Ask The Doctor – The Answers

Restless Legs during Pregnancy

For the last few weeks I have been really uncomfortable with restless legs – often meaning am only getting 2 h sleep at most. Should I go to doctors (am 30 weeks pregnant) ? Is there anything I can do to relieve it?! It is driving me crackers!!  It sounds as if you have the well recognised, but sometimes distressing “Restless Leg Syndrome“ It is surprisingly common and occurs more commonly in women than men , and is 2 or 3 times more likely to occur in pregnancy. Up to 25% of pregnant women report some symptoms. It is often […]

Spotting and Cramping throughout 16 Weeks

Since the beginning of my pregnancy I have been spotting brown blood and having cramps now and then.  The baby seems to be healthy and my doctor has prescribed Duphaston twice daily, Aspimed 75 mg daily and a tablet for thyroid control daily.  I have also been having a few injections.. I am worried about this pregnancy, please can you advise. The odds are that the pregnancy will continue normally You may start to feel the baby soon if it’s your second or third or at about 20 weeks if as I suspect it’s your first. You are obviously already […]

Heel Prick Test.

Traditionally , in the UK , all babies have a “heel prick” test done by the midwife , between 5 and 8 days of age. What’s it for? At the moment, it’s for five conditions. Firstly , it’s for diseases of the oxygen carrying component of the blood which is called haemoglobin. The commonest condition picked up is sickle cell disease. It’s also possible to diagnose cystic fibrosis and cretinism , which is congenital hypothyroidism. Other rarer diseases that are currently detected routinely are , phenylketonuria and medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency. These last two are very rare disorders of […]

Is my Supergreens drink safe when Pregnant?

Currently 24 weeks pregnant with twins, although I have a really good diet and eat and drink well, I feel as though I’m struggling to get my extra calories, vitamins etc needed for my pregnancy, I have been taking pregnancy multi vitamins, but was wondering if there are any ingredients in my supergreens drink that I shouldn’t have? Iv drunk it for months before pregnancy and it has always helped me stay feeling fantastic, And think it could be of benefit to me. I’ve included the list below. Spirulina Wheatgrass Apple Fibre Powder Alfalfa Powder Barley Grass Powder Oat Fibre […]

I need a filling at the Dentist, is this safe when pregnant?

I need a filling at the Dentist, is this safe when pregnant?   Yes!!

Will Herpes affect my unborn baby?

I am 15 weeks pregnant and have tested positive for Herpes.  My doctor in China suggests that the fetus may be also infected by the HSV virus, which may result in deformity of the fetus, they have suggested that I abort the child, however, i’m 27-years old and this is my first child, I really want to deliver her/him to this new world. The only experience I have about HSV is that I used to have herpes on my face last year, just at the corner of the eyes, the symptom lasts about 1-2weeks, and it’s only on my face, I […]

5 weeks pregnant with period-type pains!

I am 5 weeks pregnant and I have period type pains, a dull ache in both ovaries. Is this normal? Congratulations on your news! Everything does feel a bit different in the early stages. So the symptoms you describe are very common. In the absence of bleeding or severe pain, you should have nothing to worry about. If in doubt then try and arrange a scan sometime after 6 weeks, to date the pregnancy and check all is well.  

Expert Chat with Mother & Baby Magazine

Missed our Wednesday Lunch Club with obstetrician and gynaecologist Roger Marwood? Don’t worry, you can read all of the expert advice he shared here Every week at Mother& Baby we bring you the Wednesday Lunch Club – a chance to get brilliant advice for your pregnancy and parenting questions from a top expert.   This week, obstetrician and gynaecologist Roger Marwood was on board to answer questions. Roger’s a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. He has 40 years of experience working in a busy NHS hospital and has personally supervised around 20,000 pregnancies and countless deliveries. He’s […]

Pregnancy after an Abortion

Due to very unfortunate personal circumstances I sadly terminated a pregnancy at 7 weeks by medical abortion. I bleed continuously for almost a month following the procedure which culminated in a huge sudden loss of blood/clots and me being rushed to a&e. An emergency d&c was performed to remove retained products of conception which were never detected despite my repeated concerns. The bleeding stopped almost straight after the d&c and my period has returned to a regular cycle (although has reduced to 26 days instead of 28 and previous symptoms such as mood swings and sore breasts have disappeared) I’m […]

Is my Blood Pressure Too High?

I’m 20weeks +6 pregnant blood pressure measured at hospital said 144/82 which seems high should I be concerned?   Your blood pressure is slightly higher than expected at this stage, however the significance of this is uncertain without knowing your measurement at your booking visit.  A result of 140/90 or more will prompt extra tests and supervision. Was your urine tested for protein ? We suggest that you have a Blood pressure check at 24 weeks rather than later. We hope this helps