The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS,
a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA
The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS,
a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA
|
Orgasmic Birth -- the documentary! ABC's 20/20 will be airing a segment about Orgasmic Birth on May
16th for their special Mother's Day show.
Interviews with Christiane Northrup, MD, Ina May Gaskin, MA, CPM, Sarah J Buckley, MD, Marsden Wagner, MD Joyous, sensuous and revolutionary, this pioneering film will compel many to reexamine their perceptions about childbirth. Viewers will understand how the use of normal, undisturbed birthing methods can aid the health and well-being of future generations. |
Three-Minute Activism to
Protect Your Right to Access Nutritional Supplements
Sign
the Citizens Petition to Maintain Your Health Freedom.
Watch the video
about the Codex Alimentarium restrictions.
See also: Water Bottles and
other Plastic Food Containers
Dr. Tom Brewer's Blue
Ribbon Baby Pages - Help Realize Dr. Brewer's Dream: That Every
Woman Will Know!
Nutrition During
Pregnancy: Part I: Weight Gain, Part II: Nutrient Supplements (1990)
from the Institute of Medicine (IOM)
Healing Our Children by
Rami Nagel - Prenatal nutrition is one of the greatest ways we can make
a positive change for the world.
Nutrition
and Exercise - a resource list from Auburn University
Association of
Perinatal Naturopathic Doctors (APND)
Nutrition
& Recipes from the American Diabetes Association - these are generally
good, healthy diets
The Biochemical Functions
of Essential Macro and Micronutrients - A Physician Primer - Module
III. Nutrition for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention CME [Medscape
registration is free]
Personalized Nutrition Pyramid
Arbor Clinical Nutrition
Updates
Healthy
Pregnant Women Need Extra Energy Intake CME [Medscape
registration is free] [Release Date: June 1, 2004; Valid for credit
through June 1, 2005]
Good
Nutrition for a Mother from Mother
Nurture, which focuses on practical help for the mother's well-being,
and for building teamwork and intimacy with her mate.
Leading New
Discoveries on Nutrition During Pregnancy excerpted from Pregnancy
Tips, by Gail Dahl
Organization for
Nutrition Education - a Canadian organization with an extensive collection
of links.
Another collection
of links about nutrition in pregnancy from the University of Toronto.
Cochrane
Review Abstracts Nutritional Supplementation in Pregnancy - from Medscape
[registration is free]
The Organic Revolution from Audobon Magazine - One of the easiest ways to reduce your baby's exposure to environmental toxins is to eat organic food.
cornucopia.org
rates organic dairy products.
Leading
New Discoveries on Nutrition During Pregnancy - from the
Web page for the book, Pregnancy & Childbirth Tips
Nourish
the Future - Pre-Conception, Pregnancy and Postpartum Nutrition Classes
Pregnancy
Nutrition (from the National College of Chiropractic)
Why Absorption of Nutrients is Important During
Pregnancy
Phytoestrogens in Foods and Herbs
Dr.Tony Helman's Arbor Nutrition Guide
Expecting Mom - I'm somewhat
leery of powdered nutrition, but this does seem to be an option for women
who need a little something extra. "Expecting Mom contains a fruit
and vegetable mix that makes it more than a prenatal supplement. It makes
a great substitute for those days when it is tough to keep things down."
1-888-665-8243
FitDay.com is an online diet and
fitness journal; there is a calorie and nutrition counter, a weight loss
tracker, an exercise log, analysis and reports.
I am just coming to learn the importance of an awareness of systemic pH. Here are some helpful introductory resources:
pH is Vital for
Whole Body Health
The
pH Miracle explains the extraordinary benefits of reducing acid, or
'Alkalizing' the body using natural means
History of nutrition and acid-base physiology from AlkalizeForHealth.org
Eating Safely
During Pregnancy from Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health [08/24/2004]
- [Medscape registration is free]
Eating
Safely During Pregnancy from the ACNM's "Share With Women" series of
handouts.
Listeriosis
and Pregnancy: What Is Your Risk? - Safe Food Handling for a Healthy
Pregnancy
See also: Microbial Colonization of Newborn Skin
and Gut
OK - this is one of the funniest things I've heard in a long time: "The
road to health is paved with good intestines."
I have a very basic understanding of probiotics, and I'll try to convey
what I know here.;*) The gut is filled with good guys and bad guys
(both bacteria and yeasts). There has to be a good balance between
the good guys and the bad guys for optimum digestion and nutrient absorption.
Probiotics are all good guys that should balance the gut in the case of
imbalance (antibiotics kill good guys along with the bad guys, but this
is just one example of how the intestinal flora gets out of whack).
IMO, probiotics are like *gut insurance*. There is a book called
Bacteria
for Breakfast that explains it all a lot better than I have.
I especially like New
Chapter "Perfect Prenatal" supplements because they contain helpful
probiotics, including L. acidophilus
and especially B. infantis, which will get passed on to your baby and help
prevent colic; they are available at Whole Foods and other health-food
stores. They contain recommended levels of folic acid, vit. C and
acidophilus, as well as an unspecified amount of choline.
Super
Prenatal Supplements, by Stacelynn Caughlan, including a subsection
on PROBIOTICS
Probiotics:
"Living drugs" [Medscape registration is free] - this article includes
treatment for UTI's.
From the July, 2005, Consumer Reports article on "protect
against abnormal microbes in the urogenital tract and help reduce the
incidence of vaginal bacterial infections. Yogurt may also help prevent
yeast infections." [They also have a Ratings
and recommendations of 40 yogurt products. Note that their tests
found higher numbers of beneficial bugs in most yogurt products than in
supplements. Consumer Reports is in the forefront of healthcare activism,
and I encourage you to pay their small subscription fee to gain access
to this and all their articles.]
Probiotic
properties of human lactobacilli strains to be used in the gastrointestinal
tract.
Fernandez MF, Boris S, Barbes C.
J Appl Microbiol. 2003;94(3):449-55.
CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the two strains of Lactobacillus
from human origin present important properties for survival in, and colonization
of, the gastrointestinal tract, that give them potential probiotic. SIGNIFICANCE
AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Two strains of Lactobacillus isolated from human
vagina of healthy premenopausal women could be promising candidates to
be used in the preparation of probiotic products and for their use as health-promoting
bacteria.
A general Internet search for "(probiotics OR acidophilus) NEAR pregnancy"
Choline, homocysteine,
and pregnancy
About Choline from florahealth.com. They recommend a daily dose of 450 mg/day during pregnancy and 550 mg/day for lactation.
There's some preliminary research showing that choline protects the
integrity of cell membranes and may have a protective effect against the
viruses that can cause schizophrenia
through prenatal exposure. If so, it would also have a protective
effect against the viruses that could cause a variety of disorders, includeing
cerebral palsy.
J Neurophysiol. 2004 Apr;91(4):1545-55.
Dietary prenatal choline supplementation alters postnatal hippocampal
structure and function.
Li Q, Guo-Ross S, Lewis DV, Turner D, White AM, Wilson WA, Swartzwelder
HS.
"Choline, a compound present in many foods, has recently been classified
as an essential nutrient for humans. Studies with animal models indicate
that the availability of choline during the prenatal period influences
neural and cognitive development. Specifically, prenatal choline supplementation
has been shown to enhance working memory and hippocampal long-term potentiation
(LTP) in adult offspring. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying these
effects remain unclear. Here we report that choline supplementation, during
a 6-day gestational period, results in greater excitatory responsiveness,
reduced slow afterhyperpolarizations (sAHPs), enhanced afterdepolarizing
potentials (ADPs), larger somata, and greater basal dendritic arborization
among hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells studied postnatally in juvenile rats
(20-25 days of age). These data indicate that dietary supplementation with
a single nutrient, choline, during a brief, critical period of prenatal
development, alters the structure and function of hippocampal pyramidal
cells."
Nutrient during pregnancy 'super-charges' brain [12 March 04]
Taking a nutrient called choline during pregnancy could "super-charge" children's brains for life, suggests a study in rats.
Offspring born to pregnant rats given the supplement were known to be faster learners with better memories. But the new work, by Scott Swartzwelder and colleagues at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina, US, shows this is due to having bigger brain cells in vital areas.
Choline, a member of the vitamin B family, is found in egg yolks, liver and other meats - "exactly the kind of things people were told not to eat" due to their high cholesterol content, says Swartzwelder.
He believes their results in the rats could translate to humans, and
indeed the US Institute of Medicine added choline to the list of essential
nutrients, particularly for pregnant women, in its 2003 recommendations.
Choline
availability during embryonic development alters progenitor cell mitosis
in developing mouse hippocampus.
Craciunescu CN, Albright CD, Mar MH, Song J, Zeisel SH.
J Nutr. 2003 Nov;133(11):3614-8.
"We conclude that the dietary availability of choline to the mouse dam
influences progenitor cell proliferation and apoptosis in the fetal brain."
Extra Choline During Pregnancy Enhances Memory In Offspring [in rats, anyway] - Duke University, 1998
DURHAM, N.C. -- Pregnant rats fed extra doses of an essential nutrient called choline produced offspring whose brain circuits were "wired" to learn and remember far more efficiently than offspring without the supplement, according to a study at Duke University Medical Center. Conversely, analysis of brain slices of the offspring of rats deprived of choline indicated a decrease in memory capability.
Choline is a naturally occurring amino acid found in egg yolks, milk,
nuts, liver and other meats as well as in human breast milk. It is the
essential building block for a memory-forming brain chemical called acetylcholine,
and it plays a vital role in the formation of cell membranes throughout
the body.
NOTE - Omega-3 fatty acids do increase brain size and
thus head size, which can make the birth more difficult than necessary.
It is also an option to increase your Omega-3 fatty acid intake during
the first three months after the birth; the enhanced breastmilk will also
increase baby's IQ and brain size when the head size matters a lot less!
Or you could take herbs to help the baby come a little earlier.
Flax seed oil is not a suitable Omega 3 source.
Flax seeds contain the omega-3 fatty acid ALA that must be converted to DHA by an enzyme so that the body can incorporate it into cells. Children make this enzyme only in small amounts, if at all. If they do not have the enzyme they will not benefit from the omega-3 fat in flax seeds. Newborns are completely unable to convert ALA to DHA. A study of breastfeeding mothers who took a flax seed oil supplement had no resulting increase in their own plasma or breast milk levels of DHA, showing that adults do not make this conversion either (Francois et al., 2003). Flax seeds are not an adequate source of DHA.
