Pregnancy Info
Your body is behaving like never before, you crave obscure foods and throw up at the smell of beer. Not hungover? Guess you're pregnant then.
Morning sickness
What is it?
Morning sickness includes a range of symptoms, from heartburn to nausea and occasional vomiting to extreme vomiting. These symptoms are linked to the increased hormone activity of early pregnancy. Symptoms can appear as early as the fifth week of pregnancy and can last until the 12th or 13th week. It can strike at any time and last all day, if you're really unlucky.
It is common?
Sources show that 60 to 80 % of pregnant woman experience symptoms. That queasiness means you're producing all the right natural chemicals to make the pregnancy progress properly - in fact, women who experience morning sickness may have less chance of miscarriage.
What are the risks?
Although morning sickness is normal, if you experience prolonged and severe vomiting you'll need to take special care of yourself. You run the risk of severe dehydration, which makes vomiting worse and could even cause kidney failure in the most extreme cases.
Feel better...
There are lots of ways to help ease the nausea of morning sickness. The top five simplest and most effective are:
- Eat frequent, small meals that are high in carbohydrates.
- Eat before you get up in the morning, while you're still in bed.
- Try acupressure wristbands.
- Drink plenty (of the non-alcoholic variety)
- Stay away from greasy or spicy foods, strong smells, alcohol and tobacco
Ultrasound
What is it? Ultrasound scanning is a technique that allows a doctor to look at the baby in the womb. Some gel is put on your stomach and then the doctor scans the bump with a hand-held instrument. The image of your baby comes up on a monitor attached to a computer. The doctor can measure the size of your baby and check on its development.
Snap happy: Some women ask for a photo of the baby on the screen. You may have to pay for this in some hospitals..
Pink or blue? Scanning just to find out the sex of the baby is not common practice in NHS hospitals. During a regular scan, the radiographer will not reveal the sex of the baby. If you want to know and you ask, the radiographer can tell you.
Is it safe? There is still some debate about the safety of ultrasound scanning. Most doctors insist that having your baby scanned is safe for you and for it. But if you are concerned about the risks, ask if an ultrasound is necessary and if there is an alternative.
Useful contacts:
The Health Education Authority
Publish a useful book on pregnancy that is free for all first time mothers. Ask your GP, midwife or doctor at the maternity clinic for a copy.
Brook Advisory Centres
Offer confidential advice on contraception, sexual problems and pregnancy testing.
Tel: 0800 018 8182
Email: [email protected]
FPA (formerly the Family Planning Association)
Tel: 020 7837 4044 (Mon - Friday 9am - 7pm)
http://www.fpa.org.uk/
The decision to terminate a pregnancy is never easy, and can often give rise to mixed up emotions. So how do you deal with it?
While some women might feel relieved after terminating a pregnancy, it.s also very common to feel sad, guilty, even confused, especially if you felt that at another time a baby would have been right for you. Depression and grief can also figure, and may be quite intense as your hormone levels drop back after the abortion. Just don.t feel that you.re being punished, or that have to go through any of this alone. Ultimately, whatever your feeling is fine.
Before the termination happened, you will have talked to two doctors about what to do for the best. You may have also discussed it with the father of the baby, members of your family, or family planning counsellor. Basically, all this talking would have helped you come to the decision that an abortion was in your best interest. But no matter how often you went over the situation, no-one can predict how you.ll feel afterwards.
For many women who have been through the experience, the key is to keep on talking to all those people who.ve helped you this far. Don.t be embarrassed that you.re turning to them again, or worry they.ll think you.ve made the wrong decision because you feel this way. They.ll want to help. However, you may feel happier talking to someone outside the situation. If you want to talk in confidence to a post-abortion counsellor, call Brook Advisory on 0800 0185023. They can be of help at any stage, no matter how long ago you had the abortion.
Some women take longer than others to get over terminating a pregnancy, whether it.s two months, two years or longer. Each and every one copes with their emotions in different ways. Some talk. Others work it through on their own. But no matter how you feel, you have to face up to it, make sense of it, and deal it with it in a way that feels right to you.
Unplanned pregnancy is something nobody chooses to happen, so it's always wise to avoid risks and take precautions.