I attended the delivery of the first of several thousand babies in medical school in 1983, and obstetrics has been a truly joyous part of my profession in the years since. As a mother of three, I can appreciate many facets of pregnancy from different perspectives. My staff and I do all that we can to provide excellent prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum care in a pleasant and caring environment.

 

Obstetrics FAQs- These are some of the things we will discuss during the initial visit and subsequent prenatal care. If you have further questions, please ask.  My staff and I are a phone call away, and my pager is always on for true emergencies.

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Prenatal visits - In a typical pregnancy, we start with every four week visits during the first two trimesters. After about 28 weeks, we will shorten the interval between visits. Then in the last month, visits will be every week.  Fathers are welcome to attend anytime.

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Nutrition - Most people need only about 200 extra calories a day during pregnancy, with a goal of gaining about 25 pounds.  In reality, many people gain closer to 40 lbs., requiring extra effort afterwards to lose the rest. When my mom was pregnant with me, mothers were scolded if they went over 12 lbs., thankfully, times have changed!

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Exercise - Healthy moms should continue to do moderate exercise.  Labor is an endurance test of sorts, and people feel better if they remain active.  I usually recommend keeping heart rate under 130 or so, a maintenance workout rather than training. Sports that would involve potential for falls abdominal trauma such as water- or jet-skiing, kick boxing, downhill skiing, etc. should be avoided.

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Sex - Unless some problem develops during the pregnancy, sex can continue for most people. However, experts are advising pregnant women to abstain from intercourse or use condoms to prevent the transmission of Zika virus.

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Zika Virus - Information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - click here

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Genetics - Testing is optional and depends on the ethical approach of the parents.  If one cannot imagine terminating a pregnancy under any situation, it probably makes little sense to do genetic testing.  In women over 35 years old, or with high-risk factors, genetic counseling and discussion of prenatal screening such as amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, cell-free DNA, and other blood and ultrasound tests can be offered.  Screening tests for the lower risk population such as the full integrated screen will be discussed.  Other tests for a genetic disease like cystic fibrosis and Tay Sachs disease are available.

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Ultrasound - I typically do one for accurate dating early in pregnancy, and a detailed anatomical scan about 18-19 weeks along.  Medical needs may dictate others.

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Listeria -  a bacteria found in soil, it should not be in our food supply, although in recent years, some outbreaks have occurred in meat packing plants or in fresh produce.  If eating deli meats or hot dogs, heat the meat until it steams to kill the bacteria.  Wash produce that will be consumed raw in your own clean water.  I advise people to avoid raw sushi, uncooked meats like kibbe, or unpasteurized cheeses to avoid food borne disease.

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Viral infections - Those who have had chickenpox or varicella zoster, or have been vaccinated against it, should be safe around those with chickenpox or shingles.  We check rubella titters and will let you know if immunity is present or whether you must avoid rubella and be revaccinated.

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Postpartum Adjustment 
Click here for information regarding postpartum adjustment

Preconception Issues
Click here for information regarding good health before pregnancy

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