‘Pregnancy is a privilege’

By Mallory Panuska
Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT May 06, 2008 05:51 pm

— From changing cat boxes to eating shellfish, there are a number of things that doctors say pregnant women should try to avoid during their pre-natal months.
A physician assistant at Woman Care in Fairmont explained that shellfish have high levels of mercury, which can be harmful to a baby, and cat feces oftentimes contains a microscopic parasite that causes an infection called toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasmosis can also be harmful to an unborn fetus, and pregnant women who have cats are encouraged not to change the litter boxes in an effort to avoid the infection.
Dr. Patrick Bonasso, an obstetrician at Woman Care, has been working with pregnant women for the past 23 years, and he said the list of things to avoid when you’re pregnant is fairly obvious.
“The bottom line is to use common sense when you’re pregnant,” he said.
Mainly, he said that women need to stay away from smoking, drinking and drugs. He said that these things can cause developmental and nutritional problems for the baby. He said babies that are born from a mother who smokes have also been known to be prone to ear infections, asthma and other breathing problems.
“The biggest problem is smoking while pregnant,” Bonasso said. “It’s phenomenal how many women smoke while they are pregnant.”
Bonasso stressed that there is also no safe level of alcohol consumption for any expectant mother, which goes the same for drugs, such as marijuana and other illegal substances.
A healthy, balanced diet is also important for pregnant women, Bonasso said. Foods high in sodium, like lunch meat and hot dogs, caffeine, and foods high in sugar should all be consumed in moderation, he said.
“Pregnancy is a privilege. A lot of woman can’t get pregnant, and those who can should look it as a privilege and they should make the environment for the baby the best that they can,” Bonasso said. “It’s pretty straight forward. All of it is common sense.”
This includes getting the proper pre-natal care, which consists of regular check-ups with a health-care provider, and taking plenty of vitamins.
Bonasso said many women fail to get the right type and amount of pre-natal care, which can be bad for the health of the baby.
E-mail Mallory Panuska at mpanuska@timeswv.com.

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