Maternity Health Insurance for the Pregnant: Is It Possible?

The short answer is perhaps, because there are three insurance options you could qualify for, and two state provided assistance programs. The reason it's hard to get health insurance when you are pregnant is that the insurance companies view being pregnant as a "Pre-existing Condition," and the costs associated with normal pre-natal and delivery care are much higher than the combined monthly premiums for a maternity health insurance plan. Plus, if there are any complications then the costs quickly climb at an exponential rate (a premature baby can have over $30,000 - $85,000 in medical costs in the first few weeks, and premature birth affects more than 1 in 10 California babies). Health insurance companies therefore will decline an application from a woman that is pregnant at the time of the application. So the mother to be needs to explore other alternative strategies to get maternity coverage.

The first alternative is to join a group health insurance plan at the company you work for or your spouse's company. Almost all group health insurance plans offer maternity coverage. This is not an a slam-dunk however, because group health insurance plans have open enrollment periods during which employees and dependents can be added to the company health insurance plan. If your pregnancy occurs within a few months of the open enrollment period, then you can use this option and simply pay for the cost of the early prenatal visits out of pocket, until you are on the group plan.

The second alternative is for women that have a private or individual health insurance plan that does not offer maternity care. In this situation you should ask the insurance company if they will allow you to transfer to a plan that offers maternity coverage. In California, Blue Shield will allow this type of transfer, but the other medical insurance companies will not.

The third alternative is to apply for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) that was created by Health Care Reform. To qualify for this plan you must have been un-insured for at least 6 months, and have been declined by a health insurance company. This plan will provide coverage for pre-natal care and delivery costs, and the overall benefits and cost of the plan make this one of the best options compared to the regular maternity insurance plans, if you can qualify for it..

If the above options don't help you, there are a couple of non-insurance options. Depending upon what state you live in, there are government programs to provide assistance and care for pregnant mothers to be, so check with your State Department of Insurance to determine what your local options are. In California, there is the state Medi-cal program (Medi-cal is the California version of Medicaid), and the Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM) program.

If you are pregnant and don't have health insurance, then you should start with Medi-cal first to see if you qualify for coverage through their program. Medi-cal provides a zero-cost health plan for pregnant women that meet specific income limits. Medi-cal is intended to cover families and women that are below the federal poverty level. If you don't qualify for Medi-cal then apply to the AIM program.

The AIM Program is low-cost health care coverage for pregnant women, and is provided for middle-income families who don't have health insurance and whose income is too high for no-cost Medi-cal. AIM is also available to women who have private health insurance plans with a maternity-only deductible or co-payment greater than $500. To be eligible for AIM a single mother's monthly household income must be between $2,453 to $3,679 (there is a table with income ranges for families with other children at ( www.aim.ca.gov/Costs/Income_Guidelines.aspx ). The AIM program is funded by the State of California, and although funding is usually available, if the program is filled up, then no additional mothers will be enrolled.

Although maternity health insurance is not usually available after you become pregnant, there are options that can provide insurance coverage and non-insurance assistance. Joining a group health insurance plan through your company or your spouse's company, transferring to a plan that offers maternity coverage, or applying for the PCIP plan are your insurance options. The Medi-cal and AIM programs are non-insurance assistance options that are designed to provide maternity care to the uninsured mother. With these five choices there should be a solution for all mothers to be.

Pregnancy Pops - Sweet Relief From Morning Sickness!

Nausea, vomiting, and a heightened sense of smell, are all symptoms of morning sickness in pregnant women. Though morning sickness is the general term used to describe all these symptoms, in actuality the "sickness" can happen at any time of day or night. For most women, morning sickness usually starts around the 4th week of pregnancy and tapers off around the 12th week, or after the first trimester. There are several different ways to find relief from those queasy feelings, but the most fun and tasty way to do this is to suck on pregnancy pops.

Pregnancy pops are lollipops made with all natural ingredients and are a drug free way to help ease morning sickness. There are several different brands of these sweet treats, but the most well known are Preggie Pops by a company called Three Lollies, LLC. Being in the health field, the founders saw how nausea could create such a negative impact on people's lives and upon doing some research, found that many women wanted a more natural ways of dealing with symptoms. The product they came up with was Preggie Pops and they have received great feedback from both health care professionals and their patients.

Preggie Pops come in several different boxes, each containing seven lollipops. The flavors in each pack are as follows:

• Variety Pack - Peppermint, Spearmint, Lavender, Ginger, Sour Lemon, Sour Tangerine, Sour Raspberry


• Sour Fruits - Sour Lemon, Sour Tangerine, Sour Raspberry


• Natural Ginger


• Natural Mint - Peppermint, Spearmint

It is highly recommended that first time buyers, get the Variety Pack as it allows you to sample each flavor to decide which one works best for your symptoms.

