Names You Give Your Baby if You Want Her to be a Musical Greatness

Posted on April 8, 2016

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Laura Woods

From Dizzy Gillespie’s expertise with the trumpet to Dick Van Dyke’s memorable performance on Mary Poppins, music pervades every corner of our culture.

Using data from MusicBrainz, MooseRoots identified the names that, up to the present, are most common among musicians relative to the general population.

While a name is by no means a predictor of musical success, patterns certainly exist among artists leading up to today.

To do this, MooseRoots analyzed the names of 249,549 male and 65,442 female musicians to find the top names of each gender. After comparing the frequency of the top musician names with the frequency of those names in the general population during 2014, we compiled a list of names more likely to appear among musicians, and ranked the list from lowest to highest frequency relative to the general population.

Note: All values are rounded to the nearest tenth.

Download MooseRoots’ app on the Google Play Store for information on thousands of baby names.

Mary

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 3.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 5,598.7

Babies per 1 Million: 1,346.9

Held by Mary J. Blige, Mary ranked No. 120 among baby girls in 2014.

Maria

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 3.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 6,384.4

Babies per 1 Million: 1,413.4

The Latin version of Mary — shared by the late singer Maria Callas — ranked No. 115 among female newborns in 2014.

Amanda

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 3.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,652

Babies per 1 Million: 537.5

Meaning “lovable” and “to love,” and held by Dresden Dolls singer Amanda Palmer, the name ranked No. 314 among girls in 2014.

Jane

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 5.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,241.3

Babies per 1 Million: 525.1

Shared by actress and singer Jane Powell, the feminine form of John ranked No. 322 in 2014.

Julie

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 6.1

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,848.4

Babies per 1 Million: 400.3

The French form of Julia only ranked No. 409 among baby girls in 2014, but it is shared by the legendary Julie Andrews.

Helen

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 7.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,339.6

Babies per 1 Million: 408

Defined as “Greek,” “ray,” and “sun,” the name held by singer Helen Vita ranked No. 404 among female newborns in 2014.

Laura

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 7.3

Musicians per 1 Million: 4,420

Babies per 1 Million: 535.5

Laura, a name meaning “laurel,” is held by Broadway star Laura Benanti and ranked No. 318 among baby girls in 2014.

Karen

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 8.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,143.1

Babies per 1 Million: 325

Shared by the late Karen Carpenter, the name ranked No. 492 among girls in 2014.

Christine

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 9.3

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,160.9

Babies per 1 Million: 210

Shared by former Fleetwood Mac singer Christine McVie, the French form of Christina ranked No. 689 among female babies in 2014.

Mara

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 10.3

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,357.3

Babies per 1 Million: 208.4

Held by singer Mara Carlyle, Mara ranked No. 695 among newborn girls in 2014.

Marie

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 11.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,437.8

Babies per 1 Million: 269.8

Marie, the French version of Maria, ranked No. 579 among baby girls in 2014, and is held by a number of luminaries, including singer Marie Osmond and the Australian operatic soprano Marie Collier.

Sandra

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 12.1

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,357.3

Babies per 1 Million: 179.5

Held by musicians like Sandra Chambers, the nickname for Alessandra ranked No. 800 among female newborns in 2014.

Linda

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 12.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,241.3

Babies per 1 Million: 240.4

The name meaning “pretty,” “soft,” and “tender,” is shared by Linda Ronstadt and ranked No. 615 among baby girls in 2014.

Sharon

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 12.6

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,160.9

Babies per 1 Million: 159.4

A Biblical name, Sharon ranked only No. 879 among female babies in 2014, even with the star power of singer Sharon Cheslow behind it.

Jenny

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 14.4

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,652

Babies per 1 Million: 172.3

A nickname for Jennifer and shared by singer Jenny Lewis, the name ranked No. 822 among baby girls in 2014.

Anne

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 14.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 4,518.2

Babies per 1 Million: 286.8

Anne, shared by music industry heavyweights like Anne Murray, was a unique choice for girls in 2014, ranking just No. 553.

Susan

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 15

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,652

Babies per 1 Million: 165.6

Susan, the vernacular form of Susanna and the name of singer Susan Boyle, ranked No. 851 for female newborns in 2014.

Ann

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 18.6

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,848.4

Babies per 1 Million: 145.5

Held by jazz singer Ann Richards, this alternate spelling of Anne earned the rank of 945 among baby girls in 2014.

