baby

Latest Update on Zika Virus and Pregnancy

By Roger Marwood FRCOG Background The Zika virus is a relatively new virus that is rapidly spreading through Brazil and the Americas. It is important because it can affect pregnant women and may cause serious brain damage to their babies. It is transmitted by a mosquito bite and once the virus multiplies in the mother , it can cross over the placenta and cause a problem in the baby’s brain development. The defect is called microcephaly , which means small head , and therefore, small brain. It is likely that infection in the early part of pregnancy carries the greatest […]

Scared I May have contracted Zika Virus

I am 17 weeks pregnant and all is going well. Unfortunately I spent Christmas in Barbados which has been confirmed as a Zika location. Although there is relatively little information on the subject, I understand that additional scans to monitor the babies head growth may be beneficial and probably more importantly stop me worrying.. I had a routine appointment with the midwife this week but she did not know about the virus. I wondered what the best way to get additional scans would be. I’m happy to go private if required. It must be a worry , but help is […]

Prolapse – baby 7 weeks old.

I had my baby 7 weeks ago and have noticed a prolapse (possibly bladder & bowel) which protrudes slightly at times.  I have an appointment with my ob/gyn but would like your opinion on whether there is likely to be some improvement with time & when I stop breastfeeding.  Or am I looking at surgery? It is far too soon to predict You can expect a considerable improvement with the passage of time , regaining your normal pre pregnancy weight , pelvic floor exercises and further improvement when your hormones return to normal after stopping breast feeding . So often […]

Is it safe to use Dry Shampoo during my Pregnancy?

I was wondering, whether using Batiste, the very popular dry shampoo is safe in pregnancy? I have been using it for the last few years and cannot live without it yet I don’t want to cause any harm to my baby. As far as I can determine Batiste is safe in pregnancy if you follow the instructions The chemicals involved are thought to be safe and most evaporate quickly and are not absorbed Skin sensitivity can be a problem if the product is used at high concentrations for extended periods.

I suffer from depression. Will it harm my baby?

I suffer from depression .Will it harm my baby? Roger Marwood says  – The simple answer is no, but do seek advice. About one in 10 women suffer from depression during pregnancy. Some for the first time, and some get pregnant while having treatment . There has, until recently, been some concern about the possible adverse effects of depression and antidepressant medication on the developing baby . There is some good news for those women who are depressed and further reassurance for those taking antidepressants (with one important exception) Being depressed will not harm your baby ! A recent large […]

Can I Smoke Weed When I am Pregnant?

Not a good idea . It will double your chances of a premature baby. A recent study in France interviewed over 14,000 women in the first 2-3 days after delivery , and asked them about Cannabis use in their recent pregnancy. Over 13,000 women agreed to answer the questions. They were asked about their age, number of pregnancies, social status , level of education, tobacco and alcohol use . The outcome of their pregnancies were then compared according to their use of Cannabis and other factors. The admitted incidence was 1.2 %,  which was much lower than previous similar studies, […]

Can a minor Prolapse be Reversed? Can I have another Baby?

I had a minor prolapse after my first child.  Please can you tell me if this can be reversed and if I will be able to have another baby? Minor prolapse is very common and there  should be no concern about fertility or miscarriage.  Delivery of the second baby is likely to be easy.  For most women it is the first delivery that causes most of the problems and subsequent deliveries rarely cause any further prolapse. It is not what it looks like, but how it works! For more information on Prolapse, please see this link.

Second Babies Can be QUICK!!

If you read the papers yesterday,you may have come across a great story about an actress who delivered on Hollywood Road, on the way to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. What was interesting was that she lived very near the hospital and was less than one minute away when she delivered on her mother’s Burberry coat ! Thankfully all went well , and mother and baby were back home after 10 hours. All that hard labour, uncertainty, false alarms, endless phone calls , and no sleep for three nights, is , more often than not , repaid in a spectacular way […]

Toxoplasmosis scare – 16 Weeks Pregnant

I am 16 weeks pregnant and am concerned about a salad I ate about 4 days ago. The salad was a pre-prepared one made by a reputable (I would have thought!) catering company. I was a bit worried about whether it was the ideal choice but told myself I was being over anxious and there really was nothing else available to eat. I’d eaten most of the salad when I noticed that one of the leaves had some dirt on it. I didn’t eat any more of it at this point but have been worrying about it ever since in […]

How long should we wait before trying for a second baby?

  What is the correct interval between pregnancies? Traditional advice has been to wait at least a year before conceiving again , suggesting an actual birth interval of at least 18- 24 months as the ideal.  Often the ” fourth trimester”  takes longer than most women expected and the physical , psychological and social adaptations to childbirth can be considerable.  It has generally been acknowledged that a short birth interval of less than 18 months was not advisable because of increased problems during the pregnancy.  But the precise extra risks were, until recently, rather non-specific and uncertain. Recent studies have […]