Desert Storks

Pregnancy tests – chorionic villus sampling

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a pregnancy test that checks the baby for genetic or biochemical abnormalities. The placenta is made of the same cells as the baby, so the baby can be tested by taking a small sample of the placenta. The sample is removed using a slender needle inserted through the abdomen. The tissue (chorionic villi) is then examined in a laboratory.

Unlike other pregnancy tests such as ultrasound, CVS isn’t a general check of the baby’s health but a specific test for particular abnormalities, such as Down syndrome or cystic fibrosis. The risk of miscarriage following CVS is one in 100, so it is important to thoroughly understand the benefits, risks and complications before agreeing to take the test. Generally, CVS is offered between 10 and 19 weeks gestation. Read more »

Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is a medical procedure performed on a pregnant woman to withdraw a small amount of amniotic fluid from the sac surrounding the foetus. By about the 16th week of pregnancy, the developing baby is suspended in around 130ml of amniotic fluid, which the baby constantly swallows and excretes. The goal of amniocentesis is to examine a tiny amount of this fluid to obtain information about the baby – including its sex – and to detect physical abnormalities such as Down’s syndrome or spina bifida. Amniocentesis is only performed on women thought to be at higher risk of delivering a child with a birth defect.

Problems detected by amniocentesis
Amniocentesis can detect a number of disorders that will affect babies, while they are still a small foetus in the uterus. These conditions include:

Down’s syndrome.

Neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.

Cystic fibrosis.

Genetic disorders – amniotic fluid samples can be DNA tested to identify a wide range of genetic disorders, including Fragile X syndrome, phenylketonuria, Tay-Sachs disease and sickle cell disease. Read more »

PREGNANCY AND DRUGS

Pregnancy is a time of change for women and can sometimes be uncomfortable physically and stressful emotionally. It is a time when women try to take particular care of their health. Getting plenty of rest exercise, and good nutrition are all aspects of a pregnant woman’s health. Drug use is another important aspect of a woman’s health during pregnancy.

Drugs that are of concern in pregnancy include: alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, tranquillisers and sleeping pills, painkillers, LSD, Ecstasy and other designer drugs, glues and aerosols. Some prescription drugs can also be a problem during pregnancy, so discuss this with your doctor as soon as you know you are pregnant.
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Alcohol in Pregnancy

Alcohol is a depressant. It slows down the activity in the brain and can effect concentration and coordination and the response time to unexpected situations. In small doses, alcohol makes you feel relaxed and lower inhibitions. You feel more confident. In large prolonged doses, it can cause unconsciousness and even deathLike many drugs, alcohol crosses the placenta. Alcohol can cause problems such as miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth and small babies due to slow growth in pregnancy.

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Amphetamines in Pregnancy

Amphetamines belong to a group of drugs called ‘psychostimulants’. Amphetamines stimulate the central nervous system, which speeds up the messages going to and from the brain to the body. It alters moods in different ways, depending on how it is taken. Adverse effects range from mild to severe, depending on the dose of amphetamine used and other drugs being used.

Amphetamines are commonly known as ‘speed’. MDMA or ‘ecstasy’ is a designer drug related to amphetamines. Amphetamines usually appear as a whitish yellow powder, and occasionally in liquid form. Amphetamines in its smoked form is often referred to ‘ice’, ‘ chalk’, ‘glass’, ‘shabu’ or ‘crystal meth’

Using amphetamines during pregnancy can affect the baby’s development before birth and has been linked with early labour and miscarriage. Amphetamines also cause the heart rate of mother and baby to increase. It is also known to cause poor appetite in the mother and high blood pressure, with reduced blood flow to the placenta resulting in the baby being smaller at birth.
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Cannabis use in Pregnancy

Cannabis is a drug that comes from the cannabis sativa plant. The active chemical is THC (Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol). Cannabis is a depressant which slows the messages going to and from the brain to the body. Cannabis can also have mild hallucinogenic effects. The main The main form of cannabis used in Australia is marijuana. Long term use of cannabis has been linked to anxiety and depression . Heavy cannabis use can affect your memory and how clearly you think. It may also increase the risk of paranoia and hallucinations.

Cannabis use during pregnancy is harmful to your baby, however it is not associated with birth abnormalities. The effects of cannabis on your pregnancy are similar to that of tobacco smoking. Reduced oxygen and nutrition to your baby via the placenta may occur and result in reduced growth and development of your baby during pregnancy.
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Benzodiazepines in Pregnancy

Benzodiazepines belong to a group of drugs known as minor tranquillisers. Benzodiazepines are depressants and slows the messages going to and from the brain to the body, including physical, mental and emotional responses.desert

Drugs in this group include: Diazepam (Valium, Ducene), Oxazepam (Serepax, Murelax), Temazepam (Normison, Euhypnos)and Clonazepam (Rivotril).

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Hepatitis during Pregnancy

The word ‘hepatitis’ means an infection or inflammation of the liver. If the liver becomes inflamed due to an infection with a virus it is called ‘viral hepatitis’. However, the liver can also become inflamed through excessive alcohol intake or by taking certain medications or being exposed to certain chemicals.

Some viral hepatitis infections only cause a temporary dysfunction of the liver, while others can cause permanent liver damage (called ‘cirrhosis’). In some cases, a small number of people with cirrhosis may eventually experience liver failure or liver cancer later in life. However, this will depend on the type of hepatitis involved.
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New Born Screening Test

The Newborn Screening Test, sometimes called a ‘Guthrie test’ or ‘heel prick’ test, is part of the normal care for newborn babies in Australia. This blood test is used to screen all newborn babies for some rare metabolic and congenital disorders. In Australia, advanced technology allows the testing from a single blood sample for over 30 different health problems.

These include congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria (PKU), cystic fibrosis (CF), galactosaemia, and several conditions affecting the breakdown of fats (fatty acid oxidation defects) and proteins (amino acid metabolism disorders). Many of these conditions are genetic, and inherited from two healthy parents each carrying the abnormal gene. Read more »

SIDS

Many parents worry a lot about the chance that their baby might die from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). SIDS means that babies die suddenly, without warning and for no obvious reason, while they are asleep.

What you can do

Put your baby down on his back to sleep.

Make sure your baby’s head is not covered when sleeping.

Don’t let your baby get overheated.

Keep your baby away from cigarette smoke.

What causes SIDS?

SIDS happens to babies, without warning, while they are asleep. They may be slightly unwell (such as a runny nose), but otherwise they are healthy.

The reasons why SIDS happens are not known, but research has found several things that make the risk of SIDS much lower.

Since parents in Australia and across the rest of the world have changed how they put babies down for sleep, far fewer babies have died from SIDS. Read more »