Louise

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 21

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,259.1

Babies per 1 Million: 102.7

Shared by singers like Louise Griffiths, the feminine form of Louis ranked just No. 1,219 in 2014.

Betty

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 21

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,160.9

Babies per 1 Million: 98

Held by singer and actress Betty Buckley, the short form of Elizabeth ranked just No. 1,254 among female babies in 2014.

Rita

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 21.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,964.4

Babies per 1 Million: 85.6

Rita, a pet form of Margarita, is held by Rita Quintero, and ranked only No. 1,382 among girls born in 2014.

Anita

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 22.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,964.4

Babies per 1 Million: 84.6

Originally a nickname for Ana, the name Anita ranked only No. 1,390 among female newborns in 2014, but is held by jazz musician Anita Baker.

Lisa

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 27.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 5,402.2

Babies per 1 Million: 191.4

Lisa, a variant of Liza and held by Lisa Marie Presley, only ranked No. 750 among baby girls in 2014.

Barbara

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 34.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 5,795.1

Babies per 1 Million: 162.5

Derived from the Latin word meaning “foreign woman,” the name shared by Barbara Mandrell ranked No. 863 in 2014.

Kim

Gender: Female

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 71.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,553.8

Babies per 1 Million: 35.1

Held by reality star and singer Kim Zolciak, the short form of Kimberley ranking just No. 2,577 for newborn girls.

Greg

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 106.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,429.1

Babies per 1 Million: 13.3

Held by famous saxophonist Greg Banaszak, the name Greg ranked No. 3,805 in 2014.

Dave

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 121.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 4,653.9

Babies per 1 Million: 37.9

Held by famous jazz musician and trombonist Dave Panichi, the name Dave ranked No. 1,883 in 2014.

Friedrich

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 134.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,136

Babies per 1 Million: 8.4

Meaning “peace” and “power” and held by the composer Friedrich Cerha, Friedrich was a rather unique choice among male newborns in 2014, ranking just No. 5,280.

Dieter

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 134.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 732.9

Babies per 1 Million: 5.4

Although Dieter, a name meaning “army and people,” is shared by cabaret artist Dieter Hallervorden, it only ranked No. 7,132 among boys in 2014.

Philippe

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 138.4

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,575.7

Babies per 1 Million: 11.3

The name held by singer Philippe Katerine is very distinctive, earning the rank of No. 4,325 among male babies in 2014.

Art

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 141.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 842.8

Babies per 1 Million: 5.9

Though shared by legendary artist Art Garfunkel, the name defined as “bear and champion” ranked just No. 6,615 among boys in 2014.

Michel

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 148

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,832.2

Babies per 1 Million: 12.3

Uncommon for boys in the U.S., the name Michel — held by composer Michel Legrand — earned the rank of No. 4,059 among male newborns in 2014.

Stan

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 156

Musicians per 1 Million: 769.5

Babies per 1 Million: 4.9

Shared by saxophonist Stan Harrison, the name remains uncommon among male babies in 2014, ranking just No. 7,981.

Bill

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 160.4

Musicians per 1 Million: 3,664.5

Babies per 1 Million: 22.7

Held by singer Bill Hudson, the name ranked only No. 2,605 among baby boys in 2014.

Chuck

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 176.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,136

Babies per 1 Million: 6.4

Despite being held by the renowned artist Chuck Berry, the pet form of Charles was a distinctive choice for male newborns in 2014, ranking just No. 6,321.

Georges

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 182.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 806.2

Babies per 1 Million: 4.4

Held by the late composer Georges Bizet, this unique name ranked No. 8,300 among boys in 2014.

Werner

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 205.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 806.2

Babies per 1 Million: 3.9

Defined as “army,” the name of famed jazz musician Werner Neumann was a very distinctive choice for boys born in 2014, ranking No. 9,512.

Rob

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 216.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,502.4

Babies per 1 Million: 6.9

Shared by rock stars like Rob Zombie, the short form of Robert is a rather unique choice as a given name, earning the rank of No. 6,195 among male newborns in 2014.

Ernst

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 266.6

Musicians per 1 Million: 952.8

Babies per 1 Million: 3.6

The name held by the late singer Ernst Busch, Ernst — derived from the German word meaning “serious business” and “fight to the death” — hasn’t been given to more than four baby boys in the U.S. since 2013.

