Hello Doctor, I Am Pregnant
by Doriane C. Miller, MD
When a couple finds out they are expecting a baby, the reactions can run the gamut. But whether you and your partner are screaming with excitement or overcome with anxiety, keep in mind that the baby has already started its path to development: As soon as the conception happens the baby has the 46 chromosomes needed to determine eye color, height and sex.
Five weeks later the brain, spinal cord and heart are beginning to form, even though the baby is only about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. According to the CDC, this is the time when the baby is most at risk for developmental problems. Its also the time when prenatal care is crucial to keeping the baby and pregnant mom healthy.
After finding out about a pregnancy, the couples next step should be to make a doctors appointment. Prenatal care is especially important for African-Americans and women age 35 and older. African-American women have a significantly higher rate of pre-term labor, 17.6 percent, compared to other racial groups. This means the baby is not developing fully and more at risk for complications, the CDC reports. This could be because African-American mothers are nearly three times more likely than white women to start prenatal care in the last trimester or skip it all together.
Regular appointments with a family physician or obstetrician, a doctor that specializes in caring for pregnant women, can detect a variety of conditions. Your obstetrician can monitor the babys growth and make sure he or she is developing normally. Tests can also ensure that the baby has a normal heart rate and pick up genetic conditions like Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
For the mom, prenatal care visits include several tests that can save the mom and babys life:
Diabetes during pregnancy known as gestational diabetes, can cause jaundice, premature birth or birthing complications from the baby being too large to pass through the birth canal
Anemia which could lead to poor growth of the baby and a very tired mother
Group B streptococcus, a bacterial infection that can be passed to the baby and cause pneumonia or meningitis
Expectant moms can also be tested for HIV, if the results are positive, receive medication to prevent infecting the baby with the virus.
Regular prenatal visits can also help the couple to better prepare for what to expect during the labor and deliver and the first few weeks after. Notice, I said couple. Fathers play a key role in supporting the mom psychologically and emotionally during the pregnancy. Fathers can also encourage the mom to make lifestyle changes that nurture a healthy pregnancy, like quitting smoking and alcohol use. These habits can cause severe physical or mental deformities and even miscarriage.
Prenatal care appointments are opportunities to talk with your doctor about any medical concerns. Here are some of the most common myths I hear about pregnancy and prenatal care.
Pregnancy is natural, so I dont really need to see a doctor:
Many of my patients have dismissed prenatal care, saying that their grandmother or aunt had several kids and know what to do. I say, unless aunt and granny have had medical training on how to deal with complications before and after giving birth, then neither is qualified to play doctor. The risk is too high for the mom and the baby.
Pregnant women are supposed to gain weight:
True, but I have seen patients gain 50 lbs or more during pregnancy and call it baby weight. The truth is that pregnant women should only consume about 300 more calories during pregnancy which is about two full glasses of orange juice. Women of normal weight should only gain about 30 lbs, while heavier women should gain no more than 15. Too much weight gain can bring on gestational diabetes.
Its okay to have crazy cravings during pregnancy:
Weird foods, fine. But when pregnant women start to crave non-food items like cornstarch, paper, paint or dirt, it could signal a nutritional deficiency. Also, chewing ice is a common sign of an iron deficiency. During the prenatal visits, the doctor can make recommendations about what is okay to crave and what is a warning sign.
If you would like to be connected with a physician in your community, the South Side Healthcare Collaborative at the University of Chicago can help. Call 773-834-3458.
Dr. Doriane C. Miller is the Director of the Center for Community Health and Vitality, The Urban Health Initiative of the University of Chicago Medical Center. For information on The Urban Health Initiative, visit uhi.uchospitals.edu.
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