Pregnancy is one of the most exciting and anxious phase in a woman s life. There is definitely an information overload from all sources i.e. family, friends, medical team, books, Internet, etc., that is dumped on the mother-to-be. The idea is to prepare her for the delivery. What needs to be borne in mind though is that each delivery is unique and there are no two women who have had the exact same experience.

However, it is good for the mother to know what to expect so that she is mentally prepared and not totally caught unawares when the actual scenes unfold. The following are the sequence of events that she should be aware of and watch out for:

With the due date nearing, she should keep a watch for the water breaking. This is passing of fluid surrounding the baby and is usually colorless and odorless. However, if it is green or brown, it is an indication that something might be wrong. Immediate medical help should be sought in that case.
Along with water breaking, contractions is the next thing to watch out for. This is due to the tightening and releasing of the uterus, indicating that the baby has begun to descend down towards the cervix. If these last for up to a minute, occur every five minutes, and persist for up to an hour, it is a clear indication that it is delivery time and you must head to the hospital.
Two sensations very prominent during delivery are pain and pressure. The pressure is from the baby passing down the birth canal. As the cervix and the vaginal canal expand to allow passage of the baby, there would be a great deal of pain and pressure. It is not just the mother, even the baby exerts significant pressure to come out of the womb during labor.
The process of the baby getting out of the womb is what is medically termed as labor and has three distinct stages to it:
The first stage has two parts to it i.e. an initial, gradual phase that may last for a few hours and a later, quicker phase. The rate of progress of delivery is steady.
The second stage usually lasts for about two hours, during which the cervix is minimally dilated and pushing begins. This stage lasts until the baby is out of the womb.
The third and the last stage is where the placenta is extracted and the umbilical cord is cut.
Some common problems you may expect include injury or tearing of the vagina or cervix, need for episiotomy, vomiting, passing of motion, anesthetic complications, etc. However, what would remain etched in the mother s memory would be the first sight of the baby.

The Top Things To Know About Delivering A Child!

Most people would panic on seeing slightly red urine being passed. A common urologic condition, this happens because blood cells are leaking into the urine. There are multiple reasons which can cause it, and not all of them are major causes for concern.

Read on to know more about some common causes, and how to manage this.

Urinary tract infections: There could be an infection of the entire urinary tract including the kidneys, the ureters, the bladder, and the urethra. In addition to blood in the urine, there could also be an urge to urinate, pain with urination, fever, and flank pain.
Enlarged or infected prostate: The prostate naturally enlarges with age and can obstruct the urethra, causing pain and blood in the urine. There is a constant urge to urinate and difficulty initiating the stream. Infection of the prostate also produces similar symptoms along with fever and pain.
Kidney diseases: In addition to infections, other kidney diseases including glomerulonephritis, which can also lead to hematuria. Kidney stones, which are quite common, are also another reason, and this will be characterised by the sudden sharp pain around the flank which is very diagnostic of kidney stones. Injury to the kidneys from trauma or sports is another reason for hematuria.
Cancers/tumours: Cancers in the kidney, bladder, or prostate can cause blood to appear in the urine, but this would happen once cancer has reached some advanced stage, not very early in the process.
Listed below are some risk factors for hematuria.

Age: Men older than 50 are more prone to hematuria
Sex: While men are more likely to have stones or prostate infections, UTIs are quite common in women below 50s.
Family history: though not hereditary, if kidney stones or cancers or infections are in the family, chances of developing hematuria also goes up.
Medications: Aspirin, blood thinners, NSAIDs, and some antibiotics increase the chances of hematuria.
Exercise: Long distance runners are shown to be more prone to developing hematuria.
Diagnosis: In addition to a physical exam, blood tests, imaging (CT scans and/or MRI) and cystoscopy might be required to confirm the diagnosis. Identifying the cause is extremely important as treatment would depend completely on the causative agent. Though hematuria is just one of the symptom, the underlying cause could have severe adverse effects on the whole body system.

Treatment: Whether it is an infection or enlarged prostate or kidney stone or tumour, once the cause is identified treatment is customised accordingly. Antibiotics for the infections, laser treatment for the stones, etc. are recommended.

