Cardiovascular disease and hypertension are on the rise, and now the leading cause of death. Dr Padma explores where we are going

Many of my patients are confused about the number of scans and blood tests which are done during pregnancy and especially the difference between first-trimester screening and the second-trimester screening. So let us know the differences and hopefully, it is clear to you all by the end of the blog.

The basic postpartum diet is a simple but healthy and wholesome one. One of the constituents of a healthy postpartum diet is fatty acids.

Fatty acids are the final breakdown product of fats in the diet. Fatty acids are either stored or used in the cells for energy. Fatty acids were once viewed as nothing more than a source of stored calories, but modern research has shown that the quality of fatty acids in the body has profound effects on human health.

The first visit to the obstetrician is to confirm the pregnancy. This is usually done by a blood test to check for HCG levels, the same hormone which also caused a positive urine pregnancy test. Ultrasound is also done to look for gestation sac to confirm the pregnancy.

Anjali - My patient called me this morning. I could gather from her tone that she was very anxious. She said “ Doctor, I am very scared, I have noticed some spotting since this morning”

Neonatal period is the first 4 weeks of life of a newborn. Newborns who are born too soon or too small, or who become sick, are at the greatest risk of death and disability in the first 28 days.  According to the study - Survive and thrive: transforming care for every small and sick newborn. In 2017, an estimated 2.5 million newborns died during the first 28 days of life.

Anything abnormal during pregnancy can cause a lot of anxiety in the mother, especially as she is concerned about the health of her baby. Fever during pregnancy can be one of the causes of her anxiety. A fever is an increase in body temperature. Fever happens when a person is sick and could be a sign of the body fighting against some kind of infection. The average body temperature is 98.6°F (37°C). For a woman who is pregnant, body temperature over 101°F (38.3°C) may be a cause for concern. 

Motherhood is a beautiful journey - from the time you come to know of your pregnancy until the birth of the baby. But, a woman can go through this journey with lots of joy, apprehension and anxiety. Many thoughts like - If she is eating enough for the growth of the baby? What is the ideal weight of the fetus? How is the fetal weight measured?

Chitra was in the 4th month of her pregnancy. Everything seemed to be going normal with her pregnancy until now. Today morning she noticed bright red bleeding. She was panicking. She called her mom and her husband and took an appointment with her doctor. She rushed to her Doctor the first thing. Her doctor was also a little concerned.

Pregnancy brings about many changes in the body of Women. One of the changes is the growth in the size of the uterus. Many women wonder how big the uterus is going to get during pregnancy.

You begin to have this strange feeling that you may be pregnant. It has been only 3 weeks since you had your previous period. So what could these symptoms be, which could be the tell-tale signs of pregnancy at this point - even before you miss your period?

An article "The Hindu" today (29th November 2018) which examines the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Mathru Vandana Yojana in the state of Jharkhand. The survey was conducted by research students in two blocks of Jharkhand and spread over 12 villages. After conducting interviews of around 98 pregnant women the group realised the scheme seemed to be achieving very little especially in Jharkhand

"MedHealth TV" was selected by the WSA Grand Jury 2018 as one of the 40 WORLD SUMMIT AWARD WINNERS 2018 in the category Health & Well-Being!

Over 400 submissions from over 100 UN member states were nominated in this year´s WSA contest, the competition was high and the selection process highly competitive. An international Jury, who met for the final round of evaluations last week in Accra, Ghana. The jurors did lots of research, engaged in passionate discussions and worked long evenings – all to select the 40 WSA winners 2018.

With Diwali just done and winter setting in many parts of India, People are concerned about the pollution levels in the environment. We have heard of how bad the quality of air gets after Diwali and also on an everyday basis due to increasing vehicular traffic. But how does air pollution effect pregnancy?  A study has warned that excessive exposure to air pollution during pregnancy can perk the risks of pregnancy complications and can cause long-term health problems in children.

regnant the The other day I had a patient in her late 30's concerned if she could try for pregnancy at her age. She had postponed her pregnancy due to various reasons and was worried if she was too old to get pregnant now. 

C-section is pretty common, but the rate at which the women choose to deliver the baby via c-section surgery is truly a concern all over the world at the moment because the procedure is associated with considerable short-term and long-term effects and health-care costs

A preterm birth is when you deliver your baby prior to 37 weeks of your pregnancy. Preterm birth is one of the main reasons for neonatal deaths in the developed world.

Infection and inflammation are thought to be the primary causes but many researchers are now beginning to realise some surprising facts about preterm labor. The infection or inflammation during pregnancy might activate the mother’s immune system which in turn could disturb the maternal tolerance of the fetus, thus triggering labor.

The risk of delayed conception is linked to the foods women eat, finds a new study in Australia. A regular fast food consumption was found to double the risk of infertility in women of childbearing age, researchers also found, not eating enough fruits was chained to a 50 per cent higher chance of infertility risk.

Post-Partum changes in a woman's body are usually reversible. but, after pregnancy, along with your newborn, there may be some changes which are more long-term.  From wider hips to losing your teeth, here are a few changes in your body you would expect after pregnancy.

Many women complain about being forgetful during pregnancy. Whether it is remembering to fetch something from the shop or having mis-placed a very important paper somewhere. These were women who were probably their best before pregnancy. These little "oh, I just forgot" moments are called 'Pregnancy Brain' or sometimes as 'Momnesia'. About 64 per cent would-be mothers complain of difficulty to find the right words or focus on tasks than before they were pregnant, found a survey.

Many of my patients are frightened about the weird dreams they have been getting off late. They feel that since they have got pregnant they have been experiencing more intense and strange dreams.

Women in pregnancy have reported having intense and disturbing dreams than non-pregnant women finds studies. Women in last trimester experienced regular nightmares than the earlier stages.

Rajasthan recently recorded the biggest outbreak of Zika virus in the history of India.

What is Zika Virus?

Zika virus is a disease caused by Zika virus and it spreads to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, similar to the one which causes Dengue.

A new research has broken a myth of the popular belief amongst people that "pregnant women should eat for two" and has in fact, warned about the health risk to the baby and mother by eating in excess quantities. Pregnancy is more about the quality of food than about the quantity of food.

Apart from being the reason of your healthy bones, vitamin D may also lessen the cancer risk and breast cancer mortality, especially in women with a lower body mass index (BMI), supports a study. The study were published on September 19, 2018 in Menopause, the journal of The North American menopause Society (NAMS).

Have you ever been worried about sleep during pregnancy? Which side is good? Sleeping on the right or left. If sleeping on left is good, then what could be the reason? Often, doctors tell you to sleep on your left side at night. But, what’s wrong with the right? Why on left? Well! it turns out there are good medical reasons for the same. It is all about the constant movement and tug- of war inside a pregnant woman's abdomen.

A Danish research has revealed how fish oil supplements taken by mothers during their pregnancy had children with higher bone and muscle (BMI) development in their early childhood rather than excess unhealthy fat.

Placenta Previa means placenta first. In this condition placenta implants in the lower part of the uterus, close to or even covering the uterine opening called the internal os and leads to some bleeding usually after 20 weeks of gestation. Normally, the placenta is implanted in the upper uterus.

Smoking is harmful to the women and her baby. When a woman smokes cigarettes during pregnancy, her fetus is exposed to many harmful chemicals. Nicotine is only one of many toxic chemicals that can pass from a pregnant woman to her fetus. One of the effects of nicotine is the narrowing of the blood vessels.

Infections which can be dangerous if contracted during pregnancy

As much as possible pregnant women should keep away from sick people. Especially if someone in the house or in the neighbourhood has contracted illnesses like mumps or rubella. But if you develop rubella in the first 4 months of pregnancy, it can lead to serious problems, including birth defects and miscarriage. The rubella rash is typically a red-pink colour. It consists of a number of small spots, which may be slightly itchy. The rash usually starts behind the ears before spreading around the head and neck. It may then spread to the chest and tummy (the trunk), and legs and arms. In most cases, the rash disappears by itself within 3 to 5 days. Most women are vaccinated against this even before they are pregnant. You should not take this vaccination while pregnant.

Most parents wait for that moment when they can hear the heartbeat of their unborn child for the first time. For the mother, it is a sign of reassurance that everything seems to be right in her pregnancy. 

Most private and public companies in India offer health insurance that covers maternity and pregnancy as well. These are offered via leading health insurance companies. In a later article, we compare these health insurance plans and tell you which ones make the most sense for you.

Maternity sanitary pads are extra long and can withstand the heavy bleeding after delivery. Whether you have had a normal delivery or a C-section, the first few days after delivery expect to have a fair amount of bleeding.  You may need to change pads every 2 to 3 hours. This bleeding after the birth of the baby is called Lochia. Bleeding occurs from the point in the uterus where the placenta was attached. The placenta comes out of the uterus at the third stage of delivery. 

In earlier times, pregnancy confirmation was largely done in the clinic after a blood test and ultrasound. But, the last few years with the technological advances, urine pregnancy test can help in pregnancy detection within the privacy of your house with the urine pregnancy test.

Pregnant women constantly fear what is right and what is wrong during pregnancy? Will travelling cause problems during pregnancy? Will eating this food cause any problems to the baby? And one of the hundreds of concerns that pregnant women have is also to do with sex. Will having sex during pregnancy harm the baby?

Becoming a mother for the first time is probably the most thrilling moment of one’s life. A first-time mom or a first time Parent is most of the time anxious, apprehensive and has unending questions about the various Do’s and Don’ts of Pregnancy. In this blog, I would like to broadly touch upon some exciting milestones of your pregnancy.

The discomfort you might feel with that big tummy of yours while sleeping might make you go sleepless. Pregnancy pillows are designed for comfortable sleep. It also reduces the pain in the back, hips and joints.

What are stretch marks?

Stretch marks are pink or sometimes purplish streaks on the belly which appears in the last stages of the pregnancy due to the rapid expansion of the belly to accommodate the growing baby.

Even though it is called ‘The Morning Sickness’ you may feel nauseated any time or all the time of the day. Thus the term ‘Morning Sickness’ can be quite misleading but in most cases, nausea can be at its worst in the morning and one could get better over the course of the day.

I am always asked this question from my viewers - Mam - I am in my 5th month of pregnancy, but, I don’t look pregnant. I don’t have a bump to flaunt yet… Relax! Every pregnant woman is different, some gain weight easily, while others begin to suddenly look big, from the end of 5th month. As long as the ultrasound is normal and your baby is growing normally - You are just fine.

Priya is in her 8th month of pregnancy. She called me the other day and was worried as she saw some blood in her stools. I told her, not to worry. It could be hemorrhoids.

Cortisol levels increase during the last term of pregnancy. Cortisol causes the lung maturation of fetus. Cortisol can also cause the depression in women and could be the cause of post-partum depression.

How the baby looks

There you go. The baby is all set to come out this month.

Your baby is a lovely pumpkin by now. He/she is 46-51 cm tall and weighs 3.2-3.5 kgs by the time you deliver.

Gastric motility decreases and the gastric emptying time (time taken for the food to go to the small intestine from the stomach) also increases.

How your baby looks

By the end of the 8th month, your baby is 42-46 cms tall and look as big as a Jackfruit.

He/she weighs 2 - 2.3 kilograms. 

Plasma volume increases by about 50% from 2.5 litres to 3.75 litres during pregnancy in the mother. Cardiac output increases by 30% to supply more blood to the baby. The heart rate of the mother also increases by 20 beats per minute to 80 to 90 beats per minute.

How your baby looks

She/he is as big as a Pineapple by the end of the 7th month of the pregnancy.

Your baby is 33-36 tall and now weighs 1-1.8 kilograms.

The fetus is said to react to sound somewhere between 4th to the fifth month. They may get stimulated or irritated by some sounds.

How your baby looks

Your baby as big as a Cauliflower by the end of the 6th month.

She/he is 22-24 centimetres tall and weighs almost 700-800 grams.

You may be wondering if your little one can see inside the uterus, now that the eyes are formed. Well, not completely, but they can appreciate the light. For it to see the visual impressions has to be read by the visual area in the brain.

How does the baby look this month?

By the end of the 5th month, your baby is almost the size of a Papaya. She/he measures 10 inches long and weighs from 200-450 gms. By 18 weeks fetus gets more lively and moves its head and face once in a while inside the amniotic sac.You may be wondering if your little one can see inside the uterus, now that the eyes are formed. Well, not completely, but they can appreciate the light. For it to see, the visual impressions have to be read by the visual area in the brain.

Did you know that the fetal heart beats twice as fast as the mother? 

A normal fetal heart rate usually ranges from 120 to 160 beats per minute when the baby is in the mother's uterus. It is measurable by ultrasound from around 6 weeks onwards and the normal range varies. It increases to around 170 beats per minute at 10 weeks and decreases from then to around 130 beats per minute at full term.

Wondering How the baby looks inside in the fourth month of pregnancy?

At the end of the 4th month, your baby is as tall as a Carrot and now it is almost 7 inches long.

Did you know that the temperature in the amniotic sac where the fetus is present is slightly warmer than the mother at 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit?

The uterus is well within the core of your body which holds your baby throughout the pregnancy. Its temperature is the same as our core body temperature which is about 98 degrees F. Your core body temperature does not change even when the outside of your body feels like its cold.

How does your baby look this month

By the end of the 3rd month the baby is as big as a Plum fruit and 7.6 cm - 10 cm long but inside this body, all organs are already in place. The danger of miscarriage also begins to come down from this week. From this point on Biologists call the embryo a fetus.

How does the baby look in the second month of pregnancy

The baby slowly becoming a human shape and now it is almost the size of a black-eyed bean. You may not feel it but your baby is in constant movement. By the end of the 2nd month, your baby is 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm in length.

By the second month of Pregnancy, that is by the ninth week the brain cells have begun to form connections with each other. Did you know that at this point, 100,000 nerve cells are created every minute

Researchers have identified two genes that are associated with severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum.

The cause of the condition, which is experienced by about 2% of pregnant women, has not previously been identified.

The brain is changing more rapidly when the baby is developing inside the mother's womb.  It is an active time for the fetus to grow and explore, and of course, connect to its mother. And new evidence from in-utero fetal brain scans shows, for the first time, that this connection directly affects brain development: A mother's stress during pregnancy changes neural connectivity in the brain of her unborn child.

When a baby is born before 37 weeks of gestation, it is considered premature birth. 

Mothers in their early 30s have the lowest chance of having a premature baby, new research has found, with the risk rising significantly once the mother passes 40.

Records of more than 165,000 pregnant women were analyzed,

The first month is an exciting time and also brings about changes in your body. There are hormonal changes taking place in your body. Some of the symptoms, like nausea and vomiting, fatigue and dizziness may be seen during this period. So make sure you are comfortable before starting on any new exercises.

An average pregnancy lasts 280 days but a deviation of 14 days, either way, is possible. Every day a healthy male produces as much as 100 million sperms i.e 1000 sperms a second and a healthy woman all together menstruates approximately 400 times from early teenage years to menopause

About the baby

Almost the size of a Rice Grain.

Your baby is 6-7 mm in length by the end of the first month of the pregnancy.

Two weeks after the menstrual period the follicle containing the ovum is ripe and roughly measures 2 cm in diameter and now begins to produce hormones. When the ovum is released by the follicle every month, it is captured by the fallopian tube and the ovum travels through the fallopian tube all the while being surrounded by nourishing cells.

Priya was in her 29th  week. Everything seemed to be going normally until now. But since today morning she started having bleeding and sudden onset of low abdominal pain. The pain was mild but definitely uncomfortable. The bleeding was mild, but bright red in color. She was very anxious and was able to feel very few movements of the baby. Her husband rushed her to the Doctor. The doctor examined her and ordered an ultrasound. The ultrasound was to rule out Abruptio placenta.

Anjali was pregnant for the first time The news of her pregnancy had just sunk into her. She had started taking iron-folic acid tablets for the past two days as instructed by the ANM after her checkup. She was terrified to see the color of her stools. It was black. She got very scared and rushed to her Doctor. She narrated her concern to her Doctor. Her Doctor laughed and said, “Anjali - Don’t be scared, the color of your stools is because of the iron tablets that you are taking” Iron is very important for you and for the developing baby.

Some women ask me if it normal for a pregnant woman to crave for non-food substances like dirt, mud, chalk, charcoal, wood, toothpaste etc. This craving for non-food substances is called Pica. Pica is also seen in children. The reason for Pica is still not clear but experts believe it could be related to some deficiencies. One of them being Iron deficiency.

The anemia of pregnancy is one of the anemias in adults where it is seen not due to some disease. To illustrate what happens to the blood volume during pregnancy, let us Imagine a beaker half filled with water and with say 12 grams of red color added to it. Now when you add 50% more water to the beaker but add only 3 grams of red color to it, the resultant solution is diluted. The same thing happens in Pregnancy. Although the plasma volume increases by 50% the red cell mass increases only by 15 to 25%. In a healthy pregnant woman, the plasma volume is thought to increase by almost 1250 ml. Her pre-pregnancy plasma volume would be close to 2600 ml. While the red cell mass increases by relatively much less, a rise of about 250 ml (some 18% of the non-pregnant volume) in women who take no supplemental iron, and between 400 and 450 ml when iron supplements are taken. Thus you see the dilution in the red cells.

Oxytocin plays a crucial role in emotional bonding - whether it is between romantic partners, parents, and children, or even owners and their pets. The hormone called the "love hormone" is naturally released into our body when we make love or make new friends. But apart from its role in social bonding and reproduction, oxytocin also helps mothers give birth. During labor Oxytocin stimulates powerful contractions,  helping the cervix to dilate and open up in preparation for delivery. This is why it is often used as a drug to aid birth.

Why do pregnant women have food cravings?

I remember the time when a friend of mine was pregnant and they lived in a remote area in the US. She had a craving for Masala Dosa one morning when she was in her 6th month. Indian restaurants were not very common and she made her husband drive 120 miles to an Indian restaurant. This is just one story, there are plenty of such stories i hear about pregnant women craving from sweet dishes, hot and spicy to sour items. Some women also have a craving for non-food items like chalk, mud, wood etc. This is called Pica.

When a pregnant lady shows no signs of labor beyond 41 or 42 weeks of pregnancy, labor may be induced. Labour is also sometimes induced earlier if the mother has any conditions which may become increasingly complicated with increasing the time of pregnancy like Gestational diabetes or Twin pregnancy.

Most pregnant women are worried when they enter into the eighth month of their pregnancy about the position of their baby. They are worried about when their baby would turn in to the head facing down position towards the birth canal ready for birth and delivery. This process can take place at different times for each mother and this causes nervousness and tension amongst pregnant women as they are unsure of when to expect this positioning to happen. I would like to cover this topic in this blog.

A woman undergoes a lot of hormonal changes during pregnancy. These changes could result in the signs and symptoms of pregnancy. Mild vaginal discharge during pregnancy is normal. It is usually thin, white milky and mildly smelling and is called leucorrhea. This discharge is usually made up of secretions and old cells of the cervix and vagina, it may also have some harmless bacteria. It is said that some women may have increased white discharge as they approach delivery.

With more women pursuing an active career, and with busy schedules, it has become common to postpone pregnancy for a later time in life. I am sure you always wonder what is a right age for pregnancy. While there are no hard and fast rules about any age. Let us look at some advantages and disadvantages of both early ( age group of 20 - 25 ) and late pregnancy (35 -40 or above 40 )

In its new norms, the health organization has called for the elimination of the one centimetre per hour benchmark.

Summer is here and being pregnant during summer months can make you more tired and hot. Pregnant women’s body temperature is usually higher than normal and to add to it the outside heat, can make them more dehydrated and feel uncomfortable.

The menstrual cycle is a natural cycle and is seen to occur in a few mammals. Humans are one of the species who have this trait. Some species like dogs have an estrous cycle. They usually ovulate during this time and are fertile and are open to mating. They exhibit overt signs of receptivity, ranging from engorged and colorful genitals to behavioral changes like mating calls. It is termed as “ being in the Heat”

Pregnancy brings about a lot of changes in the woman’s body. She can have symptoms from increased frequency of bowel movements to sometimes constipation, increased the frequency of urination, vomiting nausea and many more symptoms. While some are considered normal. There are a few symptoms which you may need to watch out for and consult with your Doctor.

The first-trimester scan is usually done between 8 to 12 weeks of pregnancy to confirm the dates of your pregnancy. Apart from dating the pregnancy, during this the scan the doctors also look for the location of the pregnancy.  In some women, the fertilized egg instead of getting implanted in the wall of the uterus may get implanted in one of the fallopian tubes which connect the ovary to the uterus.

Although the precursor to heart begins to form in the embryo from 4 weeks. It may not be heard. It is still in the form of a tube. By the sixth week of pregnancy, this tube would have twisted turned and molded itself in a heart with 4 chambers and it may have actually begun to beat too, albeit at 110 to 120 beats per minute. In another two weeks i.e by 8 weeks, the heartbeat of the embryo increases to 150 -170 beats per minute.

Exposure to light in the womb is essential for unborn babies to develop healthy eyes, according to new research.Eyes depend on light to see, and a new study on mice found that the eyes also need light for healthy development during pregnancy. When the fetus is growing inside the uterus, the visual system begins to form as early as week 4 of pregnancy.

Feeling the baby move inside is probably the most thrilling moment of a pregnant woman’s life. Feeling a baby move inside is a sign of life. Most women begin to feel their baby move between 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. A baby’s movement is usually described by the mother initially when the baby is small as a flutter, a swish as the baby grows bigger, she can start feeling the kick.

Some women are not very comfortable getting ultrasound examination done during Pregnancy. They have a feeling that it may hurt their baby. In fact it is the other way round, by getting timely ultrasound examination done you can identify any problems with the baby and try to mitigate it.

One of my patients was in her 6th month of pregnancy and she had to travel to her hometown at that time. She was concerned about traveling during this time of her pregnancy and wanted my consent. Although it is fine to travel during pregnancy, it is always better to take some precautions while traveling.

Pregnant women ask me if it is OK for them to take certain medication during pregnancy. It is always better to avoid unnecessary medication during pregnancy. While Doctors prescribe only those medications which are considered safe during pregnancy, meaning those which may not be able to pass through the blood of the mother to the baby. There may be some which escape and pass to the baby. While most of them even if they reach the baby may be safe, there are many which are a strict "NO" during pregnancy.

Presentation of the baby is the part of the baby which appears first at the pelvic inlet during the birth. There are three broad categories

1. Cephalic or head first which is most common
2. Breech presentation where the baby’s buttocks appear first at the pelvic inlet during birth
3. Shoulder - where the baby’s shoulder may be seen first.

My maid came up to me and asked me “ Madam - My sister-in-law is pregnant and she wants to make sure she has a fair child. What should she do, so she can have a fair child?The above thought of having a fair and beautiful child goes through every pregnant woman, especially in India. Somehow we, as a society give a lot of importance to the colour of a person.

One of my subscribers who is pregnant and in her 6th month had a question for me regarding sleeping positions during pregnancy and if sleep pillows help. Sleeping during first trimester and last trimester of pregnancy can be challenging. In the first trimester,  the uterus is still inside the pelvis and the growing embryo in the womb puts pressure on the bladder and this can cause the urge for you to urinate every few hours.

Women with PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease) may have problems getting pregnant. Pregnancy happens when the sperm fertilizes the egg released by the ovary during ovulation, i.e  during the 12 to 16 day of the menstrual cycle. But in Women who are suffering from PCOD, Ovulation does not happen or happens rarely. So, no egg is released and thus no fertilization.

Polycystic ovarian disease ( PCOD) is a common cause of infertility. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. Because, they have irregular cycles, usually they don't ovulate regularly.  As the egg is not released every month, the chances of pregnancy decreases.

Hormonal changes within the body are responsible for regulation of Menstrual Cycle. Every month the female sex hormones prepare the body to support a pregnancy, and without fertilization there is menstruation

On Day 1 of the menstrual cycle that is the first day of bleeding, estrogen, and progesterone levels are low. Low levels of estrogen and progesterone signal the pituitary gland in our brain to produce Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). FSH, as the name indicates, begins the process of maturing a follicle in the ovary(fluid-filled sac in the ovary containing an egg).

Pregnant women are always confused about the right diet for a healthy pregnancy. It is pretty hard to think about food when due to some pregnancy hormones, the sight of food could make some women nauseous. But, on the bright side, many women crave for food and sometimes, develop a liking for some foods which were never on their wish list before pregnancy.

1 out of 3 babies is born with the cord around the neck. For most babies, it does not matter at all if there is a chord around the neck. Most of the time the chord is long.  The average umbilical cord length is around 50-60 centimeters long, and baby is able to handle the stress of labor fairly well as long as labor goes about in its own phase.

When the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby is too less then it is called oligohydramnios. The amount of amniotic fluid increases until the beginning of the third trimester and generally peaks at 37 weeks at which point it is about 800-1000ml. After that, it begins to decrease until birth

Mild to moderate polyhydramnios can be harmless and pregnancy may go on with out any complications but, severe polyhydramnios where the fluid is more than 3 times normal like around 3 liters or so can lead to complications and premature labor. Polyhydramnios is usually seen later in pregnancy

Many pregnant women are concerned about their baby getting hurt with the slightest blow to their abdomen. It is a valid concern, but at the same time, it is good to know, that nature has an amazing way to protect your foetus. The baby is surrounded in the uterus by amniotic fluid , which is present with in the amniotic sac.

What are antenatal vitamins and Do I need to take them?

Antenatal vitamins are vitamin and mineral nutritional supplements useful for women who are pregnant, are planning a pregnancy or are breastfeeding. Women who are planning a pregnancy should be given pre-conception advice, which includes information on folic acid and vitamin D supplements along with healthy and nutritious eating. 

A baby bot at the time of birth already has numerous immature sperm cells called spermatogonia. The pituitary gland is responsible for male sexual maturation too. Did you know that every day a man produces almost 10 million sperms, i.e almost 1000 sperms a second? Each sperm carries genetic material from the father. Sperms are produced in the seminiferous tubules of the Testes.

Many of my viewers are concerned about the weight of the fetus during their pregnancy. On an everyday basis, I get at least two to three questions from my subscribers, about this. Hence decided to write a blog on the weight of the fetus, what is normal and what is considered small for gestation.Every baby is different and babies grow at different rates from early pregnancy. The weight of the baby inside the uterus is calculated by a formula which takes in to account the head circumference, abdominal circumference,

Pregnant women undergo certain tests to rule out Downs syndrome in the baby. This can be usually identified by two kinds of tests

1. Non-invasive test

2. Invasive test.

Chromosomal abnormalities can occur during the crossover of the genetic material of the ovum and sperm during fertilization. The pairs of chromosomes may not connect well or may break off.  This damage to the chromosomes at this stage may lead to the natural expulsion of the embryo as the pregnancy cannot proceed normally and may end in the form of an early miscarriage.

Babies can be born naturally by vaginal birth or in some cases where the natural birth is not possible for reasons relating to the risk associated with the life of the mother or baby, the doctor may have to resort to Cesarean section. Once a rarely performed procedure, only for obstetric emergencies, C-section today is performed more commonly. In India the recent data from the National Family Health Survey 2014-15 (NFHS-4)

You have delivered a baby, and I am sure you are overwhelmed looking at your bundle of joy, You may be tired and emotionally strained. but all is not over. Postpartum care or care after delivery is most important in regaining your strength back. Post delivery, the mother should spend her time mostly on taking care of herself and her baby, while she gets help from her mother, spouse friends to take care of everything else for her. This is the time for her to recuperate. Her body has gone through enormous changes during pregnancy, both physically and emotionally.