Factors that Affect Pregnancy

1. Factors that Affect Pregnancy Part Two

2. Medical Care - Ultrasound • Ultrasounds • creates an image of the inside of your body • shows what your baby looks like while still inside your womb (uterus) • can tell you many things about your baby, such as: • the size of the baby • how well the baby’s heart works • how well other organs (such as the spine, brain and kidneys) are growing • the anticipated date of birth

3. Medical Care - Ultrasound • check on many aspects of a healthy pregnancy, such as:  • the number of babies • whether the baby ’s size is right for his/her age • how the baby’s internal organs are growing • whether the placenta (afterbirth) is in the correct place • whether there are problems with the mother's uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries

4. Medical Care - Amniocentesis • Amniocentesis • This is a test during which your doctor takes a small sample of amniotic fluid from around your baby • Fluid contains some of your baby’s cells which hold essential genetic information • Test is used to detect chromosomal disorders eg. Down Syndrome • It can also identify hundreds of genetic disorders, eg. cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia

5. Medical Care - Amniocentesis • Doing amniocentesis tests does carry a risk of miscarriage • It is important to get tests done if you are 35 or older (this does not mean you cannot get it done if you are younger), and they should be preformed at 15 – 18 weeks of pregnancy.

6. Medical Care – Blood Tests • Blood Tests • Blood tests are a routine part of your prenatal care • check your blood group and whether you are Rhesus positive or negative, your hemoglobin level, and your immunity to German measles (Rubella) • Also tested for syphilis, and hepatitis B • Pregnant women are now offered the test for HIV/AID

7. Medical Care – Blood Tests • Initial blood tests are very important because they give important information about health and problems during pregnancy • Rhesus positive, which means that you have a certain protein on the surface of your red blood cells, or Rhesus negative, which means that you don't. • Blood test can tell you if your hemoglobin levels are low, which is a sign of anemia

8. Medical Care – Blood Testing • Most pregnant women are immune to German measles because they've either been vaccinated against it - catch German measles during pregnancy, your baby's heart, sight, and hearing could be seriously affected • Syphilis - sexually transmitted infection which can cause abnormalities in baby • Hepatitis B - pass the disease on to baby either before or after he/she is born, his/her liver could be seriously damaged

9. Medical Care – Exercise • Exercise • Exercising is very important to do. It helps produce blood flow, oxygen, and processing of nutrients. • However, there are a few do’s and do not’s - • The safest and most productive activities are swimming, brisk walking, indoor stationary bicycling and low-impact aerobics (yoga is a great one to do)

10. Medical Care – Exercise Exercises to Avoid: • Holding your breath during any activity • Activities where falling is likely (such as skiing and horseback riding) • Contact sports such as softball, football, basketball and volleyball • Any exercise that may cause even mild abdominal trauma, including activities that include jarring motions or rapid changes in direction • Activities that require extensive jumping, hopping, skipping, bouncing or running

11. Medical Care – Exercise • Deepkneebends, full sit-ups, double leg raisesand straight-leg toe touches • Bouncing while stretching • Exercises that require lying on your back or right side for more than three minutes. (especially after your third month of pregnancy) • Waist twisting movements while standing • Heavy exercise spurts followed by long periods of no activity • Exercise in hot, humid weather • MOST IMPORTANT – AVOID HOT BATHS, SAUNA’S AND HOT SURROUNDINGS.

12. Medical Care – Diets • Diets • It is absolutely vital that a mother-to-be has a healthy and balanced diet. • Fruit and vegetables - she should aim for five portions of fruit and/or veggies per day. They may be in the form of juice, dried, canned, frozen, or fresh. Fresh and frozen (if frozen soon after picking) produce usually have a higher vitamin and other nutrient content. Experts stress that eating fruit is usually better for you than just drinking the juice. • Starchy carbohydrate-rich foods - including potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread. • Protein - good animal-sourced proteins include fish, lean meat and chicken, as well as eggs. Vegan mothers should consider the following foods as good sources of protein: Quinoa (known as a "complete protein", it is said to have all the essential amino acids), tofu and soy products. Beans, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds and nut butters are also good sources of protein. (Beans, lentils and legumes are also rich in iron)

13. Medical Care –Diets • Fats - should not make up more than 30% of a pregnant woman's daily calories. • Fiber - wholegrain foods, such as whole meal (wholegrain) bread, wild rice, wholegrain pasta, pulses, fruit and vegetables are rich in fiber. Women have a higher risk of developing during pregnancy; eating plenty of fiber is effective in minimizing that risk. • Calcium - it is important to have a healthy daily intake of calcium. Dairy foods, such as milk, cheese, milk and yoghurt are rich in calcium. If the mother is vegan, she should consider the following calcium-rich foods, calcium-fortified soy milk and juices, calcium-set tofu, soybeans, bokchoy, broccoli, collards, Chinese cabbage, okra, mustard greens, kale, and soynuts. • Zinc - is a vital trace element. It plays a major role in normal growth and development, cellular integrity and several biological functions, including nucleic acid metabolism and protein synthesis. Since all these functions are involved in growth and cell division, zinc is important for the growth and development of the fetus.

14. Medical Care –Diets • Iron is VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE • Iron makes up a major part of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying pigment and main protein in the red blood cells; it carries oxygen throughout the body. Iron also delivers oxygen to the muscles, so that they can function properly. Also, iron increases our resistance to stress and disease.

15. Medical Care –Diets • If a pregnant mother is iron-deficient, there is a higher risk of: • Preterm delivery - the baby is born early (a premature baby) • Delivering a low-weight baby • Stillbirth - the baby dies before it is delivered • Newborn death - the baby dies soon after it is born • Tiredness, irritability, depression (in the mother) during the pregnancy • If the mother is anemic later in the pregnancy, there is a higher risk of losing a lot of blood when she gives birth • Some experts say there is a higher risk of post-natal depression(postpartum depression). This has to be scientifically proven with further studies. • The brain of the developing baby could be profoundly affected

16. Medical Care - Drugs/Alcohol • Alcohol • What you drink while pregnant is the exact same thing the baby drinks too. As such, alcohol passes right from mother’s body to baby’s body. • Stays longer in baby than it does in mother • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) – mother drink heavily during pregnancy • Their brain is permanently damaged, so they have trouble following simple instructions or remembering things. • They're small and don't grow normally. • Their faces may look different, such as small eyes and thin lips. • They're often colicky babies and hyperactive children. • They might have trouble seeing, hearing or speaking. • They might have heart or kidney trouble.

17. Medical Care - Drugs/Alcohol • When the children get older: • They often have trouble controlling how they act and get along with other people. • They have trouble paying attention and learning at school. • They struggle with depression and may have drug and alcohol problems. • They have trouble holding a job. • They often get into trouble with the law.

18. Medical Care –Drugs/Alcohol • Drugs • Cause malformations in fetus during early stages of pregnancy • Drugs in body may reduce the amount of oxygen that can reach baby • Baby may not grow as well as expected in uterus • Affects the placenta -placenta may come away from the side of your uterus, sometimes causing severe bleeding • Baby may have withdrawal symptoms if regularly take certain drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, during pregnancy • Some babies need to have painkilling medicines to help them cope with the withdrawal symptoms • Smoking during pregnancy appears to raise the risk of miscarriage or premature labour