Recall News:  The CPSC has announced a recall of Oeuf Infant Bouncer Seats sold from September 2006 through this April, model number 2005.  There have been several reports of the tubular metal frame breaking.  Consumers should stop using the seat and contact Oeuf at (800) 691-8810 for a repair kit.  See also the company web site for more information.

Overweight and C-Section Risk:  A study of 4,000 pregnant women finds that one in five of those who are obese had to undergo emergency C-sections because of uterine failure.  It appears that obesity impairs the uterine muscles’ ability to contract enough to dilate the cervix so that the baby can be delivered vaginally.  The problem may be that very overweight women have less calcium in their bodies to support the uterine muscles during contractions.  From the researchers: “We suspect one reason preventing sufficient levels of calcium entering the uterus muscles is the high levels of cholesterol in an obese woman’s bloodstream. This could disrupt cell membranes and signaling pathways, including calcium entry. We will be investigating this further in future studies.”

Father and Son Reunion, Filmed:  Reportedly, Guy Ritchie disapproved of wife Madonna’s taking a film crew to Malawi to record their adopted son David’s visit with his biological father.� He also apparently objected to her plan to make a few quick visits to orphanages in a caravan of chauffeur-driven cars. The Minister of Information was officially more supportive of the trip, telling Reuters, “The government of Malawi salutes Madonna for coming back with the child for the father to see him.

FAS News: Researchers at Duke University have found that supplemental cholesterol given to zebra fish appears to prevent defects to fetal development caused by alcohol consumption. In addition to providing insight into how alcohol affects the developing baby, and how certain defects might be prevented, the head researcher notes that this study underscores how important it is that pregnant women not lower their cholesterol levels too much. Recent research suggests that pregnant women who take cholesterol-lowering drugs are at greater risk of giving birth to babies with developmental problems.

AMA and C-Sections:� A study out of the National Institutes of Health finds that older mothers with normal, full-term pregnancies are more likely than their younger counterparts to deliver by C-section. The trend is particularly true for older, first-time mothers. Researchers do not know why older mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies are more apt to have C-sections, but theorize that several factors may be at play, including physicians’ fear of malpractice when delivering for first-time, older mothers, or the mothers’ weight (as we age we tend to get heavier). Also missing is information on how many of these C-sections were categorically elective.

Free Britney? According to “a source”, Britney Spears is not cooperating with her rehab program because she feels she does not have a drug or alcohol dependency; rather, she is convinced that she is suffering from postpartum depression.

Babywearing Is Hot:

Obesity Triggers? A study out of University of Missouri-Columbia finds that common chemicals found in pesticides and plastics may program the genes of a developing fetus. As a result, a person who was exposed to these chemicals in utero may be vulnerable to obesity and disease. For this research, mice were exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in utero that caused them to be born at lower than average weights. To compensate, the�mice then gained weight very quickly, resulting in lifelong obesity.

No Profit in Pushing: Medical experts now report that the C-section rate in China is 50%. Why so� One doctor, speaking anonymously, notes that doctors earn more money for C-sections than for vaginal births, so they tend to encourage women to go the surgical route.

Grandbaby for Opie: Actress Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of Ron) and her husband, actor Seth Gabel, welcomed a baby boy, reports People.

“Ooooo, what a lucky man…” An airline pilot from Maplewood, Minnesota, won $25,000 in his state lottery when he matched the five winning numbers His odds of winning were 170,00o to 1.� The next day he played again and won another $25,000. The odds of winning two days in a row are, according to lottery officials, “virtually incalculable.”

Malnutrition and Pregnancy:  In Pakistan, widespread malnutrition has resulted in a maternal mortality rate of 500 per 100,000 live births, according to the Ministry of Health.  Lack of sufficient food affects 34% of Pakistani pregnant women.  In addition, 45% of Pakistani women suffer from iron deficiency, which can lead to stillbirth and birth defects.  Of those who survive childbirth, 48% of lactating mothers have a daily calorie intake that is 70% less than the recommended amount.

