Announcing Your Pregnancy

<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">By </span><b style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Deden Sura Agung</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> When a woman finds out that she is pregnant it becomes difficult to think of something else. This results in the woman being anxious to announce the exciting news with other people specially the partner. There has been a lot of controversy on the best time to make an announcement about pregnancy. While choosing how and when to make an announcement of pregnancy it is necessary to know the advantages and disadvantages of proper timing. Moreover one can choose creative ways to reveal the secret.<br /> <br /> <b>Sharing news early</b><br /> If one shares the news early the main advantage is that there is a lot of support from near and dear ones. One can share ones joy with others. While making decisions a lot of people comes foreword to help the pregnant mother. A lot of time is available for advice and choose the best medical professional. There is overwhelming support in case of miscarriage.<br /> The main disadvantage of breaking the news early is that there may be overwhelming advice. A lot of explanation needs to be done in case of miscarriage. The news of miscarriage may reach friends and other family members before even reaching the mother.<br /> <br /> <b>Announcement decisions</b><br /> It is the decision of the mother to whom else to announce the big news apart from spouse, parents and siblings. One should be careful of whom one tells. Telling ones partner is the first brings a sense of belonging and a bond with the child. After the spouse the other people who should know are the parents. They can help in future planning, offer advice and rejoice like no other person.<br /> <br /> Choosing the way one shares the news matters a lot. It is fun to share the good news in a more creative and memorable way. Arranging for a romantic dinner is the best way to surprise and make the news memorable. Even in case of the delicacies baby food can be served. Another way is to go out for a movie and watch a baby movie like Nine month and Junior. The good news can be written in a piece of paper and inserted in the DVD. A t-shirt with Daddy written can be provided apart from a baby keychain, baby book and other baby items.<br /> <br /> <b>Telling family and friends</b><br /> The good news can be sent in a card with a name chosen and a sonogram. This depends on how close the friends are. Another way of showing is a photograph of the woman and the husband without showing the belly.</div>

By  Deden Sura Agung When a woman finds out that she is pregnant it becomes difficult to think of something else. This results in the woman...

More Women Now Choose Pain Relief During Labor

<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">By </span><b style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Deden Sura Agung</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> More women are opting for some type of pain relief during their labor and delivery, according to a study by the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center.<br /> <br /> A survey of 378 hospitals showed that only 6 percent to 12 percent of women did not request pain relief, compared to 11 percent to 33 percent nine years prior.<br /> <br /> Regional analgesia, including epidural, spinal or combined epidural-spinal techniques, accounted for 76 percent of the anesthesia services provided in the larger hospitals and for 57 percent in smaller hospitals.<br /> <br /> There are two types of regional pain-relieving drugs - analgesics and anesthetics. Analgesia - pain relief without total loss of feeling or muscle movement - is typically administered to women in labor. This treatment blocks pain by numbing the nerves around the spinal or epidural space that encases the spinal cord. Anesthesia blocks all feeling and movement.<br /> <br /> In the past, doctors debated the safety of using an epidural during early labor in first-time mothers. But newer research shows that those who are concerned about receiving pain relief during early labor may be able to rest easy.<br /> <br /> Spinal-epidural analgesia during early labor does not increase the cesarean delivery rate in first-time mothers, according to a study by Dr. Cynthia A. Wong, associate professor of anesthesiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.<br /> <br /> This study also found that analgesia via combined spinal-epidural techniques resulted in better pain relief and a shorter labor when compared to pain medications administered by other routes such as intravenous or intramuscular injections.<br /> <br /> "Mothers have come to expect the kind of pain relief provided by regional techniques," said Dr. Brenda Bucklin, associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. "With recent studies showing that having this type of anesthesia early in labor will not increase chances of a cesarean delivery, I think their popularity will continue." </div>

By  Deden Sura Agung More women are opting for some type of pain relief during their labor and delivery, according to a study by the Depart...

