High-Risk Pregnancy Follow-Up: What the Childbirth Educator Needs to Know.

Women with a high-risk pregnancy or birth often need additional follow-up care. This article provides a summary of the current recommendations for follow-up after a high-risk pregnancy. It is intended to be a quick read for the busy childbirth educator and includes a table that summarizes the recommendations.

A Systematic Review of Complications Following Pre-eclampsia.

Introduction: Most pregnancies are low-risk. However, sometimes women develop pre-eclampsia. The incidence varies based on different studies (Havers-Borgersen et al.

Men's Perceptions of Pregnancy-Related Weight Gain: A Psychosocial Firestorm (Upheaval) Intertwined With Supportive Intentions.

In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 men who had a significant other who had given birth within the last 5 years. Men were asked about their perceptions of pregnancy-related weight gain, and content analysis was used to identify themes from the interviews. Men described nine themes related to perinatal weight gain: (a) negative perceptions, (b) eating behaviors, (c) exercise habits, (d) health impact, (e) body changes, (f) weight-loss success, (g) "it bothered her more than me," (h) "the weight gain wasn't a problem," and (i) intimacy.

Experiences accompanying postpartum weight loss: benefits, successes, and well-being.

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States, and research has supported the theory that pregnancy contributes to long-term weight gain. This phenomenological study investigated the postpartum weight loss experiences of 24 women. Women ranged in age from 25 to 35 years, were mostly Caucasian with adequate resources, and about half worked either full or part time.

Postpartum weight loss: weight struggles, eating, exercise, and breast-feeding.

Twenty-four women with children 5 years old or younger were interviewed regarding their experiences in losing weight during the postpartum period. Phenomenological interviews were conducted according to Husserl's perspective. Women who participated in the study revealed the issues related to postpartum weight loss: weight struggles, exercise, breast-feeding, eating, and pregnancy contributions to weight gain.

Maternal obesity from all sides.

This column features excerpts from a recent series of articles from the Lamaze International research blog, Science & Sensibility. The eight-part series examined the issue of maternal obesity from various perspectives, incorporating writings from Kimmelin Hull, a physician assistant, a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, and the community manager of Science & Sensibility; Kristen Montgomery, a nursing professor at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte; Pamela Vireday, a childbirth educator and blogger; and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, a health psychologist, lactation consultant, and writer/speaker. The authors of the blog series, titled "Maternal Obesity from All Sides," reviewed current research about risks associated with maternal obesity as well as the humanistic issues and lived experiences of pregnant women of size.

Women's Desire for Pregnancy.

Descriptive qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 women who had given birth in the previous 5 years to identify factors that influenced their desire to become pregnant. All interviews were audiotaped. Following the interviews, the texts were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Giorgi's method.

Women's challenges with postpartum weight loss.

Unlabelled: This study was designed to examine women's experiences of weight loss during the postpartum period. Understanding women's positive and negative experiences can assist health care providers to successfully intervene in helping women lose weight following pregnancy and avoid long-term weight gain and obesity development.

Design: Phenomenology, according to Husserl's perspective.

Childbirth education for multiple pregnancy: part 2: intrapartum and postpartum considerations.

Women with a multiple pregnancy can expect a different labor and birth course than those with a singleton pregnancy. While the postpartum period is similar to that of families with a singleton, it is likely to be more hectic in families with multiple infants. In addition, a multiple pregnancy increases both maternal and neonatal risks; therefore, women with a multiple pregnancy may experience slight differences in care due to these potential risks, including additional monitoring and treatment.

Childbirth education for multiple pregnancy: part 1: prenatal considerations.

Women with a multiple pregnancy have unique learning needs in preparing for birth. This paper explores the issues relevant to women with a multiple pregnancy to support a positive birth experience. One of the foundations of childbirth education and nursing care is to provide the individual woman and her family with knowledge regarding the birth process, what to expect, and how to cope with labor and birth.

Continuing education module-maternal calcium intake and metabolism during pregnancy and lactation.

Calcium is an essential nutrient during pregnancy and lactation. Calcium contributes to bone development in the fetus and neonate and is considered a critical nutrient. Physiological changes in calcium metabolism occur during pregnancy and lactation.

Web Sites that Address Epidural Anesthesia for Childbirth.

Epidural analgesia has become a popular way to reduce pain during labor. Because epidural use is not limited to women who plan its use, but extends to some who originally planned a nonmedicated birth, it is important for the childbirth educator to provide information on this topic to all women. In this column, the authors provide examples of Web sites that address epidural anesthesia.

Planned adolescent pregnancy: themes related to the pregnancy.

Health-care providers need to recognize that not all adolescent pregnancies occur as a result of error. A small subset of adolescents intentionally plan their pregnancy. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of 14- to 17-year-old pregnant females who had planned their pregnancies.

New Resource from the CDC to Prevent Obesity: Perinatal Implications.

Research has identified pregnancy as a trigger to obesity among women; therefore, childbirth educators are encouraged to include the topic of weight gain in their classes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published a guide on obesity that may serve as an excellent resource for both educators and their clients.

Web Sites that Address Prematurity.

Families of preterm infants need a tremendous amount of support. This resource column highlights several Web sites that may be useful to health care providers and childbirth educators, as well as to parents of premature infants and their families.

Web site resources for waterbirth.

In this column, the author reviews Web sites that provide information and resources on waterbirth.

Childbirth Education for the HIV-Positive Woman.

Pregnant HIV-positive women have unique education needs during the perinatal period. HIV-positive women need information regarding the differences in recommended care they can expect to experience both for themselves and their newborn. Differences in recommended care are related to minimizing transmission of the HIV virus.

Web Resources that Address Psychiatric Disorders in Pregnancy.

Psychiatric disorders occur at every life stage, including pregnancy. This resource column highlights several Web resources that may be useful to childbirth educators and other health care providers who may care for pregnant woman experiencing one of these conditions.

Soy protein.

Soy protein comes from soybeans and offers multiple health benefits, some of which are just beginning to be discovered. This column reviews the health benefits of soy products with a special focus on women and children's health. To date, little has been written or researched that is directly related to perinatal health.

Web Sites that Address Perinatal Physical Activity.

In this column, the author provides examples of Web sites that address exercise and physical activity during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Improving nutrition in pregnant adolescents: recommendations for clinical practitioners.

Pregnancy represents an ideal time for health promotion activities. Many women, including adolescents, are interested and willing to change health behaviors to improve the chance that they will deliver a healthy infant. This paper focuses on improving nutrition in pregnant adolescents.

Web Sites that Address Gestational Diabetes and Perinatal Obesity.

Obesity contributes to multiple health problems during pregnancy and predisposes a woman to develop gestational diabetes. This column reviews the currently best Web sites that address gestational diabetes and obesity during the perinatal period.

Nutrition and HIV-Positive Pregnancy.

When an HIV-positive woman becomes pregnant, additional nutritional considerations are warranted. Compared to routine prenatal nutritional assessment and intervention, pregnant HIV-positive women have increased needs to promote a healthy outcome. This column contains information on HIV and pregnancy, nutrition and infection, and nutrition for HIV-positive pregnancy.

HIV and Pregnancy Web Sites.

This column reviews seven Web sites that address HIV and pregnancy.

Web Sites that Address Postpartum Depression.

This column reviews four Web sites that address postpartum depression.