MUSC Pregnancy and Childbirth Podcast

Women's Health: Preterm Birth Risks Seldom Discussed

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Wed, 8 Sep 2010 -211:-243:-212 EST

New or expectant mothers should discuss preterm birth with their doctors. This advice comes from the March of Dimes following a survey it conducted and is reviewed in this women's health podcast.

OBGYN Research Developments at MUSC

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 -214:-250:-25 EST

In this podcast some exciting new OBGYN research developments are reviewed by Dr. Roger Newman, Vice-Chair for Academic Affairs and Research at MUSC. Some of these studies include redefining what represents normal fetal growth in uncomplicated pregnancies, a study of preeclampsia by Drs. Chris Robinson and Donna Johnson, the affect of environmental marine health on reproductive outcomes and drug therapy during a pregnancy.

National Standard for Normal Fetal Growth Study

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 -214:-224:-243 EST

Dr. Roger Newman is principal investigator for the national Standard for Normal Fetal Growth study at MUSC. Sponsored by the NIH, this new study will allow for a better determination of normal fetal growth based on individual maternal and fetal variables using ultrasounds instead of the previous standard of fundal height.

Pregnancy: Consumption of Fish

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 -215:-27:-234 EST

While fish in known to be important in the diets of pregnant women, there is a limit on how much fish is safe for the fetus. There is currently debate over the optimal amount of fish pregnant women should consume.

Heart Health: Links to Pregnancy and Delivery

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Wed, 3 Jun 2009 -216:-212:-244 EST

Factors that affect a woman's reproductive health can also have an effect on her heart, new research shows. Giving birth prematurely or delivering a small-for-gestational-age baby is associated with a later risk of cardiovascular disease in the mother. Another study found that when women's ovaries were removed and the estrogen was not replaced through hormone therapy, a woman's overall risk of dying increased, as did her risk of dying of heart disease or stroke.

Diabetes and Pregnancy: Links with Depression

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Wed, 13 May 2009 -211:-27:-253 EST

Low-income women with diabetes who are pregnant or who recently gave birth face almost twice the risk of depression compared to women without diabetes. Furthermore, women who had never been depressed before appeared to be at risk, too.

Nutrition: Nursing Mothers and Proper Nutrition

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Tue, 1 Jul 2008 -29:-240:-27 EST

Registered dietician Kristin Crady talks about basic nutrition for nursing mothers, focusing on the importance of added nutrient-rich calories to the normal weight management diet. She provides suggestions for healthy snacks to account for the extra few hundred calories per day advised by dieticians. She concludes this nutrition podcast by addressing the issues of losing pregnancy weight, difficulty with milk supply, and certain foods that may lead to allergies in a nursing baby.

How Smoking Affects Pregnancy

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 -215:-259:-229 EST

Dr. Jill Mauldin explains how smoking during pregnancy places a baby at risk for developmental problems.

Pregnancy: Gestational Diabetes and Dietary Guidelines

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Tue, 20 May 2008 -210:-29:-259 EST

Abby Van der Veer, a registered dietician who specializes in dietary counseling for pregnant women, offers advice for women with gestational diabetes. She emphasizes the importance of tight control of blood sugar as a protective measure for the fetus as well as the mother. Ms. Van der Veer recommends avoidance of drinks with excess sugar and suggests better alternatives.

Pregnancy: Dietary Counseling

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Tue, 20 May 2008 -29:-255:-29 EST

Abby Van der Veer, a registered dietician who specializes in dietary counseling for pregnant women, talks about typical scenarios in which counseling is required. She lays out specific guidelines for what women should and should not eat when pregnant. To conclude this nutrition podcast, she also notes the importance of avoiding alcohol during pregnancy.

Infertility: Female Factor Infertility and Donor Eggs

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 -214:-247:-259 EST

Director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at MUSC, Dr. John Schnorr, talks about female infertility due to the inability to produce a viable egg. He emphasizes the importance of egg quality for embryo quality and, thus, for successful pregnancy. In this pregnancy podcast, Dr. Schnorr discusses the option of using a donor egg to increase the chance of pregnancy. He outlines the process of obtaining and implanting a donor egg, and he explains the vast increase in success rates for infertile couples who opt to use a donor egg.

