Nicki Minaj Nicki Minaj announces she’s pregnant with 1st child

NEW YORK (AP) — Nicki Minaj has a new release coming soon: her first child.

The rapper took to Instagram on Monday to announce she is pregnant, posting photos of herself with a baby bump. One caption simply read: “#Preggers.”

She also wrote on another post, “Love. Marriage. Baby carriage. Overflowing with excitement & gratitude. Thank you all for the well wishes.”

Minaj married Kenneth Petty last year. They first dated as teenagers and reunited in 2018.

Musically, Minaj has also had a winning year, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart twice. Her remix of Doja Cat’s “Say So” helped Minaj achieve her first-ever No. 1 on the Hot 100, despite releasing multiple hits throughout her career. She also reached the top spot with “Trollz,” her collaboration with 6ix9ine.

AP

Celebrity Kylie Jenner announces birth of baby girl

U.S. reality TV star Kylie Jenner announced on Sunday the birth of her child with rapper Travis Scott, after months of rumors surrounding her pregnancy.

The 20-year-old Jenner said in a post on social media platform Instagram that her “beautiful, healthy baby girl” arrived on Feb. 1 and apologized to fans for keeping her pregnancy a secret.

“I‘m sorry for keeping you in the dark through all the assumptions,” Jenner wrote. “I understand you’re used to me bringing you along on all my journeys. My pregnancy was one I chose not to do in front of the world.”

Shortly after her Instagram announcement, she posted an 11-minute video on YouTube about the arrival of her daughter, which ends with a glimpse of the baby’s arm and leg after the delivery.

Jenner’s half-sister Kim Kardashian, 37, and her rapper husband Kanye West announced the birth of their third child on Jan. 16, a girl born to a surrogate. Jenner’s other half-sister Khloe Kardashian, 33, announced in December that she is six months pregnant with her basketball player boyfriend Tristan Thompson.


Jenner, who has parlayed her family’s reality TV show and a 101 million Instagram following into a lucrative cosmetics line, posted a teaser on Instagram to a YouTube video entitled “To Our Daughter,” that shows her in the delivery room just after giving birth, holding her newborn baby.

The arrival of Jenner’s child quickly became the top trending topic on Twitter in the United States, surpassing #SuperBowlSunday just hours before the start of the big game.

Soon after Jenner made the announcement, her mother Kris and sisters Kendall, Kim and Khloe all posted messages of love and support on social media.

Watch Jenner’s YouTube video entitled “To Our Daughter”:

source: interaksyon.com

Labor in tub OK but water births unproven

WASHINGTON — Sitting in a tub of warm water can relieve a mom-to-be's pain during the early stages of labor, but actually giving birth under water has no proven benefit and may be risky, say recommendations for the nation's obstetricians.

There's no count of how many babies in the U.S. are delivered in water, but it is increasingly common for hospitals to offer birthing pools or tubs to help pregnant women relax during labor.

In a report released Thursday, a distinction is made between the two uses, saying that early on immersion may be helpful, as long as some basic precautions are taken.

But there has been little scientific study of underwater delivery, along with a handful of reports over the past decade or so of near-drownings and other risks to the infant, said the joint opinion from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Although complications appear to be rare, the report urges that underwater deliveries be performed only in research studies to settle the questions.

"Laboring in water is not the same as delivering under water," said co-author Dr. Jeffrey Ecker of Harvard University, adding that he's cared for numerous women comforted by immersion during labor.
Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch:

As for delivery, "We want people to do more research," added ACOG committee member Dr. Aaron Caughey of Oregon Health & Science University.

In fact, midwives at Caughey's hospital perform several dozen underwater deliveries a year and are collecting data on how mothers and babies fare, said Cathy Emeis, a certified nurse-midwife at the Oregon university. She cautioned that the numbers are small but so far don't show increased risks.

Pregnant women interested in a water birth at the Oregon facility are required to take a special class and sign a consent form, Emeis said.

