Your weight during Pregnancy
June 22, 2008
Many women spend much of their adult lives struggling to lose weight or avoiding extra pounds. No, wonder that it is sometimes hard for women to allow themselves to gain appropriately for a pregnancy. Most mothers-to-be have concerns about their weight gain, ranging from “Am I gaining too much weight?” to “Am I gaining enough?” Current recommendations are that you should gain somewhere between 10-12kg during your pregnancy if you are an average-size person. If a woman already is overweight when she becomes pregnant, most practitioners suggest that she gain between 8-10kg. Your doctor can help determine the appropriate weight gain in your particular case.
Do not use pregnancy as an excuse to eat, and, conversely, do not go crazy worrying that you are racking up the pounds. The main objective is to consume a healthy, well-balanced diet based on a variety of foods. A woman who is not pregnant needs between 1,800 and 2,200 calories per day. When you are pregnant, you need to increase your calories by about 300 per day. You will probably gain the right amount of weight if you generally eat healthy foods, and let your own appetite be your guide.
An ideal pregnancy weight gain starts with the addition of 3-4kg in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Subsequently, during the second half of the pregnancy, you would gain around a half kg each week.
The amount of weight you gain is important. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy may signify that there is some problem. The important factors that should be ruled out includes
Pregnancy induced hypertension: Excessive and rapid weight gain can be an early sign for PIH. Rapid weight gain, more than four pounds in a week, can be a sign of severe fluid retention from pre-eclampsia. Therefore it is important to monitor BP regularly at least once a week and you should visit your gynaecologist regularly.
Anemia: Along with excessive weight gain there may be symptoms like fatigue, tiredness, breathlessness. It is important to take iron regularly and check Hb at least once in month. (In both the above situations fluid retention in body causes weight gain).
Diabetes in pregnancy: Pregnancy is a “diabetogenic state”. This means that pregnant females are at risk of developing impaired blood sugar. Blood sugar level should be regularly checked in pregnancy and special tests like Glucose screening test and Glucose tolerance tests are being done to diagnose it early in pregnancy.
Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy: It can also cause excessive weight gain, more importantly it can lead to congenital anomalies and mental retardation in the baby. Ideally levels should be checked before conception and treatment should be started immediately if hypothyroidism is detected. Similarly levels of thyroid hormone should be monitored regularly in pregnancy. It has been seen that excessive weight gain may be an indicator for some heart or kidney ailment. It is very important, thus a patient visits gynaecologist regularly so that if any problem is there, can be diagnosed early and treated.
Special circumstances: If you are carrying a multiple gestation, of course you should gain more weight. Your physician will discuss your ideal weight gain with you. Typically, for twins, the weight gain should be 14-18 kg, and for triplets or higher gestations, even more. Gaining too much weight can be a problem. It can make pregnancy an unpleasant experience, causing backache, leg pain, varicose veins, and fatigue. It may lead to hypertension and diabetes. Excess weight may also be difficult to lose after delivery. Excessive weight gain may also cause problems for the baby. Technically, an overweight baby is one who weighs more than 4500 gm. Large babies do make vaginal deliveries difficult, increasing the risk for caesarean section. Overweight babies may have an increased risk for health problems later in life (eg, obesity, adult rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes). Women who are gaining too much weight during pregnancy should follow the guidelines for healthy eating; avoid foods that do not have nutritional value; and consult a doctor, and dietitian.
Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease Remedy
June 21, 2008
You’ve just eaten a big meal and are starting to relax when suddenly your chest begins to hurt like it’s on fire. Approximately one in 10 adults has heartburn at least once a week and one in three has it monthly. The condition has nothing to do with the heart, but should symptoms occur twice or more a week over three months, what you probably have is GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease), or acid reflux disease. Acid reflux occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve separating the esophagus and stomach) does not close fully, allowing acid to back up into the esophagus, causing heartburn.
If left untreated, GERD can be a problem because, over time, the stomach acid will corrode the tissue lining the esophagus, causing pain and inflammation. Longlasting untreated GERD can lead to permanent damage of the esophagus, and sometimes even cancer. GERD can also cause irreversible loss of tooth enamel. Checking for GERD in children with dental erosion, one study found no child without GERD, experienced loss of tooth enamel.
People of all ages are susceptible to GERD but elderly patients tend to have a more serious condition.
For women, their first experience with heartburn often occurs during pregnancy as a result of hormonal changes and pressure from the growing fetus. Over 50 per cent pregnant women experience heartburn.
