Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Get Pregnant While You Have a Yeast Infection, Is it Possible ?

Many women who suffer from frequent yeast infections wonder, can you get pregnant while you have a yeast infection? Yes, you can. Simply, sperm is not killed by the presence of Candida, though the process of getting pregnant might take a little longer; therefore, yeast infections do not interfere with fertility of the eggs or the sperm.

However, many doctors recommend that while a man or woman has an infection, that they do not have sexual intercourse until the yeast infection has been treated properly. This is because the infections spread very quickly.

What exactly is a yeast infection ?

They are very common in both men and women. They are caused by the common fungus known as Candida. Most times, the acidic balance within the vagina keeps fungus from overgrowing; however, sometimes the acidity of the vagina can change due to many things such as birth control pills, menstruation, and antibiotics.

When looking for information about whether or not you can you get pregnant while you have a yeast infection you should know that all of these can encourage the growth of yeast. Light colored clothing that is moist and somewhat form fitting is also grounds for the fungus to multiply. It is important if you have a yeast infection or think you do to visit the doctor.

Yeast Infection Causes

All of us have yeast inside of our bodies. When that yeast starts to grow more then it should, we can get yeast infections. Yeast infections can by caused by many things. They can also be oral, on the skin, vaginal, and many other places.

What are the symptoms of yeast infection ?

When looking for information about whether or not you can you get pregnant while you have an infection you should know that the biggest and most common symptoms of yeast infections are a white, thick discharge and itchiness. Other symptoms are irritation, burning, and a rash on the outer part of the vagina. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to get medicine to help treat the infection. Fortunately, they are very easy to treat. You don't even have to go to the doctor; however, it is best to go during the times you don't know if what you have is a yeast infection.

How to treat yeast infections ?

They can be treated with over-the-counter antifungal medications. Diflucan, which has to be prescribed by your doctor, is another type of medication that cures yeast infections. Many treatments, depending on the kind you use, work in 1-7 days. If your infection has not gotten better since you started taking your medication, visit your doctor.

While there is no danger in having sex while taking medication to treat your infection, intercourse sometimes irritates the infected area and slows down the healing process. If possible, wait to have sexual intercourse until you are completely done taking your medication.

Despite any rumors or urban myths that you might have heard about yeast infections and fertility, they are wrong. They do not affect your chances of getting pregnant. When looking for information about whether or not you can you get pregnant while you have a yeast infection you should know that in fact, yeast infections in most women usually occur when they are pregnant and go away with treatment! If you have any other questions, contact your local doctor.
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Saturday, April 19, 2014