"We always acknowledge to our patients that there is not a lot of high-quality evidence that shows there's a benefit to birthing under water," she said.

Thursday's recommendations aren't binding. Birthing in warm water, which proponents say simulates the uterine environment, has been an option for several decades, although more women use it for early labor than delivery, said Tina Johnson of the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

"I don't know that this statement will necessarily change women's desire for that option," said Johnson, whose organization is drafting its own guidelines.

The report recommends that hospitals or birth centers choose low-risk candidates for immersion during labor, keep tubs clean, monitor women appropriately and be able to move them out of the water quickly if a problem occurs.

It says potential risks of underwater delivery include infection, difficulty regulating the baby's body temperature and respiratory distress if the baby inhales water.

source: philstar.com

Simon Cowell’s girlfriend gives birth to boy in New York

NEW YORK | British TV and music mogul Simon Cowell, who had long said fatherhood was not in his plans, welcomed a son on Friday, his representative AnnMarie Thomson said.

The former “American Idol” judge’s girlfriend, Lauren Silverman, gave birth to the 6 pound, 7 ounce (2.9 kilograms) boy in New York. It is her second child and Cowell’s first.

Cowell, 54, who gained fame as an acid-tongued judge on television singing contests in the United States and his native Britain, has never married.

“I’m not brilliant with babies,” Cowell told U.S. magazine Parade last October. “I never know what to do. But (once he’s older) I think I’ll be a good dad in terms of advice.”

Silverman’s pregnancy first came to light last year when her ex-husband filed for divorce in New York and naming Cowell as a co-respondent.

Cowell’s “The X Factor” contest was canceled last week by U.S. broadcaster Fox, and he said that he would return to the judges panel on its UK counterpart amid sagging ratings.

source: interaksyon.com

US study links pollution to autism risk

WASHINGTON DC - Pregnant women who were exposed to high levels of air pollution were twice as likely to have a child with autism as women who lived in low pollution areas, a US study said on Tuesday.

According to experts at Harvard University, the research is the first large national study to examine links between the prevalence of pollution and the development of the developmental disorder.

The findings are published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

"Our findings raise concerns," said lead author Andrea Roberts, a research associate in the Harvard School of Public Health Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

"Depending on the pollutant, 20 percent to 60 percent of the women in our study lived in areas where risk of autism was elevated," she said.

The data came from a large survey of 116,430 nurses that began in 1989.

For the analysis, researchers isolated 325 women who had a child with autism and 22,000 women who had a child without the disorder.

To estimate exposure to pollutants while pregnant, they used air pollution data from the Environmental Protection Agency, and adjusted for factors like income, education, and smoking during pregnancy.

The analysis found that women who lived in locations with the highest levels of diesel particulates or mercury in the air were twice as likely to have a child with autism as those who lived in the areas with the lowest levels.

When the pollutants included lead, manganese, methylene chloride, and combined metal exposure, women in areas with the highest levels of these pollutants were about 50 percent more likely to have a child with autism.

Autism is a brain disorder that affects as many as one in 88 in the United States, and about one in 100 in Britain.

Researchers said the findings suggest that metals and other pollutants should be regularly measured in the blood of pregnant women to give a better understanding of whether certain pollutants increase autism risk.

source: interaksyon.com

Lindsay Lohan: Pregnant, or April Fools' Joke?

Is she pregnant, or only joking?

"Its official. Pregnant…" Lindsay Lohan wrote on Twitter overnight, although the timing of the announcement was certainly suspicious.

If it was an April Fools' joke, it was a late one, posted after midnight ET. Then again, lateness is a Lohan specialty – she was an hour tardy to her crucial court hearing last month, and also missed her flight back to the U.S. from Brazil on Monday.

If it's not a joke and she is indeed expecting, the actress, 26, will be in for an unusual first few months of pregnancy.

