Pregnant

A successful pregnancy if you have diabetes comes down to planning and making sure you have the right health-care team behind you. from www.shutterstock.com Freya MacMillan, Western Sydney University; David Simmons, Western Sydney University, and Tinashe Dune, Western Sydney University The number of people with diabetes is expected to increase from 463 million in 2019 to 700 million by 2045 globally. So more women with diabetes will be having babies in the future. If you have diabetes, here’s how to have the best chance of a safe and successful pregnancy, and to give your baby the best start in life. Alternatively, if you have diabetes and want to avoid pregnancy, here’s what to think about when it comes to contraception.   Read more: Explainer: what is diabetes? Why are women with diabetes and their babies at greater risk? Women with diabetes have an increased risk of pregnancy complications, particularly if they’re among the more than 60% whose pregnancies …

Criticizing pregnant women about their weight can be bad for them and their babies. kzenan/Shutterstock.com Angela Incollingo Rodriguez, Worcester Polytechnic Institute December is considered the most fertile month, a time when there’s the greatest likelihood that children will be conceived. Some experts even pinpoint Dec. 11 as the most fertile day. But in the lead up to giving birth and in the time after bringing home their new additions, many women may experience an unwelcome surprise. Family, friends and even bystanders are all too quick to comment on – and often criticize – an expectant or new mother’s weight. This shaming can include judging a mother-to-be for her weight before becoming pregnant; the weight she gains over pregnancy; and the weight she doesn’t lose after having the baby. Weight stigma like this is potentially a very real threat to maternal health. Outside the realm of pregnancy, research shows that experiencing weight stigma is stressful and harmful. …