If you see your urine turning slightly pink in colour, talk to your doctor immediately. Identifying the underlying cause and treating it will help solve the problem of hematuria.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!


Blood In Urine - Is It Actually Serious?

Recurrent pregnancy loss is termed as the occurrence of three or more miscarriages. Recently, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine has altered the definition and limited the number of miscarriages to two. A pregnancy loss can only be termed so if the pregnancy is clinically recognized and is ends involuntarily before 20 weeks. The pregnancy loss must be identified by a registered doctor to term it as pregnancy loss.

What are the major causes of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss?
There could be a lot of reasons behind recurrent pregnancy loss. Most of the pregnancy failure happens from reasons such as abnormalities of the genes, chromosomes and other random events. It is estimated that close to 15 percent of the pregnancies end up in miscarriages. While 30-60 percent of the pregnancies expire within the first 12 weeks, fifty percent of the women are believed to be not aware of the pregnancy in the first place. The risk of miscarriage, however, is less than 50 percent.

An advanced maternity age is another crucial factor towards recurrent 2pregnancy loss. The risk of miscarriage dramatically increases among these women owing to their poor quality of egg, abnormalities in the chromosome etc. At a time, it has been observed that either the father or the mother might have irregularities in the gene leading to early miscarriage.

An abnormality in the uterus might also be a reason for a miscarriage. Poor blood supply and inflammation of the uterus are two of the topmost reason for miscarriages among many women. While some women born with a defective uterus, some develop uterus anomalies due to lifestyle and unhealthy life practices.

Last but not the least, a woman s immune system might also play a pivotal role towards a miscarriage. Certain hormonal irregularities, diabetes and thyroid diseases might lead to a miscarriage. Then there are the environmental factors such as stress, occupational factors, lifestyle practices etc that contributes towards a miscarriage.

What are the tests conducted?
To evaluate the exact reason for repeated miscarriages, a doctor performs a detailed physical and surgical examination. Some other areas where a doctor sneaks into include family history, genetic history etc. A karyotype test might also be prescribed in case a doctor feels the need of doing so. The uterus cavity and the uterus are closely monitored to understand any potential lack in the anatomy. This is followed by a list of imaging tests that a doctor might prescribe. These include MRI, X-ray, hysteroscopy etc.

What are the treatment options?
The treatment options are decided based on the finding of the tests. Sometimes plain medicines along with antibiotics can cure the condition, while sometimes surgery might be required to fix any potential threat within the uterus. In any case, the probability of future pregnancy after treatment goes as high as 77 percent.


Recurrent Pregnancy Loss - Things You Should Avoid!

5 diet myths debunked!

The term 'diet' immediately makes you think of a starving and depriving weight-loss regimen. But diet simply means what food we eat in the course of 24 hours, one week or one month. Nonetheless, certain myths have arisen surrounding this term too and which have been debunked here:

Myth 1: cutting carbohydrate helps you lose weight

You need carbohydrates for energy. A minimum of 130 grams of carbs is recommended each day which is a far cry from low carb diets that start with 20 grams or less. Fat diets aside, what matters is how refined the carbohydrates are. Refining removes grain's fibrous coating, which leads to faster food digestion. That&#x2019;s why whole fruits with their fiber and nutrients are good choices despite their simple carbohydrates. The idea is to cut back on refined carbs such as soda and foods made with white flour while loading up on healthier carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Myth 2: diet foods help you drop pounds

If you scan labels for the lowest calorie and fat counts you might be doing yourself more harm than good. Pre-packaged diet foods have a lot more sugar and trans fat. As with carbs, it is the quality of fat and not the amount that matters. Monounsaturated fats (nuts, olive oils, avocados) and polyunsaturated variety (in corn, soybean) help your cardiovascular system and improve weight loss. Trans fat and saturated fat have been linked with heart disease and even cancer.

Myth 3: the more you cut calories, the more weight you will lose

If you cut your calories too far you'll end up decreasing your metabolism and muscle mass. To get the most out of calories you should choose whole foods like fresh meat and fish, and whole grains that are as close to their natural state as possible. They have higher nutrient density than refined foods as they pack more vitamins and minerals into fewer calories.

