Obstetrics

The following is a list of medications considered safe to take during pregnancy. Unless otherwise noted, these can be taken according to package instructions. Although these medications are considered safe, we do recommend minimal use of any medications especially during the first three months of pregnancy.

Although eating healthily is important throughout your life, it is extremely important during pregnancy. This is because you are not only eating for yourself, but also for the nutrition of the new fetus growing inside of you. The larger your baby grows, the more nutrients it will need. It is important to know what are healthy choices of food, as well as what amount of weight is healthy to gain during pregnancy. This page covers basic information about nutrition during pregnancy and what you should do for your baby.

Although the birth of a new baby is a very exciting and happy time in a woman’s life, many pregnant women are concerned about the pain they may experience during labor and delivery. The truth is, the pain that is felt by one woman may be completely different than the pain felt by another. The good news is that there is pain relief for women in labor, and it can be very helpful to use together with relaxation and breathing tips. However, many women may wonder what type of pain relief is best for them and which will be the most effective. This page goes over the basic types of pain relief medications that are used during labor and delivery.

Usually, having a baby is an exciting, wonderful journey for most women. The excitement of a new addition to the family and the long awaited months of birth can be a very joyous, fulfilling time. However, not all new mothers may experience these happy feelings. Sometimes new mothers experience many feelings of sadness, anxiety, or resentment after the birth of their child. In mild forms, it is often called having the "baby blues", and is normal to experience for a short period of time. However, not all cases of the "baby blues" go away after a week. When feelings worsen and become more severe or are persistent, this becomes a condition called postpartum depression. It is a medical condition, and requires medical attention and treatment. This page goes over the basics of postpartum depression, with information about what it is to treatment options.

How far along in my pregnancy am I?

During pregnancy, it is important to have a blood test to find out your blood type. More than 85% of people in the world are Rh positive, meaning that they have the Rh antigen. This can be problematic if the mother does not have the Rh factor but the fetus’s blood does. This page will give you basic information on the Rh factor and what it can mean for your pregnancy.

When you become pregnant, your doctor may recommend or offer the Tdap vaccination. The vaccine’s purpose is to prevent tetanus (lock jaw), diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) – all diseases caused by bacteria. Although you will reap all the benefits of the vaccine, the most important for you as an expecting mother is the prevention of pertussis. Pertussis causes severe coughing spells that have the potential to result in difficulty breathing, disturbed sleep, and vomiting. Dangerous cases can even cause weight loss, fractures of the ribs, and hospitalization due to pneumonia which has the potential to lead to death.

A cesarean birth (c-section) is the delivery of a baby through an incision made through a mother’s abdomen and uterus. It was once thought that women who delivered their first child with a c-section must have all other births in the same way. However, we have technology that allows for most mothers who have had a c-section to safely have a vaginal birth. This is called a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) delivery. Although it is now an option for many women, it still comes with risks. This page will help you learn about VBAC births and if it right for you.