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‘Pregnancy brain’ is real, experts say – as scans reveal exactly how having a baby changes you for 2 years after birth

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'Pregnancy brain' is real, experts say - as scans reveal exactly how having a baby changes you for 2 years after birth

IT SEEMS pregnancy brain really does exist – as scans shed light on exactly how much having a baby can change the brain.

Changes can linger for years after birth and only a few regions of the brain remain untouched, the first “map” of the process suggests.

Researchers conducted 26 scans of a woman's brain before during and after pregnancy

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Researchers conducted 26 scans of a woman’s brain before during and after pregnancyCredit: Nature.com
The study found changes in grey-matter volume with each week of pregnancy - darker colours show brain regions most affected

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The study found changes in grey-matter volume with each week of pregnancy – darker colours show brain regions most affectedCredit: Nature.com

Scientists took 26 MRI scans of a 38-year-old woman’s brain before conception, throughout her pregnancy and until two years after childbirth.

The findings show that some parts of the human brain may shrink in size during pregnancy, but become better connected.

A few regions of the brain remain untouched by the transition to motherhood, the study published in Nature Neuroscience suggests.

Some of the changes may be permanent, as the brain essentially reorganises itself during pregnancy, experts suggested.

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Researchers said the findings, based on brain scans from one mum, may represent one of the first comprehensive maps of changes in the organ before, during and after pregnancy.

“It’s the first detailed map of the human brain across gestation,” Emily Jacobs, of the University of California, Santa Barbara, told the BBC.

“We’ve never witnessed the brain in a process of metamorphosis like this.

“We are finally able to observe changes to the brain in real time.”

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Laura Pritschet, from the University of California, and colleagues analysed the brain of scientist Elizabeth Chrastil who was planning an IVF pregnancy when the research was being discussed.

She now has a four-year-old son.

Researches conducted 26 MRI scans and blood tests three weeks before conception and up to two years after Dr Chrastil – also one of the study authors – gave birth.

She was not made aware of the findings until afterwards.

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The resulting scans were compared to brain changes in eight people who were not pregnant.

Researchers observed that the volume of grey matter – tissue that controls movement, emotions and memory – in nearly 80 per cent of the regions of Dr Chrastil’s brain decreased by about 4 per cent, with only a small rebound after pregnancy.

But there were increases in white-matter integrity – a measure of the health and quality of connections between brain regions – in the first and second trimesters, which returned to normal levels soon after birth.

The changes are similar to those during puberty, the researchers said.

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Both changes coincided with rising levels of the hormones estradiol and progesterone.

According to the study, some of the changes in the brain were still present two years postpartum, including some of the shrinking, while others returned to similar levels as pre-conception by around two months after the birth.

‘What’s normal during pregnancy and what isn’t’ boxout

Your body can undergo a number of changes while you’re pregnant and it’s very common to experience some of the following symptoms:

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  • Constipation
  • Cramps in your muscles and feet
  • Back pain or headaches
  • Bleeding gums
  • Peeing a lot or experiencing incontinence
  • Skin and hair changes
  • Varicose veins

The NHS advised you call your midwife or GP immediately if you experience vaginal bleeding.

And though morning sickness is common, the NHS also urged that you contact your GP, midwife or 111 if you’re vomiting and:

  • Have very dark-coloured urine or have not had a pee in more than 8 hours
  • Are unable to keep food or fluids down for 24 hours
  • Feel severely weak, dizzy or faint when standing up
  • Have tummy (abdominal) pain
  • Have a high temperature
  • Vomit blood
  • Have lost weight

Increased vaginal discharge can also be common, but you should get help if it smells strange or unpleasant, if its green or yellow and if you feel itchy or sore around your vagina

Nearly 85 per cent of women become pregnant at least once, and 140 million women each year become pregnant.

The physical changes to the body during pregnancy are well documented, but much less is understood about how and why the brain changes.

Mums may talk about having “pregnancy brain” or “baby brain”, to describe feeling forgetful, absent-minded or having brain fog.

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Previous studies have focused on brain scans before and soon after pregnancy, rather than throughout the process.

Dr Chrastil said: “From a sort of a subjective standpoint, I didn’t particularly feel any different during pregnancy.

“Some people talk about ‘mummy brain’, or things like that, and I didn’t really experience any of that.

“But obviously we know that there are these changes.”

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She added that as a neuroscientist, it was “cool” to be able to contribute to science in this way

Emily Jacobs, of the University of California, Santa Barbara, said: “There is so much about the neurobiology of pregnancy that we don’t understand yet, and it’s not because women are too complicated. It’s not because pregnancy is some Gordian knot.

