Archive for pregnancy
After complex heart surgery, Yah’ir is all smiles
Christina Moreland and Jimmy Austin want their 6-month-old son, Yah’ir, to have a bright future, one where he can pursue all of his dreams. “He can do whatever he wants to do,” Christina says. There’s just one caveat, an understandable one considering that Yah’ir is recovering from complex heart surgery. “As long as he doesn’t ... Read More
Remember these seven things before bringing your newborn home from the hospital
Congratulations, you just had a baby! Now what? Whether it’s your first, second, or eighth child, the initial weeks of life with a newborn can be a sleep-deprived blur. Hopefully, your first few days postpartum come with the support of knowledgeable, compassionate nurses and hospital staff. So before being discharged home with your bundle of ... Read More
Pregnant mothers who get COVID-19 vaccines are also protecting their babies
Recent studies have shown that COVID-19 vaccination is safe for expectant mothers and can protect them against infection, severe illness, and death from COVID-19. We also know that mothers vaccinated during pregnancy pass coronavirus antibodies to their babies. The latest research — drawing on 30 children’s hospitals in 22 states — now confirms that vaccinating ... Read More
More than the blues: Navigating postpartum depression
Whether you’ve given birth to your first child or you’re adding a member to your growing family, childbirth is a profound experience. After that, caring for a newborn is a round-the-clock endeavor — even if you’re prepared. The transition from pregnancy to parenthood is called the postpartum period. For insight on what parents can expect ... Read More
A legend for Zora: How genomic testing provides answers in the face of grief
So often after a perinatal loss, parents are left with uncertainty about what caused their baby’s death and the haunting question, “what if.” To help grieving families find answers to these questions, Dr. Monica Wojcik and her colleagues in the Division of Newborn Medicine are conducting genomic autopsies to learn if and what genetic factors ... Read More
Jada’s story: After cloacal exstrophy repair, an unexpected gift
Koda Wilder Ladchuk was born slightly premature, healthy, and happy. But this isn’t just a story about 4-month-old Koda. It’s also a story about his mother, Jada, and an incredible outcome no one could have predicted — not even Jada herself. Jada, now 25, was born with cloacal exstrophy (also known as OEIS syndrome), a ... Read More
Ten questions to ask when choosing a pediatrician for your family
Selecting a pediatrician is an important decision and one that parents shouldn’t take lightly. Pediatricians specialize in caring for children from birth until young adulthood, so families maintain a relationship with their pediatrician (and their practice) for years. Your pediatrician will quickly become your partner and advisor when caring for your child. Your pediatrician will ... Read More
Therapy developed at Boston Children’s stops preeclampsia before it starts
Preeclampsia occurs in about 3 to 5 percent of all pregnancies. Characterized by very high maternal blood pressure, it can lead to serious, sometimes fatal, complications in both mother and baby. In severe cases, early delivery is often the only effective treatment, usually before the baby’s lungs are fully developed. Researchers within the Division of ... Read More
How does the placenta protect unborn babies from COVID-19?
Evidence has shown that pregnancy is a risk factor for severe illness in women with COVID-19. A recent CDC study reviewed case reports of approximately 400,000 women aged 15 to 44 with symptomatic COVID-19. Those who were pregnant had a roughly tripled likelihood of ICU admission and invasive ventilation and 70 percent higher mortality. Yet ... Read More