Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful moments in a woman’s life but it does not come with a manual. So there are a lot of Pregnancy FAQ’s in very pregnant woman’s mind. This is a humble attempt to answer the frequently asked questions that we regularly get from our patients. We wish and hope that they help you in the beautiful journey of your pregnancy.
Table of Contents
When should I visit my doctor during pregnancy?
- First visit: As soon as you skip your periods and suspect you are pregnant, you should visit your doctor. This is visit is very important to confirm that you are actually pregnant, to evaluate your pregnancy and to do a general body checkup for general fitness (see First Prenatal Visit)
- Subsequent visits: After initial evaluation in your first visit, your doctor will schedule regular follow up visits for you. These visits are important for ensuring your and your baby’s wellbeing, planning your vaccinations at required times (see Vaccination in Pregnancy) and performing ultrasounds and other tests at designated times(see Ultrasound in pregnancy). The frequency of checkups can vary depending on your case and whether you have any associated problems during pregnancy.
- As a general rule, the frequency of prenatal checkups is usually:
- Once a month in the first trimester
- Once every 15 days in the second trimester and in early third trimester
- Once a week in the late third trimester
- Additional visits may be planned for vaccinations or ultrasounds
What should be my diet in pregnancy?
During pregnancy, you should take a Balanced diet which means that it should have adequate amount of protein, carbohydrates, fat, minerals and vitamins.
The Protein: fat: carbohydrate ratio in the diet should be roughly 1:1:4. This means a balanced diet should contain about 60% carbohydrates, 20-25% fats and 15-20% proteins, in addition to fruits and salads which provide adequate minerals and vitamins
As a general rule, 3 major meals and 4 to 5 snacks/mini meals should be taken at two hourly intervals. This kind of meal plan prevents abdominal fullness, acidity, regurgitation and also helps to maintain stable glucose levels and consequently stable insulin levels.
In addition, your gynaecologist will prescribe certain health supplements to cater for increased demands on your body during the pregnancy. You should take these health supplements regularly as advised by your gynaecologist. These play a very important role in improving your health not only in pregnancy but post pregnancy as well. They also help to nourish your baby during pregnancy and improve pregnancy outcomes.
Is taking milk must in pregnancy?
From time immemorial, milk is considered to be a wholesome food and indeed rightly so, as milk is a very good source of:
- Proteins like casein and whey protein
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
- Minerals like Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium etc.
- Vitamins like Vit B12, Vit B2 (Riboflavin), Vit A and also Vit D (in fortified milk).
So, it’s always good to take milk. However, taking milk is not a must during pregnancy, as there are many other dairy products which are good sources of calcium, vitamins, minerals and protein like curd, milk, cheese, paneer and lassi. A regular balanced diet with pulses, green vegetables, soyabean, wheat, rice etc. will also take care of most of your nutritional needs.
So drink milk if you can; don’t fret if you can’t. Just plan your diet properly in consultation with your doctor and you will be just fine.
Is it must to take iron supplements in pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a high demand state for your body as your body has to nurture your baby, in addition to meeting it’s own demands. For this, many changes occur in your body. For example, the blood volume increases by about 40% of your non-pregnant values (about 1200-1500 ml) and many more new red blood cells need to be synthesized. Moreover, your body needs more protein, vitamins and minerals to meet the increased demands. This happens so rapidly that if you depend only on good diet and supplements are not taken, then you may become anemic and deficient in other minerals and vitamins. This may affect your own health during pregnancy and have long term effects on your health even after your pregnancy. It may also lead to serious implications for your baby like anemia, intrauterine growth retardation and even poor health of newborn.
So it is very essential to take Iron and other health supplements in pregnancy. Your gynaecologist will prescribe supplements like protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D, B-Complex vitamins from time to time, depending on your stage of pregnancy and your individual health status.
How should I tackle constipation in pregnancy?
Constipation is a very common complaint in pregnancy. This happens due to increase in progesterone levels which helps to protect pregnancy and relax the smooth muscle of uterus. In this process, it also relaxes smooth muscles of the intestines and as a result, the movement of food slows down in the intestines. Due to this, stool stays in the intestine for a longer time and more water is absorbed from the stool. Thus the stool loses it’s water, becomes dry and you suffer constipation.
