Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet before, during, and after pregnancy is vital to ensure the future wellbeing of your child. It is highly recommended that women who are trying to conceive or who are already pregnant take prenatal vitamins in order to maintain overall health as well as the health of their baby.1 Important Vitamins During Pregnancy There are certain…
Tag: pregnant
Inducing Labor
Labor induction (also referred to as inducing labor) is when uterine contractions are stimulated to begin the process of labor during a vaginal birth. Labor induction is not a new practice. In fact, it dates back to Ancient Greece as Hippocrates, who is considered the Father of Medicine, recorded descriptions of dilating the cervical canal.1…
Pica
The National Eating Disorders Association defines pica as “the recurrent eating of non-food substances that offer no nutritional value and are not part of a culturally sanctioned practice”.1 To be considered a disorder, this behavior must take place over at least one month.2 Some of these substances may include cloth, hair, wool, starch, soil, string,…
Sexual Positions for Pregnant Couples
Pregnant individuals may worry about how pregnancy will affect their sex lives, as their bodies undergo significant changes. Often, favored sex positions can become awkward or uncomfortable as the pregnancy advances and the baby continues to grow. Pregnant couples are free to engage in sexual activity as long as a doctor has not advised them…
When to Lose Your Virginity
Defining “Losing Your Virginity” What exactly does “losing your virginity” mean? Virginity can be defined in different ways according to your sexual orientation, beliefs, and culture. Losing your virginity is often described as engaging in penetrative sex, including anal sex, for the first time. The definition can also be expanded to include oral sex and manual stimulation. Oftentimes, when sexual intercourse and virginity…
Vagina
Overview The vagina is a stretchable muscular cavity lined with mucous membranes in the female reproductive system that extends from the uterus (womb) to the vaginal opening. The cervix of the uterus forms the interior end of the vagina, while the vulva–or the external parts of the female genitalia–and labia (singular: labium) form the exterior…
Male Infertility
Disclaimer Note: While both males and females can be infertile, this article focuses on male infertility, it’s most common causes and treatments. For information on female infertility click here. Infertility is when a male and female partner cannot successfully conceive a child after a year of frequent, unprotected intercourse. Male and female infertility are each responsible…
Female Infertility
Disclaimer note: While both males and females can be infertile, this article focuses on female infertility, its most common causes, and treatments. For information relating to male infertility click here. Overview of Female Infertility Female infertility is defined as the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after 12 months of unprotected intercourse, or…
Female Infertility in America
Disclaimer: This article focuses on the social and psychological aspects of infertility in America. For information regarding the biological aspects of female infertility click here. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 10% or 6.1 million women in the United States struggle with infertility, which is understood as the inability to conceive or…