Overview More than half of all babies experience some form of acid reflux, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. While this condition is common, it can be difficult to watch your baby experience this form of stomach upset….
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Overview You take careful precautions for your baby–so when you notice dark circles developing under her eyes, you begin to worry it could be a sign of a more serious condition. While these dark “allergy shiners” may signal an underlying…
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Vision problems in babies can prove difficult to assess, since babies can’t verbalize a loss or change in vision. Some eye conditions that affect babies are visually obvious. Other conditions are known risks of certain medical procedures, such as oxygen…
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Sometime in the second trimester, after the 14th week of pregnancy, a mother may begin to feel her baby move. As time goes on the movement becomes more noticeable. The movement of the baby is comforting as the mother can…
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Avena sativa is a common food and also has potential benefits as an herbal remedy. The seeds of this grain are called oats, while the grassy part is known as oat straw. Oats are prevalent in cereals, breads and other…
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Overview Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) occurs in women and affects the hormones that regulate the development of eggs. Poorly developed eggs are not released from the ovaries, but instead form cysts. PCOS is the leading cause of infertility and occurs…
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Pygeum (Pygeum africanum) is an evergreen tree that is native to Africa. Also called the African Plum tree, it is an age-old traditional folk remedy that is gaining in popularity among alternative health practitioners outside Africa. The bark of the…
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Overview Chemotherapy involves using medication to kill cancer cells, and is a standard treatment for breast cancer. Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy, meaning that it travels through the bloodstream and kills cancer cells everywhere in the body, and not just…
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Motor skills tend to grow by leaps and bounds in early and middle childhood. Gross motor skills are large movements that include crawling, sitting, walking, running and throwing. Fine motor skills are used for picking up and letting go of…
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Overview Around the country thousands of family members make the tough decision to place their loved one in a nursing home. The main goal of nursing home care involves placing an elderly or handicapped patient in a safe environment that…
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The key to PMS relief might be right under your nose–literally. Aromatherapy options for premenstrual syndrome involve using essential oil blends in massages, compresses, warm baths and inhalations. Aromatherapy may ease some of the symptoms of PMS, which the American…
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Cervical cancer is the eighth most common cancer in women in the United States. Most cases of cervical cancer, 80 to 90 percent according to the Mayo Clinic, affect the squamous cells that line the surface of the cervix. When…
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Comedian Steven Wright once commented, “My friend has a baby. I’m recording all the noises he makes so later I can ask him what he meant.” From birth until the age of 2, babies go through several different stages of…
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Overview Federal law protects your ability to create a legal document with your wishes for end-of-life care and requires nursing homes to honor those wishes. But the parameters of such a document are controlled by state law, so it’s crucial…
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While pregnancy may seem like a good time to sit back and relax, abdominal exercises can actually help reduce back aches, swollen ankles, ease discomfort and boost energy levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. Throughout your first trimester you are…
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Overview Many single women and couples resort to using donor sperm to achieve their goal of having a family. Single or gay women or couples where the male partner has no sperm or carries a genetic abnormality may choose to…
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A 2007 study conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health concluded that maintaining a healthy diet can help you get pregnant, especially if you have an ovulatory disorder. The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study followed the diets of…
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Cervical cancer affects the tissues that line the cervix. It is often caused by one of several strains of human papillomavirus (HPV). There is one vaccine currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the vaccination against four types…
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Women who have become sexually active or over the age of 21 should get an annual Pap smear. During this annual exam, medical professional uses a speculum, which they insert into the vagina, and then wipe the cervix with a…
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Overview According to Drs. Lauren Nathan and Howard Judd, contributors to “Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Obstetrics and Gynecology,” menopause is the permanent end of menstruation due to loss of ovarian function. It is diagnosed after one year of no menstrual…
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Gastroesophageal reflux, better known as infant acid reflux, is a common baby ailment that affects more than 50 percent of all babies during the first three months of life, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Generally speaking infant…
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Although every pregnancy is different, many pregnancies present with similar symptoms during the first week. As the embryo makes its descent through the fallopian tube and implants in the uterus, hormone levels soar and changes abound in the mother’s body….
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Washing hands is one of the easiest ways to prevent illness, says the Mayo Clinic. It is a very simple process, taking only 15 seconds and requiring only soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. A person should wash…
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Menopause is the period in an adult woman’s life that signifies the end of her menstruation and ovulation cycles, thus ending her fertility and ability to conceive children. Menopause is a difficult experience for most women because it produces a…
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Overview Stretch marks can make the people who have them feel self conscious and embarrassed about their bodies. When stretch marks appear, they target areas on the body where the body stores fat, like under the arms, breasts, thighs and…
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Cervical carcinoma is a cancerous tumor that develops within the cervix, a passageway that is a part of the female reproductive system. In 2009, over 11,000 women were diagnosed with cervical carcinoma, according to the National Cancer Institute. Patients with…
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Overview From the very beginning, every diaper change, meal or snuggle will teach your new infant how to interact with the world. According to the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, “A child’s social-emotional development is as important as…
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According to the Mayo Clinic, every child grows at his own pace, although there are certain general developmental milestones accomplished at each age. A general understanding of what type of development should occur may aid parents in contributing to the…
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Clomiphene is a drug that can mimic the hormone estrogen, but can also have anti-estrogen effects on the human body. It can also induce ovulation–the release of a mature egg from a woman’s ovary in preparation for potential fertilization. Clomiphene…
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Overview Damiana leaves are an age-old herbal remedy dating to the ancient Mayan Indians. They are harvested from the damiana plant, a wild, flowering shrub that’s native to Mexico, Central America and parts of South America. Today, there is increasing…
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