You may be wondering how such a seemingly simple product can help with morning sickness. The answer is in the high quality ingredients used in the lollipops. They are designed to soothe the stomach, alter negative taste sensations, and they smell good which may help those with a heightened sense of smell that may be contributing to morning sickness. Ingredients like mint, lavender, and ginger have been used throughout history to help digestion and ease stomach distress. A lot of women also find that sour flavors help to ease nausea.

All the hormonal activity during pregnancy as well as the need to eat more can cause low blood sugar in pregnant women. Sucking on pregnancy pops can help with this symptom as well, because the natural sugars used in the lollipops are slowly delivered to the system.

Many women have found relief from morning sickness with pregnancy pops, but as with anything, what may work for one person may not work for another. If morning sickness continues to plague you or if in doubt, please do not hesitate to consult your healthcare professional. For many pregnant women, pregnancy pops may be the answer and it just goes to show that lollipops aren't just for kids!

Polygonum Multiflorum (Root) for Hair Loss - Does It Work?

Many popular hair loss treatment options today based on the experienced traditional Chinese medicine such as hair restore advanced and shou wu pian contain the "active" ingredient polygonum multiflorum root. It can also be purchased as a standalone supplement in most herbal stores. But the question of whether or not it can effectively treat baldness in men and women with alopecia is still heavily debated. By taking a look at the scientific and traditional evidence available we are able to draw some conclusions as to its potential benefit for those suffering from hair loss, thinning hair and premature greying hair.

What is Polygonum multiflorum?

Polygonum multiflorum is one of the strongest blood tonics used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and is an ingredient in many tonic formulas. The Chinese refer to Polygonum multiflorum as "He Shou Wu" after a legend about a "Mr He." Mr He was an elderly man whose vitality was restored to him after living off of the root of Polygonum multiflorum for many months. Though Mr He's story is a legend, there is evidence that this root can help in a variety of health conditions associated with aging. 3 Written evidence of the use of He Shou Wu for medicinal purposes can be dated back to 730 AD. Today, Polygonum multiflorum is a common component of many effective TCM formulas and is considered one of the most important tonic herbs in TCM.

What is it used for?

Polygonum multiflorum is most commonly known for its restorative effects on greying hair, hair loss, alopecia and premature aging. It is thought to be helpful as an anti-aging herb due to its nourishing effect on the blood. In Traditional Chinese Medicine weak blood, or blood deficiency, refers to the lack of circulatory nutrients that are supposed to be feeding the tissues of the body. When certain areas of the body become malnourished due to weak blood, degradation and aging can occur. According to TCM Theory, Polygonum multiflorum improves the blood by tonifying the liver and kidney.

The most common indications of formulas that include Polygonum multiflorum as one of the major components include hair loss, lower back pain, weakness of the knee joint, generalised muscular weakness, hemiplegia and paraplegia, palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. Polygonum multiflorum has been shown to have the following actions: anti-aging, immune system enhancer, hypocholesterolemic, laxative, blood sugar level regulator, hepatoprotective, and hematinic. (Reid, T. (2007) Essential Formula: How to achieve outstanding results for your patients using prepared Chinese Medicine. China Books & Periodicals; Australia)

Research Highlights

Similarly to finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia and Proscar), studies have shown that when taken orally, it may be an effective anti-androgen by lowering dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the body by blocking 5 alpha-reductase enzymes.

In a study forty-eight 30-60 year old men (n=24) and women (n=24) with differing origins of hair loss (age-related, stress- and medication induced, and postpartum) received a standardised extract equivalent to 4g Polygonum multiflorum root twice daily. After 1 month of treatment, 91% of men and 87% of women reported symptomatic improvement. Additionally, none of the study participants reported any side effects during the treatment period.

Side Effects

Polygonum multiflorum is relatively safe to use. The common adverse effects include nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention, and loose bowel movements. These side effects are more commonly experienced with the unprocessed herb (which has been traditionally used as a laxative). The gastrointestinal side effects are less common when the herb is processed.

Conclusions

Based on evidence from scientific studies and its wide use in Tradtional Chinese Medicine, Polygonum multiflorum may help in the reducing hair loss, hair thinning and reversing premature greying hair through its dihydrotestosterone (DHT) lowering and antioxidant activities.

Postpartum Bleeding - Control It Naturally With Provestra

Why Does Postpartum Bleeding Occur?

When it comes to postpartum bleeding, many people do not know how to control it or why it occurs. Postpartum bleeding is a normal process during which the human body cleanses itself after pregnancy. According to Mayoclinic.com, postpartum bleeding is the heaviest immediately after delivery. After a few days, it should let up. If you experience heaving bleeding, you may have done too much. Relaxing with your feet elevated usually slows the bleeding. However, if you feel like your bleeding is becoming bothersome, and you have seen a doctor to rule out other medical problems, there are herbal remedies that can help.