Infertility: Evaluation and Treatment of Female Infertility

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 -214:-242:-29 EST

Dr. John Schnorr, Director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at MUSC, discusses the evaluation process for female infertility. He offers specifics regarding evaluative testing, noting that women no longer have to undergo surgical procedures as part of this process. Dr. Schnorr also goes over steps for infertility treatment, touching upon various treatment options. He concludes this pregnancy podcast by recalling a remarkable success story from his personal experience as an infertility specialist.

Infertility: Evaluation of Couples with Infertility

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 -214:-236:-233 EST

Dr. John Schnorr, Director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at MUSC, begins this pregnancy podcast by defining infertility. He explains the evaluation process for identifying both male- and female-factor causes for infertility. Dr. Schnorr also addresses the difficult emotional experience and sense of vulnerability experienced by couples dealing with infertility. He concludes by talking about the high rate of successful pregnancy for those couples who undergo infertility treatment.

Anesthesia: Pain Relief During Labor

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 -210:-219:-214 EST

Dr. Latha Hebbar, a specialist in obstetrical anesthesia, talks about both pharmacological and non-pharmacological options for pain relief during labor. She focuses on epidural anesthesia, offering the pros and cons of this method. In this anesthesia podcast, Dr. Hebbar also compares epidural versus spinal anesthetics and notes various conditions which would prevent a woman from receiving either. She concludes by discussing potential side effects of labor anesthetics, emphasizing the rarity of any such complications.

Vitamin D: Research at MUSC

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Tue, 5 Feb 2008 -214:-239:-257 EST

In this podcast Dr. Carol Wagner, an expert in the area of infant nutrition, describes her research on vitamin D in pregnant and lactating women. Dr. Wagner notes that vitamin D deficiency is linked with many diseases that occur later in adulthood, emphasizing the importance of proper vitamin D levels during pregnancy and in the infancy period.

Breast Feeding: Benefits and Guidelines

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Tue, 5 Feb 2008 -214:-227:-222 EST

Dr. Carol Wagner, an expert in the area of infant nutrition, identifies some of the significant benefits of breast milk, which consists of living cells unique for signaling the infant immune system and gastrointestinal tract. In this neonatology podcast, she explains the ideal time frame for breast feeding, noting that various factors affect what works for each individual mother. Dr. Wagner additionally covers the topic of maternal nutrition, including the issue of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, during lactation.

Genetic Counseling: Advice for Prospective Parents

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 -214:-24:-242 EST

Ms. Sally Shields, the supervisor of genetic counseling for the Prenatal Wellness Center at MUSC, talks about important measures for women to take in order to reduce the likelihood of birth defects. She notes that South Carolina has the highest rate in the United States for certain birth defects, pointing to the importance of folic acid supplements from the beginning of pregnancy. She additionally discusses who is a good candidate for preconception genetic testing.

Genetic Counseling: Delivering Bad News

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 -214:-21:-247 EST

Ms. Sally Shields, the supervisor for genetic counseling at MUSC, discusses how genetic counselors deliver results of genetic testing for a baby found to have chromosomal abnormality. She talks about the importance of making preparations for a baby that has been diagnosed with a lethal abnormality and also touches upon the support provided by the genetic counseling and delivery teams at MUSC.

Genetic Counseling: The Role of Genetic Counselors

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 -213:-256:-22 EST

Ms. Sally Shields, the supervisor for genetic counseling at MUSC, explains who sees a genetic counselor and what genetic counseling involves. She describes how risk figures are determined and notes various methods of testing women may undergo to determine whether a baby has a chromosomal abnormality. Ms. Shields also discusses the importance of genetic counselors in helping women deal with their tests results and subsequent decisions.

Childbirth: Anesthesia During Delivery

muschlth@musc.edu (Medical University of South Carolina) — Tue, 8 Jan 2008 -212:-221:-240 EST

Dr. Laura Goetzl, a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine, discusses anesthesia during labor and delivery, pointing out that most women have epidural analgesia to relieve pain during childbirth. She talks about newer combined spinal-epidural techniques as compared with traditional epidural analgesia.