By Patricia Olney, MS, CGC, Genetic Counselor & Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby Georgia Emily’s call to MotherToBaby came in late at night. Her voicemail message sounded a bit garbled, almost as if she had been crying. I returned her call the next day and heard her anxious voice say, “My psoriasis flared up last week…it’s been several years. I’m really worried because I just found out I’m pregnant.” I replied calmly, “Emily, I’m glad you called MotherToBaby for information. …
Search Results for: medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Baby Blog: When You Cannot Trust Your Gut: What to Do About Diarrhea in Pregnancy and Lactation
The runs, the trots, the green apple quickstep. You have heard all the nicknames for it, but even hearing something as cute as “bubble guts” does not make diarrhea any better, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Just last week, I got a call from someone in a panic: “Leah, it is really bad. I am so uncomfortable. I thought you were supposed to get constipated during pregnancy.” That caller was not wrong – constipation can be common during pregnancy. Hormones like prostaglandins – …
Baby Blog: Empowering Moms this Mother’s Day and Every Day: Making the Most of Prenatal Appointments
By Lauren Kozlowski, MSW, MPH, MotherToBaby Georgia “I didn’t even know I should ask my OB about that!” It’s a reaction I hear almost daily as a teratogen information specialist (a fancy way of saying I’ve been trained in evaluating and communicating risks of exposures, like medications, during pregnancy). This particular caller’s reaction was like so many women going into their first appointment after finding out they were pregnant – she really didn’t know how to be her own best advocate. I …
Press Release: MotherToBaby Launches New Observational Study of Mepolizumab (Nucala®) in Pregnancy
BRENTWOOD, TN – MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies, conducted by the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), has launched a new observational study of mepolizumab (Nucala®) in pregnancy, a new medication for the treatment of severe asthma. This study aims to provide crucial information on the safety of this medication in pregnancy by following asthmatic women during their pregnancy and following their child up to one year of age. Given that untreated asthma can put both the mother …
Baby Blog: The Smoking Saga & Why This Non-Fiction Addiction Should Be Shelved During Pregnancy
By Sharon Voyer Lavigne, MS, MotherToBaby CT Teratogen Information Specialist “I know I should quit, but it’s hard…I’ve cut down, though! I know it’s bad for me, but is it really that bad for my baby anyway?” I had heard these words time and time again as a teratogen information specialist and genetic counselor at MotherToBaby. Let’s call this particular caller “Jenny.” Well, whether Jenny had volunteered this information about her addiction to cigarette smoking or not, I would have asked her …
