Pregnancy

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What is a doppler scan? What does a doppler scan look for, and why?

Expert

A Doppler checks for the blood flow around the pregnancy. There are a few aspects. You measure the doppler at the uterine arteries (the blood vessels supplying the womb), the umbilical cord (the blood vessels that supply directly to the baby) or the baby's brain (blood flood to the baby's brain). The Doppler scan determines whether the baby is getting enough oxygen in particular to vital organs such as the brain. If there is any problem, your doctor may advise early intervention.

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Which important questions should I ask my doctor during the third trimester?

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How am I doing? Is my pregnancy going well? Is my body taking it well? Is my baby taking it well? Are there any problems with the baby? What delivery will I likely have? Can I have a termed delivery (>37 weeks) or do I need to deliver earlier?

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What does it mean if my blood test result shows a low platelet count?

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Platelets are cells that cause the blood to clot. If you have low platelet levels, you may be at increased risk of haemorrhage and bruising. If it is mildly low, it should be okay to have a normal delivery most of the time. If it is severely low, there may be a few implications. 1. It may not be feasible for you to have an epidural during labour because the epidural process involves putting a needle into the spine, and bleeding in that space can lead to complications. 2. You could bleed severely during labour and delivery. 3. Certain conditions may involve the baby as well. The baby may end up with a low platelet count and certain interventions - even a normal delivery - can lead to bleeding in the brain of the baby. Some women may need a c-section and blood transfusion during the delivery process.

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Can my baby hear if I read and play music?

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Yes, he/she can certainly hear. There are lots of reports on women reporting that their babies are more active when responding to certain sounds and music. No one really knows whether they are able to discern and listen.

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What does an "ageing placenta" or "calcification of the placenta" mean?

Expert

Just like us human beings, the placental also has a lifespan. For human beings, it ranges from 60 to 100. For the placenta, it is 9 to 10 months (37 to 40+ weeks). With time and aging, the blood vessels thicken and calcium deposits in the lining, causing the vessels to be less elastic and less efficient in transporting oxygen. As a result, the baby can suffer diminished growth. It is important to monitor the baby closely during the 3rd trimester via a doppler.

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How should I prepare my body to get pregnant?

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Start exercising and take folic acid. Pregnancy is a stress to the body, your cardiovascular and muscular system will be under strain. If you are toned, you will take pregnancy well, and studies have shown that you will have less pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness, back aches and constipation. Pregnancy is like carrying an army field pack for 9 months, so you should strengthen your core muscle to feel less strain during your pregnancy. This will make the pregnancy journey more enjoyable. Diet and Lifestyle for Pregnancy - Keep a BMI between 20 and 34. - Start exercising. - Start taking folic acid 400 mcg daily. - Stop smoking and reduce alcohol intake. Smoking reduces pregnancy by 60%, Alcohol of >2 drinks/day reduces pregnancy by 45%. - Caffeine of 1-2 cups a day has no impact on pregnancy. Caffeine of >5 cups a day can reduce pregnancy by 45%. - Take 2 or more servings of seafood a week to increase your pregnancy chances. This was seen in 501 couples in the LIFE Study (Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility & Environment). Couples taking seafood had a 61% higher chance of pregnancy. It it thought that the omega-3 in fish and shellfish improves sperm quality, ovulation function and embryo development (Gaskins JClinEndoMetab 2018).

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I have PCOS and am not able to conceive even after trying for so many years. Is PCOS the root cause of this?

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The most common issue among women with PCOS is that they are not ovulating, even though they are menstruating. Urine test with the urine ovulation test kit or a blood test can be done to determine if you are ovulating. If there is no ovulation, then tablets to promote ovulation will be given in the first 5 days of your period. Failing which, IVF treatment may be needed to help you get pregnant. Exercising can also help induce ovulation through the balancing of hormones and metabolism.

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How does IVF help in enabling pregnancy? How effective is this process?

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IVF helps you get pregnant, but the pregnancy decides for itself how its going to go. Studies have shown that babies from IVF tend to have slightly more problems, like placenta issues, smaller size babies, slight increased risk of abnormality and prematurity. However, it is difficult to say that IVF is the cause of these as IVF patients tend to be older and tend to have higher risks in pregnancy. The chances of successful IVF is approximately 30%. Depending on the ages of the couples, they should try for at least 6-12 months before seeking IVF treatment.

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What are the different signs of pregnancy?

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The most common sign of pregnancy is a missed period, usually associated with lethargy and tiredness. Bloated sensation is also common. The often talked about morning sickness like nausea, vomiting and change in appetite usually happens later in the first trimeter at the 2nd to 3rd month of pregnancy.

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There's a faint line on my test, does this mean I'm pregnant?

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Yes, it means it is an early pregnancy. When you do a pregnancy test too early, the pregnancy hormone (HCG) level is not high, hence the colour is faint. The line will get darker if you do another test later but if it is still faint, it could also mean that the HCG level is hovering at a low level. If the line disappears after, it means that the pregnancy did not take off, which is also known as a biochemical pregnancy. You have to minimally miss your period first before doing a pregnancy test.

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