Pregnancy 101 - Ask an Obstetrician

Choosing an obstetrician, which is also known as an (OBGYN) can be a pretty daunting experience for some women. As a matter of fact, women will choose their OBGYN based on recommendations from their friends. However, something important to recognize is that an OBGYN who was ideal for your friend’s birth may not be ideal for yours. Not everyone will want the same experiences and preferences for childbirth, nor appreciate the same personality traits in the people who care for them.

An OBGYN is a doctor who specializes in pregnancy, childbirth, and a woman's reproductive system. Although other doctors can deliver babies, many women prefer an OBGYNs. Your obstetrician can take care of you throughout your pregnancy and give you follow-up care such as annual Pap tests for years to come.

OBGYNs are known for graduating from medical school and completed a four-year residency program in obstetrics and gynecology. The residency trains them in pre-pregnancy health, pregnancy, labor and childbirth, health problems after childbirth, genetics, and genetic counseling. As for board-certified OB’s, they have completed the residency training and passed rigorous written and oral exams.

What your OBGYN does

During your pregnancy, your OBGYN will:

●    Monitor your health and your developing babies' health, including doing routine ultrasounds, measurements, and tests

●    Check for any health conditions that could cause problems during your pregnancy or affect your babies' health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, infections and genetic disorders

●    Advise you about diet, exercise, medications, and staying healthy

●    Help you cope with morning sickness, back and leg pain, heartburn and other common pregnancy complaints

●    Answer any questions about pregnancy and your growing baby

●    Explain what will happen during labor and delivery

Your OBGYN will also:

●    Deliver your babies

●    Monitor your health while you recuperate

 

How your OBGYN works with your pregnancy team

Your OBGYN will play a central role before, during, and after your pregnancy. Basically, they’re considered the most looked upon as far as delivering your baby in the best way possible.

●    OBGYNs work together with nurses, nurse-midwives, physician assistants, and other health professionals to provide your care. It’s possible that you may see these team members during your routine prenatal visits.

●    Your OBGYN may recommend that you and the father-to-be attend pregnancy education or childbirth classes led by nurses or childbirth educators.

●    When the big day arrives, nurses or labor coaches will help you through the hard work of labor, but it is up to your OBGYN to monitor your progress and when the time comes, deliver your babies.

●    If your OBGYN is in a group practice where the doctors share "on call" duties, another doctor in the group may deliver your babies. It is important to ask about this when choosing your OBGYN.

Why you might need an OBGYN

Family doctors and midwives can also coordinate your pregnancy care, but there are certain situations where it may be important to seek care from an OBGYN:

●    If you are over 35 years old or have a high-risk pregnancy, you might want to get your prenatal care from an OBGYN.

●    Some women with high-risk pregnancies benefit from seeing a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, an OBGYN with advanced training in complicated pregnancies.

●    If a family practice doctor or midwife is providing your pregnancy care and you develop complications, he or she will probably consult with or refer you to an OBGYN.

If you are healthy and anticipate a healthy, normal pregnancy, you still may prefer to get your care from an OB.

If you don’t want to rely on the opinions of your friends and family about finding the right OBGYN to treat your pregnancy process, then ask those who work at a hospital. Asking nurses who are always in constant communication with all types of OBGYNs can give you the right guidance towards finding the right obstetrician for you.

Of course you always have the option of visiting the Institute for Women’s Health which is considered one of the top pregnancy clinics in San Antonio. Whether this is your first pregnancy or your fourth, we are here to make the most important event in your life a healthy and safe one.

Expert obstetricians at our San Antonio clinic offers comprehensive obstetrical care for each of our patients, from prenatal to postpartum care. Along with a caring and committed staff, you will find skilled physicians who will be sensitive to your needs throughout your pregnancy.

