All Paths Naturopathy

Category: small for gestational age

  • Coffee, caffeine and pregnancy: The new research

    babies,baby,body parts,embryos,females,healthcare,medicine,people,persons,pregnancies,pregnant,wombs,women
         A recent study published in Biomedical Central by Sengpiel and colleagues has found an association between coffee consumption and increased pregnancy length (5-8 hours / 100 mg caffeine).  Additionally, there was also an association between caffeine intake from all possible sources (coffee, tea, chocolate) and delivering babies with low birth weight and at increased risk for being small for gestational age.  This latter finding occurred even in women who did not consume caffeine in excess of the recommended limits (200 mg in Nordic countries and USA, 300 mg World Health Organization recommendation) and were not smokers.  This study included almost 60,000 participants most of whom were >25 years old and were in a partnered relationship.  Coffee and caffeine consumption was recorded in diet diaries at different time periods from the second trimester on wards.  
    To investigate the caffeine content of prepared beverages from restaurants, foods, tea and medications, The Center for Science in the Public Interest, has a chart which includes amount of caffeine per serving.  Another resource from the FDA entitled Medicines in my Home: Caffeine and Your Body includes a list of caffeine amounts and serving sizes provided by the University of Washington.  

    So, what does this mean?

    For women who are pregnant or are in the process of becoming pregnant, it is advisable to limit ones  intake of caffeine from all sources including, but not limited to; coffee, tea, and chocolate.

    For help with this or other pregnancy related concerns we are here to assist you on the journey towards parenthood.  More information can be found at www.all-paths.com 

  • Air pollution, it is not just hard on the lungs

    Air pollution smoke rising from plant tower

    For families who have suffered from pregnancy related conditions such as pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery and small for gestational age babies, there may never be a good reason for why these conditions happen.  This is often in part because many factors can contribute either singly or in tandem towards the development of conditions such as pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery and babies who are small for gestational age.  This week the list of risk factors was increased to include both particulate and molecular atmospheric pollutants.  For many years, scientists and environmentalists have been concerned with the effects of increased air pollution.  Research results from the ESCALA project have observed an increased risk of death resulting from increased exposure to particulate air pollutants less than or equal to 10 micrometers and ozone.

     David Olsson and colleagues published findings this past week in the British Medical Journal Open suggesting an association between exposure to ozone during the first trimester of pregnancy and an increased risk for preterm delivery and the development of pre-eclampsia.  This comes on the heels of a second study, published by Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, MPH  in collaboration with the International Collaboration on Air Pollution and Pregnancy Outcomes (ICAPPO) in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.  The ICAPPO researchers  saw an association between particulate air pollution and delivering babies who were born small for gestational age.  With this new research, it offers another reason to care for the environment in such a way that promotes health and well being for all. 

    For more information visit: www.all-paths.com and www.southernoregonbirthconnections.com