Desert Storks

PREGNANCY PLANNING

This does not mean rushing out to the nearest baby store. It means getting into shape medically before getting pregnant and it includes both you and your partner. You want your body to be in peak condition so that when you do get pregnant you give your child the best possible start.

Pre-conception check up
Your first step should be to take a trip, with your partner, to your doctor for a pre-conception visit. This will enable you to make sure that you are up to date with your regular health screenings and immunisations, to discuss any concerns about the pregnancy that you may have and to decide on any lifestyle changes that may need to be made. Your doctor will be able to get a good picture of your overall health and any aspects of your medical history and your family’s medical history that could affect your pregnancy. You should also be asked if you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications, as well as any herbs or supplements, as these may have to be altered before or after conception.

If you, as the prospective mother, have a pre-existing medical condition, such as diabetes, asthma, lupus or high blood pressure, it is important for both you and your baby to make sure that the condition is under control before you get pregnant. For instance, women with diabetes must ensure that they have excellent control of blood sugar levels around the time of conception as this reduces the chance of the baby having a congenital abnormality. Read more »

Pregnancy tests - chorionic villus sampling

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a pregnancy test that checks the baby for genetic or biochemical abnormalities. The placenta is made of the same cells as the baby, so the baby can be tested by taking a small sample of the placenta. The sample is removed using a slender needle inserted through the abdomen. The tissue (chorionic villi) is then examined in a laboratory.

Unlike other pregnancy tests such as ultrasound, CVS isn’t a general check of the baby’s health but a specific test for particular abnormalities, such as Down syndrome or cystic fibrosis. The risk of miscarriage following CVS is one in 100, so it is important to thoroughly understand the benefits, risks and complications before agreeing to take the test. Generally, CVS is offered between 10 and 19 weeks gestation. Read more »

Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is a medical procedure performed on a pregnant woman to withdraw a small amount of amniotic fluid from the sac surrounding the foetus. By about the 16th week of pregnancy, the developing baby is suspended in around 130ml of amniotic fluid, which the baby constantly swallows and excretes. The goal of amniocentesis is to examine a tiny amount of this fluid to obtain information about the baby - including its sex - and to detect physical abnormalities such as Down’s syndrome or spina bifida. Amniocentesis is only performed on women thought to be at higher risk of delivering a child with a birth defect.

Problems detected by amniocentesis
Amniocentesis can detect a number of disorders that will affect babies, while they are still a small foetus in the uterus. These conditions include:

Down’s syndrome.

Neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.

Cystic fibrosis.

Genetic disorders - amniotic fluid samples can be DNA tested to identify a wide range of genetic disorders, including Fragile X syndrome, phenylketonuria, Tay-Sachs disease and sickle cell disease. Read more »

PREGNANCY AFTER 35 YEARS OF AGE

PREGNANCY AFTER 35 YEARS OF AGE

While many women over 35 years have normal pregnancies, those over 35 do have special considerations for pregnancy. Making the right choices early on and working with your doctor or obstetrician can help your pregnancy be trouble-free.

Making the right choices
What’s healthy for you is often healthy for your baby. What’s harmful to you may harm your baby even more. Before and after you become pregnant:

do not use recreational or illicit drugs;

do not drink alcohol; and

do not smoke. Read more »

Hepatitis during Pregnancy

The word ‘hepatitis’ means an infection or inflammation of the liver. If the liver becomes inflamed due to an infection with a virus it is called ‘viral hepatitis’. However, the liver can also become inflamed through excessive alcohol intake or by taking certain medications or being exposed to certain chemicals.

Some viral hepatitis infections only cause a temporary dysfunction of the liver, while others can cause permanent liver damage (called ‘cirrhosis’). In some cases, a small number of people with cirrhosis may eventually experience liver failure or liver cancer later in life. However, this will depend on the type of hepatitis involved.
Read more »

Diet and Pregnancy

Pregnancy and diet

Good nutrition during pregnancy will help to keep a developing baby and its mother healthy. The need for certain nutrients such as calcium, iron and folate is increased at this time but only a small amount of extra energy (kilojoules) is needed. Women should be encouraged to eat to their appetite and monitor their weight. A normal weight gain is around 10-13kg for women who are a healthy pre-conception weight.

Healthy foods for pregnant women
It is important to choose a wide variety of foods to ensure the nutritional needs of both mother and baby are met. Try to eat:

Lots of fruit and vegetables, wholegrain breads and cereals

Moderate amounts of low fat dairy foods and lean meats

Small amounts of foods high in fat, sugar and salt

Lean meat, chicken and fish

Dried beans and lentils

Nuts and seeds

Low fat milk, cheese and yoghurt

Green leafy vegetables. Read more »

PREGNANCY AND EXERCISE

Regular exercise during pregnancy can prepare your body for labour and the demands of a new baby. Caring for a newborn can be stressful and physically demanding, so it helps to be fit and strong.