Randall Neustaedter OMD recommends that children and adults take a fish oil or cod liver oil supplement. Cod liver oil has the added benefit of vitamins A and D, especially helpful in the winter months when sun exposure may be inadequate to provide enough vitamin D. An alternative omega 3 source for vegetarians is an algae-derived DHA supplement (trade name Neuromins).
A more complete omega 3 discussion
Supplementing
lactating women with flaxseed oil does not increase docosahexaenoic acid
in their milk.
Francois CA, Connor SL, Bolewicz LC, Connor WE.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Jan;77(1):226-33.
CONCLUSIONS: Dietary flaxseed oil increased the breast-milk, plasma, and erythrocyte contents of the n-3 fatty acids ALA, EPA, and DPA but had no effect on breast-milk, plasma, or erythrocyte DHA contents.
Fish
diet 'brings a brighter baby'
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
(Filed: 20/01/2006)
Pregnant women who eat more fish, which contains omega-3 fatty acids,
tend to have brighter, more sociable children, claim researchers. [Dr Hibbeln
worked with Prof Jean Golding from Bristol University's Avon Longitudinal
Study of Parents and Children.]
Brain Food - This is important! Michel Odent's research shows a correlation between intake of Omega-3 fatty acids (typically found in ocean fish) and the size of baby's brain and the child's IQ. Here's the reference:
Prenatal
care and sea fish.
Odent MR, McMillan L, Kimmel T
Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 1996 Sep;68(1-2):49-51
A Smart
Start by Marcia Zimmerman, C.N. - Essential fatty acids can affect
your baby's intelligence.
Am J Epidemiol. 2004 Sep 1;160(5):460-5. Related Articles, Links
Association
of fish and fish liver oil intake in pregnancy with infant size at birth
among women of normal weight before pregnancy in a fishing community.
Thorsdottir I, Birgisdottir BE, Halldorsdottir S, Geirsson RT.
"Infants of women in the highest quartile of fish oil intake (> or =1 tablespoon (11 ml)/day), consuming threefold the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin A and twofold that of vitamin D, were shorter (p = 0.036) and had a smaller head circumference (p = 0.003) than those of women consuming less. Infant size at birth increased with fish consumption, especially for women in the lower quartiles of consumption. Smaller birth size was linked to the highest levels of fish oil intake. Constituents of fish and fish oil might affect birth size differently depending on the amount consumed."
[Ed. I find this confusing. Apparently the consumption of fish
but not fish oil helps grow bigger babies?]
Similar
effects on infants of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids supplementation to pregnant
and lactating women. [Free
full-text article]
Helland IB, Saugstad OD, Smith L, Saarem K, Solvoll K, Ganes T, Drevon
CA.
Pediatrics. 2001 Nov;108(5):E82.
"CONCLUSIONS: This study shows neither harmful nor beneficial effects
of maternal supplementation of long-chain n-3 PUFAs regarding pregnancy
outcome, cognitive development, or growth, as compared with supplementation
with n-6 fatty acids. However, it confirms that DHA concentration may be
related to gestational length and cerebral maturation of the newborn."
Randomised
controlled trial of effect of fish-oil supplementation on pregnancy duration.
Olsen SF, Sorensen JD, Secher NJ, Hedegaard M, Henriksen TB, Hansen
HS, Grant A.
Lancet. 1992 Apr 25;339(8800):1003-7.
"The high birthweights and long duration of pregnancy in the Faroe Islands
led us to suggest that a high intake of marine-fat-derived n-3 fatty acids
might prolong pregnancy by shifting the balance of production of prostaglandins
involved in parturition. We have compared the effects on pregnancy duration,
birthweight, and birth length of a fish-oil supplement, a control olive-oil
supplement, and no supplementation. 533 healthy Danish women in week 30
of pregnancy were randomly assigned in a ratio of 2/1/1 to fish oil (four
1 g Pikasol capsules [containing 2.7 g n-3 fatty acids] per day), olive
oil (four 1 g capsules per day), or no supplement. The three groups differed
in mean length of gestation (p = 0.006), which was highest in the fish-oil
group and lowest in the olive-oil group; the result was similar when the
analysis was restricted to women with an estimate of gestation length based
on early ultrasound findings (443 women). Pregnancies in the fish-oil
group were on average 4.0 (95% confidence interval 1.5-6.4) days longer
than those in the olive-oil group; the difference in birthweight was 107
(1-214) g. The effect of supplementation on length of gestation was influenced
by intake of fish and of fish oil: the difference between fish-oil and
other groups was increased by a low fish intake at baseline. Fish-oil
supplementation in the third trimester seems to prolong pregnancy without
detrimental effects on the growth of the fetus or on the course of labour."
I love playing with the "Related Articles" feature in PubMed. I'll admit that I'm confused by the results of some of the studies, and it sounds as if the researchers aren't entirely clear about the results either.
The studies seem to have been done on otherwise healthy (and presumably well-fed) women. It seems that fish oils MIGHT prolong pregnancy by about 4 days, as well as increase baby's size proportionately to the longer gestation.
Some of the studies didn't seem to pay much attention to the effect on gestational age and were paying more attention to the baby's size, which isn't that helpful if you discount the effects on length of gestation.
Some of my information came from a seminar with Michel Odent in 1996. I took thorough notes, and he said that supplementation with fish oils increases baby's IQ, brain size and head size. At the time, I didn't think to ask about the issue of the effects on length of gestation.
I'm also having trouble finding a good discussion of the different names for the different types of fatty acids and the levels provided by different sources.
At this point, it seems that the research is inconclusive, but there
seems to be some agreement that it is not harmful, per se. Mercury toxicity
issues are serious, though.
Benefits of omega-3
fatty acids to mother and baby during late pregnancy and nursing from
The
Omega-3 Information Service
From Dr. Barry Sear's Zone FAQ:
Other sources that are rich in EPA include mackerel and sardines. Other marine sources which have a lower EPA content are common fish such as tuna, swordfish, scallops, shrimp, and lobster. Try to consume about 300 mg. of EPA per week. This would translate into one serving of salmon or four servings of tuna or like fish per week.
Studies Concerning Omega-3
and Brain Activity and Vision from the
FLAX information web site
Mercury Rising - Our Seafood is Increasingly Contaminated with Toxins from [E] The Environmental Magazine - This lists a lot of potential problems with different fish, but may be more of a political piece than a health piece. Farmed salmon may be your best bet.
FOOD FACTS WEB PAGE - search for "mercury". They claim shark and swordfish are the worst, and should particularly be avoided during the first trimester.
COMMERCIAL FISH: EAT UP, DESPITE LOW LEVELS OF MERCURY from the University of Rochester
Anybody know a way to keep someone from having a huge baby? What
about induction in this situation?
Talk to them *right away* about eating. Personally, I think it's way too late to alter diet after the glucose screening is done.
We tell our women w/ previous large babies/SD:
Do NOT!!! drink lots of juice/eat lots of fruit. Repeat after me sixty zillion times. (We counseled a mom whose previous babe was SD and who ate, for breakfast, 5 - 6 different kinds of fruit in the belief that it was healthy...told her to try oatmeal instead :) Fruit is mainline glucose to the system, no matter how "natural" it is.
Take what you normally eat in 3 meals and spread it out over six (which is the basic GD protocol), but not adding food to the daily diet.
Exercise. Every day. Even upper body exercise (arm swinging,
weights) is helpful in regulating glucose metabolism.
I've had great luck with having clients cut dairy fat. Have them switch to skim or 1/2% milk, low-fat cheeses and yogurts, cut down on butter usage (I'm NOT a margarine person :-)). Increase activity, no overeating. If she is concerned, she'll comply.
Had a client w/ a 12#5oz 3rd baby who kept #4 & #5 <10# by doing
this. If I look at my dairy farm clients, the ones who drink a lot
of milk out of the tank (full-fat) have the biggest babies.
I've got to echo the comments about cutting down severely or cutting
out milk products altogether: milk, cheese, ice cream. I think milk
is one of the biggest culprits for big, FAT babies. Not always, of
course. I've worked with a few vegans who have had 9 and 10+ lb babies.
I always have to laugh when people say that vegans can't grow big, healthy
babies. It happens that both vegan boy babies in my practice were
around ten pounds, and the vegan girl baby was a fine, respectable weight.
I'm worrying about soy more and more. Even some of the nationally
renowned naturopathic physicians are recommending that it be used only
as a food accent, the way the Japanese have traditionally eaten it.
Here's a helpful
search.
Soy
Unsafe for Children by Randall Neustaedter OMD
THE WHOLE SOY STORY blows the lid off nutritional dogma !
* Soy is NOT a miracle food.
* Soy is NOT the answer to world hunger
* Soy is NOT a panacea.
* Soy has NOT even been proven safe.
The Vegetarian Diet and Birth Defects - possible problems caused by high soy intake in pregnancy.
Vegetarian
diet in pregnancy linked to birth defect
and another version of
Vegetarian
Diet in Pregnancy Linked to Birth Defect
Vegan Pregnancy
by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D. from the Vegetarian
Journal (Jan '97) and a related article, The
Vegan Diet During Pregnancy and Lactation by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D.
Veg Pregnancy
& Breastfeeding - from vegetarianbaby.com
NUTRITION FOR
PREGNANCY from The
McDougall Newsletter
NOTMILK! - Very interesting reading
for those of you who question the health benefits of cow's milk or for
better understanding of your clients who refuse to drink it.
Cow's Milk Protein Linked to Diabetes
Protein-rich
pregnancy diet may stress offspring - "Given the recent popularity
of low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets, such as the Atkins diet, these
data also suggest that these diets should be avoided during pregnancy."
[Source: 8th European Congress of Endocrinology; Glasgow, UK: 1-5 April
2006]
Rose Elliot's
Mother and Baby Guide - Part 1
Rose Elliot's
Mother and Baby Guide - Part 2
Here's a web site with lots of information about having a healthy vegetarian
pregnancy and subsequently, a healthy baby. There is nothing specific about
the babies being "small" though, I'm not sure if you were emphasizing that
or not.
One of the great unresolved issues of pregnancy is the significance of a low hematocrit/hemoglobin.
Actually, the studies are clear that lower levels are better, and the unresolved issue is why practitioners continue to encourage iron supplementation and chide women for low levels.
"Normal" values of hematocrit/hemoglobin are determined by studying non-pregnant people. However, a pregnant woman's blood volume expands around 40-60%; this blood volume expansion reduces the concentration of red blood cells and iron in her blood, which is what's measured by hematocrit and hemoglobin.