Different Types Of Pregnancy Test

<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">By </span><b style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Deden Sura Agung</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> If you believe yourself to be pregnant and are interested in using a test to determine the results factually, know that the tests sold over the counter that use urine to detect the pregnancy hormone are incredibly effective. Unlike in days gone by when the only reliable way to determine whether you are indeed pregnant was to visit your primary health care provider's office, these home tests allow you to determine whether or not you need to see a provider. Keep in mind that if you test positive for any type of home pregnancy test, you should be sure to immediately schedule an appointment with your primary health care provider. This is essential due to complications like an ectopic tubal pregnancies, where the egg lodges in the Fallopian tube and can cause a great deal of pain and medical issues if left untreated. A test will still determine that you are pregnant, although the pregnancy may not be normal or necessarily healthy.<br /> <br /> There are two main types of pregnancy tests, those that use urine and those that use blood. Both tests are designed to detect the hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin. Commonly known as hCG, this hormone is produced when the placenta begins to develop once the embryo successfully attaches to the uterine lining. Although blood tests tend to have less false readings, the presence of this hCG hormone can easily be found in a urine based test. Generally, doctors will perform a blood test in order to determine whether or not you are pregnant. In addition to testing for the presence of hCG, a doctor may wish to run another panel to determine your overall health and levels of vitamins or nutrients. This will provide your physician with a base line for which to prescribe prenatal vitamins and medications that will ensure both mother and child are kept healthy.<br /> If you purchase a urine based pregnancy test, there are two main options available. The first option sees the woman urinating in a cup and then inserting a special stick into the cup for a given period of time. This test generally has more accurate results since the instructions are more likely to be followed. Usually, if you visit a clinic and they issues you a urine based test, this is the type of test that you will receive. However, the most popular method of pregnancy tests available over the counter are those that require the woman to hold a special stick in a stream of urine for a certain amount of time. These tests tend to be the most popular since there is less mess and clean up required in this method. There are even versions of this test that can detect the hCG pregnancy hormone almost immediately after the embryo has implanted in the uterine wall.<br /> <br /> For those individuals who are far too anxious to receive the news than the necessary waiting period required for even the earliest versions of the urine tests, a blood test should be used. Blood tests can be administered up to seven days after a possible conception, so they are a favorite among couples that are experiencing infertility problems. Furthermore, a blood test can more accurately measure the level of hCG found in a woman's body so that potential problems or complications with the pregnancy can be immediately identified. However, keep in mind that you must visit a doctor's office in order to have a blood test to determine whether or not you are pregnant. This will often cause you to incur costs associated with the visit and the testing fees. If money is a concern, many women's clinics provide pregnancy testing for a minimal cost. </div>

By  Deden Sura Agung If you believe yourself to be pregnant and are interested in using a test to determine the results factually, know tha...

Healthy Pregnancy Tip: Supplements To Avoid

<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">By </span><b style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Deden Sura Agung</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prenatal vitamins are an important source of folate and other vital nutrients during pregnancy. And many women, with the popularity of herbal medicine, take other herbs during pregnancy. Some of these herbs they may have been taking before, for an existing condition. Others, they may take to help cope with some of the physical difficulties that go with pregnancy. The following supplements and food additives should be avoided during pregnancy to avoid potential problems with the health of the baby.</div><ol style="text-align: justify;"><li>Quinine: Quinine is found in many drinks like tonic water, and these are popular as a result of their slightly bitter taste. But it was found that one woman who drunk more than 1 liter of tonic water a day whilst she was pregnant had a baby that was suffering withdrawal symptoms when it was born. It had nervous tremors within a day of being born, which disappeared two months later. Germany's BfR (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) recommends that pregnant women treat quinine drinks, no matter how small the amount of quinine in them, as a medicinal product, and avoid them as a precaution during pregnancy.</li> <li>Ginseng: One of the more than 20 active constituents of ginseng was found by researchers at the Chinese University of the Hong Kong Prince of Wales Hospital to be a possible cause for concern for pregnant women. These researchers were measuring the effect of this active principle on fetal development in rats. And they found that, relating to the dose, rat embryonic development was affected. Higher doses meant a higher level of abnormalities, according to the markers of development their study used.</li> <li>Now, this study was one done on rat embryos, and so may not translate into similar effects on humans. And it only studied the effects of one of ginseng's active constituents, which was a ginsenoside called Rb1. Ginseng actually has over 20 ginsenosides, and other studies have found that these each have different actions. One of the difficulties with studying active constituents in herbal medicine is that the whole herbal extract may have a very different overall effect than a single constituent. This is because of the way active principles both work together and counteract each other. These two aspects, the fact that the study was not done on humans, and does not measure the overall effect of the whole ginseng extract, mean that its results should be treated cautiously. As a safety precaution, at this time it is best to at least avoid ginseng supplements during the first trimester, as the authors of the study suggest, and probably for the whole of the pregnancy. But ginseng should certainly not be branded dangerous as a result of this research as it is only a very preliminary finding in the overall picture, and more points the way as to where further research needs to be done.</li> <li>Ginkgo Biloba: Ginkgo biloba is another supplement that is best avoided whilst pregnant. Researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit found one of the constituents of ginkgo biloba in the placenta of women who had taken ginkgo supplements. This particular constituent, an alkaloid called colchicine, can be fatal in high doses, though medicinally, it has great anti-inflammatory effects. Other research has found that cochicine can harm a growing fetus. The potential problem with taking ginkgo supplements regularly whilst pregnant is that colchicine can build up in the womb, like caffeine when taken in excess of the recommended maximum amounts. The researchers did stress that there was no link established in the study between ginkgo and complications in the pregnancy, the study only looked at levels of colchicine in the womb. </li> </ol>