Obstetrical Services Provided:

●      Prenatal testing

●      Non-stress testing

●      Ultrasounds

●      Fetal heart monitoring

●      Prenatal class references

●      High risk pregnancies

●      Follow-up care after delivery

Institute for Women’s Health offers obstetrics at our locations. Call us at (210)-349-9300 to schedule an appointment and receive the proper treatment for your pregnancy.

Menopause- Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

What would happen if you were diagnosed with menopause? Fear may strike greatly upon women as they hear the term menopause. As you approach your late 30s, your ovaries start making less estrogen and progesterone — the hormones that regulate menstruation — and your fertility declines. In your 40s, your menstrual periods may become longer or shorter, heavier or lighter, and more or less frequent, until eventually — on average, by age 51 — you have no more periods. Menopause is a normal condition that all women experience as they age. It can be described as any of the changes a woman goes through either just before or after she stops menstruating, which is the marking of an end for her reproductive period.

What Causes Menopause?

A woman is born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. The ovaries also create the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control menstruation and ovulation. Menopause occurs when the ovaries no longer release an egg every month and menstruation stops.

Menopause is considered a normal part of aging when it happens after the age of 40. However, some women can go through menopause early, either as a result of surgery, such as hysterectomy, or damage to the ovaries, such as from chemotherapy. When menopause occurs before the age of 40, regardless of the cause, it is called premature menopause.

Symptoms of Menopause

The symptoms that women experience are primarily related to a lowered production of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Menopause symptoms vary widely because of the many effects that these hormones have on the female body. The most common symptoms are irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, sleep difficulties, and irritability.

Your period may not be as regular as it used to be. You may bleed heavier or lighter than usual, and occasionally spot. Also, your period may be shorter or longer in duration. If you do miss your period, make sure to rule out pregnancy. If you’re not pregnant, a missed period could indicate the onset of menopause.

Many women complain of hot flashes as a primary menopause symptom. Hot flashes can be a sudden feeling of heat either in the upper portion of your body or all over. Your face and neck might turn red, and you may feel sweaty or flushed. The intensity of a hot flash can range from mild to very strong. A hot flash generally lasts between 30 seconds and 10 minutes. Most women experience hot flashes for a year or two after their final menstrual period. Hot flashes may still continue after menopause, but they lessen in intensity over time.

It’s common to feel less interested in sex during menopause as well as having less control of their bladder. This is a menopause issue caused by physical changes brought on by reduced estrogen.

Changes in hormone production affect the moods of women during menopause. Some women report feelings of irritability, depression, mood swings, and often go from extreme highs to severe lows in a short period of time which is totally normal.

Treatments for Menopause

There are a number of different treatment options to consider if you're suffering from symptoms of menopause.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

After menopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is often prescribed to resupply the body with the hormones it no longer produces. HRT uses female hormones, estrogen and progesterone and is used to treat common symptoms of menopause and aging. Doctors can prescribe it during or after menopause.

Alternative Treatments

Supplements, herbs and botanicals like black cohosh, evening primrose oil, and flaxseed are thought to relieve menopausal symptoms. The question is are they safe? What are the warning signs a product may not be legitimate? It is best to ask your doctor if you choose to take this route for treating menopause.

Natural Treatments

Learn about herbs, supplements, and other natural remedies that some believe help with menopause symptoms.

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh, also known as black snakeroot or bugbane, is a medicinal root. It is used to treat women's hormone-related symptoms, including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menstrual cramps, and menopausal symptoms.

Soy for Menopause Symptoms

Soy is high in isoflavones. Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens are chemicals found in plants that work like estrogens.

Wild Yam and Progesterone Creams

Wild yam and progesterone creams are available without a prescription and are marketed for relieving perimenopausal symptoms caused by "estrogen dominance."

There’s no need for women to suffer through the frustrating symptoms of perimenopause and menopause such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and low libido. Our San Antonio gynecologists will work with you to find the right treatment plan that reduces or eliminates your symptoms and allows you to feel like yourself again.

Your treatment options may include hormone replacement therapy and medication. Call us at (210)-349-9300 to schedule an appointment and start feeling better.