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The weight gain of every expectant mother varies. The ideal total weight gain should be between 10 to 15 kg. If you have excessive weight gain, you may have problems of diabetes mellitus, too big a baby, increased risk of Caesarean Section and difficulty in getting back to the body weight before pregnant.
2. Should I eat as much as I can during pregnancy to supply my baby's needs as well as mine? Good nutrition is essential for the healthy development of your growing baby and the maintenance of your own health. You should eat 'well' and not 'a lot' as the quality of food intake is more important than the quantity. You should take a balance diet with sufficient meat and protein, vegetables and fruits, adequate carbohydrate for energy and a glass of milk a day. Supplements of vitamin and iron are taken as a routine to prevent deficiency of vitamin and iron which are needed for your growing baby.
3. Are there any foods that I should avoid during pregnancy? There are some food taboos that have been passed down from the old generations. Those taboos include eating black sauce, mutton and 'cooling foods' such as watermelon, coconut water and pineapple. But there is no medical evidence against the consumption of these foods during pregnancy. If you are in doubt, consult your doctor. However, you should avoid the intake of alcohol (cause more abnormal baby), coffee or tea (caffeine-containing products). Do not take raw, undercooked or unwashed foods to prevent transmissions or infections.
4. I am at my 10 weeks of pregnancy and having fever. Can I take panadol? You should never self-medicate during your pregnancy because many medicines can pass to your baby through placenta and cause him harm. This is particular so during the first 3 months of your pregnancy when all organs of the baby are developing. Certain medicines can obstruct the development of the organs in the baby during these period and later result in abnormal in newborn. Seek advice from your doctor before taking any medicine.
5. Can I travel during pregnancy? It is advisable to avoid traveling on a long trip during pregnancy, especially if you are having problems with your pregnancy such as vaginal bleeding, excessive vomiting or during the last month of pregnancy. But there is no real danger in traveling if you are healthy. You should inform your doctor if you plan to travel.
6. Can I continue to work full-time during pregnancy? You should carry on with your work if you are feeling well and happy. Many women work right till the day of delivery. If your work is stressful, requires a lot of traveling or excessive physical activities, then it is advisable to stop working one month before your expected delivery date.
7. Should I stop having sexual intercourse during pregnancy? In theory, you can have intercourse right till the last week of your pregnancy. However, it is wise to stop in the last month or earlier, mainly because your tummy is big and making the sexual intercourse uncomfortable. If you have the history of preterm labour, placenta praevia (low placenta) or vaginal bleeding, then intercourse must be avoided.
8. When will I feel my baby's movements in my womb? You will start to notice your baby's movements between 18 to 20 weeks of your pregnancy if this is your first pregnancy. In second or third pregnancy, you will feel it between 16 to 18 weeks.
9. I feel my baby's movements better at night. It is because my baby is more active at night? Actually your baby is active all the time, no matter day or night. You will feel more movements at night because you are quiet and resting during this time.
10. Is it true that a pregnant woman's teeth decay easily? Yes. Because a pregnant woman will need more calcium during pregnancy for her growing baby as well as her own health need. If her calcium intake is insufficient, then the calcium will be drawn from her body to the baby. Poor calcium intake together with poor dental hygiene will make her teeth decal easily. To prevent this, pregnant women should drink plenty of milk and pay attention to her dental care.
11. Doctor told me that I have placenta praevia. What is placenta previa and what can I do about it? Placenta praevia is low-lying of the placenta within the womb and it covers part or all of the cervix (opening of the vagina to the womb). The symptoms of placenta praevia are painless vaginal bleeding and abnormal fetal presentation in the third trimester of pregnancy. If you are told to have placenta praevia, then you should avoid vigorous exercise and relax more. If you start to have vaginal bleeding, you must be admitted to the hospital and have your condition and baby monitored. If the bleeding is excessive before your expected delivery date, your doctor may deliver you by Caeserean Section earlier planned.