She's been ordered to serve 90 days in a rehab center under lock and key – and undergo psychotherapy and perform community service – after pleading no contest to reckless driving and lying to police last June, when she crashed her Porsche.

source: people.com

New study questions vitamin D supplements in pregnancy

PARIS (AFP) - Taking vitamin D supplements in pregnancy seems to make no difference to a child's bone health, in contrast to guidelines in some countries, research published in The Lancet on Tuesday says.

University of Bristol investigators in western England looked at vitamin D levels throughout the pregnancy of nearly 4,000 British women.

They then measured the bone mineral content of the women's children at the age of nine.

They found no association between the mother's vitamin D levels and the health of the children's bones.

source: straitstimes.com

Singer Shakira, soccer star Gerard Pique welcome baby boy

BARCELONA – Singer Shakira gave birth to her first child, a boy, on Tuesday in Barcelona, the Colombian pop star said on her website.

The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer and her boyfriend, the Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique, named the six-pound, six-ounce boy Milan.

“Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn) means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious, and in Sanskrit, unification,” the star said in a statement posted on her website.

“Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth,” the couple joked in a statement. Pique is a defender for Spanish La Liga runner-up FC Barcelona.

Shakira, 35, announced her pregnancy in September after bowing out of a performance in Las Vegas.

The couple last week asked fans to donate gifts such as mosquito nets and vaccines to help needy children in an online baby shower. Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Shakira has signed on to be a judge on the upcoming season of the hit singing contest “The Voice,” which is broadcast by U.S. network NBC. She and R&B singer Usher will replace judges Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green.

The singer fist met Pique, 25, in 2010, but only confirmed that they had been in a relationship in March 2011.

source: interaksyon.com

Epilepsy drug has long-term effect on child IQ - study

PARIS - A drug found to affect the cognitive ability of toddlers born to women who took the medication for epilepsy has a longer-term impact on their IQ, a study said on Wednesday.

Researchers in the United States carried out follow-up tests among the same group of children whose investigation in 2009 led to warning by the US health watchdog about the potential risks of the drug valproate in pregnancy.

The children -- examined at the age of three -- had below-par cognitive skills, which prompted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a warning about its use in pregnancy.

The new research, published in the journal The Lancet Neurology, examined the same children at the age of six.

Children born to mothers who had used valproate in pregnancy had an IQ that was seven to 10 points lower than children whose mothers had used one of three other epilepsy drugs, it found.

The higher the dose of valproate the mother took in pregnancy, the greater the IQ discrepancy. Verbal skills and memory were also affected.

The study, conducted between October 1999 and February 2004, by Kimford Meador at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, covered 305 pregnant women who had been using either valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, or phenytoin.

The first analysis looked at 311 children in the United States and Britain; in the followup at the age of six, it covered 224 of them.

Counteracting measures

However, the study also suggested that IQ may improve with age for infants exposed to any of these drugs.

And by taking folic acid supplements, expectant mothers may improve IQ scores. This is the first time a boost has been shown in a study of pregnant women with epilepsy.

Valproate is, for some people, the only drug that can control their epilepsy, so the findings on dosage and the beneficial effects of folic acid could be useful.

"Valproate usage during pregnancy has a significant negative effect on children's IQ, which lasts beyond their earliest years. IQ at age six is strongly predictive of adult IQ and school performance, so our research suggests that valproate use during pregnancy is likely to have long-term negative effects on a child's IQ and other cognitive abilities," Meador said.

"For many antiepileptic drugs, there is simply no research available on their effects on women and their children during pregnancy, and given that many women do not have the option of stopping medication during pregnancy, more research in this area is urgently needed."

source: interaksyon.com

Confirmed: Jessica Simpson Expecting Second Child

It’s official: the stork is once again headed to Jessica Simpson‘s house!

Just seven months after the singer and actress delivered daughter Maxwell Drew, Simpson and fiancé Eric Johnson are expecting their second child, the couple announced via Twitter Christmas Day.