By  Deden Sura Agung Prenatal vitamins are an important source of folate and other vital nutrients during pregnancy. And many women, with th...

PREGNANCY SEROTINUS

<div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="color: black; font-family: georgia; font-weight: 400; text-align: left;">By </span><b style="color: black; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Deden Sura Agung</b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #bf9000;"><b style="color: black; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"><br /></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #bf9000;">DEFINITION</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pregnancy serotinus is a pregnancy that lasted 42 weeks (294 days) or more, calculated from the first day of last menstrual cycle 28 days or 280 days (40 weeks) from day of conception. Another term often used is overdue pregnancy, postmaturitas, delayed pregnancy, postdatism or postdates. Approximately 10% of pregnancies continue until 42 weeks, 4% continued until the age of 43 weeks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">DIAGNOSIS</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Determination of gestational age based on the formula Naegele, calculated from the first day of last menstrual period and based on the menstrual cycle (estimated delivery is 280 days or 40 weeks from the first day of last menstrual cycle 28 days or 266 days after ovulation). So to determine the pregnancy gestation serotinus must be known precisely. Naegele formula is still commonly used, but must keep in mind the various factors that may affect / result in errors of calculation, namely:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Determination of gestational age based on the first day of last period is often not easy because the mother could not remember the date of the first day of last menstrual period with certainty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Determining the time of ovulation is not easy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Factors that affect the calculation, such as menstrual cycle variations, the calculation error by the mother, and so forth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apart from menstruation, pregnancy age determination can be assisted by a clinical re-evaluate the age at first pregnancy from mother to come. The earlier a pregnancy examination performed, gestational age has come closer to the truth. Clinicians also need to ask when was the movement of children or take measurements in serial fundus uteri. Examination of high serial fundus uteri in pregnancy serotinus will show a decline, because the fetus is not growing larger while the amniotic fluid began to decrease. Mother also felt fetal movement decrease the frequency and intensity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ultrasound examination is very helpful estimated gestational age. With the ultrasound gestational age can be determined more accurately by the deviation is only more or less a week. But there is also a problem in multiple pregnancies / twins because each fetus will be smaller than in normal singleton pregnancies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Indonesia, the diagnosis of pregnancy serotinus very difficult because many mothers do not know the date of the last menstrual period properly. A good diagnosis can only be made if the patient checked out since the beginning of pregnancy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">ETIOLOGY</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Experiments on animals show that pregnancy causes serotinus is a combination of maternal and child factors. Factors that affect pregnancy serotinus, namely:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Factors placenta: placental sulfatase deficiency of the enzyme</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Factors children: adenokortikotropik hormone deficiency (ACTH)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Maternal factors. Although there is no obvious explanation, there are several factors that allegedly associated with pregnancy serotinus, such as age, parity, state serotinus seosioekonomi and history of previous pregnancies. According to the study, the incidence of pregnancy serotinus increased from 10% to 27% in women with a history of pregnancy serotinus before and to 39% in women with two previous serotinus pregnancy history.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #bf9000;">CLINICAL</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Postmaturitas syndrome is a term used to describe the clinical state of infants who showed more months of pregnancy. This situation occurs in 30% of pregnancies serotinus and 3% pregnancy term.