The best pregnancy outcomes are associated with the lowest hematocrit/hemoglobin. It turns out that 9.5 is optimal. This isn't because pregnant women don't need iron; it's because healthy pregnant women have large increases in blood volume that lower the hematocrit/hemoglobin.
So, in fact, a woman who's having problems with her pregnancy and doesn't have an increasing blood volume will have higher h/h levels than a healthy woman.
There are better ways of assessing anemia in pregnancy; fatigue is a
clue, but the best way to assess how well your blood is carrying oxygen
is to look for pallor in the gums and under eyelids and to assess capillary
refill when you apply pressure to the nailbed.
A woman can have a low H&H for several reasons. The healthy reason is that she has the normal hemodilution of pregnancy. The problematic reason is that she started her pregnancy with anemia (either dietary or from excessive blood loss such as menorrhagia). Or maybe she has thallasemia, malaria, or whatever.
A woman can have a high H&H for differing reasons as well. It could be because she eats really well, or because she has an iron storage disease, or because she never got the hemodilution and is on her way to pre-eclampsia/toxemia/HELLP or whatever.
You don't diagnose based on one lab value. And you can't predict
outcome based on one set of numbers either.
"A Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy & Childbirth" by Enkin, Keirse, Renfrew and Neilson reports that a hemoglobin count of 9.5 is optimal for fetal growth and maternal well-being:
The normal haematological adaptations to pregnancy are frequently misinterpreted as evidence of iron deficiency that needs correcting. Iron supplements have been given with two objectives in view: to try to return the haematological values towards the normal non-pregnant state, a strange objective when millions of years of evolution have determined otherwise, and to improve the clinical outcome of the pregnancy and the future health of the mother. The first objective can certainly be accomplished; the key question is whether or not achieving the "normalized" blood picture benefits the woman and her baby. Routine iron supplementation raises and maintains serum ferritin above 10 microgram/litre and results in a substantially lower proportion of women with a haemoglobin level below 10 or 10.5 grams per cent (below 6-6.5 mmol/litre) in late pregnancy. Routine folate supplementation as a haematinic after the first few weeks of pregnancy substantially reduces the prevalence of low serum and red cell folate levels, and of megaloblastic haematopoiesis. As yet, neither iron nor folate supplementation after the first trimester have shown any detected effect on the following substantive measures of maternal or fetal outcome: proteinuric hypertension, antepartum haemorrhage, postpartum haemorrhage, maternal infection, preterm birth, low birthweight, stillbirth, or neonatal morbidity. Women do not feel any subjective benefit from having their haemoglobin concentration raised.A possible advantage claimed for a high level of haemoglobin in pregnancy is that the woman would be in a stronger position to withstand haemorrhage. There is no evidence to support this claim. indeed, as a low haemoglobin in healthy pregnant women generally implies a large circulating blood volume, it is at least possible that women with a low haemoglobin might better withstand a give loss of blood.
There are few data derived from communities in which nutritional anaemia from either iron or folate deficiency is prevalent. Trials are needed in these populations to establish the most appropriate strategies for combatting the deficiencies.
Whether routine iron supplementation causes any harm in well-nourished communities is still unclear, but it is clearly wasteful. The evidence suggests that, except for genuine anaemia, the best reproductive performance is associated with levels of haemoglobin that are traditionally regarded as pathologically low. There is cause for concern in the findings of two well-conducted trials that iron supplementation resulted in an increase in the prevalence of preterm birth and low birthweight. Perhaps there is an adverse effect on fetal growth due to the increased viscosity of maternal blood that follows the iron-induced marcrocytosis and increased haemoglobin concentration, which may impeded uteroplacental blood flow.
An individuals' haemoglobin concentration depends much more on the complex relation between red-cell mas and plasma volume than on deficiencies of iron or folates. The advent of electronic blood counters has given an opportunity for more appropriate criteria to be applied to the diagnosis of anaemia. Mean cell volume may be the most useful; it is not closely related to haemoglobin concentration and declines quite rapidly in the presence of iron deficiency. A low haemoglobin without other evidence of iron deficiency requires no treatment.
If there is evidence of genuine iron deficiency, iron treatment is needed, and the usual approach is to give iron salts by mouth. There is no convincing evidence that the addition of copper, manganese, molybdenum, or ascorbic acid improves the efficiency with which the iron is used.
The cause of megaloblastic anaemia in pregnancy is almost always folate deficiency, and treatment with folic acid supplementation is rapidly effective.
At 11weeks I am having a serious conflict about what to do about iron
supplementation, I have read in most places that no matter how much iron
you get in your diet, as a pregnant woman you will be incapable of maintaining
"normal" iron levels without supplementation. Hello......isn't our body
trying to tell us something like maybe we are not supposed to have high
levels of iron. Currently I am trying to do a literature search to
find the absolute truth. There are no absolutes in scientific medicine,
but Sheila Kitzinger in her book "THE COMPLETE BOOK OF PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH"
she explains that if you did not start out anemic, then iron supplementation
is not necessary for the normal drop in hemoglobin from mid-pregnancy.
This reduced hemoglobin is a sign that plasma volume is rising and that
the placenta is providing good nutrition for the baby."
In a different chapter she explains" A pregnant woman has about 40%
more blood flowing in her body. It used to be thought that a woman's
hemoglobin levels must be kept high during pregnancy by iron supplementation.
But most women whose hemoglobin concentration does fall are more likely
to go full term and have babies of good birth weight. If hemoglobin
concentrations fail to fall there is a marked increase of the incidence
of low birth eight and preterm labor." She quotes two medical studies
to back this up. The babies are probably LBW and preterm because
the placenta wasn't nourishing the baby properly so therefore hemoglobin
levels did not drop.
This is based on information from a variety of sources, but primarily from Gabbe's Obstetrics (which also has some very nice charts utlining this physiology and gives good numbers as well!)
Blood volume
Starts to expand at 10 weeks
Expansion plateaus at 30 - 34 weeks
Average increase is 50%
Normal range considered to be 20% to 100% increase
Bigger babies, multiple gestations will have increases
on the higher side
Seen in lab work as dropping hemoglobin/hematocrit
(physiological anemia of pregnancy)
Rising Hg/Hct may be early signs of problems, but
diagnosis confounded by iron supplementation
Red blood cell count (RBC)
Increases throughout pregnancy
18% increase if not supplemented
50% increase of supplemented
Platelets
Count progressively decreases in normal pregnancy
by about 15,000/mm3
Still stays well within the normal range for non-pregnant
women
Average count goes from 275,000 to 260,000
Counts below 150,000 are indicative of potential
trouble
Coagulation
Fibrinogen levels increase, other clotting factors
stay about the same as in the non-pregnant state
Marked increase in fibrinogen levels a sign of trouble
Hemolysis
RBCs are turned over faster during pregnancy, the
accelerated breakdown being matched by an accelerated production.
This can stress the liver (excreting bilirubin and other byproducts of
hemolysis).
Breakdown not matched by production signals a problem.
NOTE - If a woman doesn't respond to iron supplementation as expected,
consider the possibility that there may be underlying thyroid problems.
Even if she's already had her thyroid tested in this pregnancy, consider
doing another thyroid test or referring to a physician for evaluation.
Most midwives recommend yeast-free
version. They are easily tolerated by the sensitive pregnant
digestive system and don't seem to cause constipation.
Iron Supplementation
Early in Pregnancy Improves Birth Outcomes - Oct. 7, 2003 [Medscape
registration is free]
Iron Nutrition
During Pregnancy from Nutrition
During Pregnancy: Part I: Weight Gain, Part II: Nutrient Supplements
(1990) from the Institute of Medicine (IOM)
I've heard some midwives say that the best way to boost a woman's red blood cell count (and thus hemoglobin/hematocrit) is to have her take chlorophyll supplements with iron. The rationale that goes along with this is that chlorophyll and hemoglobin perform similar functions, i.e. transporting gases in the life fluid of their host, whether plant or animal. The thinking I've heard is that when the chlorophyll and the iron are both available, the iron can replace the magnesium in the chlorophyll to be easily reconstructed into heme. Here are some web pages on this subject:
Re: chlorophyll / hemoglobin - Question and Response
Chlorophyll/hemoglobin structure
[Antihypoxic
effect of chlorophyllypt and the method for its clinical use in maternal
and fetal tissue hypoxia].
Shramkevych AF, Sol's'kyi IP, Rozumenko MB
Pediatr Akush Ginekol 1979 Sep-Oct;(5):55
Heme and Chlorophyll Biosynthetic Pathways
The following quotes attempt explanations but aren't terribly well documented. If anyone has any good references for this information, please e-mail me. Thanks.
"Interestingly enough, chlorophyll and hemoglobin have a remarkably similar molecular structure, though their functions are different. Chlorophyll is the substance that makes a plant green and helps derive food for the plant by using the sun's energy. Hemoglobin gives blood its red color and transports oxygen through the blood. Both molecules are of the same shape, with a difference in the middle atoms. Hemoglobin's center atom is "iron", while chlorophyll's center atom is "magnesium". Maybe this very similar molecular structure is why ingesting chlorophyll so effectively helps hemoglobin oxygenate and purify the blood. " [http:"The way it works is this. The molecule of chlorophyl is almost identical to a molecule of hemoglobin, except for one big difference. The central atom in hemoglobin is iron, and the central atom in chlorophyll is magnesium. This being the case, when you ingest chlorophyll, it readily gives up its central atom of magnesium and apparently exchanges it for, and hear's the cool part:
"1) if you have heavy metal toxicity, it will exchange it for whatever atom of heavy metal you need to get rid of, whether it is lead, mercury, or what have you, OR
"2) If you do NOT have any heavy metal toxicity, it exchanges it for IRON, thereby creating new blood very quickly. This is why someone who is anemic can benefit so drmatically from taking chlorophyll." [Source]
Some PubMed sources:
Subunit-exchange
chromatography of self-associating proteins: a quantitative reappraisal.
Chiancone E, Winzor DJ
Anal Biochem 1986 Oct;158(1):211-6
"A quantitative expression describing the behavior of a self-associating
protein in subunit-exchange chromatography is derived in a form that is
tractable from the viewpoint of characterizing the pertinent interactions.
Its use is illustrated by application to published results for alpha-chymotrypsin,
oxyhemoglobin, and the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein."
The
Bakerian lecture, 1984. Biosynthesis of the pigments of life.
