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Moderate Alcohol Intake in Pregnancy Linked to Birth Deficits

Early pregnancy is a critical period for the formation of organs in the developing fetus, making it a particularly vulnerable window for alcohol exposure, Bakhireva said…reports Asian Lite News

Researchers have found that low to moderate alcohol use by pregnant patients may contribute to subtle changes in their babies’ prenatal development. The study was published in the journal, ‘Alcohol Clinical and Experimental Research’.

“In exploratory analyses, the effect on gestational age was more pronounced in male infants, and for birth length, it actually was stronger in females,” Bakhireva said. She cautioned that these effects should be interpreted with caution because of the study’s limited statistical power to conduct sex-specific analyses and the challenges of accounting for other contributing factors.

There is a good deal of research on the prenatal effects of heavy alcohol use, usually defined as 14 drinks per week, or binge drinking, defined as four drinks or more per occasion, Bakhireva said. “We know quite a bit from these earlier studies of heavy alcohol use about the effect on prenatal outcomes, especially preterm delivery and growth restriction, as well as neurodevelopmental outcomes, but we specifically focused on more moderate alcohol exposure because it’s much more prevalent,” she said. Early pregnancy is a critical period for the formation of organs in the developing fetus, making it a particularly vulnerable window for alcohol exposure, Bakhireva said.

“Almost everybody drinks before they know they are pregnant, and risky drinking before pregnancy is predictive of drinking later on,” she said. “That’s a unique aspect of the study. We carefully looked at the patterns of drinking around conception and early pregnancy.” Most of the participants substantially reduced their drinking or stopped altogether once they learned they were pregnant, Bakhireva said. Even with reduced alcohol, there were some deficits seen in both male and female infants, however. She emphasizes that larger studies that combine samples across the country are needed to replicate the findings and examine sex-specific effects further. (ANI)

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Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Monsoon diet for pregnant women

Pregnant women must take care of hydration, this is especially true during the monsoon season as we do tend to consume less water due to the wet and humid climate. Dehydration, however, is a dangerous condition to have during pregnancy as it can can lead to complications such as urinary…writes ROHIT SHELATKAR

During the monsoon, there is an increased chance of getting a cold or other gastrointestinal infections, particularly for pregnant women. You should take steps to ensure that your food is taken care of in addition to the standard precautions like frequently washing your hands and avoiding contact with ill people. The following advice can help you stay healthy throughout the monsoon season.

Home cooked food

As the weather cools down and the rains begin, our appetites change and we start craving comfort food. However, for pregnant women, it’s important to be careful about what they eat during this time. While there are many tempting options available, home-cooked food is always the best choice for a pregnant woman’s diet during monsoon. Not only is it more nutritious, but it’s also less likely to contain harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Instead of reaching for deep fried snacks or fast food from outside, you can enjoy tasty and nutritious quick meals that are cooked at home. For example, roughly diced boiled potatoes that are seasoned with some salt and pepper work perfectly, these could even work great when mixed with some curds and sprinkled with just a little bit of sev for some crunch.

Staying hydrated

Pregnant women must take care of hydration, this is especially true during the monsoon season as we do tend to consume less water due to the wet and humid climate. Dehydration, however, is a dangerous condition to have during pregnancy as it can can lead to complications such as urinary tract infections, preeclampsia, and preterm labour, and hence, must be avoided at all costs. While water is always the best choice for staying hydrated, pregnant women can also opt for homemade fruit juices, coconut water, and buttermilk. It is important to avoid sugary drinks, caffeine, and alcohol, as these can actually worsen dehydration. Pregnant women should also consume fibre-rich food, which will help to regulate digestion and prevent constipation, which is a common problem during pregnancy. By following these simple tips, pregnant women can stay healthy and comfortable throughout the monsoon season.

Eating fresh food

During pregnancy, pregnant women frequently experience cravings for specific meals, but it’s crucial to make sure that these cravings are healthful. Prepackaged sugary or fried foods may appeal to some women’s cravings, but they also raise the risk of gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain, thyroid problems, and other metabolic diseases. Instead, women should concentrate on eating nutrient-dense fresh fruits and vegetables, which are crucial for preserving pregnancy wellness. They also aid in blood sugar regulation, which helps lessen cravings for sweet meals.

During the monsoon season, there is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables that are easily available. Oranges, berries, spinach, sweet limes, cabbage, grapefruits and many more such fruits and veggies are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Pregnant women should take advantage of this by including them in their diet. This will not only help them to stay healthy, but it will also ensure that their baby gets the nutrients it needs. As a precaution, pregnant women are advised to avoid consuming raw foods during the monsoon season. Generally, raw foods can contain bacteria and microorganisms that cause food poisoning. Therefore, pregnant women should eat cooked food instead of raw food during the monsoon season.

While monsoons are refreshing, it is advisable to take safety measures to avoid contracting any food-borne infections or other health dangers. The health of the mother and unborn child is extremely vulnerable during pregnancy, and it is crucial to ensure the ideal growth of the child. Expectant moms should take enough protein, calcium, iron, vitamins, folic acid, and iodine in their meals in addition to maintaining a healthy diet and nutrition. A healthy and safe pregnancy will be ensured by taking all of these additional safety measures throughout the monsoon season.

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Bollywood Films Lite Blogs

Nushrratt shares her thoughts on cinematic evolution

Talking about the same, Nushrratt said, “As I’m not actually going to become pregnant for now in reality, I had them make that body suit for me to feel what a woman bearing child actually goes through…reports Asian Lite News.

