Pregnancy, Fertility and Childbirth

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• QHow do I deal with unexpected pregnancy later in life?

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  A Boston Women's Health Book Collective , Administration, answered

  

  While those of us in their late thirties, forties, and early fifties have far fewer pregnancies than younger women, a disproportionately high percentage of pregnancies are unexpected. Slightly over half of all women aged 40 or more who get pregnant were not intending to conceive.

  If you did not expect or desire to become pregnant, consider all of your options, which include having an abortion or placing the baby for adoption, as well as bearing and raising a child. Knowing that this may be your last possible pregnancy may make this a particularly difficult decision, so get as much nonjudgmental support as you can.

  

  Find out more about this book:

  Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause
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• QWhat should I do if I face an unexpected pregnancy?

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  A Boston Women's Health Book Collective , Administration, answered

  

  A partner who is loving and nurturing can offer wonderful support as you face an unexpected pregnancy. But even if you don't have such a person in your life, you deserve and need to be respected during all aspects of pregnancy and decision making.

  

  Find out more about this book:

  Our Bodies, Ourselves: A New Edition for a New Era
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• QWhat causes the increase in breast size during pregnancy?

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  A Dr. Romeo Acosta, MD , OBGYN (Obstetrics & Gynecology), answered on behalf of St. Petersburg General Hospital

  

  Learn how, why and when breasts increase in size during pregnancy. Watch this video interview with Romeo Acosta, MD, an OB/GYN from St. Petersburg General Hospital.

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• QWhat are the changes my breasts will undergo during pregnancy?

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  A Riverside Women's Health answered

  A woman's breasts increase in size and fullness during pregnancy. As the due date approaches, hormone changes will cause your breasts to get even bigger to prepare for breastfeeding. Your breasts may feel full, heavy, or tender.

  In the third trimester, some pregnant women begin to leak colostrum (coh-LOSS-truhm) from their breasts. Colostrum is the first milk that your breasts produce for the baby. It is a thick, yellowish fluid containing antibodies that protect newborns from infection.

       •Wear a maternity bra with good support

       • Put pads in bra to absorb leak

  This answer is based on source information from the National Women's Health Information Center.

• QHow is an ectopic pregnancy treated?

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  A Dr. Deborah Bowers, MD , Hospitalist, answered on behalf of Reston Hospital Center

  

  Deborah Bowers, MD from Reston Hospital Center explains what an ectopic pregnancy is and how it is treated in this video.

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• QWhy should an ectopic pregnancy be treated?

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  A Dr. Sara E. Wood, DO , OBGYN (Obstetrics & Gynecology), answered on behalf of Intermountain Healthcare

  An ectopic pregnancy is extremely dangerous for the pregnant woman. As the fertilized egg grows, it will eventually burst (rupture) the organ that contains it. This can cause severe, life-threatening bleeding inside the abdomen.
• QWhat is diastasis recti?

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  A Dr. Linda S. Katz, MD , OBGYN (Obstetrics & Gynecology), answered on behalf of West Hills Hospital & Medical Center

  

  Diastasis recti, or abdominal separation, can occur during pregnancy. Watch Linda Katz, MD, an OB/GYN at West Hills Hospital, describe the types of pregnancies where this condition can occur and what it looks like.

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• QHow do I make myself ready to return to work after maternity leave?

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  A Riverside Health System answered

  No matter how long your maternity leave, you might not feel ready to return to work when the time has come. Although the idea of working again might appeal to you, you might wonder how you will juggle work and home life. You might wonder how you will be able to keep up with the demands of motherhood. If you are breastfeeding, you might worry about finding a private space to pump. You might feel guilty that you are leaving your new baby under the care of somebody other than you.
  
  Many new mothers know exactly what you're going through. Nowadays, more than half of all mothers with infants work. And even more mothers with older babies and children are working. You can read stories shared by mothers who have been there at http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-beyond/returning-to-work/. Their advice and lessons learned can help you through the transition.
  
  This answer is based on source information from the National Women's Health Information Center.

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• QHow can I relieve pain in my lower abdomen during pregnancy?

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  A Brigham and Women's Hospital answered

  When your uterus and your baby grow larger during the latter half of pregnancy, you may experience lower abdominal pain or discomfort. One source can be constipation, which can be eased through adding fruits, raw vegetables, bran products, and lots of water to your daily diet. A sharp pain in either or both groin regions may be round-ligament pain. Round ligaments are cordlike structures beneath the groin region that extend to the top of the uterus on both sides. Sudden movements like rolling over in bed or walking may stretch or cause spasms of these ligaments, causing pain. Reducing physical activity, applying warm heat to the area, or using a pregnancy support girdle may help. If your pain is severe or continues, call your doctor.
• QWhat happens to my abdominal muscles during pregnancy?

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  A Rick Olderman , Physical Therapy, answered

  

  During pregnancy, your abdominal muscles become stretched out because of the fetus's increasing size. They lose some of the force they were able to generate prior to pregnancy. Think of a rubber band that has been stretched for a while and then released. It doesn't just snap back on its own. The good news is that, unlike a rubber band, your abdominal muscles can regain their strength and tension again with some effort on your part. Specific training will be required but the payoff will be preventing back pain down the road -- as well as slimming your tummy faster.
  
  Your abdominal muscles may also have separated during your pregnancy, causing a condition after pregnancy known as diastasis recti. This happens along the linea alba, which divides the abdominals into left and right halves. All the abdominal muscles attach here.

  

  Find out more about this book:

  Fixing You: Back Pain During Pregnancy: Self-treatment for sciatica, back pain, SI Joint or pelvic pain, and advice for abdominal strengthening post partum.
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