Taking the epilepsy drug topiramate alone or along with other epilepsy drugs during pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a study published in the July 22, 2008, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Research has shown that many epilepsy drugs increase the risk of birth defects, but little research has been done on topiramate. Studies have shown that topiramate increases the risk of birth defects in animals. Maintaining effective epilepsy treatment during pregnancy is crucial because seizures may cause harm to the fetus. For the study, researchers examined women who became pregnant while taking topiramate either on its own or along with other epilepsy drugs. Of 178 babies born, 16 had major birth defects. Three of these were in infants whose mothers were taking only topiramate, and 13 were in those whose mothers were taking topiramate and other epilepsy drugs.

Ivy had been eating tuna sushi almost every day. But before becoming pregnant, she wisely had a checkup, which revealed high levels of mercury in her blood that could damage a fetus. Shocked, she stopped eating tuna and postponed pregnancy until the mercury had cleared her system. Last month she gave birth to a full-term healthy boy. Mercury from eating certain kinds of seafood is just one of many nutrition-related hazards that can confront a pregnant woman or one who wishes to become pregnant. At the same time, some pregnant women worry needlessly about nonexistent nutritional risks. The March of Dimes, which strives to make every pregnancy as well-planned and successful as Ivy's, is making a new push to dispel nutritional misinformation and replace it with advice based on solid scientific evidence. Some of the advice may come as a distressing surprise to women, who may be fond of foods or drinks that could endanger their pregnancy.

The onset and degree of pregnancy symptoms will vary within women. Many women experience them within days of conception, others take a few weeks before pregnancy symptoms kick in and a lucky few feel no discomfort at all. The early pregnancy symptoms listed here generally can be felt once implantation occurs (8 - 10 days from ovulation) and will lessen after the first trimester. It is frustrating to realize that many pregnancy symptoms are very similar to those that occur right before menstruating. However, combined with high temperatures and a longer luteal phase - they are key indications that you are pregnant! Nausea and Vomiting * Nausea and vomiting may come as early as a week into the pregnancy. Many women experience illness in the morning (morning sickness), some in the afternoon or evening, others feel nausea throughout the entire day.

There's a lot more to getting pregnant than just having intercourse sometime in the middle of your cycle and hoping that it will happen. I learned this the hard way. When I was trying to conceive, I found out that there was a lot that I didn't know. Which led me to making a lot of big mistakes which were actually preventing me from getting pregnant. For one thing, I had the timing all wrong. I thought I ovulated 14 days after the start of my period, but later learned that this is a big mistake that many women make. For most women, ovulation does not occur 14 days after their period starts even though many women think this is true.