Is it safe to undergo ultrasound during pregnancy? Majority of the medical experts and a number of pregnancy magazines state that it is absolutely safe to get ultrasounds done during pregnancy. Ultrasounds are unlikely to harm the unborn baby and the expecting mother.

Let us now get acquainted with the working procedure of the pregnancy ultrasounds. Ultrasounds work by using real-time scanning machines or scanners. The scanner keeps on building a graph of the growing fetus in the mother’s womb. This graph can be viewed on the screen of an attached monitor. To make sure that the images of the baby appearing on the monitor are clear, sound waves of extremely high frequency get used; the sound waves used during pregnancy ultrasound range between 3.5 and 7 megahertz. The sound waves are released by a transducer placed on the pregnant woman’s abdomen. The specialist will move the transducer around the abdomen of the woman for observing the condition of the uterus and detecting whether there’s any abnormality. The growing fetus gets scanned through recurring beams of ultrasound, which eventually get reflected back into the transducer. The images appearing on the monitor will relay all the information the sound waves collected.

Pregnancy ultrasound is also used for gender detection of the growing baby in the mother’s uterus. But, to use ultrasound for detection the baby’s family will need to wait till the mother reaches 16 weeks of her pregnancy. Whether or not a pregnancy ultrasound can detect the gender of the baby depends on the sonographic device’s aptitude and the operator’s skill levels.

Images created by pregnancy ultrasounds on the screen of the monitor help the doctor to detect several other conditions. For instance, the doctor can find out problems related to the heartbeat of the fetus and abnormalities with fetal movements. The images also reveal if there’s any malformation in the developing fetus. If there’s a structural abnormality in the fetus, a pregnancy ultrasound is the only way of knowing that before the baby is born. It is advisable that pregnant women should get an ultrasound done before reaching 20 weeks of pregnancy for identifying the possibility of structural abnormalities in her baby. This will allow the doctor to terminate the pregnancy.

Often doctors recommend pregnant women to undergo full bladder ultrasounds. This test is more frequently used for detecting whether a woman is pregnant or not based on the early signs of pregnancy experienced by her. Full bladder ultrasounds are also completely safe for expecting mothers. The woman will not experience even slightest pain during the test. However, pressure on the bladder might result in some discomforting sensation. Besides that the conducting gel used during the procedure might make the woman feel slightly cold and damp. That’s it; you will not have to experience any other uncomfortable feeling during full bladder ultrasounds.

The pregnancy ultrasound is not only meant for monitoring the health of the unborn baby and the mother. Through the images created during the test the parents and the other close family members of the baby gets to see him or her for the first time.

Robitussin DM and Robitussin are cold medications that are generally considered to be safe for pregnant woman, but should not be consumed after 38 weeks of pregnancy. Taking these cough medications during the final weeks of pregnancy might cause serious harm to the baby. The doctor might instead suggest the pregnant woman to have the prescribed dosages of an expectorant for breaking up the mucus buildup; expectorants are generally taken during the daytime. For the night, the doctor might prescribe cough suppressants. This will ensure that the pregnant woman has an uninterrupted sleep, which is extremely important for both the mother and the baby.

FDA has approved cold and flu medications like Sudafed and Tylenol for women in their third trimester. However, you must still consult your physician for ensuring that these medications are safe for you.

Changes in the eye and skin:

An expecting mother with jaundice will usually experience gradual yellowing of whites of her eyes and skin. The yellowing primarily occurs due to the bilirubin buildup in her bloodstream. Bilirubin is basically waste products derived from iron. One of the primary functions of our liver is removing the bilirubin from our system. When the liver stops working properly, this function of the organ does not take place in the right manner and results in buildup of the chemical in blood. This increase in the levels of bilirubin makes our eyes and skin appear yellowish. If the levels of bilirubin become excessively high, the skin color might turn brown.

Change in the color of urine:

Bilirubin buildup also results in darkening of the color of our urine. The change of color of urine occurs when the body tries to flush out the bilirubin without using the liver. However, in case of pregnant women, change of the color of urine might also be because of the prenatal vitamins they are taking; in that case the color change is not related to jaundice.