How to Treat Yeast Infection During Pregnancy Naturally

Yeast naturally exists in the vagina and our intestinal tract and occurs when you have an overgrowth and ultimately the yeast takes over causing an imbalance which then results in yeast infection. Pregnant women are even more prone to this because their bodies are producing extra estrogen and other hormonal changes are taking place. If you have diabetes or high blood sugar or if you have taken antibiotics, then that exasperates the situation even more.
Please do not take any oral anti fungal medications over the counter or prescribed. They are generally not safe for pregnant women. Consult your doctor on what is safe and use some tips below to help treat it naturally.
Ways you can treat yeast infections during pregnancy naturally :
1. Wear only cotton underwear, avoid taking baths, only use natural unscented personal care products, and avoid sugars and refined foods.
2. Eat foods rich in Lactobacillus acidophilus, a friendly bacteria that exists naturally in our body and helps fight excess yeast among other benefits. L. Acidophillus boosts the immune system, provides the correct balance in your gastrointestinal tract, helps with urinary tract infections, reduces chances of ulcers, and helps balance cholesterol. It is a great supplement to take even if you are not pregnant. 
Foods rich in this friendly bacteria are yogurt, fermented pickles like sauerkraut and kimchi, miso soup, tempeh, kefir, and fermented cheese. Kefir, traditionally popular in certain regions of Europe is quickly gaining popularity in the US. It is basically fermented milk and has stronger beneficial bacteria then yogurt. You can also make or buy kefir made from coconut water or juice.
3. In addition to eating foods rich in L. Acidophillus, taking a probiotic supplement is very beneficial especially if you have been on antibiotics. You can also use a liquid form of a probiotic and use it as a suppository to naturally help treat vaginal yeast. Saturate a light tampon with the liquid probiotic, insert and leave it in for 2-3 hours. This is completely safe for pregnant women as a means to treat vaginal yeast during pregnancy. I do not recommend douching with commercial products but you can do a douche with dissolving powder form of probiotic in water.
4. Using anti-fungal extracts and oils to use as natural suppositories can also be very helpful. Tea tree oil and grapefruit seed extract are powerful and effective. Make sure you do dilute it in water. You can add about 10-20 drops of oil/extract to 2 cups of water.
5. One midwife has treated many of her pregnant patients with hydrogen peroxide. It safely kills the pathogenic organisms that exists in the vagina. You can buy 3% hydrogen peroxide at any drug store, it comes in a dark brown bottle. Place small quantity in a small cup and fill a syringe with it. You can dilute the hydrogen peroxide with 1 or 2 parts water if you are experiencing extreme irritation, otherwise no need to dilute. In a shower or over the toilet, take your time slowly and gently to insert the hydrogen peroxide into the vagina. You can do this safely once a day for a week.
If some of the natural therapies are not working for you (some women have deep rooted issues like diabetes and other health problems where recurrence continues despite many natural effective therapies), then i highly recommend working with a naturopathic doctor to come up with a natural solution.

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Thursday, April 17, 2014

10 Easy tips how to get pregnant easily and naturally

There are actually a host of reasons why women do not get pregnant. With the complexities of both the male and the female reproductive system, reasons for not conceiving are innumerable. But there are still ways to increase your chances of getting pregnant.


Tip # 1. To get pregnant faster have sex three times a week.

Having regular sex is the best way to get pregnant. Couples often try to time everything perfectly for ovulation but do not have sex when they think they are not ovulating. It is true that sex that is not within the time of ovulation will not result in pregnancy. However, because women do not always ovulatewhen they think they will, having sex three times a week will help to a woman cover her bases, so to speak, and not miss an opportunity to get pregnant.

Tip # 2. To get pregnant faster use an ovulation prediction kit or fertility monitor.

Using an ovulation kit to predict when you are ovulating will improve your chances of getting pregnant. For many women charting or other methods of ovulationprediction are too confusing. Ovulation prediction kits work by reading LH surges prior to ovulation. They are relatively easy to use and are generally accurate for predicting ovulation.

Fertility monitors, such as the Clear Blue Easy monitor, are also a worthwhile investment if you would like to get pregnant faster. Fertility monitors are similar to ovulation prediction kits in that they read changes in LH but they also read changes in other hormones and don't require any guesswork for couples. They are easy to use and will tell you when the best time to get pregnant is.

Tip # 3. To get pregnant faster have sex before ovulation (not after).

Sometimes couples get confused about the best time to have sex in relationship to ovulation. You have a small window of time each month to get pregnant. After a woman ovulates the egg will survive approximately 24 hours. Sperm, on the other hand, will live for up to three to five days. This is why having sex two to three days before ovulation willincrease your chances of getting pregnant. Don't wait until the day you ovulate to have sex. Your partner's sperm will last longer than your egg and you don't want to miss anopportunity by waiting.

Tip # 4. Don't rely on the Calendar method for predicting ovulation.

A lot of couples have heard to have sex around day fourteen of your cycle. This is based on the calendar method and assumes that you have a regular 28-day cycle and ovulate mid-cycle. Although this is better than just picking an arbitrary day to have sex, it is not a veryaccurate way to predict when you ovulate. Many women do not ovulate on day fourteen and knowing precisely when you ovulate will help you time intercourse better. Ovulationprediction kits, looking at previous months bbt charts, or watching for signs of ovulation will help you to determine when you ovulate.

Tip # 5. If you want to get pregnant faster, don't rely on fertility charting alone to predict ovulation.

