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Amniocentesis and CVS – What’s the Difference?

November 20, 2018 by admin

As our understanding of genetic disorders and the technology necessary to detect them early progresses, the care offered to pregnant women is also changing. Today women undergo much more testing during pregnancy than ever before. This commonly includes non-invasive prenatal testing, which only requires a blood sample from the mother and informs parents of the likelihood that their child could be born with certain genetic disorders.

If you have received an inconclusive or positive result from an initial prenatal blood test, you may be scared and confused. It’s important to remember that a prenatal blood test does not indicate a certainty. Your doctor will likely recommend additional tests to confirm and diagnose your unborn child’s condition. Two of the most commonly recommended prenatal diagnostic tests are amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS). What is the difference between the two?

Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is a prenatal diagnostic test that is usually performed between the 15th and 20th weeks of pregnancy. This procedure involves using an ultrasound to guide a thin, hollow needle through the abdomen of the mother and into the amniotic sac. The needle will then remove just enough amniotic fluid necessary to test for abnormalities.

Discomfort during and after amniocentesis is minimal. Some women elect for a local anesthetic, but many do not. After the procedure, you may experience very mild pains that can be treated with over-the-counter pain medication, as recommended by your doctor. Plan to rest and avoid any strenuous physical activity for at least 48 hours after the test. If you experience any severe abdominal pain, bleeding, fever or other serious symptoms following the procedure, you should alert your doctor as soon as possible. There is a very slight risk of miscarriage associated with an amniocentesis (less than 1%), but the results can have a significant impact on planning for future healthcare for your baby if they have a diagnosis requiring special medical attention.

The results of amniocentesis should be available within four weeks of the procedure. This test is usually around 99.4% accurate in detecting chromosomal abnormalities in utero. You will likely be required to meet with a genetic counselor to go over the results. They will be able to give you a better idea of how likely it is that your child will be born with a particular disorder, how the results will impact your care during the remainder of the pregnancy, and if the result is positive, what you can do to prepare for the future medical care of your baby.

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)

Chorionic villus sampling is a test that is usually performed between the 10th and 14th weeks of pregnancy. This procedure involves taking cells from a pregnant woman’s placenta (chorionic villus) to test for potential genetic abnormalities in the fetus. There are two ways that this sample can be taken: transcervically (through the cervix), or transabdominally (through the vagina). Before the procedure, the mother will undergo an ultrasound to verify the age of the fetus and the positioning of the placenta for the procedure. During the procedure, a hollow needle will be inserted into the uterus (via the abdomen or through the cervix, via the vagina) to remove chorionic villus cells from the placenta to send for testing.

Your doctor may use a local anesthetic to numb the area prior to sampling. Following the procedure, you may experience light vaginal bleeding and cramping, but any other more serious side effects should be reported immediately to your doctor. Chorionic villus sampling has a slightly higher risk of miscarriage, but it’s still quite low (around 0.22% chance of miscarriage). The results of the test should be available within a week of the study, and are generally 98-99% accurate. There is a possibility that you receive a false positive or need additional testing after CVS. Your doctor or genetic counselor will be able to better advise what course of action to take following testing.

Speak with Your Doctor

If you have additional questions about prenatal testing, or are looking for guidance after receiving your results, speak with your doctor or make an appointment with a genetic counselor. They will be able to answer your questions, make recommendations, and help you to coordinate the necessary future care for your child.

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Yummy Fall Foods

November 10, 2018 by admin

The appearance of fall brings about more than just cooler weather and foliage. With fall come seasonal foods that we all enjoy. Here are a few of the foods that make great fall dishes.

Apples

It is true that apples are available all year round, but they are more connected to the fall season. On a chilly day, a great way to warm yourself is with a serving of warm apple cider. One sip of this yummy beverage and you will instantly warm up. In addition to being the main ingredient of a tasty beverage, apples can also be turned into a topping for homemade biscuits. Apple butter is a delicious spread that can be applied to toast or warm, homemade biscuits.