Battersby AR
Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 1985 Jul 22;225(1238):1-26
Haems
and chlorophylls: comparison of function and formation. [No abstract]
Hendry GA, Jones OT
J Med Genet 1980 Feb;17(1):1-14
Chlorophyllide-substituted
hemoglobin tetramers and hybrids: preparation, characterization, and energy
transfer.
Kuki A, Boxer SG
Biochemistry 1983 Jun 7;22(12):2923-33
This is a topic that fascinates me - if anyone has any better sources,
please, please e-mail
them to me. Thanks!
Usually we recommend somewhere around 4-6 chlorophyll a day for a typical
low hemoglobin. Some like to get on it toward the end of their pregnancy
as a hemorrhage prevention, but we don't regularly recommend it for that
purpose alone. My hemoglobin is OK (11.4 at 30 weeks), but I wouldn't mind
it being a little higher, so I've been taking 2 a day.
For low hemoglobin, fill blender fairly full with dark green leafy veggies
(spinach, kale, etc.) Then pour pineapple juice into the blender to 2/3
full. Blend well. I call this the "Green Drink" and it works marvelously
for low Hg. Also, the women who have used it have very minimal pp bleeding.
Wheat grass juice - 4 oz at least four times a day! I swear by it.
At least one tablspoon blackstrap molasses daily.
Clams are very high in iron. Eat along with vegetables that
are high in iron.
Do not take calcium, vitamin E, zinc, antacids, or fiber at
the same time as foods high in iron/or supplements.
Omit all sugar.
With Floradix, take 100 mg of vitamin C for better absorption.
Vitamin B 12, 2,000 mcg 3 times daily.
Vitamin B complex 50 mg 3 times daily.
Folic acid plus biotin 800/300 mcg daily.
Vitamin C 3,000 to 10,000 mg daily
Brewer's yeast - rich in basic nutrients and a good source of
iron.
Eliminate coffee and tea, sodas, beer, dairy products.
Take Homeopathic Ferrum Phosphoricum each morning and take Kali Sulphuricum
each evening for three weeks to aid the body's assimilation of iron.
For other tips on homeopathics for pregnancy and birth, see the EMAZING.com
archives of the Homeopathic Health Tip of the Day
I don't rec. ferrous sulfate. I start with floradix, one bottle
every 3 days max, plus any ferrous glucinate or fumerate, 3 or 4 of those.
Then folic acid, 5 800 mcgs with the iron. Then red meat if they
eat it. Then chlorophyll, and the "iron sheet" that has foods with
iron, inc. cooking in the old cast iron pots. I've had a couple of
other women over the years who had very low hgbs following emergencies
who have gone on the iron diet. The first 2 points happen in 1 week,
then 1 point a week. We don't stop until her hgb is 12.5.
Although I prefer herbal support for most things, my favorite iron supplement
is Source Natural's chelated iron. Seldom even turns stool black, which
makes me think it's being well absorbed, virtually never constipates moms,
and works pretty quickly. Lots cheaper and easier to take than Floridix.
Along with the supplement I advise 500 mg vit C, assuring adequate folic
acid, and 20 minutes of pulse-raising exercise every day (Let the body
know it NEEDS more O2 capacity).
I have never been one to use lots of herbs in my practice, although I am now slowly adding certain herbal items. The main reason for the turnabout is the herb Yellowdock (Rumex Crispus, Buckwheat Family) (aka: sour dock, curled dock, narrow dock, Rumex)
This was suggested to me by a MW friend, so I tried it once with a client whose HgB at week 35 +2, was, in my opinion, too low for homebirth consideration. At the time I was sending my clients to a friendly OB for all testing, and he called me when the lab results came in to let me know that he was concerned about this birth happening at home, and I concurred.
We discussed if there was a way to get my client's bld levels up before birth. He assured me there was not a way to do this in the amount of time we had left. I talked to him about an herbal remedy, and he agreed to order tests for her each week so that we could find out for real if it would work or not.
I had her use the yellowdock root as prepared in Susan Weed's Herbal for the Childbearing year. Also did intensive nutritional counseling, and had her keep a daily food intake log for the remainder of her pregnancy.
Every week she went back in to be tested. She birthed (at home) at week 41 +4. So was on this regimen for 6 weeks, two days. Her last lab was 2 day pre-birth. The necessity of good hydration was stressed to the client so that we wouldn't get higher lab results due to hemoconcentration..
over the course of that time her HgB levels were (in g/dl) :
8.3 (beginning)
8.9 (end of one week)
9.6
9.9
10.4
10.8
11.1 (end of 6th wk, last lab)
Total increase of 2.8.
I have never tested this intensely since this time, as this was pretty convincing to me. Also, the OB was absolutely amazed and began recommending yellowdock to his patients. I do not know what results he has obtained, and I am sure he does not work as closely with his patients regarding the nutritional aspects of this method.
Admittedly, if someone's HgB was sitting at 5.5, and an increase of this same amount was obtained, they would still only be at 8.3. But I would think that a pp woman would feel a heck of a lot better sitting at this level with a new baby during pp recovery than she would at 5.5.
Also, my case involved a little more time than is allotted in the case mentioned above. But again, I would think that any increase would prove beneficial.
I have also used this same method for pp women, and definitely for any client with a history of pp hemorrhage in preparation for birth..
Also, I cannot say how much the increase was attributable to the Yellowdock
and how much to the nutrition. So I always do both.
I love Yellow Dock too! I've seen amazing results with it. I was confused though, because I had always understood that it worked because it had a good amount of easily assimilated iron in it. when i studied it i found that it really didn't have that much- 1.6 mg per 100 grams. dandelion has 3 times that amount, willow has 11 times as much! i came to a theory that the when the liver is under stress it stores iron and gets toxic. if one stimulates the liver to release the stored iron into the blood stream it becomes usable to the system. Then one would see a noticeable rise in H&H. This is also (according to this theory) why one gets constipated during pregnancy and while taking extra iron- the toxic liver isn't manufacturing enough bile. But Yellow Dock is also known as a gentle laxative, I think because it cleanses the liver and stimulates it into bile production. Bile is the body's natural laxative. Just my opinion.
Rumex has many chemicals with antihepatotoxic properties, and erythrocytogenic properties as well, which is another angle. Check it out at James Duke's phytochemical plant database.
Here are some abstracts on Rumex that don't include anything on raising
H&H but are fun if you love getting to know an herb at all angles,
which I do. They are from Michael
Moore's site (who is the most brilliant herbalist America has had since
George Washington Carver IMHO.)
Another point to consider with that low of a HgB:
Any chance she may have beta thalassemia minor? We have several of these women in our mid-Michigan practice, whom have no clue they have the disease; their HgB is initially just a bit low, then continually drops during the pregnancy and is unresponsive to iron supplementation.
One of the important implications of beta thal minor is that if FOB also has it, baby can have beta thal major; a VERY serious, life-threatening condition.
So we always refer to the hematologist these women who are anemic with
a non-iron deficiency etiology per labwork.
I don't know what to say about the black outs, but I never recommend
iron supplements as a tx for low hemoglobin...it is hard for the body to
absorb and often leads to constipation and attendant hemorrhoids. I usually
recommend liquid chlorophyll, or alfalfa tablets.....9 times out of ten
it does the trick and brings the hemoglobin up...also tends to soften the
stool, so I see considerably less hemorrhoids. I have a tincture that I
made that includes alfalfa and nettles...replaces the chlorophyll and also
does the trick. In my opinion iron supps are largely ineffective and cause
problems for most women. Don't know what to say about your black outs tho...good
luck, and stay off the road!
There is a company that sells a grapeseed product that has a great pamphlet
that explains everything about it. The company is called; Flora, and the
product is called; Bio Berry Grapeseed Extract Plus. Yes, they also sell
Floradex. Anyway, they have an 800 number which is; 1(800)446-2110.
I still think the best stuff is the Liquid Iron product from NF Formulas in oregon - Iron citrate which is much less constipating along with B-12 and folic acid to aid in the rest of the blood building. a teaspoon twice per day and usually within 2 weeks they're convinced and on their feet (not tired anymore).
NF Formulas # 800-547-4891 - at least get a catalogue.
I like the plain flavor mixed with pineapple juice instead of the mint
flavor.
Iron deficiency anemia can be characterized by fatigue, headache, and
poor concentration. A balanced diet along with a vegetable-based iron supplement
should correct this condition. Consider also homeopathic Ferrum Phosphoricum
to aid assimilation of dietary iron.
Using 14C-labeled arachidonic acid as precursor for in vitro prostaglandin synthesis, the effect of an antacid containing Al (OH)3, Mg(OH)2 and CaCO3 on endogenous prostaglandin synthesis was investigated in antral and duodenal mucosa of healthy volunteers. After three weeks of treatment with a high-dose antacid, there was no detectable change in the total capacity of the mucosa for prostaglandin synthesis, but the prostaglandin profile was markedly altered. The relative amounts of PGE2 and PGF2 alpha synthesized by antral and duodenal mucosa increased at the expense of the prostaglandins A2/B2, thromboxane A2, and prostacyclin. In a short-term study, this change was not observed following a single antacid dose within 1 hr after application. It is concluded that long-term antacid treatment may alter the prostaglandin pattern formed by gastroduodenal mucosa and this may be related to its therapeutic effect.[Prostaglandin synthesis in stomach and duodenal mucosa of the human: effect of aspirin with and without antacid].
A decreased PG E2 content in gastric mucosa of humans receiving a longterm antirheumatic therapy has been reported to be partially reversed after a one week treatment with an antacid (Reimann et al., Fortschr Med 102 [1984], 25-26). . . . It is concluded that antacids do not influence the suppression of the endogenous prostaglandin synthesis by NOSAC's, however another effect, eg a prolonged stability of PG E2 in a less acidic environment is more likely.Protection of the upper gastrointestinal mucosa: the role of antacids.
[I]n 28 patients with gastric antral ulcer of various sizes in different stages of activity with or without erosive gastritis. After the antacid treatment, a significant prostaglandin E2 reduction was observed . . . [Note that the reduction of PGE2 is likely associated with reduced inflammation from lesions, which would not occur in healthy individuals..]Alimentary tract and pancreas. Stimulation of mucosal prostaglandin synthesis in human stomach and duodenum by antacid treatment.
Total prostaglandin synthesis in antrum (623 (110) pmol/mg protein) and duodenum (432 (72) pmol/mg) was stimulated after three weeks administration of low dose antacids by 176% (p less than 0.05) and 154% (p less than 0.05), respectively.[In vivo and vitro study of prostaglandins E2 and I2 participation in protective function of antacids on gastric mucosa].
