October 2014 ~ Pregnancy & Medicine Initiative

An HIV-free generation still out of reach

Across the globe, slowly but surely, improving treatments and information for pregnant women who are HIV positive are having an impact. The success can be measured in two ways: first, the number of pregnant women who have access to HIV testing and treatment is rising worldwide; second, the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV is increasing in effectiveness. There…

Rheumatoid arthritis shouldn’t be a barrier to having children

Michelle and Kirstin, who both have rheumatoid arthritis, share their struggles and challenges during pregnancy. Michelle Braithwaite, 46, from Selby, UK I got my diagnosis when I was 19 and quickly went downhill from there. My rheumatoid was quite aggressive and would come and go in flare-ups. When I got to 35, my husband and I knew it was our…

Tough decisions, positive outcomes: cancer & life priorities

Did your cancer diagnosis change your life priorities? Faces of Courage and Hope tells a positive story of how chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a cancer of the white blood cells, changes lives in a series of photo stories. The recently published book depicts the inspiring journey of 16 European CML patients, including a Portuguese woman’s experience through two pregnancies. The…

Anti-epileptic drugs & baby’s development: should a mom have to choose?

Keeping the risk of seizures down is primarily why women with epilepsy take anti-epileptic drugs. When pregnancy is put into the equation, they’re often unsure what to do with their regular medication. Should there be a trade off between the benefits of not having seizures and the fear of what impact these drugs might have on their unborn child? If…

Fighting for two: cancer and pregnancy [Documentary]

Twelve years ago, when Caroline Swain’s son Max was still a baby, she noticed a lump on her breast and the worst was confirmed – she had breast cancer. This in itself was already a big change in her life. But then she found out that she was 5 weeks pregnant. It took a forward-looking medical team, a supportive family,…