Following are the few things which you can change to tackle constipation:
- Stay hydrated: Drink lots of fluids, upto10 to12 glasses a day over and above your normal intake.
- Eat lot of fibre in form of whole fruits, whole grain wheat and salads. This adds bulk to the stool and speeds up the passage of stool through the intestines.
- You can also use bulk forming laxatives like isabgol husk in a glass of water at night before sleep.
- Another safer laxatives is lactulose. It is usually available over the counter. However, it is strongly recommended to consult your doctor before taking any drug in pregnancy.
- Exercising everyday also improves gut health.
Can I eat papaya in pregnancy?
This is a frequently asked question in the outpatient department and there are lot of misconceptions regarding eating a papaya.
Like all other fruits, papaya can also be eaten safely in pregnancy. It has a very good laxative effect, and is great for people who have constipation in pregnancy. Like other food items, it should be avoided only in people who have difficulty in digesting it.
How to tackle nausea and vomiting in pregnancy?
Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy are due to hormonal changes. Usually this is more prominent in the first three months of pregnancy (1st trimester) and settles on its own after that. You can try for following things to tackle this problem:
- Take small, frequent meals every 2-3 hourly. Heavier meals 6 or 8 hourly are more likely to exaggerate the problem.
- Your last meal of the day should be at least 2 hours before going to bed. Eating within the 2 hours before bedtime leads to a sensation of abdominal fullness, regurgitation and more chances of nausea and vomiting.
- You can keep a small piece of Ginger in your mouth to curb nausea.
- If nothing works and the symptoms are very distressing, consult your gynecologist. We really want to avoid medicines as much as possible in pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. So do not take any over the counter medications on your own. Your gynaecologist may prescribe you simple antiemetics like tablets containing doxylamine and vitamin B6 or ondansetron.
How much weight gain is recommended in pregnancy?
Weight gain in pregnancy depends on the pre-pregnancy body mass index of the female.
- For a lady with body mass index less than 20, 15 to 18 kg weight gain is recommended.
- For a lady with body mass index of 20 to 25, 10 to 12 kg of weight are recommended.
- For a lady who is already overweight or a obese, should not gain more than 7 to 8 kg.
How many Ultrasounds are needed in pregnancy?
Ultrasounds are a very important part of your pregnancy evaluation. Some ultrasounds need to be done at fixed times in pregnancy and some ultrasounds are planned on case to case basis, depending on the individual pregnancy conditions.
The ultrasounds scans usually done are Viability scan at 7-8 weeks, NT scan at 11-13 weeks, Anomaly scan at 18-23 weeks and Growth scans at various intervals as deemed necessary by your gynaecologist. In addition, a fetal Echocardiography may be ordered by your gynaecologist if there is suspicion of any congenital heart defects in baby.
For more info on ultrasound in pregnancy, please read Ultrasound in pregnancy.
What vaccinations are needed in pregnancy?
In pregnancy, your immunity becomes lower than pre-pregnancy levels. So you are more prone to catch certain infections which can adversely affect your health and also your pregnancy. Your gynaecologist will advise you to get certain vaccinations in your pregnancy. Some of these include Tetanus toxoid, Tdap, Influenza vaccine or flu shot, Hepatitis B vaccine etc. Some of these are mandatory and some vary according to your local area practices and your gynaecologist assessment.
For more info on vaccinations in pregnancy, please read Vaccination in Pregnancy.
Carry home message
Pregnancy is a unique experience for any woman and nurturing another life within you is the most divine feeling. However, most women know very little on how to take care of their pregnancy well and how to tackle problems in pregnancy. It’s ok to not know any of that. But you have help. Meet your gynaecologist early, get yourself evaluated and discuss your pregnancy care plan with your gynaec. Ask every question that comes to your mind. We are there with you. Have a wonderful journey!
For more such interesting information on women's health, kindly visit our website Expert Gynae Care and our YouTube channel @drnidhigarg
To consult Dr. Nidhi Garg, please visit us at Kamal Hospital, Doaba Chowk, Jalandhar-144004 or Visit our website kamal Hospital jalandhar or Expert Gynae Care