It was shown that antacids stimulate generation of PGE2 and PGI2 . . .PGE2 is the prostaglandin contained in dinoprostone vaginal insert (Cervidil). Is it possible that use of antacids as calcium supplements could cause preterm labor and/or prevent postmature pregnancies?
Outstanding questions:
Which specific type of antacid is associated with elevated levels of
PGE2? Is it the specific ingredients or the antacid nature of the
preparation that are implicated?
Is.there an association between elevated levels of PGE2 and premature
labor?
Is there an association between decreased levels of PGE2 and postmature
pregnancies?
Could antacid use prevent postdates pregnancies?
Is the higher level of PGE2 caused by inflammation of the digestive
tract in response to higher levels of bacteria in the gut caused by hypoacidity?
Is this, in and of itself, harmful to the mother or fetus?
Hypercalcemic
crisis in pregnancy associated with excessive ingestion of calcium carbonate
antacid (milk-alkali syndrome): successful treatment with hemodialysis.
Kleinman GE, Rodriquez H, Good MC, Caudle MR
Obstet Gynecol 1991 Sep;78(3 Pt 2):496-499
Severe hypercalcemia, a potentially life-threatening condition, has been reported rarely during pregnancy. A patient with hypercalcemic crisis associated with excessive ingestion of absorbable calcium antacid was treated successfully with hemodialysis as well as other therapeutic measures, such as saline diuresis. This acute therapy resulted in long-term normalization of maternal calcium levels. The fetus, who exhibited a low biophysical score during the initial admission, was delivered a month later and had an uncomplicated neonatal course.
The
milk-alkali syndrome. A reversible form of acute renal failure.
Abreo K, Adlakha A, Kilpatrick S, Flanagan R, Webb R, Shakamuri S
Arch Intern Med 1993 Apr 26;153(8):1005-1010
An increased frequency of this syndrome seems likely with the growing popularity of the use of calcium carbonate as an antacid or as calcium supplementation to prevent osteoporosis. We treated five patients who had six episodes of the milk-alkali syndrome; four of these cases were diagnosed between 1990 and 1992. All patients were ingesting massive quantities of calcium and absorbable alkali and were unaware of the toxic effects of these compounds. All patients presented with the triad of hypercalcemia, metabolic alkalosis, and renal failure.
[Replacement
of aluminum-containing phosphate binders by calcium and magnesium carbonates
in long-term hemodialysis].
Zellweger U, Zaugg PY, Dambacher M, Binswanger U, Gautschi K, Hany
A
Dtsch Med Wochenschr 1989 Apr 28;114(17):659-664
Hypercalcaemia was an expected disadvantage: repeated symptom-free episodes of hypercalcaemia occurred in six of 20 patients during the first three months and in a further two up to 12 months.
Milk-alkali
syndrome with a serum calcium level of 22 mg/dl and J waves on the ECG.
Jenkins JK, Best TR, Nicks SA, Murphy FY, Bussell KL, Vesely DL
South Med J 1987 Nov;80(11):1444-1449
Milk-alkali
syndrome. A consequence of chronic antacid abuse.
Newmark K, Nugent P
Postgrad Med 1993 May 1;93(6):149-150
Patient education regarding the hazards of abusing calcium-containing antacids is essential.
Antacids Can Cause Major Problems
In Tums, calcium carbonate is the "antacid" portion. It is 40% elemental calcium, inexpensive, and readily available. It should be noted, however, that there are several very distinct disadvantages to its use as a calcium supplement:
1) Tums/calcium carbonate is an antacid. According to a study published in "The Annals of Internal Medicine", the only subjects who failed to absorb calcium carbonate were those who were found not to secrete sufficient stomach acid for proper digestion.
2) With the growing use of antacids, such as Tums, in the US (approximately 27% of the adult population consumes them) and the regular consumption of calcium carbonate as an inexpensive calcium source, the risk to Milk-Alkali-Syndrome is increasing.
This syndrome was first identified in 1923 and is characterized by hypercalcemia, alkalosis, and renal impairment. It may occur in an acute, sub-acute or chronic form. Joint stiffness with calcium deposits have also been observed in this disorder. It is called Milk-Alkali Syndrome.
Milk-Alkali Syndrome develops as a result of ingesting large amounts of calcium and absorbable alkali, particularly calcium carbonate. The reason this is of concern is that the National Institute of Health is now recommending 1000-1500 mg per day of calcium to prevent Osteoporosis. Since the most inexpensive form of calcium is calcium carbonate, many of the calcium formulas today contain calcium carbonate. Such popular products as Tums and Os-Cal, as well as many other inexpensive calcium supplements, are composed of calcium carbonate.
In addition, when taken with other substances such as adrenal cortical
hormones or thiazide diuretics, calcium carbonate can be toxic at much
lower does. In some individuals, even in the absence of other medications,
calcium carbonate may produce Milk-Alkali Syndrome of four to five grams
(four grams of calcium carbonate provides 1200 mg of elemental calcium).
Since calcium carbonate has risks associated with it and is also shown
to be mal-absorbed in patients with low hydrochloric acid levels, other
forms of calcium supplementation are preferable.
PRENATAL CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS/GALLSTONES IN INFANTS - Calcium supplements
during pregnancy may induce gallstones in infants and young children. The
two year-old daughter of a woman given calcium carbonate and vitamin D
during the last four months of the pregnancy required surgical removal
of gallstones which were found to be made up entirely of calcium carbonate.
This is the first case reported of pure calcium carbonate gallstones. (Journal
of Pediatric Surgery 20:143-144, April, 1985)
Maternal
serum paraxanthine, a caffeine metabolite, and the risk of spontaneous
abortion.
Klebanoff MA, Levine RJ, DerSimonian R, Clemens JD, Wilkins DG
N Engl J Med 1999 Nov 25;341(22):1639-44
"This suggests that moderate consumption of caffeine is unlikely to
increase the risk of spontaneous abortion." [Moderate is defined
as 1-2 cups of coffee daily.]
Moderate Sodium Intake Necessary for Good Health
Magnesium is essential for muscle relaxation, so it helps to prevent
uterine hyperexcitability, which can cause preterm labor or painful, prodromal
labor. Noting that magnesium sulfate is used for treatment of preterm
labor as well as pre-eclampsia, it seems reallly important to make sure
that pregnant women are getting adequate magnesium supplementation unless
they already have a magnesium-rich diet.
Magnesium's
Impact on Health and Vitality - Magnesium is nothing short of a miracle
mineral in its healing effect on a wide range of diseases as well as in
its ability to rejuvenate the aging body.
Magnesium: Preventing
pregnancy complications from babycenter.com
Magnesium Intake during
Pregnancy
Role of Magnesium
Deficiency in Pre-Eclampsia
New
data on the importance of gestational Mg deficiency.
Durlach J.
J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):694S-700S.
Chronic primary Mg deficiency is frequent. About 20% of the population
consumes less than two-thirds of the RDA for Mg. Women, particularly, have
low intakes. For example, in France, 23% of women and 18% of men have inadequate
intakes. Mg deficiency during pregnancy can induce maternal, fetal, and
pediatric consequences that might last throughout life. Studies of gestational
Mg deficiency in animals show that Mg deficiency may have marked effects
on parturition and postuterine involution. It has interfered with fetal
growth and development, and caused morbidity from hematological effects
and disturbances in temperature regulation, to teratogenic effects. Emphasis,
here, is on effects of chronic clinical gestational Mg deficiency as it
affects the infant. Premature labor, contributed to by uterine hyperexcitability
caused by chronic maternal Mg deficiency, that can be intensified by stress,
gives rise to preterm birth. If the only cause of uterine overactivity
is Mg deficiency, its supplementation constitutes nontoxic tocolytic treatment,
as an adjuvant treatment, that is devoid of toxicity and enhances efficacy
and safety of tocolytic drugs such as beta-2 mimetics. Evidence is considered
that Mg deficiency or Mg depletion can contribute to the Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS may be a fetal consequence of maternal Mg deficiency
through impaired control of Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) thermoregulation
mechanisms leading to a modified temperature set point. SIDS can result
from dysthermias: hypo- or hyperthermic forms. Possibly, simple nutritional
Mg supplements might be preventive. Various stresses in an infant can transform
simple Mg deficiency into Mg depletion. For example, lying prone can be
stressful for the baby, as can parental smoking. The role of chronopathological
stress appears to be often neglected, as it constitutes a clinical form
of primary hypofunction of the biological clock [with its anatomical and
clinical stigma such as reduced production of melatonin (MT) and of its
urinary metabolite: 6 Sulfatoxy-Melatonin (6 SMT)]. SIDS might be linked
to impaired maturation of both the photoneuroendocrine system and BAT.
Prophylaxis of this form of SIDS should include atoxic nutritional Mg therapy
for pregnant women with total light deprivation at night for the infant.
Consequences of maternal primary Mg deficiency have been inadequately studied.
To determine ultimate outcomes of gestational Mg deficiency in infants,
a long-term multicenter placebo-controlled prospective study should undertaken
on effects of maternal nutritional Mg supplementation on lethality/morbidity
in fetus, neonates, infants, children and adults, not only during pregnancy
and the baby's first year, but throughout life.
The body's demand for protein increases but ability to digest/ assimilate
doesn’t. You may need to take an enzyme supplement to help. Get a
Nutritional Evaluation to find out which one.
I found that following the standard recommendations of 80-100
grams of protein daily (mostly high fat animal protein) and consuming
prenatal vitamin pills resulted in a sluggish metabolism as my body
labored to assimilate and eliminate the excess that it could not use.
Isn't the FDA "standard" 60 gms of protein for pregnant women? 100 gms
is a LOT of food to eat.
I usually recommend 75 gms, and many women have a hard time with that amount. I stress that there are days when they'll get a bit more and days when they'll get less.
Two vegan clients last month had babies weighing 7-11 and 8-10. They were not getting 75 gms daily. But they eat really well and a good amount of calories. I did not want to muck through all the info on the Hallelujah Acres site, but the recommendations of diet that I saw didn't even look like a normal vegan diet. Vegan diets are usually better than that.
Common sense says that if they are not eating well we will see it prenatally.
I give lots of nutritional info but I only see them about 12 times throughout
their pregnancy. They will eat what they will eat and we probably don't
always know what that means. I bet many of you, like I, have been shocked
at the birth when looking in the cupboards of someone we thought was eating
a lot better. But they have usually grown a healthy baby and placenta and
had a nice birth.