Hermann

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 292.2

Musicians per 1 Million: 732.9

Babies per 1 Million: 2.5

Meaning “army” and “man,” and shared by multitalented musician Hermann van Veen, the name ranked No. 12,676 among male babies in 2014.

Phil

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 315.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,868.9

Babies per 1 Million: 5.9

The short form of Philip and held by iconic rocker Phil Collins, the name only ranked No. 6,912 among boys in 2014.

Rolf

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 321.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 806.2

Babies per 1 Million: 2.5

Rolf, meaning “fame and wolf,” ranked only No. 13,566 among male newborns in 2014, and is shared by musician Rolf Harris.

Pat

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 321.5

Musicians per 1 Million: 806.2

Babies per 1 Million: 2.5

Shared by singer Pat Boone, the nickname for Patrick ranked just No. 13,431 among baby boys in 2014.

Doug

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 338.7

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,209.3

Babies per 1 Million: 3.6

Though held by musicians like Doug Sahm, the name remains uncommon — no more than four baby boys have received the name since 2013.

Al

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 338.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,345.3

Babies per 1 Million: 6.9

Held by the late Al Jolson — an actor and singer — the name Al is used more as a nickname than a given name, ranking just No. 5,963 among male newborns in 2014.

Franz

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 440.1

Musicians per 1 Million: 2,381.9

Babies per 1 Million: 5.4

The German form of Francesco, the name held by composer Franz Waxman earned the rank of No. 7,160 among male newborns in 2014.

Georg

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 440.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,502.4

Babies per 1 Million: 3.4

Georg, a name held by musicians like Georg Ots, remains uncommon and ranked No. 9,924 in 2014.

Ed

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 487.6

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,465.8

Babies per 1 Million: 3

Ed, a nickname for Edward and shared by rapper Ed Skrein, is seldom used, and ranked No. 11,018 among baby boys in 2014.

Dick

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 711.8

Musicians per 1 Million: 1,722.3

Babies per 1 Million: 2.4

The name Dick, held by icons like Dick Van Dyke, ranked only No. 11,466 in 2014.

Bob

Gender: Male

Times More Likely to Be a Musician: 1,354.9

Musicians per 1 Million: 4,067.6

Babies per 1 Million: 3

Made famous by the great Bob Marley, the short form of Robert wasn’t commonly used as a given name for male babies in 2014, ranking just No. 10,796.

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Small Biz Aren’t Happy with San Francisco’s New 1st in the Nation Parental Leave Law

Posted on April 7, 2016

The rich BIG TECH companies in the San Francisco/San Bernardino/Silicon Valley area are revolutionizing parental leave and leading the country in that area, but is their trailblazing also weighing down smaller companies who don’t think they should be forced to bear the burden of paying for leave?

Most of the big tech companies, like Netflix, Google, Facebook and others, many headquartered in Silicon Valley, have the most generous leave policies among all private employers. Some even pay for egg freezing.

Twitter announced Tuesday that it would offer up to 20 weeks of fully paid leave for new parents in the U.S. starting May 1.

Their local government is taking cues from their efforts and changing the laws to require all companies to offer paid leave.

This week, the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco unanimously approved a new regulation that would require businesses to provide fully paid leave for new parents. The measure was created to address “income equality,” a new buzz term in policy.

Currently, the U.S. lags other countries in providing parental leave and is the only major industrialized nation that doesn’t require paid leave.

After another formal vote next week, Mayor Ed Lee said he will be happy to sign the legislation into law.

But small business owners think that this is but the latest in a long history of city mandates that are dragging them down. First paid sick leave and health coverage and now this.

Also, San Francisco approved a $15 hourly minimum wage for workers in 2014. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Monday mandating that amount for the entire state.

“They don’t necessarily have the resources, they can’t absorb the increases in cost, and they feel like it’s kind of relentless, it’s one thing after the next,” San Francisco Chamber of Commerce vice president Dee Dee Workman told AP.

Indeed, California is known for being a trailblazer and their consumer protection laws are always very protective.

In law school, I recall that for each nationwide law or standard we learned, California was always the exception.

Federal law grants workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. California, Rhode Island and New Jersey provide partial pay, with the money coming from employees. Legislators in New York last month approved up to 12 weeks of partial pay.

The state of California currently allows workers to receive 55 percent of their pay for up to six weeks to bond with a new child. The money comes from a state insurance program funded by workers.