“It’s a by-product of the fact that the biomedical sciences has historically ignored women’s health.

“It’s 2024 and this is the first glimpse we have at this fascinating neurobiological transition.

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“Our ignorance has consequences.

“Scientists don’t have the data we need to predict postpartum depression before it manifests, we don’t have the data we need to understand the effects of pre-eclampsia on later life brain health. We need better data.”

The researchers hope that further scans and study could help shed light on conditions like postnatal depression, pre-eclampsia, brain ageing and why pregnancy can reduce migraines.

Neuroanatomical changes observed over the course of a human pregnancy, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-024-01741-0

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Neuroanatomical changes observed over the course of a human pregnancy, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-024-01741-0Credit: Nature.com

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Womens Workouts

40 MIN FULL BODY WORKOUT || Intermediate Pilates With Weights

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40 MIN FULL BODY WORKOUT || Intermediate Pilates With Weights



Work the entire body with this 40 Minute Full Body Pilates Workout, featuring a set of light hand weights! If you don’t have weights, you could fill up 2 bottles of water or use anything around the house to act as weights. 😊

🌸 Wearing New Gymshark x Whitney Simmons
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🤍 INSTAGRAM: @movewithnicole
🤍 EMAIL: movewithnicole.yt@gmail.com

🎥 Videography by Bodie Rex
♫ Music from https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/n9a93q/

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DISCLAIMER:
Please consult your doctor or health care professional before starting this workout. If you experience pain or discomfort at any time during this workout, you should stop immediately. By performing these exercises, you do so at your own risk. By using this video, you understand and agree that Move With Nicole will not be held responsible or liable for any injury or loss you may suffer as a result of this workout video.

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Health & fitness

Asda urgently recalls popular £2.20 chicken product & issues ‘do not eat’ warning over health risk fears

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Asda urgently recalls popular £2.20 chicken product & issues 'do not eat' warning over health risk fears

ASDA has urgently recalled a popular chicken product over health risk fears.

The supermarket chain has urged customers to return the meal so they can claim a full refund.

Anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk, egg, or gluten could be at risk

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Anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk, egg, or gluten could be at risk

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ASDA Chicken Dinners is being recalled due to containing milk, egg, barley – as not stated on the label.

As a result of a packaging error, some packs contain ASDA Beef Dinners.

Anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk, egg, or gluten could be at risk.

The supermarket chain has also issued a point-of-scale notice to its customers, explaining why the product is being recalled.

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An FSA spokesman said: “Asda is recalling the above product from customers. The company has also issued a point-of-sale notice to its customers.

“These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.

“If you have bought the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents and/or egg and/or barley (gluten), do not eat it.

“Instead, return the product to the nearest Asda store for a refund, with or without a receipt.

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“For more information contact Asda Customer Relations on 0800 952 0101.”

What are my rights to a refund?

If you’re returning a recalled product, your rights to get a refund depends on whether the fault makes the product unsafe.

Sometimes the business will repair the product, for example by fitting a new part. But this should be done for you.

If a fault makes a product unsafe to use — and it’s difficult to correct the fault — the Consumer Guarantees Act says you might have the right to reject the product and claim a replacement or a refund.

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You can read more about your rights concerning a recalled product in our guide.

The signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis + what to do

SYMPTOMS of an allergy usually occur within minutes of contact with with the offending food or trigger, but they can also come on up to one hour later.

Most allergic reactions are mild but they can also be moderate or severe.

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Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction which can be life threatening.

In some cases, anaphylaxis symptoms lead to collapse and unconsciousness and, on rare occasions, can be fatal so it’s important to know how to recognise them and act quickly.

Mild to moderate symptoms include:

  • Itchy mouth, tongue and throat
  • Swelling of lips, around the eyes or face
  • Red raised itchy rash (often called nettle rash, hives or urticaria)
  • Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea
  • Runny nose and sneezing

Severe symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

  • Swelling of your throat and tongue
  • Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast
  • Difficulty swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice
  • Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing
  • Feeling tired or confused
  • Feeling faint, dizzy or fainting
  • Skin that feels cold to the touch
  • Blue, grey or pale skin, lips or tongue – if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet

Anaphylaxis and its symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency.

