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Friday, November 13, 2009

Pre-term Pregnancies

Spring fling may lead to early births . . .

Women who become pregnant in the Spring may be more likely to deliver their babies before 37 weeks gestation than those that conceive at other times of the year.

Drs. Lisa M. Bodnar and Hyagriv N. Simhan of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center studied the records of 75,399 women who delivered at Magee-Women’s Hospital over the 10-year period 1995 to 2005. They grouped the women by season of last menstrual period, used to estimate time of conception.

Babies were more likely to be born early among women who became pregnant in the spring and less likely to those that conceived in the summer.

The rate for early birth, or preterm births were 8.4 percent for those who got pregnant in the summer and 8.8 for fall pregnancies, 9.1 percent for winter pregnancies and 9.2 percent for spring pregnancies.

The rate for birth before 32 weeks was also lowest with summer pregnancies at 2 percent with increasing rates for fall at 2.3 percent, winter 2.5 percent and spring at 2.7 percent.

Reasons given for seasonal differences in preterm delivery include seasonal allergens, viral infections, as well as perhaps seasonal dietary changes, sunlight exposure and exercise habits.

Dr. Simhan presented the study findings this week in San Francisco at the meeting of the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Post Menopausal Births

Post-Menopausal Woman Gives Birth To Baby Girl

Family Calls Daniela Garcia's Birth A 'Miracle'

Some are calling it a miracle baby.

After nearly two decades of trying to conceive, a 52-year-old Indiana woman is finally a mother.

A precious baby girl is the product of 19 years of trying to conceive and a labor of love for 52-year-old Rita Garcia and her husband, Rudy.

"This is amazing. It's like something out of a script in a movie or something," Rudy said.

Rita's niece donated eggs, allowing the couple to undergo in-vitro fertilization in Panama, Rita's homeland. It has been a process that yielded a healthy daughter for Rita.

Rita says her niece gave her the greatest gift.

"Actually having your niece because nobody does that to you. Nobody," Garcia said.

Doctors at St. Margaret Mercy say Garcia is probably the oldest first-time mom to give birth in Northwest Indiana. Her case is even made more unique by the fact that she got pregnant after menopause.

"It's rare," said obstetrician Dr. Karl Schwartz.

Schwartz says the pregnancy was not without its problems.

"She developed gestational diabetes, but it was diet-controlled. She monitored her sugars just like she was supposed to. Basically, everything we asked her to do, she followed to the letter. And that helped big time," Schwartz said.

Another help was a special device that the doctor inserted to elevate Rita's cervix, giving her a better chance to deliver full-term.

The family says this victory serves to encourage other parents fighting infertility.

"Don't give up. I'm telling you. Never give up. Age has nothing do to with this. Miracles happen," Rita said.

The couple says they fought the debate over whether post-menopausal women should conceive because they say sometimes life without parenthood would have been incomplete.

New dad Rudy Garcia works in military research for the U.S. Army in Harvey, Ill.

Mom does not work and will devote all her newfound energy to Daniela.

Large Families

The Chernenkos had their 17th child on December 7, 2005.

Updated - The Duggar family from Arkansas are expecting child number 19 this coming March 18th.

Also, the Duggars are awaiting the arrival of their first grand baby(A little girl) this October which is Josh (Michelle and Jim Bobs oldest son) and Annas first.

We wish the best to all the Duggars in the upcoming months.

Alexandru and Livia Ionce from Abbotsford, British Columbia welcome their 18th child July 22, 2008.