Amid growing pregnancy speculation online, the Fashion Star mentor, 32, shared a photo of her baby girl wearing holiday pajamas and smiling in the sand atop the words, “BIG SIS.”

“Merry Christmas from my family to yours!” Simpson writes.

Recently, Simpson has been spotted around Los Angeles in loose-fitting clothing. She also appeared, in a figure-hugging black dress, at best friend Cacee Cobb‘s recent wedding to Donald Faison, where she served as maid of honor.

Simpson also had been touting her recent post-pregnancy weight loss of 60 lbs. after starring in commercials for Weight Watchers and working out with celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak.

– Andrea Billups and Sarah Michaud

source: people.com

US abortion rates plummet with free birth control

CHICAGO - Providing free birth control to women and teens in Missouri at high risk of unplanned pregnancies led to a drastic drop in abortion rates and teenage mothers, a study published Thursday found.

If the same results were replicated across the United States, free birth control could prevent 1,060,370 unplanned pregnancies and 873,250 abortions a year.

"The impact of providing no-cost birth control was far greater than we expected in terms of unintended pregnancies," said lead author Jeff Peipert of the Washington University School of Medicine.

A lack of access to reliable birth control is a major factor behind the three million unplanned pregnancies in the United States every year.

Previous studies have found that 49 percent of US pregnancies are unintended. Half result from a failure to use birth control while the other half are due to inconsistent or incorrect use of birth control and contraceptive failure.

President Barack Obama's landmark health reform expanded access by requiring insurance companies to eliminate 'co-pays' on birth control and other health services beginning in August.

But millions of women without insurance still have to pay for their birth control out of pocket.

The Contraceptive CHOICE Project, which was funded by the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, provided counseling and free birth control to 9,256 teenage girls and women in the St. Louis area from 2007 until 2011.

Abortion rates among those women were less than half the regional and national averages: just six per 1,000 participants compared with 20 per 1,000 women nationwide.

The rate of teenage birth among study participants was just 6.3 per 1,000 compared to 34.1 per 1,000 teenagers nationwide.

One reason for the significant improvement is because 75 percent of the women chose to use long-acting methods such as implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs), Peipert said.

These methods are more than 20 times more effective than birth control pills, patches or rings but have a significantly higher up-front cost.

Some doctors are also "overly restrictive," Peipert said, and will not provide IUDs or implants to young women or women who plan to have children at a later date.

The study found women who chose the long acting methods were happier and much more likely to stick with them.

Some 85 percent of the women who chose long acting methods were still using them a year later, while only 55 percent of the study participants who chose birth control pills did so.

"Contraception only works when you keep using it," Peipert told AFP. "There are gaps in people's contraceptive use and that's when they get pregnant."

Expanding the program to provide free birth control nationwide would be costly, but Peipert said it would cost far less than dealing with the consequences.

"We're already paying for unintended pregnancies," he said, noting that US taxpayers pay about $11 billion in costs associated with one million unplanned births every year.

The study was published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

It comes a couple weeks after the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued new guidelines recommending that doctors offer implants and IUDs to sexually active teenagers.

"These long-acting methods eliminate the problem of inconsistent use common with other contraceptives that can lead to unintended pregnancy," the college said, noting that complications from IUDs and implants are rare.

source: interaksyon.com

Claire Danes pregnant with first child

Claire Danes, star of the hit TV thriller "Homeland," is expecting her first child with her husband, actor Hugh Dancy, People magazine reported on Wednesday, citing a representative for the actress.

Danes, who won a Golden Globe prize in January for her portrayal of Carrie Mathison, Homeland's intuitive and overwrought CIA officer in the popular U.S. show, married Dancy, the star of "Hannibal", in 2009. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Pregnancy & Beyond series in Makati Medical Center

Whether mom or mom-to-be, go straight to the experts and get all the medical advice you need on the journey to and through parenthood at Makati Medical Center as the premier health institution holds Pregnancy and Beyond 2012, its annual series of free lay forums about pregnancy and baby care.

