Clotting of blood during or after a pregnancy is fairly common these days. While the reasons for these are numerous, the driving reason behind this being that the mother is weak after such an ordeal and it is, therefore, likely to affect her health. In pregnant women, blood clots tend to form in the deep veins present in the legs or near the pelvic area. The condition is known as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). One of the main concerns for people suffering from Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is the occurrence of Pulmonary Embolism (PE), which is a life threating diseases and is caused when a DVT breaks and travels to the blood vessels connected to the lungs.

The symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
According to the data published on  Centre for Disease Control and Prevention  website, from a recent survey conducted it has been estimated that almost 900,000 people suffer from Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) every year in the United States i.e. 2 in every 1000 people suffer from this life-threatening disease. 

This disease although life threatening can be taken into account by proper medical care at the early stages and therefore patients are advised to look out for any or all of the following symptoms-

The patient is experiencing pain, swelling or tenderness in one of their legs, although both might have been affected.
You have noticed a change in skin colour, and it has taken a reddish shade.
There is a warm sensation in and around the area of the clot.
The veins on your legs are appearing larger than they should.
Although all of these are proven symptoms for Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), it is common to have discomfort from swelling legs during pregnancy and does not always mean that the patient has symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). If you are having the slightest thought that it may be a case of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), you should immediately contact your GP, midwife, or call your maternity unit.

Treatment for Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
When a patient is suffering from Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and she is pregnant, anticoagulants, which is a medicine that prevents clotting of blood, is administered to them. While not all anticoagulants are safe to use during pregnancy, quite a few are. It is highly advisable that a doctor or medical practitioner is consulted before taking any further step.

How to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Like all diseases around the world, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is too a preventable one if the certain Do s and Don ts are kept in mind. Below is a list of certain things to keep in mind, in order to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)-

Being active and moving around regularly, will keep the blood circulation normal.
Beware of your family history and consult your doctor with the same.
Look out for symptoms and contact your doctor at once if you see one.
Every disease is preventable and curable. It is on us, what we choose to do with it, succumb to it, or stand up and fight it. Look out for the above-mentioned points and you will be at a safe distance from the clutches of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

Blood Clotting During & Post Pregnancy - How It Can Be Prevented?

Giving birth is a life-changing event for every mother and it leaves an everlasting impression in your life. Every delivery is unique and you can just gain from the experience of others, but don t expect it to be the same. 
You will experience many changes in your body and will learn to take care of yourself and your growing baby as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. Pain is a part of labour that every woman has to undergo. It is the fear of labour pain that make many pregnant women opt for c-section. However there is no denying the fact that c-section is a major surgery and requires several days to recover.

Keep in mind the following tips to go in for a normal delivery:

Try to get prenatal education, which guides you about labour, birth and natural labour pain management techniques, such as breathing, self-hypnosis, relaxation and other coping mechanisms. You should check with your hospital too as most of them offer an evening or weekend course.
Pick a gynaecologist who has a history in delivering babies naturally.
Keep yourself physically active by doing mild exercises throughout pregnancy.
You should keep a calm environment in your labour room.
Don t gain too much weight as women who aren't overweight do not have much difficulty in delivering babies vaginally.
Opt for fewer rather as more tests, treatments and interventions during your pregnancy tend to interfere with normal birth. Whenever tests or procedures are recommended, you should ask about the need of undergoing such tests.
Continue with your walks as it helps in relieving the pain.
Go in for a water therapy. A shower, bathtub, birthing pool and hot compresses are other tools for easing pain and helping you relax. Spend as much time as possible in water.
Use various positions such as sitting on the toilet, kneeling, and squatting to ease vaginal delivery.
Massage/back rubs equally help in easing the pain.
You can also go in for Effleurage which is a light massage of the abdomen to ease your vaginal delivery.
Apply warm or cold compresses.
Avoid hearing negative stories about labour.
Eat a healthy balanced diet as the health and development of your baby depends on your nutrition.
Stay away from stress and anxiety. Read good books about parenting and be in the company of good lively people.
Use relaxation/breathing techniques to keep yourself calm.
Guided meditation and prayers undoubtedly will reinforce your faith in yourself to deliver a baby vaginally.
Have adequate sleep. Avoid drinking tea or coffee two hours before going to bed in order to have uninterrupted sleep.
Following these tips religiously can definitely increase your chances of having a normal delivery.

