Strep throat is one of the most common childhood illnesses. Small white patches appear on one or both sides of the throat and a fever abruptly starts. Strep throat can lead to scarlet fever in rare cases. Most children have a strong enough immune system to fight off the infection without antibiotics, but antibiotics reduce the number of days a child is contagious.

Causes
Strep throat is caused by group A streptococcus bacteria. The bacteria are present in the throat at all times. It takes an injury or abrasion to the throat to trigger strep throat. Many doctors will ask parents to think back a week or so for any out of the ordinary coughing or sneezing that was harder than normal. Coughing or sneezing hard can cause small openings for strep bacteria. Strep throat is also caused by infection from another child. Strep throat is passed through sneezes and coughs.

Symptoms
The most common symptoms of strep throat include abdominal pain, fever, sore throat and difficulty swallowing. A child can come down with strep throat without having any symptoms for the first few days, but once symptoms arise, they can accelerate quickly. Parents may notice small, white spots in the throat. If you don't see any spots, do not rule out strep throat. Spots of infection can appear further down the throat, beyond where the naked eye can view.

Diagnosis
Most doctors will take a brief history and list of complaints before taking a look in the throat. If there are white patches in the throat, the doctor will likely order a rapid strep test. This test requires the nurse to rub a long cotton swab on the white patch. The swab is then tested for strep bacteria. If white patches are not visible, the doctor may still order a strep test. If the strep test is negative, but the doctor has a gut feeling it is strep throat, antibiotics may be ordered.

Treatment
Most cases of strep throat will go away within 7 to 10 days without medical intervention, but many parents choose to visit the family pediatrician for an antibiotic. Antibiotics fight the strep infection and relieve symptoms within 2 to 3 days. It is important to continue taking the antibiotic as instructed until the prescription is completely gone. Strep throat may recur if children stop taking antibiotics when symptoms disappear. It takes about 24 hours of antibiotics before children are no longer contagious.

READ ABOUT OTHER CHILDHOOD INFECTIONS

READ ABOUT INFECTIONS DURING PREGNANCY

There are times during pregnancy when you are just plain uncomfortable. Working until the latter stages of pregnancy could increase this feeling exponentially, but there are a few things you can change about your workspace to increase your comfort level.
Place a small fan on your desk. The body's temperature naturally raises when you're pregnant. Instead of sitting in a pool of sweat all day, place a small fan on your desk. It's best to choose a fan that uses electricity as you could need it for several months and batteries get expensive. If you choose a battery-operated fan, use rechargeable batteries and place batteries in the charging device before leaving work each day.

Wear comfortable clothes. Restrictive clothing is not only uncomfortable, it can increase risk of pregnancy complications. Wear loose fitting clothing in layers. When you feel warm, take off a few layers. If you get a chill, add a few layers. Always wear materials that allow the skin to breathe, like cotton.

Leave the high-heels behind. Your feet are swollen and your balance is off thanks to increased progesterone. Leave high-heels behind for the duration of pregnancy. You'll feel much better with a low-heeled shoe. 

Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is one of the main causes of early labor pains. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Drinking more will mean spending more time in the bathroom, but you should be walking around often so bathroom breaks every hour are healthy for baby. 

Eat healthy, nutritious meals. Choose whole foods that are nutrient dense. This doesn't mean picking up Chinese food for lunch or eating donuts from the break room. Lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and full-fat yogurts are ideal for lunch.

Stay away from stress. Stress not only makes you feel horrible, it can be detrimental to your pregnancy. Remove yourself from stressful situations whenever possible and use deep breathing exercises to reduce stress and control heart rate. 

Take frequent breaks. Sitting for long periods of time can increase the risk of blood clots during pregnancy. Get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour. If you're drinking lots of water, you should have no trouble getting in those frequent breaks because you'll be walking to and from the bathroom often.

Being comfortable at work during pregnancy is important. Some women must work until the last few weeks before birth and the final trimester tends to be the most uncomfortable.

Endometriosis was one of the most painful things
I’ve ever lived through. Every month the cramping felt like knives were
scraping the inside of my uterus and due to irregular bleeding I was
afraid to have intercourse or do anything that could bring my period
early.

Many serious complications in pregnancy are extremely rare, but it’s important that you learn the signs and symptoms of them so that you know when to immediately contact your doctor.

Just because labor is over and you’re holding the cutest baby on earth
doesn’t mean the pain of pregnancy is over. Pregnancy and labor pains
are taken over by postpartum pains almost immediately after giving
birth.

A study published in Springerplus from researchers at Ahmadi Hospital and Ain Shams University reveals a simple blood test that may help predict the viability of pregnancy with early vaginal bleeding. Data was collected from 260 women – 178 viable pregnancies and 82 non-viable pregnancies. All patients were admitted to the hospital for abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding at around 10 weeks gestation.

Doctors took a two ml blood samples from all patients and ran a progesterone assay. About 94% of viable pregnancies measured in excess of 10 ng/ml of progesterone. About 80% of women who later lost the pregnancy measured less than 10 ng/ml of progesterone. 

Conclusion: When patients in early weeks of pregnancy complain of abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, a progesterone assay may be able to predict the viability of the pregnancy. Researchers involved with the study did not suggest how attending physicians or obstetricians should use the information. No information was provided regarding how long after the progesterone assay the pregnancy spontaneously terminated. 

Source: Abdelazim IA, Elezz AA, Elsherbiny M. Relation between single serum progesterone assay and viability of the first trimester pregnancy. Springerplus. 2012 Dec;1(1):80. Epub 2012 Dec 27.

Pain and bleeding in early pregnancy can cause mental stress, but are pregnant women receiving proper follow-up care after diagnostic intervention for these symptoms during pregnancy? According to researchers from Oxford University, less than 10% of women receiving an ultrasound for pain or bleeding prior to the 16th week of pregnancy were scheduled for a follow-up appointment with their general practitioner.

A total of 57 women were recruited for the study. None of the women had been seen at the emergency clinic where the ultrasound was ordered for pain or bleeding in early pregnancy. Of the patients seen, less than 10% were given immediate follow-up appointments yet 33% reported feelings of distress, including anxiety among viable and non-viable pregnancies.

General practitioners are advised to offer follow-up appointments to address mental and physical health status in women with pain and bleeding in early pregnancy. Appointments could be beneficial for women with both viable and non-viable pregnancies.

Source: Moscrop A, Harrison S, Heppell V, Heneghan C, Ward A. Primary care follow-up and measured mental health outcomes among women referred for ultrasound assessment of pain and/or bleeding in early pregnancy: a quantitative questionnaire study. BMJ Open. 2013 Apr 11;3(4). pii: e002595. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002595. Print 2013.

• PubMed

Increased abdominal pressure can cause an umbilical hernia at any point in your life. A bad cough and heavy lifting are both common causes, so it’s no wonder pregnancy can also cause a hernia.