Change of the feces:

Proper functioning of liver allows our body to rid itself from the conjugated bilirubin through feces. The feces are dark in color only due to the conjugated bilirubin. When your liver is damaged and the bilirubin is not being removed through the feces, you will find the stool getting clay-like or lighter in color.

Studies have shown that the risk of experiencing miscarriage is slightly higher for frequent fliers (people who fly for more than 74 hours in a month) than those who don’t need to fly so often. According to the physicians, the safest time of flying during pregnancy is the 2nd trimester. This is because by the time women cross the 1st trimester, they come out of the increased risks of experiencing pre-term labors or miscarriages.

The doctors generally don’t recommend air travel once the women reach their 3rd trimester. There are even some airlines that do not accept reservations of women nearing the date of her delivery. These airlines have such regulation because they want to avoid a situation when a woman needs to deliver during the air travel. Unless there’s a major complication associated with pregnancy, the women generally stay medically fit during the 3rd trimester and the chances of getting miscarriages are also extremely low during this phase of pregnancy. However, as the date of delivery nears, sitting in a single position for several hours may be discomforting for the women.

If you are traveling by air during pregnancy you must make sure that you are sitting in a place where there’s extra legroom. You must also avoid the rows that do not have reclining seats.

Taking into consideration the wide-ranging harm it causes to little lives for their entire lifetime, it becomes increasingly crucial to become aware about congenital cytomegalovirus infection so its devastating effects on little babies could be averted.

What is congenital cytomegalovirus infection?

Congenital cytomegalovirus is an assemblage of symptoms which arises when a baby contracts the infection with the cytomegalovirus or CMV while in-utero. Congenital CMV arises when an infection-ridden mom is passing on the virus to her unborn child via her placenta tissue.

Symptoms

The ill mom might be asymptomatic hence she might not be aware of having the infection. Even majority of the congenitally afflicted kids are asymptomatic, merely around one from ten babies with congenital CMV would be exhibiting the following signs & symptoms:

• Retinal inflammation.
• Underweight at birth.
• Smallish head.
• Jaundice.
• Rash when born, also called as petechiae.
• Liver & spleen enlargement.
• Seizure attacks.
• Mineral depositions in the brains.

Diagnosis & Tests

At the time of examination, the doctor might spot:

• Irregular breathing sounds indicative of pneumonia.
• Spleen & Liver enlargement.
• Retarded Psychomotor.

Testing done comprise of:

• CAT scanning or ultrasounds done of the cranium.
• Complete blood count.
• Chest X-ray.
• TORCH screen.
• Liver functioning testing Bilirubin level & blood testing.
• Fundoscopy.
• Urine culture to check for viral presence in the initial fortnight or month of life.
• Antibody titer for baby & mom.

Therapy

There isn’t any particular therapy for this condition & physiotherapy & suitable education for kids with psychomotor impairment & focusing on particular issues. Investigative therapy using ganciclovir medicine might lessen auditory failure in the child’s future.

Prognosis

Nearly ninety percent of babies who are symptomatic when born would be having neurologically-related abnormalities in future. Merely around five to ten percent of asymptomatic babies would be having such issues.

Likely Complications

• Going deaf.
• Psychomotor impairment.

When to seek medical assistance

Immediately get your infant examined in case he/ she wasn’t evaluated by a doctor soon following delivery & a smallish-head is suspected or one notices other signs of congenital CMV.

In case your infant is having congenital CMV, it is crucial to be following the healthcare expert’s advice for well-infant exams. In this manner, any developmental issues could be spotted sooner & prompt treatment can be offered.

Preventative Measures

CMV is omnipresent & the United States CDC has recommended the below mentioned prevention approaches to thwart CMV from spreading.

• Hand-washing using soaps & water subsequent to have touched diaper or salivary secretion.
• Do not kiss kids under six on the lips or cheeks.
• Avoid sharing foods, beverages or eating vessels with younger kids.
• Expectant mothers who work in day cares must be working with children over 2.5 years of age.

First, if you feel that might be pregnant, you must go for an immediate home-based test of pregnancy. This is done by purchasing a good kit from a chemist shop and then doing as per the instructions. If the outcome is positive, directly consult a doctor for proper consultation. On the other hand, if it is negative, go for the test next morning. However, instead of this home test, it is a wise decision to directly consult a doctor no matter what is the result of the home tests.

