At some point, most of us have been told to “eat healthy.” Sounds simple enough, right? But what that means can look different from person to person. For some, it’s about cutting back on junk food and adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. For others, it might mean watching sodium intake, choosing foods that support heart health, or managing cholesterol levels. No matter your health history, eating well is something we’re all encouraged to do, especially during pregnancy and while …
The Baby Blog: Mom's Health Conditions
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, along with pressure behind your nose and in your forehead, and a drippy nose. You are sure that you have a cold and not the flu or COVID-19. You have been trying to contact your doctor about what you can take because you are pregnant and worried about taking the wrong medication. With each hour that passes, you know it is unlikely that you will get in touch …
ADD/ADHD: Focusing on What’s Best for Mom and Baby during Pregnancy
By Beth Kiernan, MPH, Interviewer & Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby Kristin called MotherToBaby one afternoon saying, “I just took a home pregnancy test and it’s positive.” Kristin sounded beyond worried. “I’ve been taking a medication for ADHD since I was eight years old, and when I searched the internet it said it was harmful and that I should stop taking it before getting pregnant.” Kristin hadn’t planned on getting pregnant. Now, not only was she terrified she had hurt …
RhoGAM and Rh Negative Moms: A Life-Saving Match
Having worked as a Teratogen Information Specialist at MotherToBaby for close to 10 years, I have become well versed in the different exposures people commonly ask about. Allergy medications in the spring, sunscreen and bug spray in the summer, and cough and cold medications all winter long. So, when I logged onto our live chat service at mothertobaby.org on a Tuesday morning, I was surprised to see a question that doesn’t come up very often. Natalie, pregnant with her first child, asked: “I’m …
Individualized Mental Health Care is Essential in Pregnancy
Mental health conditions are real health issues that deserve appropriate and individualized medical care. Making informed healthcare decisions requires that women and their healthcare providers be aware of the available safety information for each specific medication they might be considering. We encourage pregnant women and those planning a pregnancy to have open conversations with their healthcare providers to carefully weigh any potential increased risks of medications, as well as the …
