DHA and neural tube closure: more to the story than just folic acid
Supplementing with folic acid in the first trimester has become ingrained in the consciousness of pregnant women, who need adequate folate stores to reduce the chance of neural tube defects in the...
View ArticleThyroid function in pregnancy – more than miscarriage prevention
As I talk about the My Healthy Pregnancy Plan cheat sheet and webinar, adequate thyroid function plays a critical role in preventing miscarriage and supporting a healthy pregnancy. The connection...
View ArticlePhthalates – why you’ll want to avoid these in pregnancy
My pregnant patients – in my clinic and through my online program – are often concerned about chemical exposure during pregnancy. A new study has highlighted the importance of decreasing exposure to...
View ArticlePCOS and pregnancy: treating the challenges beyond conception
In my clinic in Whitehorse, I treat many women with PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome), where high insulin levels throw off hormone levels – in particular increased testosterone, which leads to...
View ArticleInositol in pregnancy – finally some quality research!
Inositol is a B-vitamin-like substance with documented benefits to blood-sugar regulation, PCOS management (including promoting ovulation) and alleviating low mood and anxiousness, by improving the...
View ArticleBoosting Vitamin-D dose post-partum
Living in Northern Canada, I feel like I am constantly talking about Vitamin D. The importance of this super vitamin, however, is not limited simply to women who are living above the 60th parallel!...
View ArticleSexual function in the post-partum period
Regaining libido in the post-partum period is certainly a hot topic – whether or not it’s openly discussed between partners or with their care providers. Resuming physical intimacy is not typically...
View ArticleThyroid function and post-partum depression: the importance of testing TPO...
Thyroid function is a recurring theme in women’s health that is thankfully becoming better understood, especially in the pregnancy and post-partum periods. I’ve discussed its role in both miscarriage...
View ArticleCigarette exposure during pregnancy – reducing risk and boosting resilience
The research on cigarette smoking in pregnancy is loud and clear: smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of pre-term delivery, low-birth-weight babies and stillbirth, amongst other complications....
View ArticleGot pregnant? Get fit!
The 2019 Canadian Exercise Guidelines are just out, and as expected they are highly supportive of exercising throughout pregnancy – including aerobic exercise, strength training, and pelvic floor...
View ArticleThe connection between leaky gut and recurrent miscarriage
Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a devastating experience that can leave women seeking answers to identify the cause of their miscarriages. While endocrine factors such as thyroid and progesterone...
View ArticlePregnancy weight gain and atopic disease in infants
Optimal weight gain in pregnancy is a hot topic – arguments abound on risks of gaining too little in pregnancy, and conversely on the risks of gaining too much. I generally encourage my pregnant...
View ArticleReduce asthma risk for smoke-exposed infants… with Vitamin C
A few weeks ago I wrote this post on the importance of supplementing smoking-exposed pregnant women with methylated folate (B9) and B12 to reduce the risk of recurrent miscarriage, pre-eclampsia and...
View ArticleWater: the “official drink of choice” during pregnancy – for baby’s heart health
To the cheers of many health practitioners, Canada’s new and much improved Food Guide boldly recommends that Canadians of all ages and stages “replace sugary drinks with water” as their “drink of...
View ArticleLowering risk of BV infection in pregnant women of African descent – with...
Any vaginal infection in pregnancy is concerning, and bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnancy puts women at particularly increased risk for premature rupture of membranes (when the bag of waters breaks...
View ArticleThe (very) long-term benefits of fish oil supplementation in pregnancy
Supplementing a pregnant mother’s diet with essential fatty acids – particularly DHA – holds a host of benefits for the developing fetus, such as brain and eye development, and even reducing neural...
View ArticleLong-term liver health and breast-feeding mothers
In my last post I flagged promising new research linking decreased fatty liver in adult males to their mothers’ consumption of fish oil during pregnancy. Now a second study focuses on supporting mom’s...
View ArticleMelatonin and uterine contractions – potential new strategies for initiating...
Living in the Yukon, where the seasonal variations in light are drastic, my patients and I are very aware of the extent to which light exposure affects melatonin concentrations and sleep quality....
View ArticlePool walking and kidney function in pregnancy – why you’ll want to hop in!
Exercising in the pool has long been a favourite of pregnant women, as the buoyancy of the water takes the weight of tired hips and knees, resulting in a rare and relieving feeling of weightlessness....
View ArticlePregnancy stress and the newborn microbiome
Managing stress in pregnancy is a priority for a number of different reasons – from future behavioural issues to risk of developing diabetes – as I discuss further in this post, and in my online...
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