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I’m ready to get pregnant- What do I do now?

July 26, 2012 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

It is a momentous day in the life of a family when the decision is made to add a member. To ensure the safest pregnancy and delivery, there are many things a woman can do to prepare. First and foremost, a woman should optimize her health before trying to conceive. This means doing blood tests to ensure that her childhood immunizations to illnesses like German measles are still working. It also means going over any medications she is taking to make sure that they are safe during pregnancy. A woman with chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or depression should make sure she is in the best control possible prior to getting pregnant.

Another preconception must is starting a daily regimen of folic acid. This can be taken by itself, or as part of a prenatal vitamin. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defect, a common birth defect. Stopping unhealthy habits is also recommended prior to pregnancy- this includes alcohol, tobacco, and a sedentary lifestyle. Additionally, a women should try to be at her healthiest weight prior to conceiving.

Even before a woman is ready to conceive, she should begin tracking her menstrual cycle. In a typical 28 day cycle, a woman is most fertile 10 to 14 days after the first day of her period. If the cycle is longer, such as 35 days, then her fertile time is 21 days after her period starts. Alternatively, for a woman with a short 3 week cycle, she is most fertile on day 7 of her cycle. To increase chances of conception, a couple should abstain for a few days before the most fertile period, and then begin having intercourse every other day during the fertile time.

It is important to remember that, even in perfect conditions, only 1 out of 5 couples will conceive on any given month. However, 80% of couples trying to conceive will be pregnant within a year. With this information in mind, prepare for pregnancy, and do not be discouraged if it doesn’t happen the first few months of trying. Most couples will achieve their dream in less than a year.

Tamar Gottfried is a Board Certified Obstetrician/ gynecologist practicing general Ob/gyn in Mesa Arizona and affiliated with Banner Desert and Banner Gateway Medical Centers. She can be contacted at 480-545-0059. This is a general interest article only and is not intended to be medical advice. See a medical professional before making medical decisions

I’m pregnant and stuff is leaking out of me- How do I know if my water’s broken?

July 26, 2012 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

One of the most vital pieces of information in pregnancy is whether or not an expectant mother’s membranes have ruptured. Once the water has broken, a fetus is no longer protected against infection. If this happens very early in a pregnancy, this can be devastating and endanger the health of mother and child. At term, ruptured membranes mean that it is time to deliver a baby- regardless of whether labor has started on its own. Sometimes the water breaks naturally during the course of labor. Other times, it breaks spontaneously and without warning. It can be a small trickle of fluid or a large gush- either way, it is important for the Mom to recognize what is going on and present to her maternity ward for evaluation.

There are other sources of “leakage” during pregnancy. It is extremely common for a pregnant mom to experience a white to clear, liquidy discharge during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. This typically doesn’t have an odor or cause itching, but can be enough to require a change in panty liners several times a day. This is a harmless discharge of white blood cells and is normal. Another cause of leakage is urine. Pregnant bladders are often not as strong, and forces such as coughing, sneezing and laughing can cause urine to leak. Usually this fluid will have a typical odor and won’t continuously leak.

When a woman’s water breaks, the fluid is typically thin or watery, clear to yellow, sometimes green or blood tinged, and without odor. It will continue to leak, sometimes every time the woman moves or bears down. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish from other sources of leakage. The important thing to know is that any suspicious of ruptured membranes in pregnancy has to be evaluated by a medical professional. This is not something that can wait until the next day or the next OB visit, it should be checked within a few hours.

At the hospital, the nurses or OBs can do a simple speculum exam and a lab test to determine if the water is broken. Sometimes an ultrasound is done to see if the amniotic fluid level is low. If the water is broken, it is time to have a baby, usually by induction of labor. If ruptured membranes are ruled out, a woman can go home to await her baby’s arrival with peace of mind.

My gyn just told me I have antibodies to Herpes in my blood. What does this mean??

January 24, 2012 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

There are few things that alarm patients more that hearing that they have antibodies to herpes in their blood. What they hear is “I have herpes” even though this isn’t always the case. Many times, tests for herpes antibodies are included in STD panels and in routine blood work for newly pregnant woman. These tests look for evidence of prior exposure to either the Herpes I or Herpes II virus. A positive result can occur if a person has ever been exposed to these viruses. Exposure could happen by coming into contact with the virus through oral or genital contact, even by a kiss from someone with a cold sore.

While Herpes I is usually oral and Herpes II usually genital- either can be found in the other location. Someone who has either herpes virus can be contagious without even having a lesion and pass along the virus unknowingly. Alternatively, a person can have be exposed to the virus and develop antibodies without ever having an outbreak. Just because the antibodies are in the bloodstream does not mean that an outbreak will ever occur. These antibodies can lay dormant for years or even decades. Most of the time, if one partner in an ongoing relationship has antibodies to Herpes, the other person does too. This can be verified with blood work.

In conclusion, the presence of Herpes antibodies on a blood test does not mean that an outbreak of Herpes will ever occur. However, in times of physical or emotional stress, or when the immune system is suppressed (like during pregnancy), there is a higher risk of an outbreak. For this reason, we use preventative antiviral medicines to prevent Herpes outbreaks at the end of pregnancy. More information regarding the Herpes viruses and their diagnosis and treatment can be found at my Mesa Ob/gyn office.

