Ask The Doctor – The Answers

Pregnancy Brain? Real? A myth? Or is it just the brain working in a different way?

Pregnancy Brain? Real?  A myth?  Or is it just the brain working in a different way?    Over the last 40 years of looking after pregnant women, I have often been bombarded by stories of poor memory, absentmindedness and lack of focus. It’s hard to tell whether these observations are real or just part of generally accepted story that pregnancy, in some way affects recall and cognitive function, and interferes with the ability of pregnant women to perform normal everyday tasks. Is it that pregnant women, in some way expect to behave differently when they are pregnant, and are just following […]

Cord wrapped around the baby’s neck 3 times. Very Worried

I am 36 weeks pregnant and my latest scan has shown that my baby has its cord wrapped round it’s neck 3 times. The dr at hospital says this is nothing to worry about and I just need to monitor fetal movements. I’m worried that I won’t know if anything is wrong from now till my due date. Are babies in this situation usually monitored more closely or delivered early? Up to one third of babies have the cord wrapped around the neck and in up to 5% of cases there are two or more wraps with the record being […]

Anal Fissure + Surgery – Can I have a natural birth?

I incurred an internal and external anal sphincter fissure during labour. It is hard to say for sure but I think there were a variety of factors; baby was 9 pounds 2, the placenta was on the 90th centile, I had an epidural, it was my first birth, from 4 centimetres dilated to baby being delivered was about 12 hours with about 2 hours pushing (is this long or short??!), I was two weeks over due (although the dating scan never made sense with when I thought I conceived while charting my ovulation), my waters were broken artificially (again not […]

Am I in labour?

At first, how long can it be between contractions? I’ve got these intense period pains not lasting that long but probably coming every 45 mins – 1 hour. I’m gonna be honest I don’t know if it’s me reacting badly to the insanely hot curry I had last night or if it’s kicked off labour (41wks and 4 days pregnant.) as I did have a bad tummy in the night but no sign of waters breaking or “the show!”  The Doctor says – Things may have moved on since you posted the question (at 6am!) At term plus 11 the […]

Pregnant but no symptoms, have I had a miscarriage?

I have been very concerned that since becoming pregnant I haven’t really had any sign of being pregnant. The symptoms I was having have now almost all dissapeared. Initially I was quite thirsty, tired and had sore breasts. Now I don’t feel any different to normal. I am very worried this could be a sign of a blighted ovum or missed miscarriage?  I don’t have any blood tests until next week and am a long way off my first scan. Is this normal or something I should be worried about? Every pregnancy is different, and not all women feel pregnant […]

Is it safe to use hair removal cream?

Can I use hair removal cream while pregnant? I also wondered if it’s ok to use hair lighting cream on the naval area & on parts of my face- all of which I was doing before pregnant but just wanted to check if it is known to affect the baby? Yes! We believe it is safe to use both hair removal cream and hair lightening products in pregnancy. However some women notice their skin becomes more sensitive during pregnancy. If in doubt try a small test dose first.

Is it safe to take medication for Piles whilst breastfeeding?

Following a c section last October, I developed mastitis, then a breast abscess and was on antibiotics for 4 weeks. While fine immediately after birth (for around 2 months) my digestive system became a mess/constipated and I have developed internal anal piles. Although apparently mild, they are inflamed and I find them very uncomfortable so my GP has given me lactulose, hydrocortisone ointment and suppositories – are these safe to take while still breastfeeding? And are the piles likely to remain (can you ever get rid of them completely?) and get worse in a subsequent pregnancy? Oh the joys of […]

What supplements should I be taking apart from Folic Acid?

I have just found out I am pregnant and was wondering what pills, other than Folic Acid I should be taking to ensure I am as healthy as possible. Congratulations!  There is no need for any pills. Just a normal balanced diet and the folic acid!

Cord Compression in Labour- Home Birth Worries

I am due my second baby in a month. This time I am planning a home birth. The first baby I had in hospital. After 40 hrs of very slow labour they gave me synotocin and an epidural. After about 7 hours of that the obstetrician was getting concerned that things were too slow so he manually got me to full dilation. I pushed for half an hour under threat of c section because with each contraction my baby’s cord was getting compressed and compromising her oxygen supply. Twice or three times they took a blood sample from her scalp […]

Pregnancy and Asthma. Will inhalers affect my unborn baby?

I currently have chronic asthma and am planning on trying for a family, Will the inhalers affect my unborn baby and also will the baby put extra stress on my lungs?  Approximately 1 in 10 pregnant  women suffer from asthma during pregnancy , with the vast majority having the condition prior to conception. The outcome of pregnancy is usually unaffected by the condition , and the key to success is maintaining good control of the condition and taking the medication as prescribed. In the majority of women , the condition stays unchanged but , equal proportions of women may notice […]