Normal Delivery - 18 Things You Must Always Remember!

Pregnancy brings with it a new set of additional responsibilities. The mother has to be extra vigilant about monitoring and caring for her health. This ensures that sufficient nutrition is being provided to the growing infant, at the same time, ensuring no harm comes to you. Listed below are some simple ways to do the same.

1. Prenatal care: As soon as you realize you are pregnant, it is advisable to talk to a doctor or a midwife about proper prenatal care. This could include anything and everything from prenatal vitamins to food habits to exercise to sleeping habits to periodic scanning and a number of other things that your doctor will prescribe.

2. Diet: You need to ensure two things that is you are eating enough for two people and everything is healthy and not harmful for the little one that gets all its nutrition through you. The diet should be healthy, nutritious, wholesome and of course free of junk. Some pointers to a healthy diet include:

a. Include a good amount of fruits and vegetables every day; break it into five small portions.
b. Sufficient amount of carbohydrates should be the basis of each meal.
c. Whole grains are preferred to white grains, which also give good amount of fiber.
d. A good amount of proteins including fish, eggs, meat, nuts, pulses, milk, and other dairy products.
e. Ensure adequate amount of iron, calcium, and other minerals are included in the diet.
f. Avoid eating unpasteurized dairy products, uncooked or undercooked food and smoked seafood.
g. While most vitamin requirements should be met through the diet, in some people, prenatal vitamins which provide the increased demands for folic acid.

3. Weight gain: If your weight was normal for your age and height before pregnancy, expect to add about 12 to 15 kg during your pregnancy. Consult with your doctor on weight changes and nutritional aspects to monitor weight throughout pregnancy. This could change based on if it is twins, your weight before pregnancy, and body type.

4. Exercise: Exercising during pregnancy is being increasingly encouraged for the following reasons:

a. Improved energy levels
b. Controls back pain
c. Improved sleep pattern
d. Improves constipation
e. Improves muscles strength and endurance
There are specific exercises designed to benefit the pregnant women. Whether it is walking or swimming aimed at improving overall health or Kegel exercises aimed at improving vaginal and perineal muscles, your doctor should be able to draw up a routine.

5. Lifestyle changes: With pregnancy setting in, it is time to bid goodbye to smoking and drinking alcohol. Continued smoking after onset of pregnancy has many serious complications, including growth retardation, low birth weight. Alcohol can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery.

These are simple ways to monitor and care for your and of course, the baby's health throughout pregnancy.

5 Ways to Monitor and Care for Your Health During Pregnancy

If you notice blood while urinating, you must visit a urologist to get a clear picture of the health issue. Blood in urine is known as hematuria in medical terms. Such a condition can occur in both men and women. It is a common condition and does not require the patient to panic. Rather immediate tests should be conducted to find out the cause of the blood and treated accordingly. Such conditions are very much treatable with a little care and vigilance following of the doctor s advice. Here are some of the common causes of hematuria in individuals: 

Urine Infections: Urine infections are the common cause of blood in your urine. Most commonly these affect urinary bladder and rarely kidneys also. Prompt identification and treatment can easily revert this problem. 
Urinary Stones: Another major cause of hematuria, usually accompanied by pain in the abdomen. 
Enlarged Prostate: With an enlarged prostate, there can be blood flow with the urine. Rarely this may be a sign of cancer in the prostate. 
Exercise: This might come as a surprise for many of the fitness freaks. While exercises are needed for the body and rightly so; but exercises should be done in a certain limit. Heavy exercises, limitless and vigorous exercises can sometimes cause other health problems in the body. One such problem is the passing of blood in the urine. 
Medications: Quite interesting is the fact that long-term consumption of certain medicines might cause hematuria in individuals. Certain medicines like penicillin and aspirin are absorbed by the body to a certain extent. But overdose or the regular dosage might lead to further problems in the human body. 
Kidney Injury: A kidney injury is a form of internal injury which can be felt and manifested through signs and symptoms. Such injuries occur mostly to those who are in the field of sports. At times, a heavy punch, a hard training session, or an exhaustive fall might lead to kidney injuries. This, in turn, would cause hematuria. 
Tumors of Urinary Tract: Bleeding can occur from tumors arising from kidney, ureter, urinary bladder as well as urethra. These require timely detection and management. Early treatment leads to an excellent long-term outcome. 
Thus, these are some of the common reasons for the development of blood in urine. However, it is a condition which can be best analyzed by the medical practitioner. Therefore, on the occasion of blood, you must get it tested and treated immediately.

