Ten Questions About
Pregnancy You Might Not Want To Ask Your Doctor
by: Alan Cutler
Q1. Can I get pregnant following oral sex or heavy
petting?
No. You can
only get pregnant from full sexual
intercourse.
Q2. How will I
know if I am pregnant?
If you have
had sexual intercourse since your last
period and you are late for your current
period, you may be pregnant. Following
implantation of the fertilized egg
menstruation should not occur, hence for
women who have been sexually active and who
have previously menstruated regularly, the
absence of a period should be put down to
pregnancy.
The most
common way to confirm a pregnancy is to
purchase and undertake a home test. These
are relatively cheap and can be done in the
privacy of your home. The manufacturers
claim they are over 95% accurate.
If the home
test has a positive result, you should make
an appointment to see your doctor.
Q3. Is it safe
to have sex during pregnancy?
For most
couples it is normal for them to enjoy an
active sex life throughout the pregnancy.
Sexual intercourse will not harm the
development of your baby as it is cushioned
by a bag of fluid in your uterus.
Sex during
your pregnancy may also help you both unwind
and should help you maintain a strong bond
with your partner, ready for the months
ahead.
Q4. Does
vaginal discharge increases during this
time?
Yes,
unfortunately it does. Vaginal discharge may
well increase during all stages of your
pregnancy and should be similar to the
discharge you have previously had before a
period. It is only if the discharge becomes
very thick, smelly or blood stained that you
need to seek medical assistance. If the
cause is an infection, it can be easily
treated with creams or tablets.
Q5. Will I get
piles/hemorrhoids?
You may.
Although people laugh and joke about piles,
they are no laughing matter.
During
pregnancy the walls and veins in your anus
swell and blood flow becomes sluggish,
causing the affected veins to throb and
become painful.
There are
precautions you can take to help reduce the
chances of developing piles, such as:
Eat a high
fiber diet and drink lots of fluid to avoid
constipation.
Try to relax
on the toilet and not strain.
Undertake
regular exercise and pelvic floor exercises
to help blood flow around your anus.
If you do get
piles, your doctor, midwife or pharmacist
will be able to suggest a suitable cream to
ease the pain.
Q6. What is
the best contraception to use after birth?
This will
depend on how soon you wish to have another
baby. If you want another baby soon (within
one year), then short-term measures such as
the cap or condom, ideally with the use of a
spermicidal, are probably the best
contraception.
Long term,
methods such as contraceptive injection,
hormone implant and ‘the pill’ may be your
best options.
Q7. How soon
can I have sex after birth?
It is
advisable to wait a few weeks after a normal
delivery, and up to three months after a
caesarean, as healing may take this length
of time. It is important however that both
you and your partner agree: neither should
feel pressured into it.
Be aware that
you may feel dry; though by using
water-based lubricants there is no reason
why sex should not be as enjoyable as
before.
Q8. How will
the midwife measure cervical dilation?
The midwife
will measure how dilated (or open) the
cervix is by gently inserting two fingers
into the vagina. She assesses how open the
cervix is by opening her fingers and feeling
around its perimeter. She will also be
feeling the position of the cervix and how
soft it is.
She will
always try to be gentle but sometimes the
process can be slightly uncomfortable. Try
to stay as relaxed as possible: the tenser
you are, the more uncomfortable the
procedure will be. Hold your partner’s hand
while the midwife examines you and ask him
to try and distract you.
Q9. How will
the hospital staff break my waters if they
need to?
The midwife
will discuss with you why you might need
your waters breaking. Remember though, if
you are not comfortable with this you can
decline. If you fully understand the need to
have your waters broken, and are happy to go
ahead, the midwife or doctor will perform a
normal vaginal examination then insert a
long thin plastic hook that is a little bit
like a crochet hook. The hook will be
brushed over the bag of waters, which will
usually be enough pressure to break it. The
cervix does, however, have to be
sufficiently open for this to be carried
out.
Q10. If I have
an episiotomy or perineal tear, how will it
be repaired?
It is not
always the case that your perineum (the area
between the vaginal entrance and the rectum)
will tear or need to be cut. Moreover, if it
is, there is no way of knowing if you will
require stitches. Some studies have shown
that perineal massage can help prevent
trauma. Your midwife will be able to advise
you on this. Sometimes if a small tear has
been sustained, it will be left to heal
naturally.
If the area
does require stitches, the midwife who has
been looking after you will usually do it.
You will be given local anaesthetic to numb
the area before the midwife starts and she
will check that you are unable to feel any
pain before commencing. These days, stitches
are almost always dissolvable and will not
need to be removed.
Want to know
more?
If you do want
to know more about pregnancy, from
conception to labour, you should take a look
at ‘Pregnancy for Beginners’ – a
comprehensive guide for the new
mother-to-Be. Written by a State Registered
Midwife, it is a simple, easy-to-understand,
yet comprehensive, book you can download to
your computer in minutes. See
www.pregnancyfacts.org for full details of
this invaluable guide for the newly pregnant
woman.
