Questions

The indication to go to the hospital for labor vary based on how many weeks you are in the pregnancy. For women who are less than 36 weeks you should come to the hospital for evaluation if any significant vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain not relieved with rest or hydration, any concerns for decreased fetal movements, increased leakage of fluid or >6 contractions in an hour. If you are greater than 37 weeks you should present to the hospital if you think your water is broken, regular painful contractions every 5 minutes lasting a minute or more for at least one hour (511 rule) or if any significant vaginal bleeding or concerns for fetal movement.

Your uterus may contract off and on before “true” labor begins. These irregular contractions are called false labor or Braxton Hicks contractions. They are normal but can be painful at times. You might notice them more at the end of the day.

Please see your pregnancy packet you received at your first office visit. Here is a link to this packet if needed: Pregnancy Packet https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hu4Tb4d70blcqKlTeJ_lcbobI2e47SqvgqlH8Uf0XRw/edit

Women with uncomplicated pregnancies should exercise regularly. You should strive for 20-30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise 4-5 times per week.You do not need to ensure your heart rate stays below a certain threshold, but you should work at a level in which you can still talk while exercising.You should avoid exercises with a higher risk of injury, such as contact sports, downhill skiing, and horseback riding.

There is no known benefit of exercise restriction or bedrest for pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies.

Pregnant women without complications have no restrictions on intercourse.

If you have felt fetal movement less often than what you think is normal for your baby then you should perform fetal movement tracking, or fetal kick counts. Your baby should have at least 8-10 movements within 1 hour, if you do not feel your baby move this frequently in 1 hour do not be worried as babies do have periods of sleep when their movement is less. Drink and eat something and then resume fetal kick counts for another hour, if you do not feel you baby move 8-10 times in that 2 hour periods you should present to hospital for evaluation. Typically fetal kick counts can be done after 28 weeks of pregnancy.

It is recommended that all women receive the Tdap vaccine between 28-32 weeks of pregnancy and during the flu season flu vaccine is also recommended.

• Cervical cancer screening is used to find changes in the cells of the cervix that could lead to cancer. The cervix is the opening to the uterus and is located at the top of the vagina. Screening includes cervical cytology (also called the Pap test or Pap smear) and, for some women, testing for human papillomavirus (HPV).
• Pap smears are not recommended before the age of 21. Routine pap smear is recommended every 3 years for women ages 21-30. And every 3-5 years for women over the age of 30.

It is okay to have a pap smear on you period, but if you are uncomfortable with this please give us a call as soon as you can to reschedule your appointment.

Colposcopy is a way of looking at the cervix through a special magnifying device called a colposcope. It shines a light into the vagina and onto the cervix. A colposcope can greatly enlarge the normal view. This exam allows the health care provider to find problems that cannot be seen by the eye alone. Colposcopy is done when results of cervical cancer screening tests show abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix.

If you have an abnormal cervical cancer screening result, your health care professional may suggest that you have a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) as part of the evaluation or for treatment. LEEP is one way to remove abnormal cells from the by using a thin wire loop that acts like a scalpel (surgical knife). An electric current is passed through the loop, which cuts away a thin layer of the cervix.

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