First, the drug compnaies… An analysis out of Children’s Hospital Boston of nutritional studies on soft drinks, juice, and milk finds that conclusions are strongly correlated to funding sources.  The researchers do not know if nutritional studies generally (i.e. outside of beverages) are similarly tainted and unreliable.  These studies not only receive media attention but also are used to set federal dietary guidelines.

Drink it black:You may have heard that flavonoids in tea help protect against cardiovascular disease, but there’s a catch:  If you add milk, the heart-healthy benefits are wiped out.  If you generally take milk, researchers suggest that you skip it at least some of the time.

Hollywood Baby:  Extra co-host Dayna Devon gave birth to her second child via C-section two weeks early because she had excessive amniotic fluid that could have been harmful to the baby.  Cole Brent had some fluid in his lungs but is reportedly doing well and will soon join big sister Emmi Reese, 16 months, and dad Brent Moelleken, a plastic surgeon, at home.

Wow!  A London woman who has two wombs gave birth to triplets, identical twins from one womb and a fraternal sibling from the other.  The babies were born via C-section in September, seven weeks before their due date.  They spent nine weeks in the hospital.  There are no other recorded cases of three healthy babies being born from two wombs in a single mother.

Where is Santa now? Don’t forget - you and your little ones can track Santa’s flight around the world on the special NORAD site.

Posted by MommaSteph.

A recent survey report by Childbirth Connection, a New York group founded in 1918 to improve maternity care, reveals that among hospital births, women’s wishes were not always respected and they were not necessarily asked permission before given procedures.

1,573 mothers who gave birth to their first child in a hospital in 2005 participated in the survey.  After adjusting for demographics, this sample is representative of all US mothers age 18-45 who birthed a single infant in a hospital in 2005.

According to the report, health care providers are pushing mothers to have medical interventions they may not need or want, and in fact may be better off without.

Author Tina Cassidy summarizes the report in an article in the Boston Globe, reporting that one out of every 5 women polled who were induced said they felt pressured to have their labor artificially started, and one out of every 4 who had cesarean births said they felt pressured to have the surgery. Most alarmingly, Cassidy reports that the survey revealed that 82 percentof women who experienced an episiotomy said they were not consulted first! (Note: this Squawker read the “free executive summary” of the report offered by Childbirth Connection’s website, and it suggested 73 percent rather than Cassidy’s 82, so… well anyway, it is way too high – we’re talking about our perineums here!)

Indignities aside, Cassidy reminds us that this news is primarily disturbing given that cesareans can be more dangerous than vaginal births for mother and baby, episiotomies have long been known to cause more perineal damage than a (small) natural tear, and Pitocin can overstimulate the uterus. Essentially, many of these routine procedures can complicate birth further, introducing dangers or making the experience more difficult for mother and child.

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Preemie News:  Researchers at Yale School of Medicine report that genetics appears to be a key factor in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), an eye disease that is common among very low birth weight preemies that can lead to blindness.  Future prevention treatment for ROP will likely have a dual approach to limit environmental factors that contribute to ROP and to identify and target genetic factors.

Oh Well:  Fetal oxygen saturation monitoring, a new technology for measuring a baby’s blood oxygen level while the mother is laboring, offers no apparent benefit for interpreting abnormal fetal heart rates.  With fetal oxygen saturation monitoring, a sensor is run through the mother’s cervix (after her membranes have ruptured) and placed against the baby’s face, providing a constant readout of the blood oxygen level.  Researchers found, however, that babies with and without abnormal heart rates had abnormal oxygen readings.  Furthermore, this technology has not been shown to help reduce C-section rates.

Wrinkles Are Not So Bad:  According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, four people who became ill after receiving facial injections of an unlicensed preparation of “botox” actually received up to 40 times the lethal human dose of botulism.

