LilSugar

Would You Take a DNA Test to Determine Your Fertility?

babysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:00:40 -0800

It is a fact of life that women are more physically able to have children at a younger age - hence the biological clock talk. However, today's women are less likely to fall into the role of Donna Reed and take on the homemaker tasks in their early 20s. Instead young ladies are out getting degrees, making a name for themselves in the corporate world and taking the time to enjoy a jaunt or two around the world. While it's wonderful that many women are having fulfilling lives before starting families, it does leave some worried about the future of their fertility because even though the times have changed, biology hasn't much. What has changed is the ability to test one's fertility.

Fearing they may miss out on the window of babymaking opportunities, some ladies are choosing to test their eggs as a sort of crystal ball measurement of their mothering capabilities. While tests like that may offer a glimpse into one's parenting days, there is a decent chance it provides false hope for some while dampening free spirits.

So tell us, would you take a test like this knowing it could change your perspective on life or would you rather go with the unknown as we've done since the beginning of time?

TMI? Woman to Broadcast Baby's Birth on Live TV

TresSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800

It started out as a blogging gig for a moms-to-be site, but 23-year-old Lynsee, a teacher from Minnesota, decided to take it a step further. Along with her mother, husband, and midwife, she's going to have a cameraman film her giving birth while it's broadcast on live television. (No graphic shots, however.)

Although her husband Anders was hesitant at first, he finally agreed to it. "We wanted to share this experience," said Lynsee. "If I were in a classroom, I'd be teaching about development. It was a way for me to teach . . . A way for me to use myself as a textbook."

I find it odd that Lynsee asked to keep her last name private for this news story but is going to have someone film and broadcast to strangers one of the most private experiences of her life. (But maybe that's just me.) Is giving birth on television for strangers to watch TMI?

Babies Having Babies in Bulgaria

babysugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:38 -0800

Sadly teenage pregnancies have become all too common, even trendy in some spots. While movies like Juno make it seem like an American phenomenon, other parts of the world have seen babies having babies for ages. In many countries, the age of consent is as low as 13 or 14. Though it varies by state in America, the average age of consent is 16. So when we hear about an 11-year-old having a daughter, it still shocks the system. When I think of 11-year-olds, I imagine budding girls starting middle school and having their first crush. I think training bras and scrawny legs, not breastfeeding an infant. But that's exactly where one young lady finds herself.

An 11-year-old Bulgarian girl had a daughter in the middle of her wedding festivities. Yes, wedding festivities. The two wanted to tie the knot before the baby's arrival. Apparently it was love at first sight when her 19-year-old fiancé rescued her from a bullying group of lads. The two consecrated their love for each other within a week and unknown to him, she lied about her age so not to scare him off. She immediately became pregnant with his child. Now the two teens are parents to Violeta. The new mommy said, ""I'm not going to play with toys anymore - I have a new toy now."

More Teens Getting Pregnant; Who They Are May Surprise You

TresSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0800

We often hear media stories about teenagers from poor and single-parent homes getting pregnant.

Research conducted for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, however, concludes that only 28 percent of people who reported giving birth or fathering children as teens lived in families with incomes below the federal poverty line, and only 30 percent said they were living with a single parent.

Although teens from poor families headed by single mothers are disproportionately likely to become teen mothers, "teen pregnancy is not limited to a particular racial group or socio-economic status or a particular family structure," says Bill Albert, chief program officer for the National Campaign.

In other words, parents and schools need to be vigilant about teaching teens either to abstain from sex or to have safe sex - even upper-middle-class teens. After 15 years of a decline in teen pregnancy, the number of teens giving birth has gone up in the last couple years. The reason? More sex and less contraception, says Albert, especially because teen boys are less concerned about contracting HIV.

Teens to Text For Morning After Pill in UK - Good or Bad Idea?

TresSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:12:43 -0800

There are more teen pregnancies in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. It might make sense then, that an experiment was conducted at six secondary schools that were considered "pregnancy hotspots" in Oxfordshire. The experiment? Girls from age 11 have been able to text requests for emergency contraception (aka the "morning after pill") if they had unprotected sex or were worried their condoms broke.

Since July, five students (less than one student per school) requested the service. The students don't just get a pill magically at their doorstep afterwards; they get a face-to-face appointment for a full clinical assessment with a nurse. (Incidentally, not one of the five students was deemed eligible after their consultations.)

Not surprisingly, people are divided about this "text-for-pill" trial. Family values groups think it promotes promiscuity among young girls, and those in support of the program want to roll it out to all schools in the county.

Does providing access to emergency contraception (via text and after consultation with health care professionals) to young girls make sense to you?

Pregnancy Weight by the Pound

LilSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:34 -0800

A pregnant woman is expected to gain anywhere from 11 to 40 pounds, depending on her weight before carrying her child. Unless they're breaking records, most babies aren't tipping the scales past 10 pounds so what is causing all the extra weight? Ice cream and pizza aside, we've detailed where expecting mamas can anticipate the extra baggage to come from during those nine blissful months.

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Should Pregnant Drug Users Be Jailed For Endangering the Fetus?

babysugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:51 -0700

Expectant ladies who gulp a glass of wine may get sneers from bystanders but nobody is going to write them up for breaking the law. But what if she was seen snorting a line or shooting up? What should the punishment be, if any? In South Carolina, a drug-taking mommy may go straight to the slammer. The state supreme court has prosecuted pregnant women for harming their unborn child with illegal substances. In an effort to avoid jail time, many pregnant ladies are heading to (self-imposed and otherwise) treatment centers to become clean, which is obviously a good result for the mother and babe. Time behind bars may teach the mom-to-be a lesson about laws but the treatment center may have the better end results.

Do you think drug abusing pregnant women should be prosecuted for endangering the life of their unborn child?

Is Birth More About the Mother or Baby?

LilSugar — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:00:29 -0700

A friend recently told me she was shocked that I had allowed my sisters and sister-in-law into the delivery room when I had my kids. I told her I don't think of birth as a production centered around me and my husband, but rather the baby. Each of my children was lucky enough to be welcomed into the world with their godmother present. While some ladies primp for the occasion, bring a picture to focus on or stock up on their favorite snacks for the hospital stay, I'm usually too preoccupied watching the monitors and coping with contractions. Who do you think the experience is about?
Source: Flickr User madaise

American Apparel Maternity: Ga Ga or Gag?

LilSugar — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:00:14 -0700

Not all expecting mamas are willing to surrender their closet to A Pea in the Pod. Fashion forward ladies can decorate themselves and their bump with American Apparel's edgy and funky maternity clothes - even if the brand is simply labeling belly friendly clothes already in production as "maternity." Regardless, one mama-to-be's dream may be another's worst nightmare. Neon spandex unitard, anyone? So tell us, does the hipster take on pregnancy apparel appeal to you?

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For the Childless, Womb Transplants Are on the Horizon

babysugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:30:28 -0700

Some women have known all their lives that they were meant to be mothers. When nature does not allow for a man and woman to procreate on their own, people can take alternative routes to building their families: adoption, surrogacy, and in vitro fertilization. But for some ladies, it's not enough to take in an orphaned child or even have another woman carry her own flesh and blood. In that case, a womb transplant could be a dream come true and is very likely to become a reality sooner than later.

Scientists in London successfully performed a womb transplant in rabbits, giving hope to the future of human womb transplants. While there are medical issues to be conquered and experiments yet to be performed, the researchers believe the technique will be tested on women within two years. The topic of human reproduction always proves to be a volatile one. Some will argue the world is already overpopulated and there are plenty of children starving for homes. But for those women who crave the desire to be pregnant, the medical procedure could be the answer to their prayers.

What are your thoughts on the scientific advancement?