Healthy diet in pregnancy should guarantee proper fetal growth and development, maintain (and promote) maternal health and enable lactation. Nutritional counseling and interventions need to be an integral part of antenatal care and continue during pregnancy in order to reduce the risk of maternal, fetal and neonatal complications, as well as the short- and long-term adverse outcomes. Adverse pr...

QUESTION A healthy woman of reproductive age complained that when she saw me before pregnancy I did not advise her that she could check her varicella immunity and get vaccinated. She contracted chickenpox and endured unnecessary anxiety. This led me to think that it would be useful to have a summary of all the preconception counseling advice we should give to our patients to ensure the best pre...

During pregnancy, there are a number of important changes to cardiovascular function which are necessary for progression of a successful pregnancy. Additionally, preexisting cardiovascular conditions can be exacerbated by the adaptations that occur during gestation. These can present serious therapeutic challenges in the management of the cardiology patient during pregnancy. Significantly, the ...

This is a case report of a twin pregnancy with one fetus and a coexistent mole diagnosed at 13 weeks. After thorough counseling, the pregnancy was continued as per the patient's desire. The pregnancy was closely monitored with serial S β hCG, ultrasound for fetal growth, size of molar sac, and theca lutein cysts, which gradually decreased in size during the second trimester of pregnancy. An eme...

background:  pregnancy in a woman's life is a unique experience. but due to high risk pregnancy and the need to rest in bed, the women and her family are faced with different challenges and needs. the inability to manage these needs will result in crisis and understanding the needs of pregnant women during bed rest is essential to provide comprehensive health care for them. so this qualita...

Deletions of chromosome 22q11 have been seen in association with DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) and velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS). In the present study, we analysed samples from 76 patients referred with a diagnosis of either DGS or VCFS to determine the prevalence of 22q11 deletions in these disorders. Using probes and cosmids from the DiGeorge critical region (DGCR), deletions of 22q11 were detec...

Carrier screening, whether targeted or expanded, allows individuals to consider their range of reproductive options. Ultimately, the goal of genetic screening is to provide individuals with meaningful information that they can use to guide pregnancy planning based on their personal values. Ethnic-specific, panethnic, and expanded carrier screening are acceptable strategies for prepregnancy and ...

In a pilot neonatal screening programme for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) conducted in the Canadian province of Manitoba, a cohort of eight affected males was identified between 1 January 1986 and 31 December 1989. Demographic information, knowledge of DMD, reproductive outcome, and attitudes to prenatal diagnosis and neonatal screening for DMD were obtained through questionnaires distribut...

OBJECTIVE To compare the response towards prenatal diagnosis (PND) of b-thalassaemia, in individuals who had not received genetic counselling and a genetically counselled population. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi, from March 2009 to December 2010. METHODOLOGY Using non-prob...