Second, you must reflect on your relationship with the baby’s father. So, if you are already living a married life, discuss regarding the responsibilities and financials with your consort. If you have not gone for marriage and that you are a teen, kindly handle the situation with even more care. This is the time where you are supposed to take a decision that is for sure to change your and your baby’s life irrespective of the option selected: abortion or parenting. However, it is always recommended to never go for abortion because it has far detrimental affects on the mother’s health and emotional balance.

Revealing to the parents

Decide for a cool time and tell them that you want to speak to them regarding a serious personal issue. Request them to allow you to speak without any interruption.

Right from the first word, it is mandatory to be fully honest. Remember, your parents still love you although they might show up anger and frustration along with initial hurt and shock. And yes, they are the ones who will support you and calm you.

Act maturely and ask fro help. However, do not get angry while they get angry on you. You are in a difficult phase that you need to face it maturely.

Planning for a modest budget

This becomes very easy for the teenage mothers if the boyfriend, husband, or parents support you unconditionally. The moment you decide to become a mother, the responsibility of the baby is on you of which the financial aspect must be considered carefully. It is mandatory to compute a budget considering the current costs of diapers, beddings, clothing, daycare, and other necessities for your baby and yourself. Kindly do not decide for parenting a baby by depending on someone’s promise to support.

Considering the career goals

Plan your career in such a way that taking care of a baby does not become a barrier in it. This plays a vital role in your life if you are employed in the sales or marketing domain or a student.

Knowing the intentions of your baby’s father

You need to examine the father’s personality rationally. Study about the financial as well as emotional capability. Get answers to the following questions:

• Are there any more babies of your boyfriend? If yes, does he take care of them? How?
• Does the father support you the moment you tell that you are pregnant?
• Are you interested in sustaining the relationship with him for a minimum of 18 years to ensure good parenting?

How about an abortion?

We recommend never to go for this complex procedure. This is because it imposes several critical physical as well as emotional consequences. As per the statistics, most of the teenage mothers after abortion regret the decision of this easy way to get rid of pregnancy. Further, even medical complexities arise in later years.

Why adoption?

After nurturing the baby for nine months, it is the toughest decision to let her or him go in the hands of some other couple or family. Although it might not be an ideal choice, you this decision can shower tremendous pleasure to that other couple who cannot become mother and father.

Now a days, the adoption process has taken up a new face of open adoption. Women can see the face of her own baby before handling him or her to somebody else. Also, open adoption is beneficial for the baby who grows up with full sense of identity. Love is being given by the adopted family and by own parents. And above all, the kid knows the true story along with the reasons behind the adoption.

However, three to four per cent of infants would not be making such shifts and at times the foot or butt portion of the infant might be nearest to the vagina during birthing – known as breech presentation that affects birthing process. Though breech infants are in good health at birth, one might require having a C-section in case therapy for rectifying breech position fails & the physician believes there is risk delivering breech infant vaginally.

Baby is Breech – When and how does one find out?

Amid thirty-two to thirty-seven weeks of gestation, the physician would conduct regular check-ups by palpating the pregnant bulge. With the due-date nearing, in case breech presentation is doubted then ultrasound scan might be conducted for confirming foetus’s position.

At times breech position isn’t detected till pelvic examination is conducted subsequent to labor commencing.

Baby is Breech – Why Me?

Mostly, breech presentation takes place without any known reasons. However, some factors augment the chances of breech baby.

• An earlier pregnancy.
• Multiple conceptions.
• Deficit oligohydramnios/ excess polyhydramnios amniotic fluid encasing the foetus.
• Placenta casing vaginal aperture – a condition called as placenta previa.
• Irregular shape of uterus or uterine region having growth within like fibroid.
• Infant is preterm or the mother has a past of giving birth to preemies.
• The foetus has a birth anomaly. Birth anomalies are some what more pervasive among breech infants.

Treatment for Babies in breech position

A number of infants in breech position move by themselves when their delivery date nears. In case the infant does not shift, the physician might advice any of the below techniques to assist in favourably changing foetal position.

Version

Firstly, ultrasound scans are conducted for verifying foetal position. The physician would then be manually pushing or lifting the abdominal area to facilitate foetal movement to a non breech position.