Employees with at least 20 employees make up 45% of the state’s 6-weeks paid leave mandate and the state’s insurance program funds the rest. This new law will start with workers with at least 50 workers beginning in January 2017.

Businesses with 35 to 49 workers must comply starting in July 2017 and businesses with 20 to 34 workers have until January 2018.

Google and Facebook support the measure, AP reports.

“Paid parental leave increases the probability that employees will return to work, be more productive, and earn higher wages,” said Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “That is good for business and for families.”

As a small biz owners who also supports families and mothers, I’m torn.

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STUDY: To Avoid Brain Disorder Risk in babies, Gestational Diabetes Patients Should Exercise and Monitor their Diet

Posted on April 5, 2016

As a person who had gestational diabetes while pregnant with my first child, I was very interested in this new study which states that women who do not control their diet and do not exercise after diagnoses risk contributing to neurological delays in their babies.

The study, conducted by researchers at Ben-Gurion University and Soroka University Medical Center in Israel, observed women who delivered at that hospital between 1991 and 2014, and their children. Of the 230,000 women who had babies there during that period, 5.4% (12,642) developed gestational diabetes. Most women kept their glucose levels balanced through only by diet, but 2,566 also needed medication to stabilize the levels.

Only 1 percent of children whose mothers did not have gestational diabetes had neurological defects, but that number rose to 1.4% in those whose mother had the diabetes treated only by diet and exercise, and 1.7% in those whose mother only took medication.

The findings indicate that exercise and diet, combined with medication when necessary, are essential to avoiding neurological defects which can lead to autism, epilepsy and cerebral palsy, according to research published in the prestigious American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy. The reports of gestational diabetes are on an upward progression and the condition impacts the health of both the mother and child as the baby develops, according to the team of authors led by Prof. Eyal Sheiner, chairman of the obstetrics and gynecology department at Soroka and vice dean at BGU’s Faculty of Health Sciences

Excessive sugar in the bloodstream leads to the fetus becoming very large.

Expectant mothers can help control gestational diabetes by eating healthy food, exercising and, if necessary, taking medication. Blood sugar levels usually return to normal soon after the baby is born, but it also puts mothers at risk of developing type II diabetes, so they should monitor their weight and blood sugar on a regular basis.

This is me. I am recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic I suspect because of having this condition while pregnant over 13 years ago. Oy!

But I am not alone. Experts estimate that 6 to 7 percent of all pregnant women have diabetes and that 90% of those cases are gestational. Once they develop gestational diabetes, they are at significant risk of developing glucose intolerance in their lifetime; about half will become diabetic in the two to three decades after delivery.

I am watching my diet now and trying to exercise more so I do not join the statistic of those who get the full blown disease. Eek!

Sheiner says the big take away from his team’s research is for practitioners, women and their doctors and the medical community to be aware of the long term effects of gestational diabetes and that it could impact the baby’s neurological development as well as the mom’s.

I was told that my son is also at a high risk of developing diabetes because he essentially had it with me while I was pregnant with him. So this study shows an additional long-term risk to the child.

“In addition,” he said, “one must remember that pregnancy is a window of opportunity to diagnose chronic diseases in the baby. The results also stress the importance of balancing glucose levels when gestational diabetes is diagnosed, as large amounts can cause neurological complications.”

Take heed moms-to-be. Watch your sugar intake while preggers and if you are diagnosed, please change your diet and exercise! Thanks. We need you to deliver healthy babies. (smile)

h/t The Jerusalem Post

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News

An Awesome Pre-Maternity Leave Checklist for Female Bosses

Posted on April 4, 2016

Business Strategist and digital entrepreneur Nathalie Lussier is 8 months pregnant with her first child and is about to go on maternity leave, but oh wait, she works for herself!

How does maternity leave work for an entrepreneur?

Lussier, and her husband, who is a developer for the company and will also going on paternity leave, took some steps to prepare their business and team an entire year in advance to keep it running smoothly during their absence.