The forums will be held every last Saturday of the month from June to November, 10am to 1pm, at the MakatiMed Auditorium on the 8th Floor of Tower 2.

Topics to be discussed are: For a Healthy Baby: Spotting Red Flags: Newborn Screening, Developmental Delays, and Basic Immunization (June 30 and November 24), Nutrition for Pregnancy and Pre-natal Care (July 28); Sexy Pregnancy: Lamaze and Exercises for the Anticipating (August 25); The Baby Manual: Breastfeeding, Infant Care, Nutrition and Post-partum Care (September 29); and Looking after your Baby: Touch Therapy, Colors, and Safe Toys for Infants (October 27).

For inquiries, call 8888.999, or email mmc@makatimed.net.ph.

source: mb.com.ph

Fever in Pregnancy Tied to Autism Risk

Running a fever during pregnancy is associated with a risk of autism spectrum disorders and developmental delays in the offspring, a new study reports.

Previous research has suggested a connection between autism and various infections during pregnancy, including measles, mumps, rubella and influenza.

In the new analysis, researchers studied 701 children with autism spectrum disorders or developmental delays and 421 normal controls. After adjusting for age and other health and socioeconomic variables, they found that women who reported having had a fever during pregnancy were more than twice as likely as those who did not to have a child with a developmental disorder.

Among women whose fever had been treated with drugs like Tylenol or Advil, the risk was indistinguishable from that of mothers who reported no fever.

“Fever is an acute inflammatory response,” said the senior author, Irva Hertz-Picciotto, a professor of environmental epidemiology at the Mind Institute of the University of California, Davis. “So there is a suggestion that inflammation of some sort may play some role in autism causation. Untreated fever seems to be the place where the risk is.”

The scientists were unable to determine whether a fever at a specific time during pregnancy might alter the risk. They acknowledge that their data depend on self-reports, which are not always accurate.

The study was published online May 5 in The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

source: nytimes.com

Dingdong Dantes explains how girlfriend Marian Rivera's pregnancy rumors started

Nakausap live via phone patch ng Showbiz Central host na si Pia Guanio ang aktor na si Dingdong Dantes noong Linggo, April 29.

Nasa Malaysia noon ang Kapuso actor para sa promotion ng Endless Love. Kasalukuyan kasing ipinapalabas doon ang naturang GMA-7 drama series noon nina Dingdong at Marian Rivera.

Sabi ni Dingdong. “Pauwi na ako [sa Pilipinas], nandito ako ngayon sa airport, alas-singko yung flight, so ayun. I can’t wait to go home."

Kinumusta ni Pia kay Dingdong ang naging reception sa kanya sa Malaysia.

“Sobrang layo sa ini-expect ko, e!" bulalas niya.

“Sobrang nakakatuwa, grabe yung init ng pagtanggap sa entourage natin dito.

“Talagang na-appreciate nila at gustung-gusto nila yung mga shows ng GMA—particularly yung Marimar, Stairway To Heaven, at yung currently na umeere na Endless Love.

“In fact, pagdating na pagdating ko sa hotel, iyon [Endless Love] yung palabas sa TV, naabutan ko pa yung isang episode."

Hindi raw dubbed in Bahasa (Malaysian dialect) ang show.

Banggit ni Dingdong, “It’s not, it’s subtitled.

“So, kumbaga, kung ano yung eksaktong materyal na lumalabas sa atin, iyon, pero naka-subtitle lang."

So sila ni Marian ay mayroong Malaysian fans?

Sabi ni Dingdong, “Meron magmula noong Marimar, e.

“Kasi I think pinalabas yung Marimar years ago, ‘tapos ito na nga yung pangatlo ‘tapos…

“In fact, may iba pa ngang nakikipag-coordinate sa mga supporters from Manila kasi may mga groups yun, e.