Quick
and Easy Protein from Mother
Nurture, which focuses on practical help for the mother's well-being,
and for building teamwork and intimacy with her mate.
I find that if I just kind of lightly boil them, I still get the sweet, delicious, crunchy taste, and I figure I'm probably getting the protein. I still haven't found any reliable information about how much heat is needed to destroy the enzyme, but I figure lightly boiling should do it. (And, it turns out that this is an easy food to take to a birth, too! I just grab a bag out of the freezer, they defrost on the way to the birth, and then I boil them up while we're boiling the herbs. :-) [separate pot]. And I can snack on them throughout the evening/night/whatever.
I strongly recommend lightly boiled edamame to my pregnant clients;
one frozen bag of "edamame" is about 30 grams of protein - 3 servings worth,
but they're such a tasty "snacky" kind of food for me that I have no problem
eating a whole bag at a sitting or two. They make a great snack for
pregnant women to graze on through the day.
Excess Calcium (not balanced by other minerals) can lead to irritability
by stimulating sympathetic nervous system.
"Maternal Calcium Intake
and Metabolism During Pregnancy and Lactation" in the Journal of Perinatal
Education,14 (1), pages 52-57.
List of online
calcium resources from the Arbor Nutrition
Guide.
Food,
Nutrition and Agriculture - No. 20 1997 - Calcium throughout life
Calcium,
Vitamin D and Magnesium from Nutrition
During Pregnancy: Part I: Weight Gain, Part II: Nutrient Supplements
(1990) from the Institute of Medicine (IOM)
Our local naturopath says that more than 500 mg of calcium at a time
can cause thyroid problems.
I would have to go through my resources, but I know there was a large randomized trial recently that showed a significant reduction in incidence of PIH with CA supplementation (does anyone out there know the one I am talking about? Was it the McMaster's study?). There was also a reduction in preterm labor. Pretty significant. I know that there is some controversy about whether calcium supplementation actually decreases blood pressure elevations once it has started to climb. Some of the literature I have read says yes, some says no. Elevations of BP in pregnancy and symptoms that suggest what we commonly call pre-eclampsia, in my opinion, are likely to be multi-factorial in origin, and researchers and clinicians are still not in total agreement about the pathophysiology involved.
I have seen separate reports of research which suggests that calcium
supplementation may also play a role in preventing or decreasing essential
hypertension, not pregnancy related. This is of intense interest to me
as I see a fair number of older women and do lots of work around peri and
post menopausal health issues in my practice, and hypertension is a common
problem in the community where I work.
Study Shows Calcium Doesn't Reduce PIH/Eclampsia
Protein's role in preventing PIH is highly questionable.
I am taking my information primarily from Bonnie Worthington-Roberts book: Nutrition in Pregnancy and Lactation. This is an extremely well-researched and enjoyable text which I highly recommend. I quote:
"The notion that protein deficiency causes pregnancy-induced hypertension is a highly controversial issue. Brewer contends that consumption of adequate protein will obliterate PIH. For several years he ran a prenatal clinic in northern California in which the value of a high-protein diet was stressed. In 1971, a scientific review group examined the records of patients from the clinic and from the Contra Costa Hospital for the frequency of PIH from the years 1965 to 1970. The frequency of PIH in the patients seen by Brewer was not significantly different than in those patients not seen by Brewer (9 of 548 versus 12 of 367, respectively). In his analysis of the data, Brewer removed six of the cases from his group, stating that he had not seen two, one was in the project for only one week, and three had no evidence of PIH in their records. He also removed three cases of preeclampsia from the hospital. With these adjustments, there was a highly significant difference between the groups."
She goes on to summarize the studies that have shown a correlation between protein intake and elevated blood pressure and those which have shown no correlation. (These are probably the same studies Brewer refers to?)
The Temple University women received a protein-mineral supplement. (Doesn't say, but I bet calcium was one of those minerals.)
The Motherwell Scotland group also differentiated between "good diet" and "poor diet," the "good diet" consisting of high protein, low carbohydrate.
Of course, a large part of the Brewer diet is high calcium...it's pretty hard to differentiate between these two nutrients in human studies!
Her conclusion is:
"The role of protein deficiency in the etiology of preeclampsia has
not been satisfactorily proved or disproved. Research in this area is lacking...Use
of a protein supplement for prevention of PIH is not appropriate."
Thanks for the reference opposing Dr. Brewer's work. One little bone to pick, however....is it not correct that Dr. Brewer's work was concerning Metabolic Toxemia of Late Pregnancy (MTLP) and not PIH? I've read a few things that state that PIH is a catch-all term and really isn't the same thing as MTLP. According to Anne Frye, hypertension in pregnancy is defined as a rise in systolic BP "of 30 points or more and/or a rise in the diastolic pressure of 15 points or more, on two occasions, at least 6 hours apart" (Understanding Diagnostic Tests...196). Frye later goes on to discuss how studies have shown that pregnant women who have normal blood pressure, hypertension, and toxemia all have varying BPs within this definitive "range."
I do agree that Brewer's diet is very high in calcium and probably has
a
lot to do with its benefits for women experiencing symptoms of PIH
or toxemia. The main point is, I don't think we should discount his ideas
that diet and nutrition can help a lot in these "mysterious" pregnancy
diseases.
The calcium losing effect of protein on the human body is not an area of controversy in scientific circles. The many studies performed during the past fifty-five years consistently show that the most important dietary change that we can make if we want to create a positive calcium balance is to decrease the amount of protein that we eat each day--John A. MacDougall, M.D.
His two books, The MacDougall plan, and MacDougall's Medicine, should be required reading for anyone entering the health professions. Why isn't his name more widely recognized? For one thing, he's not on the payroll of the National Livestock and Meat Board or the National Dairy Council.
CALCIUM COMES FROM SOIL THAT PLANTS ABSORB AND INCORPORATE INTO THEIR STRUCTURE. Animals consume the plants that absorb the calcium. That's where cows get their calcium. Cows don't consume dairy products and yet they have all the calcium they need. How is it that cows have no difficulty whatsoever meeting all their calcium requirements for themselves and their young without ever having to consume even one glass of milk?
WHATSOEVER NUTRIENTS THE BODY NEEDS THAT IT DOES NOT ITSELF PRODUCE
CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE PLANT KINGDOM. In other words, if you can't get
them from fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts, and whole grains, you
don't need them. Everything else you hear is propaganda and is patently
untrue. NUTRIENTS COME FROM THE GARDENS AND THE ORCHARDS, NOT FROM THE
PHARMACEUTICAL LABORATORIES OR DEAD ANIMALS. (Fit For Life II: Living Health
by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond)
Calcium in Pregnancy Lowers Child's Blood Pressure
Low-Protein Diet Reduces Calcium Requirements
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study that reported that consuming sufficient calcium during pregnancy can reduce the risk of PIH and pre-eclampsia. The researches found that 1500 - 2000 mg daily of calcium supplementation can lower the risk of PIH by 70% and the risk of pre-eclampsia by over 60%.
Most prenatal vitamin prescriptions only contain 200 mg of calcium, which I took during my first pregnancy and suffered from PIH. During my second pregnancy I took Twin Labs, which gave me 1200 mg a day, and an additional smaller supplement of calcium and magnesium. Then I also ate foods high in calcium like milk, cheese, yogurt, and broccoli. I had no problems during that pregnancy, labor, or birth with my BP.
Calcium is a natural pain reliever, so when I was in labor, I took 2000
mg of calcium lactate with a glass of milk halfway through my labor. I
had read about it in Easing Labor Pain my Adrienne Lieberman. Anyway, my
contractions, even at the end of 1st stage, got to a certain level of discomfort,
but never got worse. It was close to a painless labor, because I listened
to my body and stayed upright and active.
When choosing a calcium supplement for the support of the skeleton,
the most preferred source in microcrystalline hydroxyapatite as found in
Cal-Apatite (microcrystalline hydorxyapatite is the only calcium substance,
documented in human studies to regenerate lost bone density).
Questions..... Would anyone with a nutritionist background like to translate
this "2000 milligrams" into servings of milk/dairy/broccoli/whatever? Can
a non-dairy user get enough calcium without supplementation, and if not,
which supplements would you recommend over calcium carbonate (and why?)?
First of all, I am stating that I am not a firm believer in the mega-calcium necessity during pregnancy! However, I am not prepared at this time to back that up with research so I'll let it slide...though I would like to remind everyone that high doses of calcium can also prevent zinc absorption. This would be a problem during pregnancy. I'd like to find out if those doing the mega-calcium studies are finding any corresponding zinc deficiencies?
Secondly, the best source of calcium is without a doubt seaweed! (Other sources: spinach (eat with rice to counteract oxalic acid problems), chard, broccoli, turnip greens, kale, beans, nut milks, seed butters (such as tahini), calcium-fortified soy milk, tofu made with calcium sulfate/silicate, comfrey, oat straw, nettle, dandelion greens, mustard greens, horsetail, chickweed, amaranth, watercress.) Seaweeds are not a major food source in America, but they /are/ in many parts of the world! 3.5 oz of cow's milk contains 118mg calcium (whose absorbability has already been argued here!). The same amount...3.5 oz...of hizkie (a mild-flavored seaweed) contains 1400mg; kelp, 1093mg; wakame, 1300mg. As you can see the amounts are incredibly higher. The calcium:phosphorus ratio is closer to the 2:1 which increases absorption, sodium levels (as mentioned by someone else today) are higher than in milk too.
"A diet based on leafy green vegetables and legumes will provide sufficient calcium, even taking into account the greater calcium absorption rate found in vegans. As Gill Langley reports in a 1988 survey of research on vegans, no finding of calcium deficiency in adult vegans has turned up." (Vegetarian Pregnancy, Sharon Yntema, 1994) The survey referred to is Vegan Nutrition: A Survey of Research by Gill Langley, Vegan Society, East Sussex, England, 1988.
More from Vegetarian Pregnancy:
"Some green vegetables, particularly spinach and chard, contain oxalic acid, which inhibits the absorption of calcium. There has been some evidence that long-term vegans adjust to plant greens as a source of calcium by developing the digestive ability to override calcium inhibitors.
"Rice, more than any other grain, contains a substance that neutralizes oxalic acid. If rice is eaten in the same meal with spinach or chard, the calcium in the greens becomes available once again. Remember, Popeye may have had rice pudding for dessert!