Blood In Urine - What Does It Mean?

Childbirth is a very strenuous procedure, one has to undergo. Just like pregnancy, vaginal childbirth can take a toll on your health. But, there are certain simple tips and tricks you can have up your sleeves which can ensure you stay in optimal health post child birth. 


Listed below are a few steps one can undertake to take care of your body after childbirth:


A healthy meal: Since childbirth, both vaginal and C-section, are strenuous procedures, you should choose to eat healthy and balanced meal which provides your body with the necessary nutrients and energy. Since, you are also breast-feeding, you need the required nutrients to pass off to your child. 
Good rest is a must: You need to sleep on time and rest to relax your body. If you do not rest enough, you will be able to see the negative effects on your skin, manifesting in the form of puffy eyes and reduced energy levels. This puts extra strain on your body. Hire a nanny if you must; but, make sure you sleep on time to give your body the desired rest.
Work-out: You definitely cannot work-out in full flow after you have just had a child as your body is still healing. However, what you can do is engage in mild forms of Yoga stretches and breathing exercises to relax your body. Working out will help you relax your muscles and lose the fat, your body has gained during pregnancy. It also releases  endorphins , the  happy hormones  which make you feel better, both physically and psychologically. 
Drink a lot of fluids: It is advisable for you to consume fluids after childbirth. The fluids relieve your body from toxin build-up and help in detoxifying and relaxing your body. Opt for vitamin based drinks and smoothies which impart sufficient nutrition to your body.
Heal your perineum: The best way to take care of your perineum is by cleaning it with lukewarm water and  a few drops of aromatherapy oils or bath salts. Invest in a hazel pad if required as the gentle squirts of water help in cleaning the bacteria and blood off your perineum.

Childbirth - How Should You Take Care of Your Body After It?

Post pregnancy, you may experience pain due to multiple reasons. However, such pain might subside within a few weeks, but still it is advisable that one should be prepared prepared for all kinds of discomfort post pregnancy, such as the pain you endure while breastfeeding or the epidural pain. If you have undergone surgery, then there may be pain due to surgical incisions as well. One should keep herself hydrated all throughout and be patient while trying to deal with such post pregnancy pain.

Managing pain depends on the type of pain you are experiencing. Below is a summarized account of the different types of pain one might go through and how to come out of it.

    Incisions: In case the delivery occurs by the caesarian procedure, you might have to endure pain from the incisions. The pain generally lasts till all the incisions heal, so you will require pain medications to get relief from the pain.
    Uterine contractions: The uterus needs to return to its normal size after the delivery. The pain from these contractions tends to increase with subsequent pregnancies. Like incisions, pain medications will be administered to help you get relief from the pain.
    Vaginal dryness: A woman s vagina tends to be dry while she is breastfeeding. This can cause pain if you want to indulge in sexual intercourse. In this regard, lubricants (preferably water based) are a good way to treat vaginal dryness.
    Engorgement of the breast: When a woman starts lactating, her breasts tend to become fuller and thus, cause minor but persisting pain. A breast pump (used to extract milk from a woman s breasts), in this case, can relieve you of such pain.
    Back pain: Pregnancy related stress and strain can often lead to back pain. This back pain usually stems from holding the baby and breastfeeding it. If it so happens, you can consider changing your posture while breastfeeding and taking warm baths twice a day to get rid of the backaches.
    Joint pain: There may be pain in your joints such as the one in your wrists, hands and feet. This usually occurs due to all the chemical changes that your body undergoes during pregnancy. Pain medications and stretches can help ease this sort of a pain.
    Pain in the legs: Post pregnancy leg pain is caused because of all the fluids that are administered intravenously. Once the content of fluids in the body reduces, the pain tends to subside. However, any sign or symptom of blood clots or visible redness in the legs might warrant medical attention at the earliest.
    Headaches: This is the most common type of pain that can result from a pregnancy. Headaches are caused due to hormonal imbalances, insomnia and stress that you may experience. It is advisable to not take any pain medication in this regard as painkillers can interfere with your bodily hormones even more, given that headaches are usually not something to worry about. Drink plenty of water and try to get ample rest; this should take care of the pain automatically.

Post Pregnancy Pain - How best to Manage it?

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