“So, pagdating namin dito, talagang well-equipped sila, sa communication... ‘tsaka very updated."

THE MALAYSIAN EXPERIENCE. Kumusta ang experience ng pagge-guest niya sa iba’t-ibang Malaysian TV shows?

“Wala din namang ipinagkaiba, para ding sa atin.

“May difference lang pagdating sa pagkakaintindihan dahil siyempre ‘pag nag-uusap sila, hindi mo na alam ang sinasabi nila, di ba?

“Ibig sabihin, may tatanungin sila sa ‘yo in English, di ba?

“Pero masaya, masaya kasi, halimbawa, ang unang pinag-guest-an ko, e, parang noontime talk show nila yung parang dating SiS natin.

“And then kinabukasan, nag-guest ako sa parang Unang Hirit nila, so basically it’s the same format, so pinromote ko yung mga activities ko for the coming days."

MISSING MARIAN. Gaano niya na-miss si Marian? Silang dalawa sana ang pupunta doon sa Malaysia kaya lang ay may taping si Marian para sa bago nitong dramedy na Tweets For My Sweet.

Sina Marian at Dingdong ang magkapareha sa Endless Love at sa umeere ngayon sa Pilipinas na My Beloved sa Kapuso network.

“Grabe! Sobra dahil sobra yung pananabik ng mga tao na makita rin siya.

“Grabe yung pagmamahal nila sa characters ng mga shows na ginawa namin.

“In-explain ko naman na dahil busy siya sa paggawa ng bagong show.

"So, kumbaga, mas naging hopeful sila kesa sa nalungkot, na may bagong puwedeng abangan sa kanya, di ba?

“So iyon naman, okay naman. Maganda rin na natuloy pa rin ako kahit wala siya kasi at least mas maganda na meron kaysa wala dahil sobrang they’re looking forward to seeing us."

PREGNANCY RUMOR. Tinanong naman si Dingdong sa isyu na diumano’y buntis si Marian.
Nagsimula ang isyu na umano’y nasa gym si Dingdong at may gymmate ito na nag-congratulate sa aktor.

Sabi ni Dingdong, “Well, first kasi... first of all, whenever I’m in the gym, I really don’t talk about things much kasi, kumbaga, sandali lang ako dun, e.

“’Tsaka kung may pag-uusapan man kami, e, hindi tungkol sa mga bagay na ganun.

"Kaya nung lumabas yun, nung sinabi may nag-congratulate sa akin, wala talaga akong naaalalang may nagsabi sa akin.

"And siguro pinakamalayo sa imahinasyon ko na mangyari yun dahil it’s a topic na we don’t talk about in the gym.

“So, dun pa lang, sabi ko, parang imposibleng may naganap na ganung klaseng conversation.

“Pero yung aspetong may posibleng may mag-congratulate sa akin, puwede, kasi I have a sister who is pregnant sa kanyang pangalawang baby.

"So, maaaring iyon yun, pero definitely wala sa gym iyon.

“At saka sinagot na yata ni Marian yun during the press conference [ng Tweets For My Sweet] two days ago, so nalinawan naman yun.

“And it’s a good thing na hindi naman siya masamang topic, di ba?

"So, okay naman yun."

Ang posibilidad na mangyari nga iyon, na mabuntis si Marian?

“You know what, everything in God’s time," sambit ng aktor.

Everything in their proper place at kasal muna?

“That’s right, that’s right," pagsang-ayon ni Dingdong.

PASALUBONG FOR MARIAN. Tinanong naman ni Pia kung ano ang pasalubong ni Dingdong kay Marian mula sa Malaysia.

“Actually, meron dito na gustung-gusto akong ibigay sa kanya, yung kanilang kasuotan dito dahil very sacred sa kanilang religion.

“And I remember Marian wearing something similar sa isang photo shoot niya para sa isang product na ini-endorse niya, so feeling ko bagay na bagay sa kanya.

