Welcome to the CMA Pregnancy and Birth Zone!

At this most important time, it is essential to get the very best information possible about both pregnancy and birth.  Most Mums don't want to use conventional drugs of any sort, however they do need relief from some of the discomforts and worries that pregnancy and birth sometimes bring.

Complementary medicine has a great deal to offer Mums, both while pregnant and during birth and beyond and the CMA is very proud to have Denise Tiran MSc RM RGN ADM PGCEA, as our resident expert.  Denise is the Director of Expectancy Ltd – the Expectant Parents’ Complementary Therapies Consultancy.

Denise shares her wisdom and gives answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.  Why not come back tomorrow for more of Denise's answers to some of your most pressing questions.

Are cravings in pregnancy harmful to my baby?

Appetite changes are common in pregnancy. The hormone, oestrogen, stimulates your appetite so you may feel constantly hungry, or sickness, anxiety or other symptoms may turn you off food completely. Your sense of taste also changes . . .

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I am getting terrible pain in my pubic bone and groin – what is this and what can I do to relieve it?

Groin and pubic pain is common in pregnancy and is due to the stretching of the ligaments in the pelvis. Symphysis pubis discomfort (SPD) occurs when . .

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Stem cells hold the potential for future healing

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. Serving as a sort of repair system for the body, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to either remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.

Problems arise with ethical issues that surround experimentation with foetal stem cells. However, there is a new option that means that stems cells can be collected from a baby's cord blood after the birth, meaning that this new proceedure is painless and totally free of any danger to the baby.

The CMA backs the use of cord blood stem cells and is working with babystemcells.co.uk to help contribute to a worldwide stem cell bank that could save countless lives.

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