Posted by MommaSteph.

Lupus and Pregnancy:  Duke University reports that pregnant women with lupus are at a significantly greater risk of dying or suffering serious medical complications than the general population.  The risk of maternal death is 20 times that of women without lupus.  The researchers advise that all women with lupus who become pregnant be considered high-risk and stay in close contact with specialists.

Fear of Pushing?  Pregnant women in British Columbia are being asked to participate in a survey that looks at their levels of anxiety as they near their delivery dates.  Birth outcomes will be added to the data later.  The idea is to see if fears about the delivery process increase the risk of having a C-section.

How Not to Say Thank You:  Gwen Stefani reportedly sent baby clothes from her fashion line to Madonna as a present for the pop queen’s newly adopted son, David.  Madonna apparently contacted Stefani and said that while she was “touched” by the gift, she wouldn’t let her son be used to promote Stefani’s brand.  Um…next time, why not just say “thanks” and give the stuff to Goodwill?

Posted by MommaSteph.

Stopping RSV in its tracks:  Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston are finding success treating mice with RSV, a childhood respiratory illness that is especially dangerous for preemies, by giving them a dose of an antioxidant chemical.  The chemical helps counter the lung inflammation that causes breathing problems associated with RSV. 

Grandmother surrogate:  A Japanese grandmother gave birth to her daughter’s baby. She was a surrogate for her daughter who had her uterus removed due to cancer.  This spurs the debate in Japan regarding surrogacy, which is opposed by the government and a “key medical association.”

How to achieve IVF success:  According to a study published in Fertility & Sterility, women who are able to distract themselves from the  stresses of IVF (as opposed to talking about their feelings) are more likely to become pregnant.  Finding alternative outlets for these stresses leads to to higher success rates.

C-section Anesthesia:  The side effects on patients and their respective newborns was analyzed in regards to the method of anesthesia given during the c-section.  General and regional anesthesia were considered and few risks were found with either method.

Grey Gay?:  T.R. Knight, most recently known as George O’Malley on the TV series Grey’s Anatomy, has released news that he is gay IRL.  Of course to me, he’ll always be in love with Meredith Grey. 

Posted by Dorian.

Preeclampsia Progress:  A study published in the current Journal of the American Medical Association finds that for women with preeclampsia, the risk of stillbirth has dropped dramatically, while the risk of post-natal death has not increased.  This reflects the success of aggressive treatment of preeclampsia, and of helping premature babies survive.

C-Section Prevention:  An editorial in The British Medical Journal notes that many emergency C-sections could be prevented if new obstetricians were better trained in instrumental vaginal delivery, through the use of forceps and/or venutouse (vacuum), when labor is not progressing.

Prenatal Vitamins Prevent Brain Tumors?  Women who take prenatal vitamins may reduce the risk of certain brain tumors in their children.  “Our findings suggest that the time close to conception may be a critical period in the development of these tumors,” said [study author] Dr. [Greta] Bunin. “However, most women do not yet know they are pregnant at this very early stage. That is why women of reproductive age are advised to take multivitamins to prevent neural tube defects even if they are not trying to get pregnant.”

Fake Pills:  Police raided two markets in Herndon, VA, that were selling fake birth control pills to illegal immigrant women.  Police were alerted to the crime when three of the women were informed by a local clinic that they were pregnant.  The pills were being sold under the name Nueva Perla.

Sperm Suit:  Oregon Health and Science University is facing a $2 million lawsuit over a sperm mix up.  A man gave a sample of his sperm to be used by his fiance, but the fertility clinic used it on a woman who was seeking an anonymous donor, and she apparently pregnant from the gentleman’s sperm.

Bed Rest for Stella:  Fashion designer Stella McCartney, who is seven months pregnant with her second child, was rushed to the hospital when she suddenly came down with shooting pains and bleeding.  Thankfully, her baby is fine, but the word is she is now on bed rest.

Posted by MommaSteph