Pregnancy

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Are epidurals dangerous to me and/or my baby?

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As the epidural drug kicks in, some women experience a drop in blood pressure, so yours will be checked frequently. IV fluids and lying on your side will help counteract any dips. Very rarely, an epidural causes a headache, fever or soreness. The opioids in the epidural may also make you feel itchy (which can be taken care of with another medication) and, in rare cases, cause nausea and vomiting. In extremely rare cases, epidurals can injure the spinal cord and nerves and result in breathing problems. And in the very, very rare case that the needle and drugs hit a vein instead of a nerve, it can cause numbness, tingling or rapid heartbeat. Epidurals are often a combination of anesthetics and opioid analgesics, the latter of which can increase the chance that your baby will have a temporary change in heart rate, trouble breathing, drowsiness and reduced muscle tone, and it may initially make it trickier to latch on and breastfeed. These possible issues are only in the short term and don't last long, but for that reason, continuous fetal monitoring is usually required with an epidural.

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I had a postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) after my first born. What is it and could it happen to me again?

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Postpartum hemorrhage is when a woman bleeds excessively after delivery. If you have it in your first pregnancy, there is a higher chance of it happening in your subsequent pregnancies. Do let your doctor know so that he/she can make the necessary arrangements and precautions.

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How long will I stay in hospital after the birth?

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There is no exact number of days, as it depends upon a variety of things, like the health condition of the mother and the type of delivery it was. It also depends upon the health of your baby, as the baby is vulnerable to complications in the first few days.

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What is bloody show and what does it look like?

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The bloody show refers to vaginal discharge that occurs at the end of your pregnancy. It’s a sign that your mucus plug has loosened or already has been dislodged. During pregnancy, the cervix is covered by a thick plug of mucus that helps protect the baby. The mucus literally “plugs” your uterus. This prevents any bacteria or other sources of infection from getting past the cervical barrier.

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When will the foetal heart rate start?

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The foetal heart starts beating about 22 days after conception, but the earliest you will be able to spot it onscreen is five weeks after your last period. On scan, you can start seeing it from 7 to 8 weeks. Depending on the machine, you can hear it from 11 to 12 weeks.

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My doctor has suggested a viability scan? What is a viability scan?

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A viability scan is a scan to check the heart beat of the baby.

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How can I read a pregnancy ultrasound?

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Your doctor will guide you through the various key aspects of your pregnancy ultrasound report as it will have a lot of medical jargon.

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What are the benefits of opting for an ultrasound during pregnancy?

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Some benefits include: To check your baby’s age and growth. This helps your provider figure out your due date. To check your baby’s heartbeat, muscle tone, movement and overall development To check to see if you’re pregnant with twins, triplets or more (also called multiples) To check if your baby is in the heads-first position before birth To examine your ovaries and uterus (womb). Ovaries are where eggs are stored in your body. Ultrasound is also used for screening for birth defects, like spina bifida or heart defects. After an ultrasound, your provider may want to do more tests, called diagnostic tests, to see for sure if your baby has a birth defect. Birth defects are health conditions that a baby has at birth. Birth defects change the shape or function of one or more parts of the body. They can cause problems in overall health, in how the body develops, or in how the body works. To help with other prenatal tests, like chorionic villus sampling (also called CVS) or amniocentesis (also called amnio). CVS is when cells from the placenta are taken for testing. The placenta is tissue that provides nutrients for your baby. Amnio is a test where amniotic fluid and cells are taken from the sac around your baby. Ultrasound is also used in checking for pregnancy complications, including ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy and miscarriage.

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Will an ultrasound harm me or the baby?

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Ultrasound is safe for you and your baby when done by your health care provider. Because ultrasound uses sound waves instead of radiation, it’s safer than X-rays. Providers have used ultrasound for more than 30 years, and they have not found any dangerous risks. If your pregnancy is healthy, ultrasound is good at ruling out problems, but it can’t find every problem. It may miss some birth defects. Sometimes, a routine ultrasound may suggest that there is a birth defect when there really isn’t one. While follow-up tests often show that the baby is healthy, false alarms can cause worry for parents.

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How many ultrasounds do I need during a pregnancy?

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This varies based on the woman and her pregnancy. If you have a healthy pregnancy, you'll only need two ultrasounds (down syndrome and detailed structural screening). The first one is usually scheduled for late in the first trimester, around the 11 to 14-week mark. The second ultrasound comes around 18 to 20 weeks. Some patients may have their first ultrasound prior to 11 weeks.

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