"Other greens, like kale, mustard greens, and collards, are very low in oxalates and are excellent sources of calcium. To assure sufficient calcium in your diet without milk, eat a variety of green vegetables, favoring spinach and chard with rice dishes and other greens with grains. Beans, nut milks, seed butters (such as tahini), and calcium-fortified soy milk are also good sources of calcium and should be incorporated into a vegan diet (especially) on a daily basis."
Here's a list of foods that can be exchanged for dairy because of their high calcium contents:
Almonds-2 oz. or 36 nuts
Bok choy, cooked- 1/3 cup
Brazil nuts- 2 oz. or 12 nuts
Brewer's yeast- 5 T.
Broccoli- 1 cup
Collard greens, cooked- 1/3 cup
Dandelion greens, cooked- 3/4 cup
Dulse- 1 oz.
Eggs, whole- 4
Kale- 1/2 cup
Kelp- 1/2 oz.
Molasses, blackstrap- 2 T.
Mustard greens, cooked- 1/2 cup
Sesame tahini- 2 T.
Soybeans, cooked- 1 cup
Tofu- 3 1/2 oz., 3x3x1/2 in.
Sunflower seeds- 3 1/2 oz. or 2/3 cup
Wheat germ- 4 1/2 oz.
Increasing calcium and eating dairy really don't have to have much to do with each other. You were right when you said that there are nuts and other things that contain calcium -- more are listed below (I also agree with the "too much fish" stuff, btw ;-) ). I had to give dairy up for allergy reasons.
I have discovered many interesting things since giving up dairy. One of the biggest shocks to me was to discover that the calcium in milk products is not very usable because of the high levels of phosphorus in the milk. If anyone is interested in more info on that, I can give you more sources to do some digging. So, if you want to increase your calcium, according to the things I have read (that are not put out by the dairy industry) then decreasing your dairy intake can actually be one step, and would then allow you to meet both of your goals during your next pg: decreasing you dairy intake and increasing your calcium through diet and supplements. They don't have to be mutually exclusive!
I know that I, for one, ate a ton and a half of dairy during the pg when I ended up almost dying from eclampsia. I also was not eating other foods high in calcium or taking a calcium supplement beyond what was in my pre-natal. At all. So it leaves me with some speculation anyway.
And btw the good news is that the calcium found in the other foods is
much more usable by our bodies. Leafy green vegetables, almonds, tahini,
kidney beans, tofu and broccoli are all great sources of calcium. I also
still take a calcium supplement -- especially if my legs start aching.
One of the best sources of information to look in is books about vegan
eating (vegetarian w/ no eggs, meat or dairy). I am not eating a vegan
diet currently (my Polish/German dh would rebel, I think ;-) ), but I find
these excellent sources for recipes to add to our collection since my youngest
son and I can no longer have dairy products.
I'm confusing myself please help me....if an infusion is one ounce of
herb in a quart jar covered with boiling water lid put on steeps for 8+
hours yielding double strength of tea then...does that mean 4 cups infusion
= 8 cups f tea = 30mg calcium or does it mean that four cups infusion has
60mg of calcium?? What about a tincture? I tell my clients 4 cups of infusion
per day or 60 drops of tincture. How do they really compare? How much calcium
is in 60 drops of tincture??? Susun Weed where are you???
An alcohol based tincture doesn't extract a large amount of calcium
from the herb- a vinegar based one would be better, and a glycerin based
one would be essentially worthless for this use. The amount of calcium
in the red raspberry is in the dried herb - the infusion of hot water extracts
what is already in there, so if you infuse it a short time, then you're
only getting a portion of the available calcium. Numbers are very difficult
to pin down, because it would require the standardization of the herb (Let
this NEVER be! ) : ) But my gut feeling on this is that it is a high quality
source of calcium , very easily assimilated, and besides that, Rubus has
so many other time proven benefits as a uterine tonic , that it should
be recommended for all pregnancies, except in the early trimester if one
has a prior history of miscarriages or a "sensitive" uterus. What I've
recommended to my clients is a wonderful combination sold by Blessed Herbs
that includes Alfalfa, Oatstraw, Nettles, Rubus, and Rose Hips. 6oz (two
tea bags) per quart infusion, apprx 200-300 mgs of calcium. You could buy
it in bulk, like I do for my pregnancies. I personally throw in a healthy
handful of the mixture (more like 1/2 a cup) per quart.
In the midwifery practice that I work with, we have had NO high blood pressure problems in women who do the following: (A year ago we had a client who would not follow this) anyway:
Also -- quit working! Relax as much as possible with a nap and a walk every day.
It's pretty radical, it's very hard, but IT WORKS. Some people don't
think it's worth it -- but some people don't mind the thought of pitocin
inductions, either!
CDC recommendations
for 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) for all women of child-bearing age.
Folic
Acid and the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects from the Department
of Medical Genetics, Alberta Children's Hospital. Here are their
recommendations for dosage.
I especially like New
Chapter "Perfect Prenatal" supplements because they contain helpful
probiotics, including L. acidophilus and especially B. infantis, which
will get passed on to your baby and help prevent colic; they are available
at Whole Foods and other health-food stores. They contain recommended
levels of folic acid, vit. C and acidophilus, as well as an unspecified
amount of choline.
Put one tab/cap/? in enough distilled or apple cider vinegar to cover it for 30 min. The vinegar closely simulates stomach acid as it takes about 30 min to break down supplements. If in 30 min it hasn't broken down at all, try a different supplement brand. If it doesn't break down, your body isn't getting it. Centrum has been found in the bottom of lots of porta-potties. Make sure your vitamins are working for you.
A great brand I've spotted in 3 years of looking is New Vision. People
have even slept better on that brand.
What do You think about the use (or abuse) of vitamins and minerals in ALL pregnant Women? No matter if the Patient is healthy.
I suggest a good nourishment, and only give iron (300 mg. fumarato ferroso) and acid folic (300 mcg.), in Patients with hemoglobin less than 12 g/100 ml. or hematocrito below 35% (Mexico city altitude 2,220 m.). In Patients with any vitamin deficiency, must give the specific vitamin.
Vitamin
A in pregnancy from The
Arbor Clinical Nutrition Update
Moderate Doses of Vitamin A OK in Pregnancy
"Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation on Plasma Progesterone and Estradiol
Levels During Pregnancy", Panth, Meena, et al., International Journal of
Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 1991;61: 17-19. (Address: Dr. Leela Raman,
National Institutes of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Jamai
Osmania P0, Hydrabad-500 007, A.P.,India)
1000 mg of vitamin C is not a good idea in pregnancy. Especially since
Amanda doesn't give any idea of how far along this pregnancy is. In very
early pregnancy, large doses of vitamin C can cause miscarriage. Later
in pregnancy, high doses of vitamin C can result in a newborn with scurvy.
Large maternal doses of vitamin C can stress the newborn's kidneys. Also,
during pregnancy or not, large doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea, which
is certainly unpleasant! Anyway, I wouldn't recommend 1000mg during the
first trimester or for any extended length of time later in pregnancy either.
Y'all aren't going to believe this one. The midwife I apprenticed with, who is an EXCELLENT midwife and is also a clinical nutritionist, used to recommend 1000 mg. Vit C per day, times the month you were pregnant. That's right at 9 mos. her clients were taking 9,000 mg. of Vit. C per day. She said she had researched it and had several reasons for this recommendation which I don't remember all of them now. A lot of what I remember had to do with building the strength of the blood vessel walls, increasing the elasticity of the skin (something to do with collagen I think), helping to prevent hemorrhage, assisting absorption of iron and we suspected it helped prevent Rh isoimmunization. She was really confident in this and recommended it no more than 2,000 mg. at a time, spaced out throughout the day. After the pregnancy was over the women would gradually decrease the amount - going down 1,000 mg. per day each week. She believed a healthy maintenance dose was 3,000 mg. per day, but I don't think most women stayed with that. I know I didn't. Now, there was pretty good compliance in her practice. These women rattled when they walked! (in addition to vitamin C, they took a PNV, Vitamin E, Calcium & Magnesium and in the last 6 weeks Alfalfa and in the last 5 weeks an herbal supplement.) I can verify that the women did not get diarrhea from this - they did build up to it slowly though as described.
I can also verify that there was no scurvy nor problems with baby's kidneys. Again - her protocol was probably the reason - she did explain that they had to protect against scurvy by going down gradually. I also did not see any miscarriages result from this that I know of, I only remember attending a couple of miscarriages with her and I don't think they were even taking very much vitamin C - one lost hers to an accident. I read one time that the amount they were talking about with this incidence of Vitamin C causing miscarriage was 10,000 mg. per day in first trimester. (Sorry, this is probably not valuable to y'all because I don't remember where or when I read this.) She never transferred for sutures and I didn't get to see her suture until the end of my apprenticeship (about 100 births or so - I don't even think it was a second degree). I read in Susan Weed's book (Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year) that she suspected high Vit. C might help reduce the chances of Rh isoimmunization. This midwife's practice is anecdotal, but of about 25 Rh- women I watched her follow - none of them got RhoGAM and none were sensitized. (She always followed up with lab work if they didn't get RhoGAM) One of the mom's had an IUFD that went undetected for 3 days until labor (at 37 weeks) and had a still birth. (Baby had the kind of down's syndrome accompanied with heart defects that is incompatible with life) She was Rh- and I was really surprised she didn't get sensitized. Should I have been? Or was there really no reason for her to be sensitized? I remember that the umb.cord was just full of clotted blood.
Anyway, in my partnership practice, we continued with the Vit C recommendation since we both had apprenticed with her and my partner was really sold on the idea of the Vitamin C. I always made it real clear though, that this was not the standard of care of physicians or even most midwives, and they could do what they wanted to about the Vitamin C. We didn't have as good compliance with the suggestion.
When my partner retired last year. I quit with the Vitamin C. I have not done the same research as my Sr. midwife or even read up on it specifically and I just wasn't comfortable doing this just because she did it. Even though it appeared she had good success. I recommend 1,000 mg. per day though, as part of their prenatal diet.
The point of my bringing all this up, is because I think the FDA or
AMA or whoever, is brainwashing us with "recommendations" of what is safe
and what isn't in the vitamin world. I for one don't believe we get good
nutrients from our food anymore because of soil depletion, cooking, farming
changes, pollution, etc. I also don't think a lot of the supplements on
the market make much of a difference. I'm not a religious vitamin popper,
but I think I should be. I just thought this anecdotal information might
be interesting to y'all and see what other's think.