Medications might be offered to the fetus for uterine relaxation. Close monitoring of foetal heart rate would be done. In case any issues arise, the infant might have to be delivered immediately through c-section. Although not likely, other problems might arise as an outcome of this technique like: membrane rupturing preterm (water breaking earlier), placenta abruption (placental separation from uterine region pre-birth) or issues with foetal heart rate.

This technique has been found to work in around fifty percent of times. However, even when the foetus is in a favourable presentation (crown faced downward), there is still a strong likelihood of it turning back to breech position pre-delivery. Version technique is generally not attempted till the woman is in thirty-six weeks of gestation for reducing chances of the foetus retracting to breech position.

Innate Methods

Although there’s absence of proof that such methods are working, women could enquire from their doctors whether they could attempt such techniques from their homes to rectify breech position.

• In Breech-Tilt method, lying down flat face-up & placing cushions underneath the hip area. Now hips are to be propped up around a foot from the floor and staying in this pose for ten to fifteen minutes, thrice daily. Women should be relaxing their bodies and be watchful about not tensing the abdominal area. It might help in encouraging foetus to move position.
• Infants are capable of hearing sound prior to delivery. Many individuals are firm believers that foetuses have a tendency of gravitating towards sounds. Hence, head phone can be placed on the lower-abdominal part & some tunes or your own pre-recorded voice could be played that might just do the trick.

Labor could be a daunting, lonesome place for both the mom & birth partner. Birth partners do need to take the necessary steps to learn what exactly occurs in the course of labor, birthing & the emotional rollercoaster coming with these. Birth partners could be the best individuals to assist expectant moms with their tender assistance & backing thus making moms feel peaceful & calm.

A birth partner, similar to the mom, has a crucial role in the entire course of events – paramount of all – loving her limitlessly sans judging her. The kind aide memoire of ‘I will always love you’ & ‘I’m here for you’ would be meaning a lot to her more than what you could comprehend.

In case the mom doesn’t want anyone to touch her then avoid taking it to heart and not fell affronted about it. One could use soft touch moves & place one’s hands on regions that one notices are tensed – all intended to help her release her tensions. Also the expectant mother should be reminded that her jaws are to be kept opened rather than letting it go slack during labor & birthing.

In case the pregnant woman doesn’t want any one around to talk, do not take offence as she simply yearns for silent surroundings, dim lightings & sans any discussion. Also speaking & engaging in long dialogues would only be distracting her from the labour process. Allow the pregnant woman to stay hushed or making her sounds.

All birth partners must be packing all pertinent things ahead of time prior to labor commencing – like laying out clothing, toiletry one would take along to the health center or hospital. During the preliminary phase of labor, start gathering healthy snack & drink items. Also birth partners could don comfy clothes & be relaxing with the mom as once labor commences their task is bound to become active. cheap maternity clothes uk will help you find a wide range of maternity wear to ensure comfortability. The birth partner would be the individual the pregnant woman would be relying upon for reminding about stuff that she wouldn’t ever be doing outside labor.

Reminder List for all Birth Partners:

• Offering the mom a beverage or some hydrating drinks in-between contractions.
• Offering the mom light, health snack items during the earlier part of labor.
• Encouraging the mom for emptying urinary bladder at frequent intervals.
• Changing the pregnant woman’s positioning in case she is in one for a lengthy period of time.
• Offering her the warmness of showering or bathing during the later phases of labor.
• Rubbing the back of the pregnant woman as lower down as one could do.
• Using soft touching moves to assist the mother in relaxing.
• Several mothers feel better when they take a walk, sway & rock.
• Telling the pregnant woman that the on-going contraction too would end sooner or later.
• Using a birth-ball pose which is comfy for the pregnant woman.
• Remind her about keeping her jaws opened, dropping it and then letting it go.
• Watching her breathing and ideally doing low-deep stomach inhalations & exhalations to avert any tensions.
• Allowing the mom to bemoan during labor.
• Telling her that one loves her.
• Protecting the pregnant woman’s time alone.
• Offering the mom space for moving.

Labor is a vital start for the expectant mother as well as the birth partner hence enjoying the moments, bringing amity & concord to the labor & the pregnant woman would sense safety & security to deliver in her mode on her due time.