Congratulations, you’ve just found out you’re pregnant!  Now what? 

If you haven’t already done so, you’ll need to choose a prenatal health care provider and set up an appointment with him or her. But what kind of provider should you get?

According to a Wiser Pregnancy survey, most women choose to work with an obstetrician-gynecologist (ob/gyn), but other options include a family physician, nurse-midwife or high-risk specialist.

The survey found:
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It may get fewer headlines these days, but H1N1 isn’t down for the count yet.

Back in June, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the spread of H1N1 had become a pandemic. Later this month, the WHO is meeting again to discuss whether the pandemic has peaked. 

However, even if the worst is over, the threat of the flu – H1N1 or seasonal – is still around.  According to the CDC, an estimated 41 million to 84 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the H1N1 flu, and it has resulted in up to 17,000 deaths in the U.S. to date.

So do you still need to be vaccinated? Public health officials and doctors alike have recommended the vaccine for pregnant women, who are at high risk of developing life-threatening complications such as pneumonia from the flu.  Yet only 45% of women in general got the flu shot, according to a Wiser Pregnancy survey.

Interestingly, even doctors who are also moms-to-be haven’t rushed out to get the H1N1 vaccine, according to a Wiser Pregnancy survey.  The majority (70%) of doctor-moms did get a shot for the seasonal flu shot, but only 19% received the H1N1 flu shot. Read the rest of this entry »

Throbbing temples?  Building pressure in the head?  Sensitivity to light?  Most women know the signs of a bad headache coming on.

And for many women, pregnancy can lead to more headaches.  More than 25% of women experience headaches during pregnancy, according to a Wiser Pregnancy survey.  About half of these moms-to-be did not get frequent headaches before pregnancy.

If your doctor is also a mom, she may know how you feel.  Nine percent of doctor-moms report getting “significant headaches” during pregnancy.

Interestingly, if you’re like many women, your doctor’s personal headache treatment approach may be substantially different from yours.  Most doctor-moms (90%) take over-the-counter medication to treat bad headaches, and nearly one-quarter also take prescription medication.  By comparison, 35% of pregnant women in general who get headaches do not take any medication at all.

Here’s a look at how treatment approaches vary between doctor-moms and pregnant women overall:
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Group B strep isn’t just something that strikes adults – it can also be passed to babies during labor and delivery.

Group B strep is a common bacterium that naturally lives in the gastrointestinal and genital tract of about 40% of healthy adult women. It’s generally harmless in adults but can be life-threatening to newborns. 

Once upon a time, group B strep was the leading cause of infant death in the U.S. But it’s now a public success story: Nearly 85% of women get screened for group B strep, up from lessthan 50% in the late 1990’s.  Fewer babies die from group B strep disease as a result.

That’s why your doctor will likely suggest screening for group B strep in the third trimester.  The test involves swabbing the vagina and rectum for samples, which are then tested in the lab.

According to a Wiser Pregnancy survey, 7% of women tested positive for group B strep during pregnancy. 

If you test positive for group B strep at some point during pregnancy, your doctor will likely recommend antibiotics during delivery to keep your baby free from group B strep.  Most women (87%) decide to take antibiotics. 

Learn more about group B strep here.

Have you or someone you know had group B strep while pregnant? What course of action did you take?

Certain pregnancy side effects – back pain, nausea – are expected. Vaginal bleeding, on the other hand, can be scary and occasionally a cause for concern.

The question is, how much bleeding is normal and when should you see your doctor?

Light vaginal bleeding during the first trimester is not uncommon. In fact, a Wiser Pregnancy survey finds that 11% of women experience vaginal bleeding during pregnancy.  Almost all women (97%) seek their doctor’s advice, and the majority receives reassuring news.

Vaginal bleeding can occur for a variety of reasons.  Here’s what might be causing the bleeding, based on responses to the Wiser Pregnancy survey: Read the rest of this entry »

A lucky minority – 42% of women – don’t have to deal with morning sickness.  The rest of us search – often fruitlessly – for ways to control our nausea and limit trips to the bathroom or nearest trash can. 

According to a Wiser Pregnancy survey, 40% of women seek a doctor’s advice for morning sickness remedies, yet the advice isn’t always helpful. 

Which begs the question: What do pregnant doctors do for their own morning sickness?

About 35% of doctor-moms (pregnant OB/GYNs, internists and general practitioners) report having “significant nausea” during pregnancy.  Interestingly, these women’s approach to treating morning sickness differs quite a bit from their patients’.

One of the most noteworthy differences is that pregnant doctors are more likely to take prescription medication to alleviate nausea – 49% use it, compared to 20% of other women.

Also, a higher percentage of doctor-moms try common morning sickness remedies than other moms-to-be. 

Take a look: Read the rest of this entry »

Earlier this year, a judge ordered a pregnant Florida woman to stay in bed after her doctor advised she go on bed rest.  The woman, Samantha Burton, questioned her doctor’s recommendation.  Although she was at risk for a miscarriage at week 25 of her pregnancy, she wondered if bed rest for up to 15 weeks was necessary. And as a working mother of two toddlers, she didn’t think it was feasible. 