‘Chhorii’, the upcoming horror film starring Nushrratt Bharuccha has piqued the audience with its teaser.

Nushrratt, who plays a pregnant woman in the film, started her prep well in advance for the film. For her part, the actress started wearing the ‘pregnant’ body suit three weeks prior to the shoot.

Talking about the same, Nushrratt said, “As I’m not actually going to become pregnant for now in reality, I had them make that body suit for me to feel what a woman bearing child actually goes through. I was wearing it 20-25 days before the film’s shoot started, and literally did all of my chores including eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom, roaming around and everything else to understand the restrictions that it comes with.”

She adds, “I had to put myself in it to be able to self-learn everything that’s related to pregnancy, and then bring them on set with a more realistic facet that the masses can connect to. Though, it wasn’t a prop for me but a part of me, I became so used to it that when the shooting began, I felt more comfortable while resting in between the rehearsals in the body suit.”

Sharing her thoughts on the aspects of cinematic evolution, the actress states, “Since we’ve moved to very realistic cinema, we don’t need to spoonfeed things to the audience. It needs to be so subtle and subliminal that the audience at a subconscious level are convinced to assume you’re pregnant without you actually telling them through conventional actions.”

“It’s been a little tough to adjust with the body suit while sleeping or going to the bathroom or while doing mid-squats, but above all every woman has a different pregnancy and sometimes it’s difficult to carry it along with you,” she concludes.

‘Chhorii’ directed by Vishal Furia, follows the life of Sakshi as she moves from the city to a secluded village, where she experiences all things paranormal. The film produced by T-Series, Crypt TV, and Abundantia Entertainmentslated will stream on Prime Video from November 26.

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-Top News COVID-19 UK News

New study into Covid jab interval for pregnant women

This data will help determine the best dosage interval and tell us more about how the vaccine works to protect pregnant mothers and their babies against COVID-19…reports Asian Lite News.

The government has launched the largest clinical trial investigating the best gap between first and second COVID-19 vaccine doses for pregnant women.

The Preg-CoV study, backed by £7.5 million of government funding and led by St George’s, University of London, is expected to provide vital clinical trial data on the immune response to vaccination at different dose intervals – either 4 to 6 weeks or 8 to 12 weeks.

Following 130,000 pregnant women being vaccinated in the US and no safety concerns being raised, the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were recommended by the independent experts at the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for pregnant women in the UK, the government stated.

It said almost 52,000 pregnant women in England have been vaccinated – similarly, with no safety concerns reported.

Data published last week by NHS England and the University of Oxford also shows no pregnant women who have had both doses of a vaccine have been admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Only 3 have been admitted after having their first dose, meaning 98% of those admitted to hospital have not received a jab.

This data will help determine the best dosage interval and tell us more about how the vaccine works to protect pregnant mothers and their babies against COVID-19.

“Pregnant women are more likely to get seriously ill from COVID-19 and we know that vaccines are safe for them and make a huge difference – in fact no pregnant woman with 2 jabs has required hospitalisation with COVID-19,” Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Nadhim Zahawi said.

“This government-backed trial will provide more data about how we can best protect pregnant women and their babies, and we can use this evidence to inform future vaccination programmes,” he added.

He also encouraged anyone who is pregnant and eligible to sign up and contribute to the research.

Vaccines have been given to pregnant women to protect them and their babies from diseases for years – including for whooping cough and flu.

The trial will involve over 600 pregnant women being vaccinated with either the Pfizer/BioNTech or the Moderna vaccine. They will be closely monitored by health professionals throughout their pregnancy and following the birth, with the safety of the women taking part in the trial the utmost priority.

The Preg-CoV participants will need to be between 18 and 44-years-old, have no health conditions and be between 13 and 34 weeks pregnant on the day of vaccination. They will receive 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine – or one dose if they’ve already had their first – at either the shorter interval of 4 to 6 weeks, or the longer interval of 8 to 12 weeks.

They will be scheduled to attend 9 visits in total and will be required to complete an electronic diary between visits on any symptoms. They will also be given a 24-hour mobile number so they can contact one of the trial team at any time if they have concerns.

The scientists behind the trial will analyse blood samples from the participants and one blood sample from their newborn babies, alongside samples from breastmilk. They will use the samples to help understand more about how the vaccines are protecting these individuals from COVID-19, with initial results expected by the end of the year.

The study will open for applications from volunteers today via the study’s website, with vaccinations set to start from mid August. Participants will also be recruited to the study by invites sent through the NHS COVID-19 Vaccine Research Registry, which allows research teams to speak to suitable volunteers who have signed up to be contacted about taking part in vaccine studies.

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Health India News

Pregnant women exempted from mandatory Covid test

Once admitted, the hospital can follow Covid protocol, get the patient tested and initiate necessary medical aid…reports Asian Lite News.

All kinds of people in the society suffer due to fast spread of Covid 19. In a major relief to pregnant women, the Lucknow District Magistrate Roshan Jacob has said that such women will be admitted in hospitals and given medical care without waiting for the mandatory Covid report.

People taking COVID-19 vaccination

The order from the district magistrate came after reports that pregnant women were being made to wait outside hospitals and on stretchers and in ambulances in the absence of the Covid report.

The district magistrate’s order now says that a reserve area for pregnant women needs to be created in all hospitals and patients need to be attended immediately.

Once admitted, the hospital can follow Covid protocol, get the patient tested and initiate necessary medical aid.

It said that failing to admit pregnant women will attract legal action under pandemic act.

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