Apples not only help to make tasteful treats, they also can be used in Halloween games. Bobbing for apples is a game that is played by filling a large tub with water and adding apples to it. The apples will float in the water and allow players to catch them with the teeth. The person that catches the most apples with their teeth wins the game.

Pears

Apples are not the only fruit associated with fall; pears are also considered to be autumn’s fruit. These delicious fruits can be eaten raw or prepared with other ingredients. Pears are great for making preserves and canning them for the colder months.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins are deeply connected to the fall weather thanks to Halloween and Thanksgiving. During Halloween, pumpkins are gutted and carved into Jack-O-lanterns. Creating Jack-O-Lanterns are a great way to release your creativity and to spend time with the family. Once the Jack-O-Lantern is created, a light is placed in the inside and the world will be able to see your creation.

Some people throw away the pulp and seeds inside of pumpkins while making a jack-o-lantern, while others save the pulp and seeds in order to create delish treats. The seeds of the pumpkins can be roasted and turned into on-the-go snacks. In addition to roasted pumpkin seeds being a favorite treat, these snacks are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins which also allow them to be a healthy snack.

The pulp of the pumpkin can be used to make pumpkin pies. Just add a couple of ingredients such as all-purpose flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and you will have created a tasty treat.

The meat of the pumpkin can also be used to create fall drinks. A pumpkin spice latte is a tasty drink that can help to wake you up in the morning. You can also get Spiced pumpkin puree to make a delicious fall beverage.

Sweet Potatoes

Pumpkin pie is not a Thanksgiving favorite for everyone. Some people enjoy the taste of sweet potatoes over pumpkins. Sweet potato pies are also a tradition for Thanksgiving and the fall season. Sweet potatoes have their own sweetness so you can bake them and enjoy them as a healthy snack. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A and C, calcium, and potassium. Other items can be added to the sweet potato in order add more flavor to them. Nutmeg can add a more distinct taste to your sweet potato, just sprinkle some on the baked snack and enjoy.

Cauliflower

The season of fall is not just associated with fruits, but vegetables as well. Cauliflower is a vegetable that is mostly associated with the fall season. These white vegetables are usually looked over because people view them as being plain and lacking taste. Cauliflower can be a healthy alternative to mashed potatoes. You can mash cauliflower until it reaches almost the same consistency of mashed potatoes. Mashed cauliflowers are healthier than mashed potatoes because they have fewer calories and they are a great source of vitamin C.

Brussel sprouts

Another vegetable that is connected to the fall season is Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts have gotten a horrible reputation in the past. Brussels sprouts are often given the description of a distasteful vegetable. You can steam or roast them and add salt, pepper, or other spices to the vegetable. If you prefer a sweeter taste from the Brussels sprouts, try roasting them and adding olive oil, salt, and pepper to them. This method of preparing Brussels sprouts can help to release the natural sweetness of the vegetable. Brussels sprouts are not only a tasty dish, but they also help to protect your body against vitamin A and iron deficiency.

How To Get The Most Value Out Of Your Clothing

November 7, 2018 by admin

For many people, clothing is a huge investment. Quality-made clothing, if taken care of correctly, can last for many years. Since there are many classic styles of apparel that will be fashionable again and again, it’s both cost-effective and environmentally friendly to make your clothes last as long as possible. Here are a few things you can do to keep your clothing looking like new over the years.

Organize Your Clothes

Of course, you have different clothes for a variety of occasions. While you probably spend the most money on work and dress attire, you still have a sizable investment in casual wear and intimates. Since you usually pick up the most dirt in casual clothes, you certainly wouldn’t want to wear your more expensive clothes while doing those casual-wear chores like cleaning or yard work. Different clothes are cleaned differently, so you always want to wear the appropriate clothing for the right task to optimize their longevity.

