Early Pushing in Childbirth Won't Hurt Mom or Baby, Study Finds

TUESDAY, Oct. 9, 2018 -- Expectant moms will want to read this.

Pushing sooner during childbirth is just as safe for most women and babies as pushing later, researchers report.

Flu Shot in Pregnancy Lowers Risk of Flu Hospitalization

THURSDAY, Oct. 11, 2018 -- The flu shot reduces a pregnant woman's risk of hospitalization for flu by 40 percent, new research shows.

"Expecting mothers face a number of threats to their health and the health of their baby during pregnancy, and getting the flu is one of them," said study co-author Allison Naleway, of Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, in Portland, Ore.

AHA: What's a Dangerous Level of Blood Pressure in Pregnancy?

MONDAY, Sept. 10, 2018 (American Heart Association) -- High blood pressure rates could nearly double in women of childbearing age if the latest guidelines are used, according to a new study. But researchers say more investigation is needed to see if those lower blood pressure targets in pregnant women are safe -- or effective.

The study, published Sept. 10 in the journal Hypertension, set out to see how reproductive-age women would be impacted by the blood pressure guidelines released last November from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. Those guidelines lowered the threshold for high blood pressure in adults to 130/80. Guidelines for pregnant women set by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists define high blood pressure as 140/90.

Working Out After Baby

FRIDAY, Aug. 10, 2018 -- Losing weight about 6 months after giving birth lowers a woman's risk of being overweight in the future.

The best strategy to get back to pre-baby weight is a combination of diet and exercise, rather than diet alone. That's because exercise boosts heart health and helps preserve muscle when you're limiting calorie intake. It also takes more calories to maintain muscle than to maintain fat, which means you'll burn more even at rest.

Are More U.S. Women Using Pot to Ease Morning Sickness?

MONDAY, Aug. 20, 2018 -- A substantial number of pregnant women may be turning to marijuana to ease morning sickness, a new study suggests.

The study of more than 220,000 pregnant women found that more than 5 percent had recently used marijuana. And it was more common among women who'd been suffering from morning sickness.