Lussier chronicled the steps, which are, in sum:

REVERSE ENGINEER YOUR DUE DATE AND KEEP COMMITMENTS MANAGEABLE
FIND OUT WHERE YOUR BOTTLENECKS ARE
BRING YOUR TEAM UP TO SPEED ON YOUR MATERNITY LEAVE PLANS
AUTOMATE, DELEGATE, OR DELETE ANYTHING THAT CAN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU
SET FIRM BOUNDARIES FOR YOURSELF + PREPARE TO SAY NO MORE OFTEN
GET THE SUPPORT YOU’LL NEED IN PLACE EARLY & TEST YOUR SYSTEMS

She goes into great detail on a podcast and blog about this topic that you can find HERE!

As a digital publisher, I was most impressed with her list of obligations needing tending to before leaving:

Plan out our editorial calendar, newsletters, and content for the next few months ahead of time
Record updated tutorial videos for how we do certain things (think Facebook ads, setting up campaigns, etc.)
Create an escalation plan for support requests, so that most support requests can be handled by the team unless Robin is needed on the “tougher ones”
Writing more canned responses and beefing up our Knowledge Base to answer questions more proactively
Set clear goals for everyone on the team, so they know exactly what they’re working on and responsible for

Read the rest of the blog and access the podcast HERE!

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The One April Fool’s Day Joke this TTC Couple didn’t Want to See Anyone Pull

Posted on April 2, 2016

Infertility is real and about 12 percent of women ages 15 to 44 struggle to conceive, according to the Centers for Disease Control. So for many of them, like Rhode Island school teacher Chelsey Kimmel, seeing April Fool’s jokes from women pretending to be pregnant is no laughing matter.

Kimmel told ABC news that she warned her social media followers on Instagram to think twice before sharing a pregnancy joke on April Fool’s Day.

It’s been 18 months since the 24-year old and her partner of five years have been trying to conceive successfully. They suffered a miscarriage last October and are due to start another round of in vitro fertilization in 10 days, ABC reports.

“I’ve known people for a long time who joke that they’re pregnant and this year it hit me that it does hurt,” Kimmel told ABC News. “I struggle with real posts of people I know and love when they really are pregnant, but when people make a joke [about it], women like me, who want more than anything in the world to be pregnant … it just really hits home. It can hurt.”

It didn’t stop people, including celebs like Gwen Stefani, from sharing a sonogram on her Instagram today with the caption, “It’s a girl.”

One commenter with the handle bankstonlife wrote about Stefani’s joke, “Respect lost, obviously the completely clueless people on here have never lost a child!! Joking about a pregnancy when soooo many have suffered a loss during pregnancy is insensitive!!!”

It’s very sensitive issue indeed. There were several others too leaving similar responses.

“There are a lot of emotions and energy we invest when facing fertility issues. Seeing people joke about being pregnant is deflating.” said Ellicott City, Maryland engineer Qiana Gabriel.

She said she told her husband that she planned to stay off of Facebook today after seeing five friends joke that they were pregnant.

Consider this your warning for next year folks.

photo: courtesy Ericka Chick photography

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News

FDA Now Allows ‘Abortion Pill’ Usage Later in Pregnancy

Posted on March 31, 2016

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday changed the label on the “abortion pill,” supporting a lower dose, fewer doctor visits, and extending its use further into a pregnancy.

The move undercuts laws in Texas, Ohio and North Dakota that require physicians to only prescribe Mifeprex, better known as “RU486”, solely in line with FDA label recommendations. Around 90% of the 1.1 million U.S. abortions yearly come in the first trimester of pregnancy, and the pills now account for about one-third of these early abortions.

The FDA’s older label dated to the 2000 U.S. approval of the drug. It recommended three doses of the drug, 600 milligrams in all, and limited their use to the first 50 days of a pregnancy. The manufacturer, Danco, asked for the updated label in response to medical studies supported by the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists since 2013, which showed a single 200 milligram dose of the drug and its use up to 70 days after the end of the last menstrual period “is equally is safe and effective,”according to the agency.

“This brings the label into line with best medical practice,” said Beverly Winikoff of Gynuity Health Projects in New York at a teleconference for reporters held by abortion rights supporters. “Requiring women to take three pills instead of one is bad medicine.”

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Study: Coffee Intake before Pregnancy Increases Miscarriage Risk

Posted on March 28, 2016

A new study published online in Fertility and Sterility claims that a woman is more likely to miscarry if she and her partner consumed more than two caffeinated drinks daily during the weeks before conception. The study also reports that women who drank more than two caffeinated beverages daily during the first seven weeks of pregnancy were also at higher risk to miscarry.