I don't claim to be an expert, but in my research and experience, 1000
mg of Vit C is not an amount large enough to cause miscarriage or diarrhea
or any ill effects at all, and actually, far from it. Any others' experience
or opinions on this? I am very interested.
I recommend 1,000 mg. per day though, as part of their prenatal diet.
The point of me bringing all this up, is because I think the FDA or
AMA or whoever, is brainwashing us with "recommendations" of what is safe
and what isn't in the vitamin world. I for one don't believe we get good
nutrients from our food anymore because of soil depletion, cooking, farming
changes, pollution, etc.
I agree. 1000 mg is not much at all. I have no problem with women taking
larger doses - up to 10000mg (10 grams). I am a diehard Linus Pauling fan.
Lots of midwives here advise "large" amounts of vit C in pregnancy, and are really sold on the (perceived) results -- less preterm births, less greatly lessened PROM etc.
Lots of experiences with women who "always" rupture membranes before labor, who stay intact with the next pregnancy if they use vit C.
I'd be interested where your midwife/teacher found solid research on it though -- it seems to be pretty rare, and all I know of is anecdotal.
I feel a bit more comfortable with lower amounts than 9 gms at term! - - - but lots of folks here on the left coast are into high-dose vit C, and we commonly find moms taking a gram or two per day -- and increasing that amount if ill.
I think it would be hard to find anyone in this region who would agree
that vit C should be considered a miscarriage risk. if anyone has data
we would LOVE to hear it!
My partner and I started getting them down to about 6 gms per day at
9 mos. because it seemed like there were too many over due moms. In my
Sr. midwife's practice, we practically never saw a baby before it's due
date.
Well, I've looked all over and can't find my references on Vitamin C
use in pregnancy- : / but it was a great study ( not American) and
they were using MEGA doses of C and getting really interesting results....I'll
keep looking. Meanwhile, you can check out Anne Frye's Understanding Lab
Work if you consider her a good reference- I consider 1000mg a therapeutic
dose but by no means a mega dose- if one experienced runny stools I would
recommend backing off a few mgs and building up slowly.
a good vit c with bioflavinoids would work for RH- but it has it be
a complete c with bioflavinoid and rutin which strengthens the vein walls
and can prevent interbleeding.
In one of my classes we discussed abortion methods and included herbal
and alternative methods. Vitamin C, was one of them in doses above 10,000
mg (10gm). I was shocked that anyone could tolerate that high of a dose.
I think that the vitamin C may not actually cause the abortion through
direct action on the embryo/fetus or uterus/lining, but cause severe toxicity
in the mom and thus make the body a hostile territory for implantation
and growth. I have no scientific studies, or any other information, but
was taught this in class. On the other hand I was also taught that 500mg-1000mg
was a good dose for someone who was attempting pregnancy, along with Vit
E 400 iu-600iu. Any opinions or experience on that one?
I've seen scurvy. A pregnant, 17 yo in Pasadena Tx. She had a sore tongue,
red eyes, and some kind of skin lesions. The nurse-practitioner was convinced
it was scurvy. The girl denied eating any fruit or vegetable we named except
french fries. No bananas, no apples, no salads, no no no. It was quite
amazing. I still wonder about it. She must not have eaten much cereal either,
there are vitamins in most of them. She was tall and not to skinny. Didn't
look sickly, otherwise.
Maternal
vitamin D status during pregnancy and childhood bone mass at age 9 years:
a longitudinal study.
Javaid MK, Crozier SR, Harvey NC, Gale CR, Dennison EM, Boucher BJ,
Arden NK, Godfrey KM, Cooper C; Princess Anne Hospital Study Group.
Lancet. 2006 Jan 7;367(9504):36-43.
INTERPRETATION: Maternal vitamin D insufficiency is common during pregnancy and is associated with reduced bone-mineral accrual in the offspring during childhood; this association is mediated partly through the concentration of umbilical venous calcium. Vitamin D supplementation of pregnant women, especially during winter months, could lead to longlasting reductions in the risk of osteoporotic fracture in their offspring.
Dr. Mercola's
comments on the issue of Vitamin D in breastmilk - Pregnant women have
an added reason to get their vitamin D levels checked. As the study shows,
if a breastfeeding woman is deficient in vitamin D, then her breast milk
and breastfeeding baby will be too.
Working with a woman hesitant about a homebirth because she was a bleeder - recommended over-the-counter vitamin K, one pill per day, taken for just one week before the birth.
No blood.
We found a little blood on the chux that she sat on for 2 hours afterward,
but no blood in bowl, no blood when she got up, just -- no blood. This
would be unusual for any of my clients, but especially someone that is
supposed to be a heavy bleeder.
We've been using chlorophyll for a long time, and I like the results
I get with it, but I know that some of the midwives I used to know always
insisted on kelp. I also know that some use alfalfa. Does anyone know that
vit K content of these three substances? I've never been able to find the
vit K content of chlorophyll.
Most swear by alfalfa tablets or capsules here.. At least four a day and the more the better -- - -and (anecdotally) we seem to see very little bleeding with the moms who us lots of alfalfa.
Vit K OTC might be just fine.... I remember hearing worries about "too
much" causing blood clots and other problems... How much is "too much"
We used to recommend 8 a day. Even after 4 a day by the end of the pregnancy, most women will complain of what I call the bovine burps
VitK OTC comes in 100 mcg doses. I just recommend 1 every other day
or 1 a day if she's a bleeder. If she has varicosities she shouldn't use
vit k
Do you rec. all your moms take alfalfa then? Are most of them taking
it throughout preg or towards the end? I'm always pushing chlorophyll and
getting the "can't tolerate the taste" response. Alfalfa is such an affordable
food supplement, why didn't I think of that?
My midwife "prescribes" calcium/magnesium/zinc supplements, red raspberry
leaf, kelp or seaweed, Vit C, - towards the last few weeks, she will have
me begin taking evening primrose too. For low energy she recommends liquid
chlorophyll.
I took red raspberry, red clover tinctures as uterine tonics. For my iron, I took dandelion, nettles, and yellow dock. I took the Pregnant/Lactating formula prenatal vitamins by Twin Labs - these have 1300 mg calcium. Adequate calcium in pregnancy (above 1200 mg) has been show to reduce the risk of pregnancy induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia. I took extra vitamin b-6, for nausea in the beginning and swelling at the end, (25 mg, 2x a day). I also used skullcap tincture for the occasional headache. At the end, I used an antioxidant formula in addition to everything else - my midwife said it would reduce my risk of hemorrhage. I also used evening primrose oil.
In labor, I took 2000 mg of CALCIUM LACTATE with a big glass of milk.
I read about this on p. 85(?) of Easing Labor Pain. It was suggested that
some women who did this experienced much less pain. I AGREE! I had a much
easier time, I was laughing between contractions when I was at 8 cm. I
got into the birthing tub at 8cm, and Amanda was born 15 minutes later.
Eating
for two, gaining too much (LA Times) - Women who start their pregnancies
at a normal weight are currently advised to gain at least 25 but no more
than 35 pounds. Underweight women are told to gain more, overweight women
less. But with the nation's overall waistline expanding, the guidelines
that set these ranges are being criticized as too lenient.
Allergy to peanuts is the most common cause of fatal allergic reaction to food. In severe cases just a tiny amount of peanut is needed to set off a reaction.
Dr. Jonathan Hourihane and colleagues at Southampton General Hospital tested 622 adults and children with known or suspected peanut allergy. They found it is more common than believed.
Reporting in the British Medical Journal, they said just over one percent of the British population was allergic to peanuts, while seven percent of brothers or sisters of someone allergic to peanuts were also allergic.
Mothers of allergic children were also more likely to be allergic than fathers, and the researchers said they found a tendency for allergy to run in families.
``It has been suggested that before first exposure to peanut foods some infants have been sensitised to peanut by infant milk formulas that contain peanut protein or peanut oil,'' they wrote.
``Our simple survey of peanut consumption during pregnancy and breast feeding by mothers of these children with peanut allergy may suggest that they are being exposed to peanut allergens in utero or via breast milk.''
They suggested that pregnant and breast-feeding women avoid peanuts -- especially if they have other allergies.
In a second study, Dr. Syed Tariq and colleagues at St. Mary's Hospital in Newport found that one in 100 children can become allergic to peanuts by the age of four.
Tests on 1,200 children showed that those born to families with allergies were much more prone to peanut and nut allergies and should avoid both.
They also found that children with peanut allergies always had some
other allergy, such as eczema or asthma.
ABOUT
PEANUTS AND FOLIC ACID, AND PEANUT ALLERGIES from the March of Dimes
Brief
discussion of peanuts and allergies
Peanut allergy
in relation to heredity, maternal diet, and other atopic diseases: results
of a questionnaire survey, skin prick testing, and food challenges.
[PubMed
citation]
Hourihane JO, Dean TP, Warner JO
BMJ 1996 Aug 31;313(7056):518-21
Published
erratum appears in BMJ 1996 Oct 26;313(7064):1046
References linking maternal diet with antenatal allergy sensitization. Here is a partial list:
Dr. R. K, Chandra, Title: "Prevention of Atopic Disease: Environmental Engineering Utilizing Antenatal Antigen Avoidance and Breast Feeding." published by Plenum Press , 1987, in Human Lactation 3, editors, Goldman, Atkinson, Hanson.
Falth-Magnusson,K, Kjellman, N-IM, Magnusson, K-E (1989) Effects of various types of diets on food allergy in the infant. Acta Paediatric Scandinavica, (suppl. 351), 53-56.
Zeiger, RS, Heller, S, Mellon, M O'Connor, R Hamburger, RN (1988) Effectiveness of dietary manipulation in the prevention of food allergy in infants. Journal of allergy and Clinical Immunology 78, 224-238.
Gerrard, JW (1984) Allergies in breastfed babies to foods ingested by the mother. Clinical Review of Allergy, 2, 143-149.
Chandra, RK, Puri, S, Suraiya, C, Cheema, PS (1986) Influence of maternal food antigen avoidance during pregnancy and lactation on incidence of atopic eczema in infants. Clinical Allergy, 16, 563-569.
Kaufman, HS, & Frick, OL (1976) The development of allergy in infants
of allergic parents: A prospective study concerning the role of heredity.
Annals of Allergy 17, 410-415
Soy
Unsafe for Children from Randall Neustaedter OMD
Do
You Really Need Eight Glasses of Water a Day? from Dr. Mercola
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