Search: pregnancy

Newborn baby with cleft lip and palate

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Tips for Caring for Your Baby with a Cleft Lip and Palate

One in 700 babies are born each year with a cleft lip and palate, which means a baby’s lip and mouth do not form properly during pregnancy, creating a “cleft.” A cleft lip happens if the tissue that makes up the lip doesn’t completely join before birth. A cleft palate occurs if the tissue that…

Babies, Plastic Surgery

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half of an orange with a skull and crossbones on it

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When Food Rebels: What You Need to Know About Food Poisoning

We’ve all been there. One minute you’re asleep, and the next you’re jarred awake by severe stomach cramps and nausea. As you stumble to the bathroom, you recall the odd-tasting potato salad you had at your neighbor’s barbecue, and it hits you—you have food poisoning. Food poisoning, or more accurately foodborne illness, affects 48 million…

Infectious Diseases

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Phone all with period tracker displaying (illustration)

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What Cycle Tracking Can Tell You About Your Health

Getting to know your menstrual cycle can help you learn about what’s happening inside your body. There’s more to it than your period, and those additional aspects can provide a wealth of knowledge when it comes to health patterns, possible illnesses and your fertility. We spoke about all things cyclical with Rachel Urrutia, MD, an…

Women's Health

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cellular level of blood in veins with sugar cubes next to red blood cells

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The Different Types of Diabetes, Defined

More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, but there are many misconceptions about what it does to the body, who can get it and how it’s treated. We talked to UNC Health experts to create this explainer. The Disease “Diabetes in all its forms is essentially excess sugar in the bloodstream,” says Deepa Kirk, MD,…

Gestational Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

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graphic rendering of ovaries

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The Ovarian Condition That Causes Skipped Periods and Possible Infe...

A woman missing her period is often a sign that she’s pregnant. But for women who aren’t pregnant and keep skipping periods or have irregular cycles, the reason might be polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS, which affects 1 in 10 women, is a reproductive hormonal imbalance that affects ovulation. Normally, a woman releases an egg…

Hormones and Health, Women's Health

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graphic of blood sugar test

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You Have Prediabetes. Now What?

Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose concentrations—often called blood sugar—are higher than normal but don’t yet meet the criteria for diabetes. However, untreated prediabetes often leads to full-fledged diabetes in five years or less. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 84.1 million American adults have prediabetes, representing about 34 percent…

Diabetes

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painting of woman standing in front of a fan

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Perimenopause: Changes and Symptoms to Expect

You recently blew out candles to celebrate your 45th birthday, and now you’re dealing with hot flashes, irregular periods and vaginal dryness. Welcome to perimenopause, the time in your life—usually in your 40s—when hormones shift as you approach menopause. “We define menopause clinically by the fact that a person has stopped menstruating for at least…

Menopause

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Two glasses of mulled wine with spices, oranges

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Mocktails for the Holidays

Work parties, family gatherings, cookie exchanges … this time of year finds us with full calendars and lots of reasons to celebrate. For many people, that means drinking alcohol. But for those who abstain because of health, pregnancy or personal preference, it’s still possible to enjoy fun, special beverages. Mocktails are like cocktails but without…

Recipes

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Close up of back of legs with spider veins

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6 Things to Know About Varicose Veins

About 20 percent of adults have varicose veins, and most everyone has a spider vein or two. While you may not like the way they look, these bluish, lumpy intrusions are usually harmless. However, for some people, they can be painful and dangerous. We talked to UNC Medical Center vascular specialist William Marston, MD, and…

Heart and Vascular Health

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Young multi-cultural mother breastfeeding her baby

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The Racial Disparity in Breastfeeding

Breast milk provides optimal nutrition for infants, giving them the vitamins, protein and fat they need to grow. Some studies suggest that breastfeeding may even reduce the risk of certain allergic diseases, asthma and obesity in babies, as well as type 2 diabetes in moms. But for minority moms and babies, breastfeeding can pose unique…

Babies, Breastfeeding, Health Disparities

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microscopic view of in vitro fertilization

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Preserving Fertility for Women Undergoing Cancer Treatment

There isn’t an area of life that cancer doesn’t touch, and fertility is no exception. This reality can add a difficult and even heartbreaking dimension to an already stressful experience, but if you’re a woman with cancer, you have options. We spoke with Jennifer Mersereau, MD, director of the Fertility Preservation Program at UNC, about…

Cancer, Fertility

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bottled breast milk next to pill bottles

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Taking Medication While Breastfeeding: What You Need to Know

Being a new mom can be stressful. On top of caring for your newborn, you need to heal physically and emotionally from pregnancy and labor. Sometimes you need medication to feel better. But for women who breastfeed, how do you know which medications are safe for your baby? We talked to UNC maternal-fetal medicine expert…

Breastfeeding

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