Fertility Charting is great for tracking your cycle but it does have disadvantages. By the time you can see ovulation on a bbt chart, you have already ovulated. It is good to chart so you can track your cycles, see if you ovulate the same time each month, and also so you can look back on your cycle and see if you timed things right. But if this is your first cycle trying to get pregnant or if you are not ovulating at the same time each month, an ovulationprediction kit would be more helpful.

Tip # 6. Before you start trying to get pregnant see your doctor.

Make sure you are in good health and have had a regular check up from your OBGYN or medical provider. Untreated infections, sexually transmitted diseases, or poor health can affect your chances of getting pregnant. Its good to see a doctor as well as start taking prenatal vitamins prior to trying to conceive.

Tip # 7. When trying to get pregnant, don't smoke, drink alcohol, or abuse drugs.

This may seem like common sense but many women do try to get pregnant while smoking, drinking or using drugs. Smoking, drugs, and alcohol can affect your fertility. It will also affect your unborn child. It is important to stop smoking or using drugs and alcohol before getting pregnant and not wait until you find out you are pregnant.

Tip # 8. To get pregnant faster have enjoyable sex.

Sometimes when couples are trying to conceive, sex becomes a job or function of reproduction and is not as enjoyable. Plan a romantic evening or try something different to spice things up. How you are feeling sexually may factor into your chances of getting pregnant. Some researchers believe that having an orgasm during sex increases your chances of getting pregnant. For women, the spasmic movements of orgasm will help pull the sperm into the uterus and for men a better orgasm may increase the man's sperm count.

Tip # 9. Have sex in positions that keep sperm inside the vagina longer.

The missionary position is a good position to use when trying to get pregnant. Avoid positions where the woman is on top. Gravity will allow sperm to leak out with these positions. Also try placing a pillow under your hips to help tilt your pelvis and keep the sperm in longer. Don't get up right after sex. Try to relax and allow the sperm to stay in the vagina as long as possible.

Tip # 10. There is no such thing as trying too hard to get pregnant.

Most couples get pregnant within a year of trying. If you have not gotten pregnant within a year consult your doctor for advice.

If you have tried everything to increase your chances of getting pregnant and found no success, don't lose hope. Did you know that there are changes you can make in your life to solve fertility problems and increase your chances of getting pregnant, no matter how hard you've tried before.

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Home Remedies for Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy - Safe and Naturally

Women are more easily to develop hemorrhoids during pregnancy. It is in their first trimester that hemorrhoids in pregnancy usually develops but there are some pregnant mothers that get them while in labor especially at the phase of pushing the baby out.

The good news about pregnancy and hemorrhoids is that the hemorrhoids pregnancy produces will disappear after giving birth. But this does not mean that the hemorrhoid pregnancy produces should not be treated, especially during one of the more uncomfortable phases in a woman's life and especially so for bleeding hemorrhoids pregnancy might produce.

What ever may be the decision you make in treating your hemorrhoids during pregnancy, the most important thing that you should keep in mind is to avoid any form of treatment or medication that may be harmful to yourself or your baby and the way to effectively treat hemorrhoids pregnancy produces is by practising natural hemorrhoids treatment and a proper hemorrhoids home care. This is not something difficult to do as you will soon see, involving mainly a slight change in your diet and a slight adjustment to how you go about your day to day activities. Nothing too drastic and nothing too difficult.

Hemorrhoids diet during pregnancy

Pregnant women who develop hemorrhoids during pregnancy should consume food that are easy to digest and moves quickly through the digestive system. Not practising this basic rule will result in constipation which will further aggravate the hemorrhoids pregnancy produced and may even cause new hemorrhoids to form. They key to a successful hemorrhoids diet is fiber, which helps soften the stool and encourages good bowel movement. Below, I will provide a list of some of the food which will help to relieve hemorrhoids somewhat and help reduce bleeding hemorrhoids pregnancy may sometimes cause:

Dark green leafy vegetables: These are an excellent source of fiber plus vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy, such as vitamins A, C, and K, folate, iron and calcium.