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Signs serotinitas:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Disappearance of subcutaneous fat</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Dry skin, wrinkles or cracks</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Meconium staining of the skin, umbilicus and amniotic membrane</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Nails and long hair</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Lazy baby</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. Face looked old and worried-looking</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In some cases even exceed 42 weeks gestational age, placental function remains good, resulting in a large baby (> 4000 grams). The incidence in pregnancy is 37-41 weeks was 1.4% and increased to 2.2% at 42 weeks gestation or more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #bf9000;">COMPLICATION</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Complications that can occur is the death of the fetus in the uterus (due to placental insufficiency) and neonatal mortality. The fetus also can suffer from hypoxia, hypovolemia, acidosis, breathing distress syndrome, hypoglycaemia or adrenal hipofungsi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Placental function peaking at gestational age 38-42 weeks, then decreased after 42 weeks, seen from the decreasing levels of estrogen and placental laktogen. Also occur placental spiral arteries spasm. As a result of supply disruption could occur oxygen and nutrients to live and intrauterine fetal growth and development. Circulation uteroplasenta reduced to 50%. By histopathology, placental abnormalities found were calcification, villous edema, pseudohiperplasia on sinsitium, degeneration of fibroids in placental villi and mikroinfark. The volume of amniotic fluid also decreases because the absorption is taking place. These circumstances are conditions that are not good for the fetus.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Asphyxia is a major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. In neonates with serotinus autopsy found the petekie the pleura and pericardium, which is a sign of hypoxia and found the existence of particles of meconium in the lungs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #bf9000;">ASSESSMENT ANTEPARTUM</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Given the high morbidity and mortality in pregnancy serotinus, an assessment of the risk of antepartum dismaturitas must be done to decide whether the fetus was still allowed to stay in the womb (waiting for spontaneous labor) or to be born.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Assessment of fetal well-being can be done by:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Evaluation of amniotic fluid by amniocentesis or ultrasound (also for checking biometric).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Monitor changes in fetal heart rate with no load (nonstress test) or with a load (contraction stress test). Test with a load no-load test performed if non rektif. If the result is unsatisfactory or suspicious, the test was repeated 24 hours later.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Determine the biophysical profile scoring obtained from the NST and ultrasound examination to see the fetal heart rate, fetal breathing, fetal tone, fetal movement and the amount of amniotic fluid. It must be remembered that there is no way of monitoring fetal well-being of the most ideal, so it must be a combination of different ways.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition to fetal welfare assessment, inspection also needs to be done to assess the degree of maturity of the cervix, using the Bishop score. It is necessary to determine further action.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #bf9000;">TREATMENT</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Ekspektatif, therefore induction of labor associated with the incidence of uterine inertia, long deliveries, cervical trauma, cesarean section deliveries made and, in some cases, particularly with the immature cervix, ekspektatif care needs to be done, provided that good fetal condition. This is based on:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">    a. 60% of pregnancies will end in spontaneous labor at gestational age 40-41 weeks and 80% at 43 weeks gestation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">    b. With the advancement of medical technology for monitoring the welfare of the fetus, the fetus can still be retained in the uterus during the situation is still good.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Active, without seeing the state of the cervix, induction should be performed on fetuses that have a risk for experiencing postmaturitas syndrome or when the pregnancy reaches 308 days of age (44 weeks). Pregnancy should also be immediately terminated if the biophysical profile scoring 0-2, found oligohydramnios (<2 cm in greatest sac or amniotic fluid index <5), variable decelerations encountered in no-load test, load test results with positive, ripe cervix (Bishop score > 6), there PJT or patients with complications such as preeclampsia or diabetes mellitus.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Genesis long obstructed labor, uterine inertia hypotonic and fetal distress during labor will increase, so that the induction of pregnancy serotinus intrapartum monitoring should be more stringent. Induction can be performed with oxytocin by intravenous drip or by the use of prostaglandin preparations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In some cases even exceed 42 weeks gestational age, placental function remains good, resulting in a large baby (> 4000 grams) that can complicate delivery. In this case the action performed cesarean section.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the time of delivery, amniotic fluid state is considered important. If meconium staining has occurred or even coagulation with blackish green, so baby born resuscitation should be done immediately. Ideally directly performed tracheal intubation and rinsing</div>

By  Deden Sura Agung DEFINITION Pregnancy serotinus is a pregnancy that lasted 42 weeks (294 days) or more, calculated from the first day of...