Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Pregnancy planning can address issues of nutrition,
vitamins, body weight, exercise, and potentially harmful medications and
illnesses as well as immunizations and genetic counseling.
Women who take folic acid at least four weeks prior to
conception can reduce their baby's risk of birth defects of the spinal cord
and skull by 70%.
Alcohol has been implicated in infertility, early
miscarriage, and birth defects.
Certain acne medications and other prescription and OTC
medications can cause birth defects.
Babies of older women have an increased risk of
having chromosomal abnormalities.
The timing of sexual intercourse in relation to ovulation does not
influence the gender of the baby.
What is pregnancy planning and why is it important?
Having a baby is one of the most important events in a woman's life. Women considering
pregnancy are encouraged to start planning for the pregnancy with their doctors early. This early planning process is called pregnancy planning. The goals of pregnancy planning are to create a healthy environment for the fetus and to prevent birth defects and other pregnancy related problems to the greatest extent possible. The issues addressed during pregnancy planning include
nutrition,
vitamins, body weight, exercise, avoidance of certain medications and alcohol,
immunizations, and genetic counseling. Even though many women will have normal pregnancies without any planning, pregnancy planning improves the chances of a smooth pregnancy and a healthy baby. Unfortunately,
many more women who are
anticipating conceiving do not seek prior medical consultation.
Pregnancy planning can help prevent exposure of the mother to potentially harmful medications or substances during the early days of pregnancy. The baby's organs begin developing as early as 17 days after conception, and the fertilized egg begins to grow even before the first day of the missed period. Some women continue to have light bleeding that may be mistaken for a
menstrual period during the
first few months of pregnancy and may not even realize that they are pregnant.
Others may not recognize that they are pregnant until they experience
weight gain or abdominal enlargement. By then, they may have already been exposed to
medications or substances potentially harmful to the fetus.
In addition to avoiding medications and substances that are potentially harmful to the fetus, other important health issues are addressed during pre-pregnancy planning.
The status of the woman's immunity against
German measles (rubella) and varicella (chickenpox) is also determined. Women lacking rubella antibodies are immunized before conceiving (see medical issues below). Women who are not immune to varicella (chickenpox) can be vaccinated, but should wait 30 days after vaccination before becoming pregnant.
Women who are carriers of the
hepatitis B virus can be identified by blood tests, and their infants can be protected from hepatitis B infection by immunizations at the time of delivery. Women with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection should take certain medications during pregnancy to decrease not only their risks but those of the fetus as well.
The effects of diet, exercise, and each of the medical conditions previously discussed will be reviewed below.
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Most women equate a
missed menstrual periodwith
the possibility of being pregnant, but other symptoms and signs are experienced by most women in the
early stages of pregnancy. It's important to remember that not all women will
experience all of these symptoms or have the symptoms to the same degree. Even
the same woman can have different types of symptoms in a subsequent pregnancy
than she had in previous pregnancies.
The following are the most common pregnancy symptoms in the first
trimester:
A missed menstrual period is most often the first sign
of pregnancy,
although a woman may still experience some bleeding or spotting around the time
of the expected period. However, if a woman does not have regular menstrual
cycles, she may notice some of the other symptoms of early pregnancy before it
is apparent that the menstrual period has been missed.
Feelings of breast swelling, tenderness, or pain are also commonly
associated with early pregnancy. These symptoms are sometimes similar to the
sensations in the breasts in the days before an expected menstrual period.
Yeast vaginitis is a yeast infection of the vagina. Symptoms include itching, burning, soreness, pain during intercourse and urination, and vaginal discharge.
Endometriosis is the growth of cells similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. Endometriosis implants
Dizziness is a symptom that is often applies to a variety of sensations including lightheadedness and vertigo. Causes of dizziness include low blood pressure,
There are many symptoms involved in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. The first early pregnancy symptom is typically a missed period, but others
An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy located outside the inner lining of the uterus. The majority of ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube. Symptoms
Kidney infection (pyelonephritis) usually is caused from bacteria that have spread from the bladder from a UTI (urinary tract infection), poor hygiene,
Group B strep are bacteria called Streptococcus agalactiae that may sometimes cause infections both in a pregnant woman and her newborn. Symptoms include
Pregnancy symptoms vary from woman to woman. There are some symptoms that are more frequent in some women. These symptoms include a missed period, nausea,
Hydronephrosis is a condition in which the kidney swells, due to a backup of urine. Hydronephrosis generally occurs with another disease.Symptoms of hydronephrosis
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting
Cystic fibrosis is a disease of the mucus and sweat glands. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease. The outcome of the disease leaves the body malnourished,
Restless leg syndrome (RLS or restless legs syndrome) is a common cause for painful legs that typically eases with motion, and becomes worse and more noticeable
Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that results in the presence of an additional third chromosome 21, also referred to as trisomy 21. Most individuals
Iron is a mineral our bodies need. Iron deficiency is a condition resulting from not enough iron in the body. It is the most common nutritional deficiency
Fatigue can be described in various ways. Sometimes fatigue is described as feeling a lack of energy and motivation (both mental and physical). The causes
Prolactinoma is an adenoma (benign tumor) of the pituitary gland. Causes of many prolactinomas are unknown. Symptoms in women include changes in menstruation
Amenorrhea is a condition in which there is an absense of menstrual periods in a woman. There are two types of amenorrhea, 1) primary and 2) secondary.
Hepatitis is most often viral, due to infection with one of the hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D, E, F (not confirmed), and G) or another virus (such as those
Phlebitis is the inflammation of a vein. Thrombophlebitis is when a blood clot causes the inflammation. Phlebitis can be superficial or deeper in the veins.
Alcohol intake by a pregnant mother may result in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in her child. A child with FAS may be hyperactive and have a low IQ, a small
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night
Sickle cell anemia (sickle cell disease), a blood disease which shortens life expectancy, is cause by an inherited abnormal hemoglobin. Symptoms may include
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an abnormality of motor function and postural tone acquired at an early age (even before birth). Cerebral palsy is generally caused
Smokeless tobacco is sometimes known as chewing tobacco or spitting tobacco.
It is available in two forms, snuff and chewing tobacco. Both types of smokeless
tobacco are held in the"...
