Tag Archives: pregnancy

Kerry Washington and her lil wee one on the way are definitely in our prayers after learning she is seriously concerned that her severe food allergies could be heightened during pregnancy, endangering her own life as well as that of her unborn child! According to National Enquirer reports : Pregnant “Scandal” star KERRY WASHINGTON is harboring a life-threatening health problem – and she’s terrified it could en­danger her unborn baby, a source says. The 36-year-old beauty, who plays Capitol Hill scandal “fixer” Olive Pope on the hit ABC political thriller, lives in constant fear of her severe food allergies. In a desperate attempt to avoid al­lergy attacks, she maintains a highly restrictive diet. She also never leaves home without an EpiPen, which is a syringe of epineph­rine used to reverse sudden, possibly fatal, allergic reac­tions. Her condition has cast a pall over what should be a joyous time as the star and her new husband, pro football player Nnamdi Asomugha, look forward to their first child. “Kerry is petrified she’ll die after having a severe allergic reaction to a particular food,” disclosed an insider. “It’s a big, dark cloud hanging over her life. She knows that allergy symptoms can increase during pregnancy, so she’s being hypervigilant. She won’t eat at restaurants now and sticks to a bland diet.” If she does have a bad reaction, Kerry can use the EpiPen to shoot the epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, into her thigh. “If I eat (certain) things, I could wind up dying in an emergency room somewhere,” said Kerry. “So I always have an EpiPen in my bag.” Prior to her pregnancy, when Kerry dined out more regularly, she always asked for every single ingre­dient in a dish, di­vulged the insider. “But the scary part is that she isn’t sure which foods she’s most allergic to. “It’s like playing Rus­sian roulette with her health!” The sexy actress, who starred in “Django Unchained” on the big screen, tied the knot with Nnamdi on June 24, and in late October it was re­vealed she was four months pregnant. “Everyone is delighted that she’s expecting, but there’s con­cern over how her medical issues could affect the pregnancy,” said the insider. Two experts who have not treated Kerry, agree she has good reason to be concerned. “The danger to the pregnancy is that if she goes into severe anaphylactic shock, the fetus may be deprived of oxygen,” warned Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Yale University School of Medicine. And Dr. Andy Nish, an allergy and asthma specialist from Gainesville, Ga., added: “She needs to avoid all foods to which she is allergic. There is a concern that using the EpiPen could also constrict the mom’s blood vessels and potentially harm the fetus. But in the event of a severe allergic reaction, she should use the device and seek emergency care.” We’re praying for you Kerry! Pregnancy can be dangerous for a lot of reasons, but hopefully everything will go smoothly for Kerry’s. ABC Continue reading →