What Happens When Postpartum Bleeding Becomes a Problem?

With each of my four children, I bled for over seven weeks. I thought this was normal, but I soon found out that my prolonged bleeding was because of a hormone imbalance. After the delivery of my fourth child, I received an extra bag of Pitocin. This was a great help. My immediate bleeding was lighter. Pitocin helps contract the uterus, shrinking it back to normal. Breastfeeding also helps, but I still experienced prolonged bleeding along with moodiness and low sex drive. I chalked it up to being a mother of a newborn and lack of sleep. However, after taking an herbal remedy, I felt like myself after a few days.

With each consecutive child, postpartum bleeding becomes worse and it is not uncommon to experience postpartum hemorrhaging. I was fully prepared for this, but thankfully I did not hemorrhage. I did turn to a homeopathic doctor after several weeks of continuous bleeding. I discovered that prolonged postpartum bleeding occurs because of hormonal imbalances. Usually, low progesterone and high levels of estrogen are the culprits. Along with bleeding, hormonal imbalances can also cause a low sex drive, moodiness, and postpartum depression.Natural herbal remedies that are found in herbal remedies such as Provestra can help balance hormones, restore sex drive and stop continuous bleeding.

How to Control Postpartum Bleeding and Balance Hormones Naturally

There are many herbal remedies that work to balance hormones and control bleeding. However, there is one herbal remedy that balances hormones, restores sex drive, wards off postpartum depression and controls heavy bleeding. Provestra is a natural product that incorporates herbs such as:

• 
  Black Cohosh- helps with bleeding and vaginal dryness


• 
  Red Raspberry- naturally balances estrogen, tones the uterus and helps PMS symptoms

• 
  Vitamin C- Aides in the creation of sex hormones, reduces heavy periods, decreases vaginal dryness, helps control postpartum hot flashes

• 
  B- Complex Vitamins-(Includes B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, and B-12.)-All maintain a healthy sex drive and synthesis of sex hormones while balancing hormone levels


• 
  Calcium Carbonate- reduces risk of osteoporosis, helps with the normal clotting of blood, induces uterine muscle contraction for hearty ORGASMS!


• 
  Iron- Regulates heavy menstrual periods

• 
  Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C)- If your diet lacks the daily recommended vegetable intake, you may benefit from this herb. Naturally balances estrogen. Estrogen overload is the leading cause of loss of interest in sex!
  
  


• 
  Ginseng- Aphrodisiac that is proven to increase mood, physical performance, concentration, fight depression, lower glucose levels

Besides balancing hormones and controlling heaving bleeding naturally, Provestra also is a great female libido booster and multivitamin. Of course there are many other natural remedies available. Taking any of these herbs will help. Contact your local homeopath and/or natural health store. Both may be able to point you in the right direction and help you feel like your normal self soon. After all, your new family's happiness depends on your well being.

Postpartum Depression and Hormone Imbalance

With so many changes occurring in a woman's body during and after pregnancy, it is common to find that hormones can be out of balance. Quite a bit of strain is put on the body following ovulation and conception, and right on through pregnancy and delivery. Of course there are the outward physical changes, as the body accommodates the growing child and finally ushers it out into the world, but there are also effects that are not as immediately, outwardly observable. These can cause physical discomfort, and even contribute to mental and spiritual effects - such as postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression affects around 15% of new mothers - that means an unfortunately high likelihood that a woman who has recently given birth may find herself suffering from the condition. If left untreated, it can be severe, going as far as to include suicidal thoughts and neglect or even physical harm to the child. It is important to monitor both mother and child after birth to safeguard their health and well-being. If any severe or persistent changes for the worse are noticed in behavior or mood, it is a good idea to enlist the help of a health care practitioner.

Often, the impulse is to treat the symptoms of postpartum depression. "The mother is feeling depressed, so of course we should give her anti-depressants," the thinking goes. The trouble with this approach, however, is that it does not really address the underlying causes of the condition. One such factor can be hormone imbalance.

During and after pregnancy and childbirth, a mother's hormones can been thrown out of balance. The body is normally capable of re-balancing on its own, but where this is not happening, there are natural nutritional and hormonal remedies that can be used to gently restore balance. Whatever course of action you choose, the most important thing is to get help with any symptoms of postpartum depression as soon as you notice them.

It sometimes takes months for the body to return to normal and begin the ovulation cycle again. Helping the body through this period can ease the stresses - physical, mental and emotional. While most cases of postpartum depression can be treated quickly and easily, there are some times when it can be a very dangerous condition. Keeping a close watch on mother and child to ensure both are happy and healthy is an important part of welcoming the newest family member. The key is to be aware of any persistent symptoms and seek help in treating them early - it is always best to enlist the help of an expert.

Pregnancy Exercise Videos - How Does Fitness Help You Have a Healthy Pregnancy?

