- 16/July/2019
Healthy Pregnancy DON'Ts - Ananthapuri Hospitals, Trivandrum
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HERE ARE A FEW DON’TS WHILE YOU’RE EXPECTING!
1. DON’T DO DOUBLE-DUTY Having a baby in your womb does not mean you need to eat for two. You may need an extra 200 calories a day if you are still active, so do not load up on your diet. 2. DON’T SMOKE OR DRINK ALCOHOL Inhaling tobacco smoke, both first hand and second hand can increase the risk of low birth weight, miscarriage or stillbirth. Consuming alcohol may stun the baby’s growth and may also damage the brain. 3. DON’T TAKE OVERLY HOT BATHS Overheated environments can increase your core temperature, doubling your risk of miscarriage during the first trimester. Make sure that the water is warm and not hot. Avoid steam baths, as well. 4. DON’T HAVE TOO MUCH CAFFEINE Caffeine travels through the placenta and increases the baby’s heart rate. Too much of it leads to low birth weight and miscarriages. Don’t drink beyond 2 cups a day 5. DON’T MISS YOUR REGULAR CHECKUPS Regular checkups include mandatory scans which determine the overall health of the baby and also detect problems if any. Scans done at certain stages provide very specific information. 6. DON’T SLEEP ON YOUR BACK Sleeping on your back during the second and third trimesters restricts blood flow and oxygen supply to the uterus. Sleep on your side instead. |
As a to-be mother, you would be interested to know how your baby is growing inside your womb. Scans can check your baby’s heartbeat, detect an ectopic pregnancy, find out the cause of any bleeding, and so on. Therefore, it is very important to go for regular checkups while you’re pregnant.
Different scans are performed across the three trimesters of pregnancy. Some important scans include:
- The earliest scan is done around 6-7 weeks of pregnancy, if there is a history of abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, to rule out ectopic pregnancy and miscarriages.
- The Dating scan and Down’s screening are done at 12 weeks of pregnancy.
- The anomaly scan is done during 20-22 weeks.
- Extra growth and doppler scans are done from 24 weeks onwards, every 2-4 weeks, depending on the uterine size, mother’s problems like preeclampsia, diabetes, placental location, and so on, to check for any abnormalities in the baby’s growth. It is also done in women with high Body Mass Index (BMI).
BMI is a guide to a healthy height and weight. During pregnancy, there are increased risks if your BMI is less than 18 or more than 30. Check your BMI and ensure that you maintain a healthy number.
Having said that, for those of you who are planning to get pregnant, schedule an appointment with a gynaecologist. The doctor will provide you with a preconception counselling. Your doctor will also check if the medications you use are pregnancy-safe, tell you when to get pregnant depending on your existing medical conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes, kidney problem, hypertension, operated congenital heart disease and so on. They may test you for sexually transmitted diseases, make sure that all your health issues are properly managed and your body is ready for pregnancy.
Ananthapuri Hospital has a specialised team of gynaecologists and obstetricians at your service. Call us at +91 9400332777 or visit our hospital at Chacka, NH Bypass, Thiruvananthapuram.