By Elizabeth Salas, MPH, Teratology Information Specialist, MotherToBaby California If you have Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and are currently pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy, where do you go when you have questions about MS or MS treatments? In this day and age, the first place you might go is the Internet. With no shortage of information at our fingertips, it may seem the answers to all of our questions are just a web search away. But when it comes to chronic conditions and …
The Baby Blog: Mom's Health Conditions
IBD, Pregnancy, and The Burning Question: ‘Will My Baby Be O.K.?’
By Beth Kiernan, MPH, Interviewer & Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby “I just found out I’m pregnant, and while I am glad, I’m also pretty overwhelmed,” lamented Marian, a never-pregnant, newly-married woman who had struggled with Crohn’s disease since her teenage years but was finally in semi-remission. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable taking my medications now, even though my doctors say they are fine. I can’t even sleep! I am worried I’m harming my baby. I wonder if there will …
Allergies, Asthma and Pregnancy…Oh My! Wait. Don’t Panic.
By Mara Gaudette, MS, CGC, Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby My friend Jackie, newly (and unexpectedly!) pregnant called in a bit of a panic. Her cardiologist was switching her high blood pressure medicine since he told her that many times the first choice meds used to treat adults with high blood pressure are not the ones to use for pregnancy. She 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 …
A Mother’s Day Memo: ‘Excited To Be A Mom, But Please Excuse Me If I Hurl’
By Lynn Martinez, Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby Utah “O.K., so I can’t look at pizza the same way. Saltine crackers seem to be my go-to snack for sustenance and don’t even SAY the word ‘curry!’ Oh no, I said it… Please excuse me while I hurl,” said Nicole, 34, who’s pregnant with her second child. For many of the moms I counsel as a teratogen information specialist with the international non-profit, MotherToBaby, this is part of the reality of becoming a mom – nausea and …
MS: The Diagnosis That Doesn’t Mean Missing Out On Motherhood
By Neda Ebrahimi , Teratogen Information Specialist, Motherisk As a counselor with Motherisk, the Canadian partner of MotherToBaby and a service of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), I hear many stories from women about pregnancy. Some of those stories strike cords with me. Their urgency and desire to make the healthiest decisions possible for their future children is both understandable and admirable. In honor of National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, I give …