Studies indicate that 31- 43 per cent of reflux may be hereditary, especially in the case of Barrett’s Esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition caused by very severe GERD.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a common cause of peptic ulcers, may also cause or aggravate GERD. A 3-year study showed NSAID users were twice as likely to have GERD.
Changing their diet helped 44 per cent of GERD patients in a test group. Eat smaller portions and reduce weight to avoid intraabdominal pressure exerted by extra pounds. Limit fatty foods, chocolate, peppermint, coffee, tea, colas, tobacco and alcohol — all of which relax the lower esophageal sphincter. Avoid tomatoes and citrus fruits or juices, which increase acid that irritates the esophagus.
Nearly threequarters of patients with frequent GERD symptoms experience them at night with pain levels as severe as for angina and heart failure. Eat meals three to four hours before retiring and avoid bedtime snacks. Raise the head of your bed by six inches to allow gravity to keep the stomach’s contents in the stomach. (Do not use piles of pillows because this contorts your body, increasing pressure on the abdomen.)
Occasionally GERD will cause unusual symptoms like an unexplained cough, asthma, or laryngitis. In one study, GERD accounted for 41.1 per cent of chronic cough in non-smoking patients. The incidence is even higher for asthma where reflux disorder coincides with 32- 80 per cent of cases.
I remember the case of a 25 year old man who approached us with a cough and sore throat which was not responding to cough syrups and antibiotics. We treated him for heartburn with Arsenic album 30 and his cough disappeared.
Homeopathic remedies for GERD
• Robinia 6c, 5 pills twice daily for heartburn due to GERD
• Nux vom 30c, 5 pills every evening for GERD caused or intensified by NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
Mood Disorders in Women
December 3, 2007
Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual period and pregnancy may trigger mood disorders in women, a report said. A report released recently by the Society for Women’s Health Research said mood disorders and depression can occur at any age during a woman’s life. However, women seem more vulnerable during the menstrual period, pregnancy and before and after menopause.
During times of hormonal fluctuations, many women are able to emerge relatively unscathed. But for others, a normal hormonal transition can trigger mild to severe mood disorders including depression and bipolar disorder — a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function, reported Newswise wire.
“Science has revealed clues as to why these changes may occur in some women,” said Peter Schmidt, an investigator in the National Institute of Mental Health’s Reproductive Endocrine Studies Unit.”But further research is needed to definitively show what causes depression and mood disorders in women during hormonal transitions,” he added. “Women need to be critically aware of changes in their moods during key life cycle events,” another investigator Sherry Marts said.
Bad Obstetric History
December 3, 2007
Any woman who has gone through a miscarriage knows how traumatic the experience is. The hope and excitement of having a baby is suddenly and unexpectedly dashed.
A woman who has had three or more miscarriages is said to have a ‘Bad Obstetric History’ or BOH and must be thoroughly investigated to find the cause and seek a solution to the problem. One of the commonest causes of an early pregnancy loss is a genetic problem with the baby. During development there can be a chromosomal problem and this prevents the pregnancy from growing normally. On sonography this may be diagnosed as a blighted ovum (just a pregnancy sac but no foetus inside) or a missed abortion, where the baby grows for a few weeks but then the heart beat stops. Missed abortion may present with minimal abortion, or it may have no symptoms and may be diagnosed only on sonography. In these cases, the foetus can be sent for genetic testing and also the parents should have genetic studies (karyotyping) done.
Another common cause for repeated miscarriages is an abnormality of the womb (uterus), there may be less space inside the womb due to birth defects such as a septum (a curtain dividing the womb) or two uteri instead of one or there may be fibroids present in the womb. Many of these problems can be treated by laparoscopic or hysteroscopic surgery and the patient may subsequently be able to have a normal pregnancy.
Causes and Cure of depression during pregnancy
November 30, 2007
The birth of a baby can trigger a range of powerful emotions — excitement, joy, even fears. But it can also result in something you might not expect — depression. Pop star Britney Spears was being treated for from post-partum depression at the luxury Malibu rehab centre. Brooke Shields too, in the past, spoke candidly about her experience with postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, and provided millions of women with an inspiring example of recovery. And that’s not all. Former Friends star Courteney Cox has spoken about her battle with postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter.Symptoms of Postpartum Depression (PPD):
The following symptoms may be more diagnostic during the postpartum period. New mothers should seek help if they experience any of the following signs.
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