Whats Safe and Unsafe:Medical

Is a fever in the mother dangerous to the fetus?

Fever:
A low fever early in pregnancy is probably not a problem, but a high fever (over 103 degrees) can be lethal for the baby. The physiologic processes in early fetal development, such as protein activity, are temperature sensitive. The entire fetal developmental process hinges on the right proteins getting turned on at the right time, and if your body goes from 98.6 degrees to 103 degrees, that could keep the proteins from working properly and cause you to have a miscarriage. Later in pregnancy, when you have a fully formed baby and it's just question of it getting bigger, fever isn't that much of a problem, unless it's caused by an intrauterine infection -- so it's a good idea to see your doctor if you think you may have an infection.

Depression:
Depression should be one of the problems your healthcare providers checks you for at routine prenatal visits. If you have mild to moderate depression, start with psychotherapy. If depression is keeping you from doing what you need to do, or making you suffer, you may need medication. Antidepressants for the mother don't seem to have lasting effects on the baby as of now. Remember that untreated depression has serious risks of its own --- risks that continue after the baby is born, making it more difficult for you to attach to your baby, enjoy her, and smile at her, and depriving you of the joy of motherhood.

Chicken Pox Exposure:
If you've never had the chicken pox, it is not safe to be exposed to them while you are pregnant. If you get the chicken pox during pregnancy, you tend to get sicker and are at higher risk of developing pulmonary complications. If you get chicken pox in the first trimester there is also a small risk of birth defects. So if you've been exposed to someone with the chicken pox and know you've never had it, you should consider getting varicella immune globulin within a few days to try to prevent the infection from developing. If you actually come down with the chicken pox, you may be given an antiviral drug to try to decrease the severity of the infection.

Botox Injections:
Botox won't hurt the baby, but you probably won't need it during pregnancy. Being pregnant causes your body to retain water. This usually puffs up your face and fills in all the little character lines and crow's feet around your eyes. So being pregnant may be all the cosmetic therapy you need.

Donating Blood:
The amount of blood in your body increases by about 50 percent when you're pregnant. You need more of it circulating to your placenta and baby. When you give blood, you reduce the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry to your baby. No blood bank would consider drawing blood from a pregnant woman.

Immunizations For Older Children:
It is generally safe for older children to receive their vaccinations on schedule. The only ones to worry about are the live virus vaccines, such as the MMR and chicken pox, in which case there's a very remote possibility that the virus in the vaccine could spread from your child to you if you haven't had that type of infection before. And if you ended up with even a mild form of a vaccine virus, that could be bad for the baby. (For example, a German measles infection can cause birth defects.)

Acupuncture:
In a pregnancy without complications, acupuncture is safe. The practitioner should be a licensed acupuncturist and have gone through a three- or four-year training program. Acupuncture is traditionally used during pregnancy to help relieve nausea, bladder discomfort, mood swings, and other symptoms. A few specific points are not advisable during pregnancy, but a licensed practitioner has extensive training and will know which ones should be avoided.

Antacids:
As long as you don't take any more than is recommended on the label, antacids are excellent and fine to take often. If you take too much, you'll probably get somewhat constipated. But that's not going to do any harm to the baby.

Echinacea:
Echinacea is not recommended during pregnancy because it can stimulate your uterus and cause premature labor. Because your immune system changes when you're pregnant to give you extra protection against illness, you don't want to take anything that could interfere with that process.

Body Aches/ Headaches:
Body aches and headaches are a common complaint of pregnant women. Resting and relaxation methods may help soothe your aches. If you do not experience relief, call your practitioner to see if tylenol is okay to use. Try a heating pad on low for a few minutes. Read more about headaches

Ibuprofen:
It's best to avoid ibuprofen. Most experts consider ibuprofen unsafe only in your last trimester. That's because this painkiller, like all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, taken after 32 weeks of pregnancy, can cause the opening between the major arteries in your baby's heart to close prematurely. It also tends to thin the blood.

Comments: Whats Safe and Unsafe - Medical

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BabyMaker39 - 416 days ago.
Does anyone know if a skin lazer proecudure is OK to do while pregnant? Need to remove a mole and would like to do it before baby comes.