PROJECTS & CREDITS




“Pregnancy for Dummies”
By Marisa Grimes, The Discovery Health Channel

Bethesda, MD—All too often, today’s parents-to-be are presented with information overload: don’t dye your hair, don’t drink alcohol, don’t get a pedicure, don’t eat fish—no, some fish are o.k. Based on the best-selling book Pregnancy for Dummies® by Dr. Joanne Stone and Dr. Keith Eddelman, Discovery Health Channel presents a fun, provocative four-part series that clears up the confusion for expecting couples troubled by information overload. PREGNANCY FOR DUMMIES makes its world premiere on Discovery Health Channel Sunday, April 21, 2002 from 7-11 PM (ET).

From in-vitro fertilization to underwater births, there’s a lot of information for expecting couples to absorb, and all too often, too much information can turn one of the most joyful and memorable experiences into a worry-fest! Incorporating the book’s humorous animation and fun graphics, including top 10 lists that debunk myths and point out key information, PREGNANCY FOR DUMMIES takes some of the worry out of pregnancy by combining common sense medical advice with a solid dose of humor. Discovery Health Channel’s cameras go inside the practices of Dr. Stone and Dr. Eddelman at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City to see first hand how they plan for and then communicate with their patients.

Not only do viewers hear real stories of real women experiencing pregnancy, PREGNANCY FOR DUMMIES introduces two entertaining animated characters who appear throughout the series—Worrisome Wendy and Charlie the Challenger. Wendy is a 30-something mother-to-be who, from the moment of conception, worries about everything. Wendy’s reaction to information humorously reminds viewers of what too much worry can do to moms-to-be. Over the course of the series, Wendy grows and changes through her experience. She falls into virtually every emotional pothole along the way, but PREGNANCY FOR DUMMIES demonstrates how she, and every mom-to-be, can overcome these potholes and prepare for the biggest transformation in her life—motherhood.

Meanwhile, inside Wendy’s belly lies a barrel of energy—Charlie the Challenger. Viewers watch as Charlie grows, makes his first move, zaps mom’s calcium and iron, sometimes stretches, kicks and hiccups, and other times lies quietly waiting for his mother to panic about why her active little boy suddenly has stopped moving. Charlie helps viewers understand what it’s like from the baby’s perspective. He instinctively knows how to take care of his needs and drive his mom crazy!

PREGNANCY FOR DUMMIES follows several couples per episode, both in and out of the doctor’s office, who represent a cross section of patients—some older, some younger, some easy-going and others worried at every step of the way. In four parts viewers get to know the moms and dads-to-be and see exactly how being pregnant affects their lives. Each episode provides specific information on what women, men and their loved ones need to know during each trimester of pregnancy and in the first few months following birth.

The PREGNANCY FOR DUMMIES four-part television special marks the first time a “For Dummies” book has been developed into a television series. PREGNANCY FOR DUMMIES was produced for Discovery Health Channel by Randall Productions. Terri Randall is executive producer. Executive producer for Discovery Health Channel is Mark Poertner. Executive in charge of production is Bob Reid.