The Mother of the Year October 18, 2007
Posted by Bertalan Meskó in Education, Health, Medicine, Pregnancy, Prevention.trackback
We need to educate laypeople about their own health. It’s the responsibility of medical professionals to educate those who don’t know too much about their own health. Here is a good example:
(Hat tip: BoingBoing)
What should you watch if you’d like to know more about your own health? Let’s start with some exceptional blogs:
- Genetics and Health
- Healthbolt
- Highlight Health
- Med Journal Watch
- Sleep Doctor
- the story of healing
- Healthline Connects
Oh and what is the problem with the picture?
- Jauniaux E,Burton GJ. : Morphological and biological effects of maternal exposure to tobacco smoke on the feto-placental unit. Early Hum Dev. 2007 Sep 25;
Active and passive maternal smoking has a damaging effect in every trimester of human pregnancy. Cigarette smoke contains scores of toxins which exert a direct effect on the placental and fetal cell proliferation and differentiation and can explain the increased risk of miscarriage, fetal growth restriction (FGR) stillbirth, preterm birth and placental abruption reported by epidemiological studies.
- Huuskonen P at al: Microarray Analysis of the Global Alterations in the Gene Expression in the Placentas From Cigarette-smoking Mothers. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2007 Oct 10;
On the basis of our results, it seems that cigarette smoke acts as a hormone disrupter in the placenta.
now you have to throw in alcohol too.
FAS is a real problem in cultures where alcohol pervades. a 9mth abstinence isn’t very attractive when the risks are not for sure (“i might as well take a chance”) and authorities release conflicting advice. (what IS THEIR PROBLEM?!)
a drug could prevent FAS apparently:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4731494.stm
You’re absolutely right, Jeff! But that drug only limits FAS.
This is a good one, Berci. And a very good reminder for us too. We should always remember that what we believe is a long established given may not be trickling down yet to everybody. We should continue on and do our part. Thanks for this post and thanks for the mention.
Yes, that was the message! You’re most welcome!
That Melissa is worried about sound of jackhammers but she’s not worried about the harmful effects of smoking. Ironic! Let us not forget the effect of alcohol, drugs and stress to babies, too.
Really sad to hear such a thing…. Pregnant women should not smoke. It does affect the foetus. As a responsible mom, one should not smoke… Baby’s health is utmost priority and it is the duty of the mother to give birth to a healthy child….
Steve