Before Burton could seek a second medical opinion, a circuit court judge ordered that Burton stay confined to her hospital bed and to undergo “any and all medical treatments” her doctor deemed necessary for the fetus.  Unfortunately, after three days in the hospital, Burton underwent an emergency C-section and the baby was found dead. 

The case continues in district court to determine if the lower court overstepped its boundaries. Can a court intervene in a pregnant woman’s care of her fetus? 

Burton’s predicament isn’t so unusual. According to a Wiser Pregnancy survey, just over 11% of pregnant women have been put on bed rest.  Although medical professionals debate the effectiveness of bed rest at preventing preterm delivery or miscarriage, women with certain conditions – high blood pressure, cervical insufficiency, pregnancy with multiples – may very well end up spending several weeks on bed rest.

Doctors may recommend bed rest even for conditions that aren’t severe. Of women put on bed rest:

• 21.8% report that their condition was not severe
• 37.6% report that their condition was somewhat severe
• 20.0% report that their condition was severe
• 20.6% report that their condition was very severe

Obviously, bed rest can take a substantial toll on career, parenting and other responsibilities. Yet regardless of the severity of the condition, many women will go on bed rest if their doctor advises it.

Do you think Burton was justified in her objection, or was the judge right to step in to protect the fetus’s best interest? And if your doctor orders bed rest, how will you respond?

Ever wonder why your healthcare provider checks your blood pressure at every routine prenatal checkup? 

Blood pressure checks can diagnose gestational hypertension, a serious condition that affects about 6% of pregnant women, according to a WiserPregnancy survey.  Gestational hypertension develops in or after the 20th week of pregnancy and goes away after delivery. 

Unmanaged high blood pressure can lead to a host of complications:

• Less blood flow to the placenta, which reduces the fetus’s nutrient and oxygen supply
• Placental abruption, when the placenta separates from the uterus too early
• Preeclampsia, a potentially deadly condition
• High blood pressure and preeclampsia in future pregnancies
• Induced premature delivery to protect the mother or fetus from life-threatening complications
• Future cardiovascular problems, even if high blood pressure goes away after delivery

And since women with high blood pressure usually don’t experience symptoms, routine checks are important.  If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor can tell if it has improved or worsened.  If your BP is the same as before or worse, your doctor may suggest treatment.

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Ever get a craving for red meat? Sometimes that’s your body telling you it needs more iron – and that need becomes a requirement for pregnant women.

Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, a condition that can cause dizziness, fatigue and pregnancy complications. Think that seems unlikely? It’s not: About 10% of pregnant women develop anemia, according to a WiserPregnancy survey.

That’s because when you’re pregnant, your body can deplete its normal iron supply. Your body makes more blood during pregnancy; it uses iron to make the red blood cells that carry oxygen to your cells and to the placenta. Your baby needs iron to build healthy red blood cells, blood vessels and muscles.

When anemia is severe, your baby may not get enough oxygen or could have complications such as preterm birth or low birth weight.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy builds a good foundation for keeping you and your baby healthy, but food alone doesn’t give you – or your baby – the nutrients you both need. Many women – including 85% of women diagnosed with anemia – take iron supplements to boost their iron levels.

Read the rest of this entry »

Crowds, long lines and the same holiday songs blaring over store loudspeakers can bring on a pounding headache even for the heartiest of holiday shoppers. When you’re pregnant and feel a headache coming on, do you take over-the-counter (OTC) medication to fend off the inevitable pain, or do you decide to do without any medication and suffer the consequences?

According to a WiserPregnancy survey, moms-to-be are split down the middle on this issue. About half of pregnant women take OTC painkillers to treat common ailments, including headaches (55%), colds (51%) and back pain (50%).

If you’re in the no-medication-during-pregnancy camp, you’re not alone. Taking medication during pregnancy is somewhat taboo in U.S. culture, and with good reason. Studies have linked some medications to an increased risk of birth defects or other pregnancy complications, and many moms do not want to take any chances.

However, some drugs have been thoroughly studied and are considered safe for you and your baby. They can make you more comfortable, and your doctor may recommend OTC treatment, especially if your symptoms prevent you from functioning normally and focusing on sustaining a healthy pregnancy.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is one OTC medication on the okay list and a medication of choice for many expectant moms.

New study findings in the January 2010 publication of Obstetrics & Gynecology magazine report that there is no evidence that acetaminophen use during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects. In fact, the study suggests that when women used Tylenol or other acetaminophen-based drugs to lower fever in the first trimester, they had a lower risk of having a baby with certain birth defects in comparison to women who did not use fever-reducing medication.

Remember to check with your doctor if you are considering taking OTC medication during pregnancy to be on the safe side.

How do you feel about medication during pregnancy? Have you treated any pregnancy ailments with OTC medication?