12. Do all placenta praevias need Caeserean Section? When placenta praevia goes into labour, the cervix opening will dilate and bleeding will occur because the placenta sits at the opening. That's why your doctor will have your pregnancy delivered by Caeserean Section at 38 weeks of your pregnancy. In a few rare cases where the placenta is at the margin of the cervix and does not obstruct the birth canal, delivery by vagina may be attempted.
13. What is abruptio placenta? Abruptio placenta is premature separation of placenta from the womb surface and bleeding will occur at the point of separation. As the uterine contractions progress, separation increases. The causes of abruptio placenta is unknown, but it is associates with passed history of abruptio placenta, hypertension, gestational diabetes and multiple pregnancy. The symptoms of abruptio placenta include severe abdominal pain which is continuous, back pain, vaginal bleeding after 25 weeks of pregnancy and uterine contractions that do not relax.
14. What is the treatment for abruptio placenta? There is no treatment to stop the abruptio or reattach the placenta back to the womb. Care given to the mother and baby depends on the amount of bleeding, gestational age and the condition of the fetus. If the bleeding is excessive or the pregnancy has reached 38th week of pregnancy or the fetus is distressed, the emergency delivery by Caeserean Section is needed. Severe blood loss may require blood transfusion.
15. I was diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy. What is ectopic pregnancy? Ectopic pregnancy is also known as tubal pregnancy. It is a condition whereby the embryo implants inside the Fallopian tube instead of in the womb. As the embryo grows, it will rupture through the Fallopian tube, cause internal bleeding and threaten the life of the mother. The symptoms of ectopic pregnancy include severe abdominal or pelvic pain, fainting attack (particularly upon standing) shoulder rib pain and vaginal bleeding.
16. Do all ectopic pregnancies require the removal of Fallopian tube? Most cases of ectopic pregnancy require immediate surgery to remove the embryos and stop the bleeding. If the condition is untreated in the early part of the pregnancy, the growing embryo will rupture the Fallopian tube, cause internal bleeding and damage the internal female organs which later leads to infertility. In early cases, a limited removal of the embryonic tissues will survive and allow the tube to be salvaged. Other cases will require complete removal of the tube.
The amount of milk produced does not depend on the size of your breasts. Small breasts can still produce sufficient milk for your newborn.
18. When can I resume sexual life after delivery? You can resume your sexual life once both of you and your husband are ready to do so. Generally, it should be 6 weeks after delivery or after the postnatal check-up. This period allows your episiotomy wound to heal and your body returns to its pre-pregnant stage. You will encounter some vaginal dryness, so it is advisable to use some lubricant if you feel so.
19. What can I do to regain my figure after delivery? A combination of balance diet and regular exercise will help to regain your figure that to its pre-pregnant stage . Breastfeeding will further help to this process.
20. Can I breastfeed while taking medicines? You should discuss with your doctor before taking any medicine, even medicines for mild illnesses such as cold, flu and fever. Some medicines will be passed to your baby through your breast milk. 21. I am not married. Should I have a Pap smear? It is advisable that women should have Pap smear after they have begun their sexual life or reached the age of 26 years.
22. How often should I have a Pap smear? It is recommended that you have a Pap smear annually until 70 years of age. Those women who have had a hysterectomy done (surgery to remove the uterus and cervix) do not need regular Pap smear, unless the surgery was done as a treatment for precancer or cancer condition.
23. My doctor said that my Pap smear is abnormal. Does this mean that I have cancer of cervix? Abnormal Pap smear means that some of your cervical cells appear abnormal, but usually are not cancerous. You will need medical follow-up if you have an abnormal Pap smear to prevent the abnormal cells becoming cancerous. That's why regular Pap smear is recommended, to detect and treat the abnormalities at the early stage before it is too late. You will be asked to do a cervical biopsy (removal of a sample of the cervical tissue for examination) to confirm whether the abnormal cervical cells will be premalignant.