“And mabuti na lang, bago ako umalis, yung hosts namin dito, e, ibinigay sa akin yung gusto kong bilhin.

"So I have something for her."

Bukod daw doon ay may iba pang mga pasalubong si Dingdong para sa kanyang kasintahan. -- Rommel Gonzales, PEP

source: gmanetwork.com

Mexican woman pregnant with nine babies: report

(Reuters) - A Mexican woman is pregnant with nine babies - six girls and three boys - the country's main broadcaster Televisa reported on Thursday night.

The woman was identified as Karla Vanessa Perez of the northeastern state of Coahuila, which borders Texas. She is currently being treated at a hospital in the state capital Saltillo, the broadcaster said in the report.

Perez, whose age was not given, had fertility treatment leading to the multiple pregnancy, it said.

State-owned news agency Notimex also reported the pregnancy, saying Perez was due to give birth on May 20.

"It's very early to think of names for the babies," Perez told Notimex. "First I hope that everything goes well."

The successful delivery of nonuplets would be one of the highest multiple births ever recorded.

In 2009, a woman in California gave birth to octuplets, sparking worldwide media attention.

source: mb.com.ph

Moderate exercise linked to quicker conception: US study

Moderate exercise is tied to greater success among women trying to get pregnant, but those who work out vigorously take longer to conceive, an international study has found.

"This study is the first to find that the effect of physical activity on fertility varied by body mass index," said lead author Lauren Wise, a reproductive epidemiologist at Boston University. Body mass index (BMI) is a ratio of height to weight.

Researchers in the United States and Denmark followed more than 3,500 Danish women aged 18 to 40 who were trying to conceive over the course of a year for the study, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility.

All reported being in a stable relationship with a male partner and were not receiving any fertility treatments.

Participants estimated the number of hours per week they had spent exercising in the past year, as well as the intensity of their workouts. Over the course of the study, nearly 70 percent of all women became pregnant.

The researchers found that moderate exercise, such as walking, cycling or gardening, was associated with getting pregnant more quickly for all women, regardless of weight.

Women who spent more than five hours per week doing moderate exercise were 18 percent more likely to become pregnant during any given menstrual cycle than women who performed moderate exercise for less than an hour each week.

However, normal-weight and very lean women who reported high levels of vigorous exercise, such as running or aerobics, took longer to get pregnant. Those who exercised vigorously for more than five hours each week had a 32 percent lower chance of becoming pregnant during a given cycle than women who did not exercise vigorously at all.

There was no association between vigorous exercise and the time it took overweight or obese women—those with a BMI of 25 or greater—to become pregnant.

While the study was large and well designed, there were some weaknesses, said Bonnie Dattel, an obstetrician at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia, in an email.

Because the amount and intensity of exercise was self-reported, participants could have underestimated or overestimated their activity levels, she said.

The results also don't mean exercise was responsible. Women who took longer to conceive could also have modified their exercise patterns, the researchers noted, making the relationship the opposite of what it appeared.

In general, overweight and obese women have higher rates of fertility issues and a variety of pregnancy complications, said Richard Grazi, a reproductive specialist at Genesis Fertility in Brooklyn, New York, who was not part of the study.

"Fat is metabolically active—it makes estrogens," he said.

That extra estrogen can suppress other hormones responsible for ovulation, which can lead to irregular menstrual cycles or even a lack of menstruation.

On the other hand, it's not clear why lean women who exercise vigorously may take longer to become pregnant.

Having too little body fat may be a factor for some women, and it's known that competitive female athletes and very underweight women sometimes experience menstrual irregularities.

Exercise may also affect the fertilized egg's ability to implant in the uterus. One previous study of women undergoing in vitro fertilization found a higher risk of implantation failure among women who did a lot of running or cycling.

"I recommend exercise to all my patients, and a moderate level is always best for conception and pregnancy," said Wise. –Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com