Childbirth
January 6, 2009 by kalic · Leave a Comment
When you are ready to have your baby, you'll go through labor. Contractions let you know labor is starting. When contractions are five minutes apart, your body is ready to push the baby out.During the first stage of labor, your cervix slowly opens, or dilates, to about 4 inches wide. At the same time, it becomes thinner. This is called effacement. You shouldn't push until your uterus is fully effaced and dilated. When it is, the baby delivery stage starts. Crowning is when your baby's scalp comes into view. Shortly afterward, your baby is born. The placenta that nourished the baby follows.Mothers and babies are monitored closely during labor. Most women are healthy enough to have a baby through normal vaginal delivery, meaning that the baby comes down the birth canal without surgery. If there are complications, the baby may need to be delivered surgically by a Cesarean section.
National Women's Health Information Center.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
December 8, 2008 by kalic · Leave a Comment
Also called: Alcohol dependence
- Craving – a strong need to drink
- Loss of control – not being able to stop drinking once you've begun
- Physical dependence – withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating or shakiness after stopping drinking
- Tolerance – the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to get “high”
Alcoholism carries many serious dangers. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can cause damage to the liver, brain and other organs. It can cause birth defects. It increases the risk of death from car crashes and other injuries as well as the risk of homicide and suicide.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