Many expectant moms ask "how can I have a healthy pregnancy?". This is not a surprise to anyone as being healthy before, during and after pregnancy is very important for both mom and baby. Fitness is a significant factor in being healthy and there are a wide range of resources you can take advantage of to get fit, including everything from pregnancy exercise videos and DVDs to individually tailored exercise programs.

Being pregnant is such a wonderful time for you isn't it? But it's not without potential complications, not to mention a few side effects. And so, while you are pregnant you must follow your doctor's or your family's health care provider's recommendations about getting enough sleep, managing stress, eating the right kinds of food in the right quantities, and keeping fit.

And it goes without saying you should avoid things that may be harmful for you and your baby such as alcohol, cigarettes and illegal drugs. Caffeine is a stimulant, not good for your developing baby so it's time to cut back on your favourite cuppa or other caffeine rich drinks.

Exercise to Have a Healthy Pregnancy

OK I hear you, "I'm pregnant I have this extra weight to carry around, cope with morning sickness, mood swings and YOU want me to exercise!"

Yes, but not me exactly, you need to want to do exercise to help you have a healthy pregnancy. We are not talking about running a marathon, just a few pregnancy-friendly exercises.

Pregnancy-Friendly exercises, what are they? Well just click the link in the resource box below to find out more.

Sure you can get a pregnancy fitness video or DVD, just make sure they are right for you. Mothers are all different; your pregnancy is personal to you so make sure that whatever exercise program you choose is appropriate for your present condition. The important thing is that you are safe, comfortable and healthy with the program instead of comparing yourself to others.

I cannot emphasis this enough; you MUST consult your Doctor or your family's health care provider BEFORE you begin ANY exercise program, only they will know enough about you and your pregnancy to give you the right professional advice.

Benefits of a Well-Structured Exercise Program

If you get the OK from your Doctor then you would be better off with a well-structured exercise program that has varying intensity levels so you can tailor it to your personal needs. We emphasize a well-structured exercise program, because of the many benefits it can bring. For one thing, your body will be healthier all throughout your pregnancy. And the benefit is that you can experience less of the discomforts, aches and pains, the adverse side effects of pregnancy, an easier delivery and regain your figure more quickly.

If you are fitter you will enjoy a boost in your self-confidence. Exercise makes you feel better in yourself, not to mention that exercise releases endorphins - the happy hormones - in your body. Indeed, exercise makes for a healthy pregnancy.

Finding an Appropriate Exercise Program

So where do you find a well-structured exercise program that your doctor will approve of? You could try pregnancy fitness videos or DVDs just make sure they include warm up and cool down sessions and have a range of intensities or get a well-structured exercise program tailored for you.

The Causes and Remedies For Indigestion During Pregnancy

Indigestion during pregnancy is unfortunately a very common, normal, and annoying condition. Because of the delicate situation that your unborn child is in, there are few medications that you will be permitted to use when indigestion pain strikes. And, unlike common indigestion problems in those who are not pregnant, indigestion during pregnancy can be brought on by almost any type of food at any time of day. This unpredictability makes prevention a very difficult goal to reach, but there are ways that we can make it a bit easier on ourselves. The following are a few safe and effective methods that you can use to prevent and curb the symptoms of indigestion.

Indigestion during pregnancy is brought on by two different issues, the first being the added weight and pressure that the growing womb places on the internal organs, including the stomach and intestines. With space dwindling within the abdomen, the stomach becomes more squeezed and therefore sensitive. Also, there is sometimes an abundance of stomach acids created by the hormonal changes during gestation, and this can add to the possibility and the severity of indigestion during pregnancy. Smaller meals that are more bland will need to be chosen over large, spicy dishes, and you will need to eat 5 or 6 times each day rather than 3 or 4. Also, avoid eating anything aside from crackers or bread within 2 hours of bedtime.

When indigestion during pregnancy does occur, there are ways that you can help it to subside more quickly. Keeping in minds that baking soda and antacids are not an option for you at this time, you will want to keep a few special spice remedies at hand and on the ready. These will include cinnamon, peppermint, and cumin. Also, having a few fresh lemons laying around is never a bad ides. With your cinnamon or with a touch of peppermint leaf, steep a relaxing tea that you can drink after each meal or snack, and again if the pain of indigestion begins. The same can be done with your fresh lemon squeezed into hot water. These brews will be best consumed while you move around and stay mobile. You don't have to move fast, but the walking will help to push the gases up to the top of your stomach and out, relieving pressure, bloating, pain, and burning.

If you are having extreme indigestion during pregnancy, you can try to eat some bread or crackers, and possibly sip on some warm milk to help absorb and cut the acids which are hurting you. Remember to remain upright for up to 30 minutes after the pain subsides if you aren't too tired, as this will keep the pain from recurring.