It’s a heartbreaking statistic—about 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage. Just because pregnancy loss is common, however, doesn’t mean it’s easy to process. “Perinatal loss can feel like psychological jujitsu to work through,” says Julia Riddle, MD, a UNC Health psychiatrist with a focus in reproductive mental health. Dr. Riddle and UNC Health OB-GYN…
Editor’s note: This article originally ran June 14, 2021, and was updated January 26, 2023. Part of living through a pandemic is the reality that doctors and researchers learn about the virus in real time. Recommendations change and knowledge evolves. Thankfully for pregnant women, the answer to an earlier question has become clear: Should pregnant…
Are you wondering if you’re too old to have a baby? More women are waiting to start a family, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The median age of mothers giving birth in the U.S. now is 30. The number of women ages 35 to 39 giving birth increased by 67 percent from 1990 to…
Most of us have heard of the “baby blues,” but did you know that many moms-to-be face mental health challenges that start while they’re expecting? Anxiety and depression are the two most common psychological disorders that arise during pregnancy, says UNC Health psychiatrist Mary Kimmel, MD. She shares how pregnant women can be vigilant about prioritizing…
During pregnancy, your body is working overtime to sustain you and your growing baby. Even a simple task like going to the grocery store can feel like an Olympic sport. With your body going through so many changes and tiring more easily, is it safe to exercise during pregnancy? Absolutely, says Mary Hale, a certified…
When you’re pregnant, it’s easy to adopt the mindset that you’re eating for two and can indulge in any food, any time you want. But experts say that approach may not be the best for you or your baby. UNC Health registered dietitian Natalie Newell shares how to eat healthy before, during and after pregnancy.…
Being pregnant is never easy, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brings new challenges to pregnant mothers, who are considered to be a high-risk group. This means that if infected, pregnant women are more likely to be hospitalized and require ventilation, and their risk of preterm birth increases. Besides health concerns for mothers and…
You’re pregnant! Congrats! You might be feeling excitement, anxiety, joy, trepidation or all of the above. That’s normal. Not only are you on the verge of a new chapter in life—especially if this baby will be your first—but it also seems there is so much to keep track of in those approximately 40 weeks of…
Though not everyone talks about it openly, marijuana and related products like CBD (cannabidiol, one of the active ingredients in marijuana) are a big topic in the world of motherhood. While there is limited research available on what effect marijuana has on a baby in utero, researchers and physicians warn against its use by moms-to-be.…
Today, obstetricians have many tools at their disposal to learn important information about the health of a baby. Most people are familiar with ultrasounds, in which a technician runs a wand over the belly to pick up high-frequency sound waves and make an image of the developing baby. But moms-to-be might be surprised that much…
When Nicole Starling was 18 weeks pregnant, she found out she was having a girl. And she learned that her baby girl had myelomeningocele, the most severe form of spina bifida, a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly. “At first, we were super excited to hear we were…
Pregnancy can be a very exciting and rewarding time in a woman’s life, but for the 1 in 5 women who experience a mental illness—including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions—it might also bring new challenges. We talked to Mary Kimmel, MD, medical director of UNC’s Perinatal Psychiatry Inpatient Unit about pregnancy,…