Eliminate The Dirt

There is a reason aprons were invented. There’s nothing wrong with wearing protective gear to protect your clothes. Some stains like grease or other cooking splatters can be next to impossible to remove. Even when working outside, it might be a good idea to wear some knee pads or other gear to protect your clothes from those hard-to-clean stains. Perspiration stains can be especially troublesome for some people and are one of the worse stains to get out of clothing. Excessive sweating, axillary hyperhidrosis, is a problem for many people. Luckily, there are some new products on the market like Qbrexza that can help with this issue. Reducing the amount of dirt and grime that can get on your clothing in the first place can help a lot with keeping them looking like new.

Use The Right Cleaning Method

Pay attention to those tags that are on every piece of clothing that you buy. They will tell you exactly how to clean the garment. Sometimes dry cleaning is a must. While the cost of dry cleaning can be a deterrent, its best to follow the cleaning instructions on the tag to maintain the integrity of the clothing. You also want to use the right cleaners and soaps. Unfortunately, cheaper detergents and softeners can actually harm your clothes causing them to fade or wear out early. You will find that spending a little extra money on laundry soap and softeners will extend the life of your clothes. You can even make your own eco-friendly detergent which will work very effectively while not adding any unwanted pollutants to the environment.

Safely Store Seasonal Clothes

Especially if you live in a seasonal environment where the temperatures can vary a great deal, you will want to store clothes in a safe place if you aren’t wearing them for a few months. Even in the cleanest of houses, pollutants can get into the air and will compromise the quality of clothing if it’s not protected. Regular use and cleaning will protect the clothes that you are wearing regularly. Make sure to store your other clothes in chests or sealed bins to keep them clean and safe.

Make Sure Your Clothes Fit Correctly

Of course, it’s a little depressing when you take those jeans out of storage from last year and they seem a little tight. It happens. Our bodies will change over the course of time. But that doesn’t mean you have to toss the jeans. Keep them as a goal for losing weight. Just don’t squeeze yourself into them to make you feel better. Not only will you be uncomfortable and not look your best, but you will also damage the seams and other areas of your clothing making both their look and durability fade much quicker.

There you have it! Five easy ways to make your clothes last longer. Just remember, always buy quality. Some clothes are made to fall apart no matter how well you take care of them. It’s worth spending a little extra money to save money in the long run. If you buy a quality garment and take care of it following the manufacturer’s recommendations, your clothes will last for many years.

Gift a Portrait Painting this Festive Season

October 31, 2018 by admin

Finally that time of the year has arrived whose arrival we have been anxiously awaiting.

It is the time of joy and wonder, of merriment and some great memories of compassion and togetherness.

Celebrate this festive season by creating new and cherishing old memories by getting a portrait painting done.

Giving and receiving gifts has been a pivotal part of the festivities since as long as one can remember.

It can at times be a strenuous and time consuming task.

Getting a painted portrait by turning pictures to paint is a great way to remind yourself and the people around you how important they are to you.

Art has always fascinated people and can be a great stimulus for the mind and soul.

It has and will always be a great way to portray a plethora of different emotions.

Turn photo to painting and gift it to your near and dear ones as a fitting tribute for all the love, compassion and affection that you have received from them.

Let them sink into that nostalgic feeling of those times which shall forever be etched in their hearts and minds.

A portrait painting is an awesome gifting option as it is something which posses an artistic and creative touch to it.

It is certainly a great way to redefine a memoir and make it more stylish and appealing to a larger audience.

Thus you can write a beautiful story on a canvas which is lit up by a painter’s touch and a memory that is very dear to your heart.

With all the options present out there I would certainly recommend PortraitFlip as one of the best sites to procure your painted portraits.

They offer you a wide variety of mediums to choose from such as charcoal portrait, oil portrait, watercolor portrait and more.

Moreover you can also demand a custom acrylic portrait whose dimensions are not limited to your traditional small, medium and huge sizes.

All of the above comes with some really economical prices, what else do you want?

In every person’s life there are those moments which make his/her life worth everything.

Sometimes these moments seem to pass us by in a flash with only a memory of it so as to derive some form of solace from it.

Turn picture into acrylic painting and convert your fond memories into something intrinsically beautiful.