The National Health Institutes of Health and Ohio State University, Columbus research team investigated the lifestyle habits of 344 couples, including their cigarette use, caffeine consumption and multivitamin intake. They observed these participants weeks before conception until seven months into the pregnancy.

“Our findings provide useful information for couples who are planning a pregnancy and who would like to minimize their risk of early pregnancy loss,”asserts study author Germaine Buck Louis, the director of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Twenty-eight percent or 98 of the pregnancies miscarried. The team found that caffeinated beverage consumption was associated with a hazard ratio of 1.74 increased miscarriage risk for females and 1.73 increased risk for males.

“Our findings also indicate that the male partner matters, too,” Buck Louis added. “Male preconception consumption of caffeinated beverages was just as strongly associated with pregnancy loss as females.”

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News

Durex Just donated close to a Quarter Million Condoms to CDC’s Zika Prevention Kits

Posted on March 24, 2016

Hygiene company RB, makers of Durex condoms, is donating close to a quarter million condoms to the CDC Foundation for inclusion in CDC’s Zika Prevention kits to be distributed in the US Territories, Puerto Rico, American Somoa and the US Virgin Islands.

The mosquito-borne disease which causes birth defects has spread to the US Territories in tropical locations, with continental US cases only being related to people who have recently traveled where the Zika virus is active.

Not too much is known about the Zika virus, but it is known that it can also be spread by infected men to their sex partners. Therefore, until more information is known about the virus, CDC is recommending that people (who live in or have sex with people) who have visited at-risk areas use a condom when having sex.

Here is where a huge condom donation comes in handy.

“RB is committed to helping people live healthier lives, and I’m proud that RB can help the CDC Foundation and private individuals take action to prevent the spread of the Zikavirus in the United States and abroad,” said Alexander Lacik, president of North America at RB. “We hope that this donation of Durex condoms and our continued partnership with organizations such as the CDC Foundation will help combat the spread of the Zika virus.”

This donation follows RB’s creation of a $1 million Zika relief package.

The CDC Foundation connects CDC with private-sector organizations and individuals to build public health programs to make the world a healthier and safer. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared Zika virus disease and its association with severe birth defects a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on February 1, 2016. The CDC Foundation activated its Global Disaster Response Fund and the U.S. Emergency Response Fund in early February to help control the outbreak.

Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito and, according to the CDC, usually causes few to no symptoms in people.

However, when a pregnant woman is infected, the virus can spread to her fetus, potentially causing birth defects such as microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with underdeveloped brains.

“We are extremely grateful for RB’s generous contribution,” said Dr. Judith Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. “Their donation of condoms for the Zika prevention kits will help in protecting people and saving lives.”

“For more than 80 years, Durex has played a leading role in sexual health and bringing people together safely,” said Karen Chisholm of Durex at RB. “Each of our condoms goes through a rigorous process to ensure only the highest quality of product reaches our consumers, ensuring that we meet the best international standards as well as our own.”

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News

It Was A Dream Maternity Photoshoot For This special Mom-to-be

Posted on March 20, 2016

Brazilian mom Lilica got a chance to have a tasteful maternity shoot right before giving birth to her quints: four boys and one little girl.

Does it matter that Lilica is a 4-year old Doberman Pinscher mix?

Her owners’ neighbor is photographer Ana Paula Grillo who got the idea to give Lilica her own shoot after seeing an expectant human couple’s shoot.

“It was amazing,” Grillo said. “It felt like she understood everything, and made sensational poses. It was like she was smiling.”

The only editing Grillo used was color correction? Mashable reports. Everything else came from Lilica, the ideal model.

The day after the shoot, Lilica welcomed her pups who were all adopted by family members and friends of her owners.

Sweet.

h/t Mashable

Photos courtesy: Ana Paula Grillo

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Jury Awards Maryland Couple almost $400K For Unwanted Birth post Sterilization Surgery

Posted on March 19, 2016

A jury awarded a Maryland couple $397,000 to care for an unwanted fourth child they welcomed after the mom got pregnant following an unsuccessful sterilization surgery.

Chivonne Posey underwent the surgery after her doctor Dr. Paul Rodgers advised her and husband William Posey to get the procedure when the couple expressed not wanting to have any more children.

Rogers performed the surgery in January 2011 but a few months later she became pregnant and had a son later that year.

The court awarded the couple the money to compensate them for the cost of raising a fourth child who has special needs.

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