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Do Prenatal Vitamins Work for Hair Growth?

There's a common misconception that prenatal vitamins have positive effects upon non-pregnant women. For instance, you might have heard that they will help increase your rate of hair growth or strengthen your hair.

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Can Drinking Vinegar Cause Damage During Pregnancy?

Some popular health sources and practitioners of alternative medicine recommend consuming vinegar to help regulate blood sugar, among other purported benefits. However, the increased sensitivity of your body to ingested foods during pregnancy means that you may want to avoid drinking vinegar if you're pregnant.

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Pectin and Pregnancy

Pectin is a type of soluble fiber, and a common ingredient in many foods because it's a gelling agent. If you're pregnant and are worried about the safety of food additives and over-the-counter medications, you can likely use pectin safely for some applications.

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Do Cinnamon & Cloves Induce Labor?

As you approach the end of your pregnancy, you're likely looking forward to going into labor both because you'll finally get to meet your baby and because delivery represents the end of the discomfort associated with late pregnancy.

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Balsamic Vinegar and Inducing Labor

As you approach the end of your pregnancy, you might start to look for foods or herbs that will get your labor started. While this is completely natural -- you're eager to meet your baby and late pregnancy can be uncomfortable -- balsamic vinegar isn't likely to get your labor started.

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Can Caffeine Induce Labor?

Because some sources warn that you should avoid caffeine during pregnancy due to increased risk of preterm labor, you might wonder whether you could use caffeine to induce labor.

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Extreme Hunger Pains in Late Pregnancy

Hunger and digestive discomfort are familiar sensations to most pregnant women, especially those in their last few months or weeks of pregnancy. Your growing baby puts increasing pressure on your stomach, making it difficult and uncomfortable to eat a full meal. There are a few ways to increase your comfort, however.

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Is Gum Containing Phenylalanine Safe During Pregnancy?

You might have seen warnings on some gum and other foods that note the presence of phenylalanine, which is an amino acid. If you're wondering whether it's safe to consume phenylalanine during pregnancy -- given the warning labels -- the answer is that it certainly is, unless you have a disease called PKU.

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Is Diarrhea After Food a Sign of Pregnancy?

Whether you're trying to conceive or trying not to, it's not unusual to microanalyze your symptoms around the time of your expected period for signs that you might be pregnant. While diarrhea is indeed a potential early sign of pregnancy, it's not a certain indicator -- there are other things that cause loose stools.

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Does Red Raspberry Leaf Tea Induce Labor?

As you approach the end of your pregnancy -- and in some cases, pass your due date without delivering -- it's natural to want to induce labor. While there are many natural and herbal induction techniques you may have heard about -- red raspberry leaf tea among them -- few have any support in the scientific literature.

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Does Black Cohosh Really Work to Induce Labor?

As you approach the end of your pregnancy, you may begin to feel anxious about the end of pregnancy and consider ways of getting labor to kick in so you can meet your baby. This is a natural and nearly universal thought at the end of pregnancy, but it's not generally advisable.

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Food Digestion in the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Your digestive tract experiences some significant changes during pregnancy. Perhaps the most dramatic occur late in pregnancy when your developing baby compresses your stomach and intestine. Your first trimester, however, isn't without its own share of digestive changes.

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The Effects of Eating Pepperoni During Pregnancy

You may want to think twice before diving into a pepperoni pizza during your pregnancy. There are several negative effects that pepperoni consumption can have on you, and it also poses a risk to your unborn baby. This is because of the composition of the pepperoni and the preservatives used.

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Nausea After Eating in Early Pregnancy

It's quite common to feel nauseated relatively frequently in the early months of pregnancy. While many women feel queasiness when they get hungry, others may feel most nauseated shortly after eating. There are a few things you can do to try to reduce and prevent food-related nausea in your early pregnancy.

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Is it OK to Drink Ginger Beer When Pregnant?

You've undoubtedly heard that you need to avoid all alcohol during pregnancy, because there's a risk of harm to your developing baby. As such, you may wonder whether ginger beer is safe to drink. Nonalcoholic ginger beers, which are similar to ginger ale, are perfectly safe. Alcoholic ginger beers, however, are not.

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Caffeine in the First Two Weeks of Pregnancy

Caffeine is a stimulant molecule found in coffee, tea, and many sodas. While it's popular as a pick-me-up and increases attention and alertness, it may also have a negative effect upon your ability to become pregnant or in developing a healthy baby.

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Tired After Eating During a Pregnancy

During your pregnancy, you're likely to feel tired much of the time -- though this fatigue may be particularly noticeable after you eat, particularly in the first and third trimester of pregnancy. If you experience tiredness after eating, there are a few things you can do to try to avoid or manage your symptoms.

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What Types of Fruit to Eat During a Pregnancy?

During pregnancy, fruits and vegetables are healthy dietary choices. In general, they are high in nutritional content -- vitamins and minerals -- compared to their caloric content, meaning that they help provide for your cellular needs and those of your developing baby.

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Moules Marinieres

Can I Eat Mussels While Pregnant?

Learn about the safety of eating mussels while pregnant, including cooking methods and nutrient benefits. Discover why mussels are a good choice for pregnant women's health.

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