24. When is the best time to do a Pap smear? It is advisable to have your Pap smear done between Day 7 to Day 10 of your menstrual cycle (first day of your menses is considered as Day 1). However, if you are busy or unable to have an appointment with your gynaecologist on the particular days, Pap smear can be done at any time as long as you do not have your menses.
It is normal to have mild abdominal pain on the day before menses come which is due to increase blood flow to the pelvic and fluid congestion. Period pain which is occurs during your menstruation may be due to endometriosis ( the growth of endometrial cells outside the uterus). Endometriosis bleeds in the abdomen during menstruation and cause irritation and pain . Endometriosis in the long run may lead to infertility and so you should consult your gynaecologist if you have period pain during menses.
If your vaginal discharge is smelly, coloured (green or yellow colour) or itchy, you probably are having vaginal infection. You should consult your doctor and let him have a vaginal examination for you. It is normal if you feel that you have excess discharge, as long as it is not smelly, coloured or itchy, because the vagina is never dry.
27. Why do I have more vaginal discharge on certain days of the menstrual cycle? You will have more vaginal discharge during the mid of your menstrual cycle (day 14) when ovulation (release of egg from the ovary) occurs. Vaginal discharge becomes more watery and less viscous during ovulation time to facilitate and enable the sperm to swim through the cervix and uterus.
28. My vaginal discharge is panty-stained. Is it normal? Panty-stained vaginal discharge is abnormal. It could be due to infections, threatened abortion (you are pregnant without you know about it), polyps or early stage of cancer. It is important to consult your gynaecologist and determine the real reason if you are having panty-stained vaginal discharge.
Girls will have their menarche (the first menses in her life) during their age of 12 to 17 years. They will show some secondary sexual characteristics like the growth of pubic hair and breast development 2 years before their menarche. If your daughter has the characteristics mentioned, she can wait for a year or two for her menarche. If she still does not have her menarche after 2 year, she should consult her gynaecologist. Late menarche may be familiar which means it may occur in many of the girls in the same family, and it is normal.
30. I am not pregnant. Why does the lower part of my tummy getting bigger and bigger? There are a few reasons that can cause your tummy to become bigger. The reasons could be: pregnancy, obesity (increase in fat), fluid in the abdomen or tumour in the uterus or ovaries. It is important to consult your gynaecologist to determine the real reason.
Herpes virus usually stays in the body lifelong. In between, herpes ulcer may recur and cause severe pain in the vulva. Recurrence of the herpes ulcer is associates with stress, illness, fatigue, prolonged exposure under the sun or having menses. There are some medicines available that can shorten the duration of the ulcer and lessen the pain or prevent its recurrence. Ask your doctor for the prescription.
The common symptoms of gonorrhea in men are white, yellow or green discharge from the penis, pain on passing urine and some men may experience painful or swollen testicles. However, there are some men and women who have gonorrhea and do not show any symptom. So, it is advisable to treat both husband and wife if one of them having the infection.
33. How do I know I have gonorrhea? Gonorrhea is associates with yellow pusy vaginal discharge, pain on passing urine and increased frequency of passing urine. If you have these symptoms, see your doctor to confirm the diagnosis. He will do a vaginal examination and swab the vaginal discharge for microscopic analysis and culture for Neisseria gonorrhea.
34. Will gonorrhea affect my future fertility? Gonorrhea infection can ascend through the cervix into the uterus, Fallopian tubes and the pelvis cavity. The infection will cause damage to these organs, form adhesion, block the tubes and cause infertility.
35. Can the cancer of the ovary be detected by a blood test? There is a blood test called CA-125 test, which is used to detect the concentration of CA-125 (a protein which is found at high levels in most ovarian cancer cells). If your CA-125 levels is elevates in blood stream, there is a possibility that you are having cancer of ovary. However, other disorders such as endometriosis, benign (non-cancerous) ovarian cyst, first trimester of pregnancy and inflammatory of pelvis can also produce high levels of CA-125 in blood stream and give a false positive result. Therefore, the CA-125 test should not be used alone to confirm ovarian cancer, but to be used with transvaginal ultrasound scan and laparoscopy.
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