You may need to modify your existing exercise program or choose a suitable new exercise program if you were sedentary before conceiving. Suggestions for exercise during pregnancy include walking, swimming and supervised classes such as yoga or tai chi. Pelvic floor exercises are also important before, during and after pregnancy.

Always consult your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional to make sure your exercise routine won’t harm you or your unborn baby.

If you have high blood pressure, multiple foetuses, increased risk of premature labour, pre-eclampsia or heart disease, you should seek advice from your doctor. You may be advised to limit or avoid physical activity. Read more »

FIRST and SECOND TRIMESTER SCREENING

What is Down’s syndrome?
Every human being has 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs. Each man’s sperm has 23 chromosomes and so does each woman’s egg, so that when conception occurs and the sperm fertilises the egg, a new human being with a full complement of chromosomes is formed. Sometimes mistakes occur and give rise to what are described as chromosomal abnormalities. Down’s syndrome is one of these. At conception, instead of one number 21 chromosome from the father and one from the mother coming together, a third chromosome creeps in and is then duplicated in every cell of the baby’s body. Down’s syndrome, sometimes called trisomy 21, is the most common chromosomal abnormality, occurring approximately once in every 700 births.
What are the characteristics of Down’s syndrome?
People with Down’s may have certain physical characteristics, such as eyes that slant upwards and outwards, a single crease running across the palm of the hand, low-set ears and small hands. Certain medical conditions are more likely to occur in people with Down’s syndrome. These include heart defects, which occur in one in three children with Down’s, digestive tract defects, and sometimes problems with sight and hearing. The most striking effect of Down’s, however, is on learning ability. People with Down’s syndrome will all have some degree of learning difficulty. Many people with Down’s will go to ordinary schools and lead semi-independent lives, but others will need full-time care. Babies born today with Down’s syndrome can expect to live between 40 and 60 years on average. You can read more about Down’s syndrome here. Read more »

PREGNANCY AND DRUGS

Pregnancy is a time of change for women and can sometimes be uncomfortable physically and stressful emotionally. It is a time when women try to take particular care of their health. Getting plenty of rest exercise, and good nutrition are all aspects of a pregnant woman’s health. Drug use is another important aspect of a woman’s health during pregnancy.

Drugs that are of concern in pregnancy include: alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, tranquillisers and sleeping pills, painkillers, LSD, Ecstasy and other designer drugs, glues and aerosols. Some prescription drugs can also be a problem during pregnancy, so discuss this with your doctor as soon as you know you are pregnant.

Drugs can be harmful to a developing foetus throughout the pregnancy but the first three months is considered the time of most risk because the major organs and limbs of the baby are forming. The placenta is the means by which all supplies of nutrients, water and oxygen pass through from the mother to the baby. All drugs taken during pregnancy will reach the baby through the placenta, however there is an enormous variation in babies’ responses to these drugs

The variation in response to drugs depends on the following factors:

The actual nature of the drug, whether the drug is a sedative (for example, benzodiazepines), or a stimulant (for example, amphetamines).How often the drug is used and the dose taken. Whether one or more drugs are used. Some drugs have a cumulative or combined action which is more likely to be harmful for the baby. Each baby, for reasons that are not clear, seems to have its own response to different drugs. Mothers can use the same drugs in the same amount for the same duration or length of a pregnancy, and the babies can react differently. There appears to be something in each individual baby which allows this to occur. you may know someone who has had a healthy baby even though they took drugs during their pregnancy. you cannot assume that your baby will be healthy if you take drugs during your pregnancy. No one can predict how a baby will be affected.  

Ante-natal checks, the visits you make to the doctor, hospital or community health centre while you are pregnant are important The best way to avoid or reduce complications and the risk to the baby is to have good ante-natal care. A much lower risk of obstetric complications occurs in women who attend ante-natal visits early in the pregnancy and continue to attend throughout the pregnancy. It is at these appointments that you could discuss with the doctor or midwife any drugs you may be taking. The information you give them will be confidential whether you are discussing legal or illegal drugs. Read more »

Common Fears of Fathers-To-Be

Emotions

As soon as you are told of your partner’s pregnancy, you will enter a new world. And unless you’re a qualified medical professional there will be a stack to learn as your involvement in the pregnancy and birthing process begins. For many men this is a time of great excitement but also a time of fear. Many fathers-to-be say they sometimes feel confused, sad, anxious and angry – which is perfectly natural.

Below are seven common fears expressed by fathers-to-be:

Financial fear   Mortality fears

Fear for your partner or child’s health

Relationship fears

Fears of ‘pregnancy medicine’
Performance fears
Paternity fears / Am I the real father?