• Flax seeds: These are high in fiber and a great source for 3-omega oils and are high in fiber.

• Lima and butter beans: These are high in iron, the basic ingredient in building blood cells.

• Blackstrap molasses: An excellent source of calcium, iron, copper, manganese, potassium and magnesium in a low fat, low calorie form. Blackstrap molasses are known to be successful in treating external wounds and because molasses is high in iron, nutritionists often recommend it to pregnant and lactating women.

• Sweet potatoes: These provide pregnant mothers with the proper nutrients they need to strengthen their blood vessels and boost immunity.

• Onion, ginger and garlic: These contain nutrients that fight excessive fibrin in the body, which causes blood congestion and inflammation.

These are some of the food items that should be included in your diet when treating hemorrhoids during pregnancy. The food that you should avoid as much as possible are all items that cause constipation, which will in turn worsen hemorrhoids during pregnancy. The food that you should reduce on or avoid include any item that contains animal products, coffee, red meat, rice, alcohol, bad fats.

Hemorrhoids home care during pregnancy

Medication should be avoided when treating hemorrhoids during pregnancy unless specifically prescribed by a licensed physician. The good news is that hemorrhoids pregnancy produces will go away after labor, so your efforts should be not on finding a cure but on reducing the discomfort you may be experiencing now. Here are some excellent hemorrhoids home care treatments that you could do.

• Sitz baths: Just like its name implies, a Sitz Bath is where you sit in a tub of warm water hip high for 15 minutes two or three times daily.

• Ice packs: The cold helps to immediately reduce the pain and swelling temporarily.

• Pomegranade juice compresses: Good for external hemorrhoids this should be applied on the anus area, bringing quick relief of hemorrhoid symptoms.

• Mixed berry juice: Drinking mixed berry juice each day works wonder for hemorrhoids during pregnancy and is a perfect solution for eliminating hemorrhoids in pregnant women

If you are suffering very badly from hemorrhoids in pregnancy, please consult with your obstetric provider for hemorrhoid medication.

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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Early Pregnancy Back Pain, is it normal ?

Early pregnancy back pain is a normal phenomenon in this most beautiful period of a woman's life. Most of the expectant mothers witness some degree of back pain during the early phase of pregnancy and this pain generally subsides after about 20 weeks. Backache or spasm, which is reflected by stretching of muscles or burning pain in the left or the right side of the quadrant, is normally the result of the softening of the supporting ligaments and disks due to an increase in the progesterone hormone during the early stage.

In some cases, urinary infection during pregnancy can also result in pain in the back amongst pregnant women. The extra weight of a pregnant women's body and the change in her center of gravity also result in backaches and pain.

Remedies For Early Pregnancy Back Pain

The most important and safe remedy for the treatment of early pregnancy back pain is exercising. This is mainly because certain medications for back related pain is contraindicated during early pregnancy. Walking, pelvic rocking, bridging (done by lying down on the floor, bending your knees and lifting your buttocks into air), mini-crunches (done by lying down on the floor), bending your knees and lifting your head on exhalation, are good exercises for relief from pack pain during early pregnancy. Pregnant women do these exercises on their own to relieve back pain.

The right body posture and good body mechanics also play an important role in keeping one free of early pregnancy back pain. The right posture for prevention of back pain is standing straight and tall. However, the importance for correct postures is as essential in early pregnancy as before that. However, in late pregnancy, as the uterus becomes big, one tends to pull back her shoulders to offset the additional weight, which results in a back strain. You can reduce this pain during later stages in such a position by frequently changing your sitting position and avoiding standing for long periods.

Adequate rest and sleep are also essential for avoiding or eliminating early pregnancy back pain. You should take proper rest and avoid strenuous activities to avoid it during your pregnancy. You can also do normal yoga exercises to eliminate minor pain. However, if it persists you should consult your doctor and take proper medication for relief from back pain. In some cases of pain in the back, doctors may prescribe physiotherapy for relief. Massages and use of special mattresses are also effective for back pain relief during pregnancy.
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