Myth 4: dairy products make you fat

A dairy-rich diet can double fat reduction and weight loss, and help prevent weight gain. Three servings of low or non-fat dairy a day is recommended every day. A cup of milk or yogurt or 1 and a half ounces of cheese equals one serving.

Myth 5: brown equals whole grain

Whole grains reduce your risk of many chronic ailments, from obesity, diabetes to cardiovascular disease. The extra fiber in whole grain is essential. Whole grain foods tend to be richer in vitamin b and e than, refined grains.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: 85% Indians are Making These DIET Mistakes! Are You One of Them?

If You Diet for Weight Loss, Here are 5 Myths You Might be Living With!

Acne is a condition that affects many people including teenagers and women during their menstruation period. It is characterized by red eruptions that are usually filled with oil, secreted by overactive oil glands in the hair follicles. So what else should you know about acne? 

Here are six things you probably did not know about this condition:

1. Clogged Pores - Acne signifies clogged or blocked pores that are filled with oil and dead skin cells that have not been cleaned out completely. This mixture of oil and dead skin cells blocks the pores, and ends up creating an eruption of red sores called acne and pimples. There is a chance that bacteria may have joined these two substances as well.

2. Over Treating the Skin - The worst thing that you can do is to touch, pick or even apply too many harsh chemicals to your skin during an acne breakout. These things can actually make the problem worse, and even create scars in the long run. The constant use of cleansers and moisturizers can also have a harsh effect on the skin, due to perfume and chemicals present in such products. 

3. Exfoliation - Using a salicylic acid wash or cleanser first thing in the morning will help in exfoliation, which is a good way to clear those dead skin cells from your skin. This will speed up the process of acne treatment as well, by clearing the pores. Also at night, the use of a medicated cream that contains benzoyl peroxide will help in killing the bacteria, so that there is no infection.

4. Two Weeks Notice - Trying new products to treat acne is a great idea. But give every new product at least two weeks before you write it off. Usually, any good product will take at least that much time to affect the acne, and clear the pores in an effective way. So before you start changing cleansers and creams every other day, remember to use the two week thumb rule.

5. Menstrual Cycle - Acne, more often than not, happens about five days before and a few days after the monthly menstrual cycle. So watch out for hormonal imbalances, which can cause acne and pimples. Avoid stress around this time too.

6. Dermatologist - Visit a dermatologist if regular cleaning and over the counter creams are not working. Persistent acne may turn into infection. Remember to ask your dermatologist for an oil reducing formula too. 

Acne is a skin problem that should be treated the right way.

All About Acne

How to use bananas to melt stomach fat?

Banana is one fruit that is available in all the seasons and is extremely nutritious because of presence of fibre, mineral and potassium in it. Its taste and ‘easy-to-eat’ quality makes it everyone’s favourite. It also helps in flushing out toxins from the body and enhances metabolism too. But did you know that as a result of these qualities, banana helps you with melting stomach fat also. Yes! Banana is one of those very few fruits which have a tendency to melt the stomach fat. Let’s see how and why?

1. Fruit: Banana is an excellent source of energy because it has glucose, fructose and sucrose in it. Consumption of banana decreases the feeling of hunger. So, when we take banana, we will not be hungry for a long time which will also help in lessening the stomach fat.

2. Banana Smoothie: Banana prevents retention of water in the body and because of this quality, it helps in melting the stomach fat. A banana drink is a great idea for that. Not only by adding few other ingredients it becomes tastier but also helps in melting the stomach fat easily and faster. You just have to mix things like an orange, ¼ table spoon ginger, 2 table spoons of flax seeds and whey powder, yoghurt, along with a spoonful of coconut oil in one banana. It will give good results if it’s taken on an empty stomach. It can also be taken after drinking a glass of lukewarm water early morning. But taking it just once won’t serve the purpose. You have to take it regularly to get the desired results.

3. As a Combination Food: Apart from taking banana in its original form and in the form of smoothie, mixing bananas with cranberries, raspberries or blueberries along with ginger, honey and little water will also provide the same result. Likewise, in place of berries, if you add spinach, it will also help in reducing stomach fat making you look much slimmer.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

3 Amazing Ways To Melt Belly Fat with Bananas

Don't wait any longer, manage your Mother and Child Care online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Mother and Child Care - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES