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

An ectopic pregnancy takes place in the case when the completely fertilized egg attaches itself to a place outside the inner side of the uterus. Ectopic pregnancy is also called tubal pregnancy because in most cases, it takes place in the Fallopian tube. Usually, the Fallopian tubes are not responsible for holding an embryo, which keeps on growing. Hence, the egg has no scope to develop in the Fallopian tube. This problem must be treated as soon as possible to avoid further complications. Here are several ways of treating ectopic pregnancy.

1. Expectant management: In case you are not experiencing any symptoms of pregnancy or the pregnancy cannot be found, close observation is required. This is known as expectant management. You should conduct regular blood tests and follow them up in order to detect, whether the hCG level in your blood is ascending or descending. You are likely to have vaginal bleeding. Use pads and towels instead of tampons. Pain in your tummy is also indicated.

2. Proper medication: In case ectopic pregnancy is detected at an early stage and constant monitoring is not suitable for you, a medicine by the name of methotrexate can be used for treatment. The medicine stops this pregnancy from developing. It is usually injected into your buttocks. Regular blood tests must be carried out to know how the treatment is taking shape on your condition. Trusted contraception measures should be taken for three months following the treatment as methotrexate is very harmful for an infant in case you become pregnant. Keep away from alcohol, as the combination of methotrexate with alcohol is harmful to the liver.

3. Surgical means: The most common mode of surgery for removing ectopic pregnancy during an early stage is laparoscopy or keyhole surgery. While a laparoscopy is carried out, you will be in a state of anesthesia. A narrow tube or the laparoscope is inserted through surgical cuts in the tummy. The Fallopian tube, which had the ectopic pregnancy is totally removed in case the other Fallopian tube is functioning well. Else the pregnancy has to be somehow removed without cutting off the Fallopian tube. Removal of the Fallopian tube is the best remedy for treating ectopic pregnancy and getting pregnant again is also possible. It takes a normal woman almost six weeks to recover after the surgery. Laparotomy is another kind of surgery carried out to repair a ruptured Fallopian tube.

Ectopic Pregnancy - How to Treat It?

6 pregnancy complications you need to know about

The biggest wish of a to be mother's mind is a smooth and safe pregnancy. One of the ways you can deliver your baby safely is by being aware of the complications that may arise during this period and taking precautionary measures to reduce your chances of developing them.

Here are the 6 pregnancy complications that you need to know about?

1. Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a condition that normally occurs after the 20th week and is characterized by high blood pressure, kidney abnormalities and the presence of protein in your urine. Most of the time, symptoms are mild, which can be easily resolved with proper care. But the condition can progress quickly, causing several of your organs to not function properly and even proving to be life-threatening.

2. Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes happens when hormonal changes during this period hamper your body's use of insulin. As a consequence, the insulin hormone is unable to normalize blood sugar levels, leading to abnormally high blood sugar levels. While the condition is not usually a cause of concern for the mother, it can pose several health problems for the baby, more specifically, the occurrence of macrosomia (a condition wherein the baby has an abnormal body weight).

3. Premature labor

You're said to suffer from premature labor or preterm labor if you experience regular contractions that lead to your cervix dilating and effacing before the 37th week. Preterm birth can prove dangerous for the baby, not to mention make it prone to several health problems. In order for it stay alive and be healthy, you child needs to reach its full maturity before birth.

4. Ectopic pregnancy

When the fetus develops outside the womb, more specifically in the fallopian tube, a condition known as ectopic pregnancy is said to occur. It is highly important to put a stop to this pregnancy complication as it the developing embryo might bring about the rupturing of the fallopian tube, and may result in internal bleeding.

5. Placenta previa

The condition of placenta previa sees your placenta occupying a very low position in the uterus, most commonly, adjacent to or over your cervix. If the placenta continues to be at this position during the whole course of the pregnancy, it can lead to bleeding as well as other complications.

6. Low amniotic fluid

It is the fluid-filled amniotic sac that supports and protects your baby in the womb. It is said that about 4% of pregnant women worldwide experience low amniotic fluid levels during their pregnancy. This condition is also known as oligohydramnios. When this happens, labor is usually induced as you come close to the end of your pregnancy.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: 6 Changes You Can Expect During the 2nd Trimester of Pregnancy

6 Pregnancy Complications You Need to Know About

Precum is nothing but release or ejaculation of the fluid from the penis during sexual stimulation. Normally, it acts as a lubricant during sex. The amount of precum that a normal human body releases may vary from person to person. Suppose the body is releasing the extra amount of precum that means that the body is releasing that amount of fluid which would be considered as the normal release of fluid from the body. The main purpose of the precum is to neutralize the acidic nature of the urethra. Basically, this helps the sperm to be active inside the woman s body. Precum may contain immobile, dead and some weak sperms as well. 

Origin
It comes from Cowper s gland Secretions and the actual ejaculation comes from testicles. Normally, when a healthy man is energized or is aroused then, he pre-ejaculates where the fluid flows through the urethra, the place where the urine passes out. It acts as a lubricant to the female partner s vagina. It also tries to neutralize the acid which reduces the chances of pregnancy. This works as a clear method for enhancing the pregnancy.

Difference between pre-cum and sperm
The basic difference between sperm and precum is that the injection of the sperm into a woman s body would lead to pregnancy while in case of precum, the rate of pregnancy is quite low. Pregnancy is caused only due to sperms which do not originate from the Cowper's gland. Thus, sperm and precum are way more different than each other.

