By Mara Gaudette, MS, CGC, Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby My friend Jocelyn, newly (and unexpectedly!) pregnant called in a bit of a panic. Her cardiologist was switching her high blood pressure medication now that she was pregnant. Jocelyn was still waiting for her asthma doctor to call her back but she figured her asthma treatment plan was another of the many changes she needed to make to accommodate the pregnancy. “Does anything stay the same?” she asked. Jocelyn was …
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Every person wants to know what’s best for their baby, especially when it comes to knowing how to minimize exposure risks. Our relatable stories are packed with practical information from our rotating staff of MotherToBaby expert bloggers. Whatever topic you’re looking for, our blogs will provide you a great foundation to learn more.
A Closer Look at Controlling Cholesterol during Pregnancy
By Mara Gaudette, MS, CGC, Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby California The chat message came through promptly at my morning start time. The words and exclamation marks clearly highlighted worry. “Just found out I’m pregnant! Taking a statin medication to lower cholesterol since 6th grade! Talked to my doctor and stopped taking it yesterday. But what damage have I already done? I know it’s a class X drug! Need info – please help!” Mae agreed to a phone call, and I logged off from …
Are you Pregnant (or Breastfeeding) and Affected by a Hurricane?
By Beth Conover, APRN, Beth Kiernan, MPH, and Al Romeo, RN, PhD - MotherToBaby Teratogen Information Specialists From images of buildings destroyed by high wind to families stranded on roof tops by flooding (and the rising death toll), to say that hurricanes can be devastating would be an understatement. At MotherToBaby, we receive questions from moms and moms-to-be in storm-affected areas regarding the potential exposures they may be experiencing as powerful forces of nature wreak havoc on …
Don’t Fight It Tooth and Nail: Your Dentist is on Your Side during Pregnancy!
By Beth Conover, APRN, CGC MotherToBaby Nebraska, UNMC “There are so many risks to the baby if I go for dental work, right?” “What about x-rays?” “I don’t like going to the dentist anyway, so I’ll probably just wait until my baby is born. That should be fine, right?” Worries, excuses, we’ve heard it all at MotherToBaby when it comes to dental procedures during pregnancy. We often receive questions from women wondering whether dental care is safe. In short, the answer is….yes! What better time …
When The Sniffles Strike During Pregnancy: Cold Meds & Your Questions Answered
Is it a cold? The flu? It’s just miserable. It’s Friday afternoon and you have had a tickle in your throat since you woke up this morning, pressure behind your nose and in your forehead, and, a drippy nose. You are sure that you have a cold and it is not a flu or COVID-19. You have been trying to get a hold of your doctor because you want them to tell you what you can take because you are pregnant and worried about taking the wrong medication. With each hour that passes you know that it is …