It is sure to leave the other person in awe and astonishment.

The reason that this painted portrait will be a perfect fit is that the receiver will be able to connect to it on a personal level, something which very few things in our life can boast about.

A gift is usually just a reflection of our innate desires and characteristics as a human being.

It transcends our innermost passions into something objective.

Time can be a shrewd thing which can blaze past you when things are going in your favor and seem to move ever so slowly when nothing is going in your favor.

Thus festivals are a celebration of traditions and most importantly virtues like love, compassion, gratitude and a sense of unity.

Remembering our blessing can thus be a great way to increase our gratitude and appreciation for life.

An acrylic portrait painting is the perfect way to do this.

One is bound to be filled with renewed appreciation for life as he views this painted portrait every day.

Ultimately the main motive of the festive season and life in general is to strengthen and renew old bonds while creating new ones.

10 Apps That Make Parenting Easy

October 31, 2018 by admin

Ah modern technology — definitely the best thing to happen to us humans since the invention of fire and the wheel. Most of the tasks we do today cannot be achieved without the help of automated, smart devices we installed in our home and office. It is so easy to learn about how to repair minor car problems or cook the perfect roast chicken just by making a quick search using our mobiles and ultra-fast Internet connection.

It is meant to improve our lives and become an invaluable resource for information. But it has become increasingly helpful for parents concerned about the health and happiness of their kids. There are tons of apps for anything you can think of, and even more so when it comes to parenting.

If you are a parent, here are some of best parenting apps you can download on your new iPad or smartphone to make life easier.

ChoreMonster

For the parent who finds it difficult to ask kids to do their chores, this is the app for you. You can input the chores you want each child to do daily and keep track of it. They can earn points for each chore they finish, which you can reward depending on how many they go for the week.

Baby Connect

You can organise your baby’s schedule with the doctor, feeding time, and even when you need to put them to sleep using the Baby Connect app. Other than keeping track of the schedule, you can easily share the information saved in the app with their doctor and with your partner.

Cloud Baby Monitor

Cloud Baby Monitor allows you to sync two Apple devices so these can function as a receiver and a transmitter. The transmitter is your baby monitor which gives you a live feed of your baby in the other room. It will not only record videos and sound, but it will also send you motion alerts. If you do not have a device yet, you can get a new iPad or any device from stores like Harvey Norman to help you.

Talkspace

An app that puts the parent first. Talkspace offers mums and dads an avenue to share their struggles with a licensed therapist. Parenting is not a cake walk, and this app will definitely help parents, especially those are experiencing it for the first time, to cope.

Parenthood by Baby Center

This app allows parents to share tips and tricks with each other using an intuitive interface. You can also use this to track milestones and access helpful resources.

Winnie

An alternative to Parenthood is the Winnie app. Other than a forum where parents can talk to each other, you can also use this app to research schools, schedule playdates with other kids in your area, and find activities you can enjoy as a family. Most schools have digitised learning programmes, so if you want to check out that modern set-up, you can definitely use this app to find these schools. Read up on the “BYOD” scheme here.

Life360

As kids get older, it is going to be even more difficult to keep track of their activities and whereabouts. With the Life360, your kids can “check-in” whenever they arrive in places they need to be, you can check the app for constant updates, and you can set-up a Driver Protect if they have just started driving.

Cozi Family Organizer

Just like Life360, this app helps you organise everyone’s schedule by putting all of your activities for the day and syncing it across all of your devices. You can also create a grocery list which everyone in the family can add to before you go to the supermarket.

Photomath

You will never have to worry about your kids Maths homework with the Photomath app. Simply take a picture of their homework and the app will show you step-by-step instructions on how to solve it.

Scholly

Lastly, Scholly is an app that will help parents look for universities and colleges offering scholarships. You can find the scholarship program that fits your child’s talents and see how you can help them apply for it.

Parents, allow these apps to help you organise your house and ensure the needs of each member of the family, including yours, are being taken cared of.