Can precum make a woman pregnant?
There have been several deliberations on the issue of whether precum can make someone pregnant or not. Well, in many situations it has been found that it has the capability of making a person pregnant. But the chances are quite low as the presence of sperm in the precum is comparatively lower which would not lead to pregnancy as the content of the sperm is quite lower and sperm is considered to be imperative for pregnancy. There is quite a thin line of difference between ejaculation and precum as sometimes they might get mixed if the withdrawal method is a bit longer. Even if the withdrawal method is delayed by a few seconds, a woman can get pregnant.

Can it cause STDs?
Normally, people get intimidated by precum because they think that it might cause pregnancy, but instead of pregnancy, there s a high possibility of Sexually transmitted diseases to be caused which is way more dangerous than getting pregnant. In case of precum, the chances of pregnancy are a wee bit lower than that of STDs. While for STDs, if an individual gets into contact with any of the infected precum, then there s quite a high chance of getting in contact with any STDs.

For treatment related to such issues, please consult. 


Pre-Cum - Can It Make A Woman Pregnant?

For an expecting mother, nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of her unborn child. With due care, a mom-to-be can prevent complications that may arise in pregnancy by avoiding certain potential risks. Read on to find out the 5 things pregnant women must avoid at all costs in order to have a safe pregnancy.

1. Abdominal x-rays: abdominal x-rays during pregnancy are a big no. This kind of x-ray exposes the abdomen of the mother, and the baby as a consequence, to high levels of radiation, which can cause changes in the baby's rapidly growing cells. As a result, the baby's chances of suffering from birth defects or certain cancers, such as leukaemia later on in life, increase rapidly. It is best to avoid x-rays until absolutely necessary. X-rays of area other than abdomen if considered essential by your doctor can be performed after wearing an abdominal lead shield.

2. Alcohol: all types of alcohol must be avoided during pregnancy. Consumption of alcohol during these 9 months has been associated with several birth defects such as poor growth, learning disabilities and mental retardation. In worst case scenarios, excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to what is known as foetal alcohol syndrome or fas, which severely affects the mental development and physical growth of the unborn child, particularly of the face and skull. Also, you must quit smoking.

3. Illicit or recreational drugs: drugs like marijuana, cocaine and other recreational drugs are again absolutely forbidden in pregnancy. These result in birth defects in the unborn child, poor growth and even withdrawal symptoms in the newborn after birth.

4. Medicines: as the metabolism of a growing baby is very different from that of an adult, it is very important to be sure of the medicines that you take while pregnant. This is especially true in the first trimester or the first 3 months of pregnancy when the foetus is most vulnerable. Certain medicines are deemed safe for the baby, while some are potentially harmful. Hence one must make sure to consult your doctor before taking any medicine when pregnant.

5. Stress: stress can trigger various health problems, which can be bad for both the baby and the mother. Studies have revealed the emotional environment of the mother is experienced by the baby as well. In fact, a particular study has shown that any kind of stress, whether it be work related or stress caused by strain in relationships, can affect the mental development of the child. This as result can lead to the child developing certain behavioural disorders such as fears and phobias, which remain way into his adulthood.

5 Dangerous Things to Avoid When You're Pregnant

A woman's body needs a lot of nourishment. There are many vitamins and minerals that ensure a healthy body. However, as you reach puberty and age more, a few nutrients become vital for healthy functionality, reproduction as well as vitality. On this International Day Of Action For Women's Health, 28th May, learn more about the women's health so that you or women around you stay healthy.

Here are top 6 nutrients that are a must for women of all ages.

1) Vitamin B12 - Women suffer from extreme fatigue as soon as they reach late 20s or mid-30s and vitamin B12 has proven to be extremely efficient in not only curbing the feeling of fatigue, but also in promoting swiftness and alertness in the body.

2) Vitamin D3 - Lack of vitamin D3 is detrimental for breast and ovarian cancers which plague a large number of women. This vitamin  also builds immunity against certain autoimmune diseases and provides adequate strength to muscles, bones and teeth.

3) Iron - Adequate levels of iron in the body ensures that you never run out of energy and are always active. In addition, iron plays an important role in maintaining efficient functioning of the brain.

4) Vitamin B6 - Vitamin B6 mainly promotes the maintenance of a healthy and regular sleep pattern and protects against sleep-related disorders such as insomnia. It also helps in the correct regulation of your appetite while maintaining hormonal balance, thus protecting you from mood disorders.

5) Folate - Women who are expecting or have recently given birth certainly benefit a great deal from adequate consumption of folate. These women are highly vulnerable to a number of spinal and brain defects which are effectively prevented by the nutrient. It also helps to make the body highly resistant to colon and breast cancers.

6) Calcium - Calcium is like a wonder drug for all women as it solves a majority of problems which hinder their daily life. It plays an important role in maintaining a stable blood pressure and is extremely efficient in controlling certain noxious symptoms of PMS. It is important also to maintain their bone density as they age.

If you have any questions on women health, please click on 'Consult.

From Lybrate: If you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones over WhatsApp, Facebook and other media.

6 Nutrients Women Need The Most

Don't wait any longer, manage your Pregnancy Problems online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Pregnancy Problems - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES