6 Common Discomforts during Pregnancy

Headaches

   

Many women experience headaches during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. Occasionally headaches can be a sign of high blood pressure or preeclampsia. Unfortunately, we don’t have much control over hormonal changes but we can make sure the headaches aren’t caused by any other factors. Stay hydrated, get a full night’s sleep each night, and relax! (Stress is the cause of many headaches), eat well balanced meals to ensure you are receiving all vital nutrients.

Body aches

Back pain is a common complaint throughout a women’s pregnancy. As the abdomen expands and hormones change, pressure is placed on the lower back, buttocks, and pelvis. With this added discomfort it is extremely important to stay aware of your posture. Poor posture will only increase back pain. Massages and heat packs are always the best option to reduce lower back pain, but if you are on the move make sure not to wear any shoes with a heel. Athletic shoes with arch support are a great option due to their added support, light weight, and flexibility. Athletic shoes can expand with the natural swelling of your feet while supporting your lower back. A body pillow will do wonders for your lower back while sleeping at night. Depending on your preference body pillows can be used in many positions to relieve added pressure (between legs, under lower back, supporting the stomach, and along the full length of your back.

Heartburn

As your pregnancy progresses and the baby, grows more women experience frequent heartburn. This is just caused from increased hormones slowing the digestion process and the growth of the baby pushing against the stomach. Acid travels back up the esophagus causing a burning feeling and added discomfort. To help prevent this, avoid caffeine (which should be avoided for many reasons during pregnancy), eat smaller meals more often so your body only has to break down small amounts each time. Stay Hydrated, again making sure you are constantly hydrated will help your overall health. Avoid foods that are greasy, spicy, or highly acidic; all of which severely impact the frequency of heartburn.

Common Fertility Myths

Whenever a couple has difficulty conceiving people are always quick to jump to wild remedies and tricks to help increase their chances of fertility. Most methods are completely false and have never been scientifically proven. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “nearly 10 percent of women (6.1 million) in the United States ages 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant.” Doctors treat infertility with Assisted Reproductive Technology, Intrauterine Insemination, and Medicine. Unfortunately, some choose to take the unconventional approach. Common myths about infertility include:
• You’ll conceive more quickly if you make love with the lights on. Making love with the lights on or off is purely preference. The

lighting in the room has no effect on fertility levels.
• Trying to conceive early in your fertile period will affect the sex of the baby. Many people used to believe that sperm with a Y-chromosome (boy) travel faster than X-chromosome sperm (girl). An NEJM study was unable to validate that myth.

Uterine Fibroids and Pregnancy

Women with uterine fibroids are often concerned about their ability to conceive. Although uterine fibroids are benign tumors, they have the potential to negatively affect pregnancy. The growth of tumors is affected as estrogen levels are elevated. This is why some tumors expand during pregnancy when hormone levels spike. A fibroid can cause infertility by blocking the entrance to the fallopian tubes preventing sperm from implanting into the egg (ovum). Even if the egg is fertilized, submucosal fibroids can prevent implantation and further growth of the embryo. Large fibroids may block the birth canal resulting in a cesarean section. Women with several growing fibroids during pregnancy may indirectly limit the growth of the baby.  In some cases, uterine fibroids have been linked to miscarriage, premature birth, and postpartum hemorrhage. Complications from uterine fibroids can vary greatly.

When planning a pregnancy with uterine fibroids, be sure to weigh all benefits and risks. Most women do not require surgery to remove cysts before getting pregnant. Pre-pregnancy fibroid removal is only encouraged when the tumors are large enough in size to impede the baby’s growth; or if the predicted loss of blood or hemorrhage is high. If surgery is necessary, give your body ample time to recover before trying to conceive. A uterine myomectomy is a surgical procedure which removes fibroids while preserving a woman’s reproductive capabilities. Uterine Fibroid Embolism is a newer, less invasive procedure, where the doctors enter the uterus through small incisions in the stomach and uses a small device to block blood vessels leading to the fibroid. With the blood supply to the fibroid blocked, it slowly deteriorates and removes itself from the wall of the uterus. The recovery period for a regular myomectomy is four to six weeks, where a uterine fibroid embolism only requires a one to two week recovery period. The uterus needs to fully heal before carrying something as precious and delicate as a child. Remember most women do not require fibroid removal to conceive and carry a child to full-term.

The good news is most fibroids have little to no effect on the pregnancy. The most common complication resulting from uterine fibroids is a cesarean delivery. Common symptoms of uterine fibroids during pregnancy include constipation, abdominal cramping, pelvic pressure, and frequent urination. The majority of fibroids that grow during pregnancy shrink after giving birth because hormone levels decrease. As long as the fibroids are not extremely large or directly blocking vital areas of the uterus, many doctors suggest going on with your pregnancy as normal. Doctors assess the severity of each case individually to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Uterine fibroids are easily monitored during a pregnancy through periodic ultrasound appointments.

Many doctors advise their patients to steer clear of over dramatic views on uterine fibroids. Ultimately, doctors know what is best for each woman under her individual circumstances. As long as the fibroids are monitored on a regular basis and all precautions are taken, there is no reason why you can’t have a successful pregnancy with uterine fibroids.

The Most Important Steps To Maintaining Your Reproductive Health

Simply being a woman has implications for adopting certain precautionary health measures. Women have specific health needs related to reproductive function, and these needs usually vary depending on what stage of reproductive capability they’re in. According to the World Health Organization, reproductive health [implies that] apart from absence of disease, women have the ability to reproduce [if they are of child-bearing age]. Here are six of the top health implications for women’s reproductive health, and why they’re so important in preventing devastating disease.

Top 7 Factors Affecting Your Fertility

Women’s infertility is an increasingly important topic in today’s society. Each year the average age of women giving birth rises, shedding light on the fact that women are getting settled in their careers before starting a family. Not to mention the modern day woman has to deal with an incredible amount of stressors that affect her ability to conceive.