Ask The Doctor – The Answers

20 week scan. Should I go privately?

I have read coverage in the papers about errors made by the NHS in interpreting scan results (amongst other things). Obviously mistakes can happen but in your opinion, if i have the choice, would I be better off having 20 week scan done privately? 20 week scans are usually done by an Ultrasonographer who will have one years training plus one years supervision of practice.  These Ultrasonographers often work for both the NHS and in Private clinics- so one point to note is that you could potentially pay to have someone perform your scan who is also performing them for […]

Worried about Cord getting Tangled around Baby’s Neck.

I hear alot about the cord being tangled round babies neck at birth and wondering how this happens ? Does it happen just before they are born as when they are much smaller and have tons of room and moving , dancing and twirling they seem to be fine ? But how does it happen when there isn’t much room left for them to move or are they already tangled and grow with it round their neck ?  Also is there any way of knowing if your baby is distressed in third trimester because of the cord round there neck […]

High Risk for Downs Syndrome in my Previous Pregnancy

In my last pregnancy – my Nuchal Test results showed that I was high risk (1 in 80) for a Downs Syndrome Baby- we decided not to have an amnio but spent the remainder of the pregnancy worrying about it- and I found it very hard to relax and enjoy being pregnant.  However, our baby was born perfectly healthy and without any kind of syndrome.  We would like to try again for another baby but I am so scared at the prospect of having another high risk result and spending the rest of the pregnancy worrying.  Do you have any […]

I want to get pregnant. Do you have any advice?

Just wondering if you have any info advice relating to preparing your body for pregnancy.  E.g. Which vitamins to take? After going off the pill, should a person wait a while before starting to try? and any other advice useful in preparing your body for pregnancy – being a healthy weight, good diet, fit,..etc Thank you for your question.  We would recommend the following in preparation for trying to get pregnant; Getting fit Maintaining a balanced diet – no need to take trace elements or vitamins unless you have a malabsorption problem Keeping your BMI within 19-25 Avoiding recreational drugs […]

I have just come off the pill-when will I get my period and when can I start trying to conceive?

I came off the Cerazette pill two weeks ago, I have been taking for 5yrs my period was always on time before this every 24 days. Please can you tell me how long will it take for my period to come back as I want to try for a baby?  If you are not pregnant already then I would expect you to have period fairly soon, usually within the next 4-6 weeks after stopping.  Cerazette is a progesterone only pill and is notorious for actually causing irregular periods- but it seems you do not have this problem. Please be patient. […]

Is Victoria Beckham Pregnant? Is it safe?

I hear Posh might be pregnant again! I have had 3 Caesareans and have been advised not to have any more.  How come she has had 4 and has apparently been told it is safe have another? Isn’t this dangerous? There is no absolute maximum number of Caesarean Sections as far as safety is concerned, although most doctorss would ask you to think carefully about having more than 3.  This is because the risks to both mother and baby start to increase after this number.  It is true to say that risks start to increase with each extra Caesarean Section […]

Should I have the flu jab? I feel worried as I have heard lots of scaremongering!

I am having the whooping cough injection next week as I will be 28 weeks by then.  Should I also have the flu jab? I feel worried as I have heard lots of scaremongering! Yes!  The general advice at the moment is that all pregnant women should have the Flu Jab regardless of how far along they are in their pregnancy. In very simple terms, when you are pregnant, your immune system is suppressed and you are therefore more at risk of contracting the flu and any complications associated with it.  These complications include pneumonia and dehydration and can be harmful […]

I have gone deaf in one ear. I haven’t had a cold or been swimming! Could this be pregnancy related?

During pregnancy, all your mucus membranes will become thickened- and you will produce more mucus.  You will also have more blood flowing around your body during this time, which can cause the blood vessels in the lining of your nose and ears to swell, causing congestion in these areas.  This may manifest itself as a stuffed up nose, sinus problems or even a temporary deafness.  With the ear, the Eustachian Tube, which is designed to drain mucus from the middle ear, can become blocked more easily during pregnancy and can make you feel like your ear is blocked whilst slightly […]

Can Forceps Delivery Hurt my Baby?

I am 31 weeks pregnant and for the birth I am planning to have an epidural I am worried that this will increase the chances of assisted delivery. I clearly understand what the procedures are but what is a bit foggy is the risks that especially forceps use may bring to the baby. What I am referring to our the less likely but more serious risks like permanent brain damage or even death that are not even mentioned on the NHS website. Do you know of any source where stats on the incidence of these possible consequences can be found? […]

Pregnancy- Is it possible not to know?

Taken from BBC Online A British servicewoman who gave birth to a baby boy in Afghanistan on Tuesday is understood to have been “astonished” to discover she was pregnant. The woman, who had been stationed at Camp Bastion in Helmand province since March, only learned she was going to give birth when she complained of stomach pains to military doctors. Most women will find it incredible that a pregnancy would go unnoticed for several months or more, since there are numerous of signs of pregnancy. A woman’s periods stop, morning sickness often occurs in the early stages and women feel […]