24 hours after ovulation. This means there is a narrow window of opportunity for fertilization. Couples who are trying to conceive should have sex daily or every other day during the 7 day time period ending on the day of ovulation.
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More reasons to lose weight before you’re pregnant

We’ve written before about why it’s a good idea to shed pounds before you conceive — for one thing, it may make it easier for you to get pregnant. And we all know that being at a healthy weight is good for you and your baby, and can make childbirth easier and with fewer complications.

A new study shows more good reasons to lose weight before you conceive — or at least good reasons not to diet once you are pregnant. A study in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB Journal) found evidence that babies of mothers who were dieting around the time they conceived and early in their pregnancy were likelier to have an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes later on in  life.

It’s worth noting that the research was done in animals – sheep, in particular – and not in humans, and it focused on twin pregnancies. It also looked just at genetic changes that may or may not lead to obesity and diabetes down the road. So it’s far from conclusive. But it is an interesting insight into how changing your nutrition — for the worse, by restricting calories and possibly nutrients in an attempt to shed pounds — around the time of conception might affect your child far into his or her future.

Author:

Lorie A. Parch

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TEDxChange sparks conversation on key RMNCH issues

10 APRIL 2012 – Convened by PMNCH partner Melinda Gates, and hosted by TED’s Chris Anderson, last week’s TEDxChange event encouraged important conversations surrounding critical reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) issues—such as access to family planning for women in developing countries.

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New biorepository to help uncover mysteries of pregnancy and childbirth

Laying a foundation for discoveries that will improve maternal, newborn and child health everywhere, PMNCH member the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS) has created the world’s first ever standardized, widely accessible repository of high-quality specimens linked to data from diverse populations of pregnant women.

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Global Illumination Initiative: Shedding light on premature birth

4 APRIL 2012 – Worldwide, one baby in 10 is born premature: Every year, about 13 million children are born too early. Despite this high number, the public is hardly aware of how to prevent preterm birth and the problems and risks involved in the development of a preterm infant.