Follow these steps if you think you or someone you’re with is having an anaphylactic reaction:

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  1. Use an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) if you have one  instructions are included on the side of the injector.
  2. Call 999 for an ambulance and say that you think you’re having an anaphylactic reaction.
  3. Lie down – you can raise your legs, and if you’re struggling to breathe, raise your shoulders or sit up slowly (if you’re pregnant, lie on your left side).
  4. If you have been stung by an insect, try to remove the sting if it’s still in the skin.
  5. If your symptoms have not improved after 5 minutes, use a second adrenaline auto-injector.

Do not stand or walk at any time, even if you feel better.

Sources: Allergy UK, NHS

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Womens Workouts

True Thompson CRASHES Khloé Kardashian s Workout!

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True Thompson CRASHES Khloé Kardashian s Workout!



In a recent social media post, Khloé Kardashian shared her workout routine with her followers, but it didn’t go as planned. Her daughter, True Thompson, crashed the workout, making it a fun and playful moment for the reality star and her fans. Khloé posted a video of herself doing lunges while holding, who couldn’t stop giggling and playing with her mom. This is not the first time True has made an appearance on her mother’s social media platforms, as Khloé often shares adorable photos and videos of her daughter with her fans.

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Mum shares haunting last words of daughter, 13, who died suddenly after complaining of ‘cold symptoms’

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Mum shares haunting last words of daughter, 13, who died suddenly after complaining of 'cold symptoms'

A 13-YEAR-OLD girl in “unbearable” pain asked her mum if she would die hours before she passed away from sepsis amid alleged delays in treatment.

Chloe Longster was complaining of cold and flu symptoms before being taken to A&E on November 28, 2022.

Chloe Longster died just hours after being admitted to hospital with cold and flu symptoms

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Chloe Longster died just hours after being admitted to hospital with cold and flu symptomsCredit: Family Handout
The 13-year-old was described as 'a vibrant, talented and compassionate individual'

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The 13-year-old was described as ‘a vibrant, talented and compassionate individual’Credit: Family Handout

She was admitted to the paediatric ward at Kettering General Hospital in Northamptonshire that evening and later transferred to intensive care, where she died the following morning.

At an inquest which began on Monday, Chloe’s mother Louise Longster told assistant coroner Sophie Lomas that pain relief for her daughter was “delayed”.

Her parents were “devastated” by her death, which they believe was “completely preventable”.

Mrs Longster, 40, told Northampton Coroner’s Court that her daughter was “wincing and squirming” from pain while in hospital.

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“Chloe asked if she could be put to sleep because it was unbearable,” she added.

“I remember thinking how pale and clammy she looked.

“It’s harrowing to see your own child in so much pain.

“She was clock-watching constantly – she knew when her paracetamol and ibuprofen were due and it was always delayed.

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“It was like we were chasing her pain rather than getting on top of it.

“Chloe asked me if she was going to die. It’s haunting that the 13-year-old was the one that was right. It’s devastating.”

Boy, 11, died after hospital staff failed to spot sepsis in time and branded him ‘difficult and uncooperative’

Mrs Longster said she heard Chloe’s chest “crackling” as she lay in the hospital bed, which she flagged to a nurse.

She said she felt that she was being a “nuisance” and “dramatic” because she was trying to get more help for Chloe.

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It was not until Chloe was put in a side room and diagnosed with influenza A that it was “taken seriously or acknowledged how much pain she was in”, Mrs Longster told the court.

Chloe’s blood pressure was recorded for the first time on the system nearly eight hours after she arrived at the hospital.

A&E consultant Dr Marwan Gamaleldin saw Chloe three or four times before she was transferred to the paediatric ward and believed she had a chest infection at the time.

He said: “It was already flagged that pain was the main thing. She did not come across as struggling to breathe.

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“The pain was described as severe so the next logical step was to jump to morphine.

“She had four doses of pain relief with three different medications.

“I appreciate that maybe it was not enough, but it was four doses of pain relief.”

What are the symptoms of sepsis?

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SEPSIS is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that happens when your immune system overreacts and starts to damage your body’s own tissues and organs.

Symptoms of sepsis in an adult include:

  • Acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense
  • Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
  • A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
  • Difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast

Symptoms in a child include:

  • Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
  • A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
  • Difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast
  • A weak, high-pitched cry that’s not like their normal cry
  • Not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities
  • Being sleepier than normal or having difficulty waking

They may not have all these symptoms.

If you think you or someone else has symptoms of sepsis, call 999 or go to A&E.

Source: NHS

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Dr Gamaleldin said that in the two-hour period that he observed Chloe, he “did not think” that she had sepsis.

He told the court that there are four markers to diagnose the condition.

Two of these are high white blood cell count and fever, which the patient needs to have one of to be diagnosed with sepsis, and two other criteria which are heart rate and respiratory rate.

