Researchers at the University of South California discovered that smoking during pregnancy could transform the DNA of unborn baby. The study found that maternal smoking is linked to the changes in epigenetic mechanism for DNA methylation. Epigenetic studies how chemical compounds are added to DNA and how they switch genes on and off. This causes the differences in gene expression without changing the genetic information itself. Epigenetic has played a crucial role in cancer research, but little is known how epigenetic changes occur under the influence of environmental factors.

Researches used data from USC Children’s Health Study as well as the survey on maternal smoking during pregnancy. The findings have been published in September issue of American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

This study showed for the first time that the environment affects fetal growth. Such environmental exposures as tobacco smoke can trigger genetic changes.

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Moreover, it cannot constantly track fetal heart rate. A.K. Mittra from the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Gondia, India, and his colleagues have developed a simple two-microphone device that can assess fetal heart rate during the mother’s rest or sleep. The device can also alert of fetal heart rate problems.

The first microphone is attached to the mother’s belly to receive the sound of the fetus’s heartbeat. The second one is placed at some distance to receive ambient and bodily sounds. Computer software can then “subtract” the “ambient noise channel” from the “fetal channel” to create a wav file. This file can be further analyzed for medical anomalies. Once a problem is detected, the software can compress the wav file to the mp3 file format for quick upload via the Internet to the physician’s computer. The system can also give a gentle signal of alert to the mother, implying she should see her physician.

The research team has already tried their monitor on several women at various stages of pregnancy. Scientists point out that the devise is absolutely passive and in no way can affect pregnancy course. It is also important that this system is inexpensive. It requires, however, both the mother and her physician having a personal computer with the Internet access.

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The sings of this condition are any kind of bleeding (from bright red to brown), spotting, clots, severe abdominal pain, spasms, lower back pain. So, if you have these symptoms (especially bleeding!), consult your health care specialist immediately!

My doctor also says, toxicosis is also not a good sign. Ideally, you shouldn’t have it at early stages of pregnancy. As for me, I do sometimes feel sick, but this feeling disappears when I eat something (what? – it depends) or drink water or kefir.

As soon as you have any spasms – just lay down and try to relax and breathe with your abs.

I was recommended to lie on the sofa most of the time at home. Fortunately, I can even work this way with my laptop. Otherwise, if your family can’t provide you such conditions, it’s better to go to hospital, if possible, because when the woman with threatening miscarriage is at home, she anyway does all the things around the house from time to time and threatens the life of her baby even more. Besides, for most families it’s not so easy to make the husband do this all.

Fortunately, I don’t have bleeding now, but when I’m standing for a long time – washing the dishes, for instance, – the spasms and even the back pain start again. I’m simply following the recommendations and try to stay calm.

My doctor told me to come in about 10 days for another ultrasound scanning to listen to the baby’s (actually only a tiny embryo’s) heartbeat. I only wonder if such frequent ultrasound scanning is not harmful. Anyway, now I want to think only about positive things!

In What Cases Is IVF Used?

When IVF was invented, its role was to aid women suffering from infertility caused by infertile or diseased uterine tubes. However, with new developments, IVF can now treat cases like endometriosis, hostile cervical mucus and other infertility related cases. It has even been tested on male partners with a low sperm count problem; although it has been proved to work, the overall success rate isn’t very high.

How Is IVF Done?

In Vitro Fertilization is carried out with a laparoscope, which is basically a form of telescope that is put inside an anesthetized woman’s abdomen to extract an eggs from the ovary just before they are about to be released naturally by ovulation. Separate sperms are collected from the male partner and then washed and diluted. The extracted eggs and the diluted sperm are then mixed in a glass dish. If fertilization between the egg and the sperm is successful, then the embryo is developed in the lab. After about two or three days, the embryo is placed in the woman’s uterus with the help of a plastic tube.

Possible Side Effects of IVF

IVF does have its boundaries and side effects though. The success rate isn’t 100% and there is a risk of ectopic pregnancy, or extrauterine pregnancy – which is a special case when the embryo is inserted and developed outside the uterine cavity; this is very dangerous because in such cases the uterine tube usually erupts. Furthermore, successful implantation and development doesn’t always end up with childbirth. Miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies are more common through IVF than when you try to conceive the natural way.

How Effective Is IVF?

There is no general trend in the success rate for In Vitro Fertilization. The numbers vary from place to place, so it’s difficult to predict the efficiency. Some figures suggest that for each happy couple who went through a successful IVF procedure, there are a few more couples who didn’t have such luck. With technological advancements, the IVF procedure is becoming more and more streamlined and efficient, but the latest facts from the important IVF centers state the following: 8-10% probability of pregnancy if only one embryo is placed in the woman’s uterine tube; 20% probability for two embryos; 30% for three embryos. Considering the dangers involved, more than three or four embryos are never inserted. Again, it must be noted that pregnancy does not always result in birth, just like in natural conditions.

IVF Gives a Hope

In Vitro Fertilization is a great technological development for the infertility treatment. The whole process requires very high tech equipment along with extremely skilled medical operators. No doctors or medical scientists can make success promises with IVF yet, but we can’t deny the fact that IVF has put a smile on many couples’ faces and is a ray of hope for many others waiting for it to be perfected.

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