Jessica Simpson, who’s in the third trimester of her pregnancy, shared a shocking pic of her swollen foot asking for ‘remedies.’ HL spoke to two obstetricians who think the actress should contact her doctor ASAP.

Excerpt:

Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway, board-certified OB-GYN and author, spoke to Hollywoodlife.com EXCLUSIVELY about why Jessica should seek immediate help.

“Preeclampsia is a disease of the placenta, so the strict cure is to deliver the baby and get rid of the placenta,” she explained. “Something in the placenta causes constriction of blood vessels and makes blood pressure go up. If left untreated, preeclampsia and progress and women can have a stroke, a seizure, or a pulmonary edema, which is too much fluid in the lungs.”.

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https://hollywoodlife.com/2019/01/11/jessica-simpson-preeclampsia-risk-swollen-foot-pic-obgyn

On Thanksgiving Day, Ms. Vernita Lee took her last breath and then flew home to be with the Lord, but she left behind her legacy, Oprah Winfrey.

Women like Ms. Lee, remind me of my mother, whose humble wombs produced some of God’s greatest gifts, in the form of women and men who do extraordinary things that no one could ever imagine.

As I watched the People Magazine Interview of Oprah describing her mother’s final days, I kept nodding my head in recognition because one “good daughter” recognizes another and I too, had played Mahalia Jackson’s music at my mother’s transition.

Meghan Markle, 37, has broken royal tradition plenty of times before, so what’s to stop her from doing it again? The mom-to-be may decide to do a home birth, sources tell Vanity Fair. Either that or she might opt for a hospital in Windsor, which is where she and her husband Prince Harry, 34, will reportedly be living by her spring due date.

Excerpt:

Not only has she never given birth before, but “her age and being a woman of color would be risk factors, as well” Dr. Burke-Galloway said. Women of color have a higher chance of suffering from preeclampsia, the same pregnancy complication that led Kenya Moore, 47, into an early labor last month.

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https://hollywoodlife.com/2018/12/06/meghan-markle-home-birth-risks-report

While Cardi B, Shakira and Mariah Carey have all performed pregnant, touring with a baby in your belly is an entirely different story — yet so many celebs have done it. Here’s how, according to an OBGYN.

Excerpt:

The best time to tour is probably in the second trimester, between 13 weeks and 23 to 24,” Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway, board-certified OBGYN physician, author and blogger, explained. “At this point, you’ve usually escaped the increased risk of a first trimester miscarriage.

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https://hollywoodlife.com/2018/08/08/celebrities-pregnant-on-tour-performing-baby-bump

Congratulations, dear Duchess of Sussex on your beautiful marriage to Prince Harry but now the pressure begins for you to produce an heir. Here are some issues you might want to consider as you continue your journey as a wife and future mother:

• Your biological clock is ticking so please schedule an appointment to see an obstetrician as soon as possible to determine your pre-conceptual health.

• Please see a reproductive endocrinologist and consider In-Vitro-Fertilization (IVF) for conception. Trying to get pregnant the “normal” way for someone your age has traditionally taken longer, and time is not on your side.

As an obstetrician, I am in awe of Mrs. Beyoncé Knowles Carter (aka Queen Bey), not only as one of the greatest performing artist of all times but also as a mother. She was a high-risk OB patient because of her twin pregnancy, yet you would never know the way she defied gravity during her 2017 Grammy Performance. We all know that she is incredibly beautiful and exquisitely creative, but her pregnancy glow on the Grammy’s stage set a new standard.

Fast-forward to 2018.  Beyonce’s original performance in 2017’s Coachella was postponed because of her maternal state, however, she certainly made up for the delay according to the rave reviews that are lighting up the social media space. The festival was renamed “Beychella” and rightfully so. Her ten-month postpartum performance was visceral. You felt it and she owned it. Can you believe that less than a year ago, two beautiful human beings emerged from those swaggering hips?  Whether she had a c-section versus vaginal delivery, is really none of our business. Her babies are healthy. She is obviously healthy and above all, happy.

It is said that art imitates life and the episode “Personal Jesus” in Season 14 of Grey’s Anatomy revealed some hard-core facts: patients die unnecessarily because of missed diagnosis.

Three patients entered the fictitious Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital and none of them left alive, including a woman who had just given birth to a healthy baby at 37 weeks. She was in labor at 37 weeks with a “normal” blood pressure but died of something called the “HELLP” Syndrome that is associated with pre-eclampsia.

“HELLP” is an acronym for hemolysis (breakdown of red blood cells), elevated liver enzymes and low platelets which help the blood clot thereby avoiding hemorrhage.

Do you know that we almost lost Serena Williams after she had her baby?

Fact: Serena is well versed about pulmonary embolism because she had one before.

Fact: Her postpartum nursing staff thought she was hallucinating when she requested a diagnostic study and an IV drip. Fact: Serena was right -- and saved her own life.

Fact: MY MEDICAL COLLEAGUES NEED TO START LISTENING TO PATIENTS.

Congratulations are in order.

The Carter twins have arrived and we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

Although twins represent “two unique souls united by one birth,” their prenatal course and birth at times are not without risks. Twins come earlier than expected. Their umbilical cords may become entangled if they are identical.  Their placentas can prematurely separate too soon and there are other risks that I won’t even bother to mention. From what we know thus far, these complications have eluded the Carter pregnancy.

As a fan of both Beyoncé and Serena, I am overflowing with excitement for their pregnancy  as they embark on the mystical and magical journey called pregnancy for the first and second time in their lives. However, as an obstetrician, I’d like to share a few pearls of wisdom to ensure that the pressure gift that they carry, arrives safely.

Serena and Beyoncé are both 35 years old which is considered advanced age in pregnancy. While age 35 is a great time to have a baby because of presumed maturity, it is also a time to exercise precaution. Queen B, you are blessed to be carrying twins, but please be aware that twins can come earlier than expected. Preterm labor is sometimes sneaky and rears its ugly head as back pain. Therefore, if you are experiencing back pain for greater than one hour, please call your pregnancy provider immediately who should advise you to go to the labor and delivery to be checked.

Sometimes a woman marries the wrong man. And then things become more complicated because there are children involved. This man that you should have never married is now looking for a big pay day. However, please do not allow innocent children and babies to suffer because of a highly contentious divorce and certainly do no drag the surrogate mother into your mess.

Surrogate parenting (aka Gestational Carriers) is tricky. A woman is hired to have a baby for a couple with the expectation that the couple will pay her and take responsibility for their child. She is screened very carefully to make sure that she’s healthy enough to carry a pregnancy and that there is mutual agreement with the intended parents. It is a gift not to be abused. It seems that is not the case regarding Sherri Shepherd, former co-host of the popular show, The View.