He said that Chloe had neither of the mandatory signs – high white blood cell count or a fever.

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Dr Gamaleldin said: “There are other things I should have started if I was thinking of sepsis, rather than antibiotics.

“I did not think Chloe had sepsis at this point.”

Chloe brought so much joy, life, happiness and kindness to all those that she came into contact with

Dan ClearyPrincipal at Robert Smyth Academy

He said that Chloe’s chest X-ray showed “consolidation” on her lower left lung, where there is solid material rather than air, which suggested an infection.

Mrs Longster said the scan looked “terrifying” and Chloe’s lungs were not symmetrical.

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Nurse Tricia Martinez triaged Chloe when she arrived at the hospital and had only recently joined the paediatric ward.

She told the court that Chloe looked in “agony” when she arrived in A&E so she “escalated” the issue and asked for the X-ray, but did not tick one of the boxes on a sepsis screening document.

She said: “The fault on my part was that I was not able to complete the sepsis form or go back to it after escalating.

“During the time that I saw her, something within said that there is something wrong with this child.

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“We can only suggest or say she has possibly this or that, but the diagnosis will be given by the doctor.”

Chloe, a year nine pupil at Robert Smyth Academy with no underlying health conditions, died 18 and a half hours after arriving at the hospital.

She was prescribed by principal Dan Cleary as “a vibrant, talented and compassionate individual”.

“She brought so much joy, life, happiness and kindness to all those that she came into contact with,” he added.

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The inquest continues.

Chloe was a patient at Kettering General Hospital in Northamptonshire

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Chloe was a patient at Kettering General Hospital in NorthamptonshireCredit: Google

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Womens Workouts

The North Face Women's Workout S/S Top | SwimOutlet.com

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The North Face Women's Workout S/S Top | SwimOutlet.com



Get yours at SwimOutlet.com:
http://www.swimoutlet.com/p/the-north-face-womens-workout-s-s-top-8165025/

Wear clothes that keep up with your workout, like The North Face Women’s Workout S/S Top. Not only is this t-shirt buttery soft, it also wicks away moisture during your sweat sessions with quick-dry recovery so you always stay cool and comfortable even through demanding workouts.

Fabric & Care
· 84% Polyester, 11% TENCEL®, 5% Spandex with FlashDry™
· Buttery soft.
· FlashDry™: Engineered to offer enhanced moisture management and dry time with the comfort of soft cotton.

Features
· Crew neck.
· Drop shoulder.
· Rounded bottom hem provides coverage.
· Chafe-free flat-locked seams.
· Softcotton hand feel.
· Screen printed logo on left hem.
· Center back seam.

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Sizing & Fit
· Relaxed fit.
· Center back length: 27″
· Country of Origin
· Imported

http://www.SwimOutlet.com is the web’s most popular swim shop!

When shopping at http://www.SwimOutlet.com you can always expect the following:

· Low & Free Shipping

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· No Hassle Returns and Free Exchange Shipping

· Fast Shipping

· Widest Selection

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· 24/7 Customer Service

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Womens Workouts

Day 8 – 30 MIN MILITARY MONDAY – HIIT WORKOUT – Super Sweaty, Full Body, No Equipment, No Repeat

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Day 8 - 30 MIN MILITARY MONDAY - HIIT WORKOUT - Super Sweaty, Full Body, No Equipment, No Repeat



Week 2 of the Grow HIIT challenge and we’re kicking it off with another intense Monday Military style full-body workout! This one will burn calories and body fat! Bring your energy team, we’ve got 30 minutes to get it done! Let’s do it!!!

WORKOUT DETAILS

👉🏼 Duration: 30 MINS (plus 5 mins of cool-down stretches)
👉🏼 Intensity: Super Sweaty 💧💧💧
👉🏼 No Equipment
👉🏼 50 Sec Work, 10 Sec Rest
👉🏼 No Repeat

* with Cool Down Stretches

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Please remember that we are all different and that you can make this your OWN workout… take a longer break when you need to.

Music: https://www.epidemicsound.com

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✉ Contact (business inquiries): anna@fyndafit.com

D I S C L A I M E R

If you are a newbie start with a simple and easy exercise before attempting all advanced exercises. Performing exercises out of your capability might strain your muscles and you may get injured.

This channel offers health, fitness and nutritional information. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. By performing any fitness exercises without supervision like with this video, you are performing them at your own risk. See a fitness professional to give you advice on your exercise form. Growingannanas will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain as a result of this video.

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