Fetal movements during pregnancy: how do I know if my baby is normal?

January 23, 2012 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

Mesa Gynecologist Dr. Tamar Gottfried discusses one of the most memorable days of a pregnancy. This is the day that a mother first feels her baby move. Typically this occurs at about 21 weeks for a first time mom and as early as 15 weeks for an experienced mom. The fetus actually starts moving earlier than this, in the first trimester, but the early movements are so small and the uterine muscle so thick that these early movements are difficult to feel. The first fetal movments feel like intestinal gas bubbles or the fluttering of butterfly wings and are only felt by the mother-to-be. As the fetus grows larger and the uterine muscle thins out, both parents can start to feel the kicks, hits and somersaults of the developing baby. Early movements can be inconsistent and irregular, but, by the start of the third trimester at 28 weeks, regular daily movements should be noted.

As the third trimester progresses, mothers may notice that the fetus becomes less active. Sometimes they are simply noting the waking/sleeping cycles of the baby. Like babies once they are born, fetuses tend to be lulled to sleep by the movements of their mothers when they are active, and wake when their mothers are resting. An average fetus after 28 weeks should have at least 2 active periods a day- defined by 10 or more movements in an hour. Keeping track of these movements is called Kick Counting. We don’t expect to see this much movement every hour; just at least twice a day. While babies do move less dramatically (less turns and twists) as the end of pregnancy approaches, they should still have a good number of kicks, hits and taps.

What does it mean if a fetus is not moving at least 10 times in any hour? It may mean nothing or it may mean that the mother is dehydrated and needs to drink, or eat or that she is active and needs to rest and concentrate on counting fetal movements. However, if a mom has eaten or drank and relaxed and still can’t count 10 movements, it may mean that the placenta is no longer performing adequately. Decreased fetal movement can indicate a lack of fluid around the baby limiting movement or a placenta that isn’t working well enough to provide nutrition to the baby. For this reason, decreased fetal movement should prompt an immediate visit to the Ob office or to the maternity ward at the hospital for a nonstress test and ultrasound. Delay can have disastrous consequences. This is not something that can wait until the next morning to be evaluated.

In conclusion, fetal movement is a reassurance that a baby is doing well on the inside. A decrease in movement may indicate a problem and should be addressed right away. For more information regarding fetal kick counts or fetal movement charting, you can call our Mesa ob/gyn office.

My uterus has been invaded by fibroid tumors! What am I to do?

January 22, 2012 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

Uterine fibroid tumors are a very common finding on pelvic ultrasound or pelvic exam and tend to cause women to worry unnecessarily. As many as one in 5 women have fibroids, and most will never cause any disruption in a woman’s health. Most commonly, a woman will have an annual exam and an ultrasound will be ordered because her uterus is felt to be enlarged or for another reason such as abnormal bleeding or pelvic pain, and fibroids will be one of the findings on the ultrasound. Fibroids can range in size from very small (grape sized) to very large (grapefruit sized) and can be solitary or numerous. Whether or not something needs to be done about them depends on factors such as size, number, location and symptoms.

What are the symptoms of fibroids? They can vary immensely. Most women with small or few fibroids may have no symptoms at all. These fibroids can be monitored periodically with ultrasound to check for growth. Fibroids that are asymptomatic and not growing rapidly can be left alone because they will shrink after menopause. Other fibroids can cause symptoms such as heavy bleeding, pain, pressure on the bladder or rectum, increased abdominal size, and difficulty becoming pregnant or carrying a pregnancy.

Treatments for fibroids vary based on symptoms. Some menstrual bleeding abnormalities can be managed with medications, even when fibroids are involved. There are nonsurgical solutions for fibroids such as uterine artery embolization or MRI guided ultrasound treatment- these procedures block the blood supply to the uterus or fibroids and shrink the tumors. They should not be used if future childbearing is desired.

Fibroids in the uterine lining can be removed with outpatient hysteroscopic surgery or can be treated during a uterine ablation procedure. Larger fibroids in the muscle of the uterus can be removed with a surgery called a myomectomy, if a woman desires future childbearing. Alternatively, a hysterectomy can be done if a woman is done having children. Either of these surgeries can be done open or laparoscopically. While there is no medicine available that can eliminate fibroids, a drug called Lupron is often used prior to fibroid surgeries to shrink the tumors.

In conclusion, a diagnosis of fibroid tumors usually does not mean disruption to a woman’s life or health. Many fibroids live quietly in the uterus and never cause symptoms. Luckily, if and when fibroids become symptomatic, there are a number of nonsurgical and surgical treatments to treat them. Further information about fibroid tumors can be found at my Mesa Ob/gyn office.

My doctor just told me I have HPV! I have been monogamous for years- What do I do with my husband?

December 14, 2011 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

This statement above is not an unusual one when a woman is diagnosed with a Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection for the first time. The easy answer to the question is to relax and stop considering harm to a spouse: HPV does not mean that a partner has been unfaithful. It can live in a person harmlessly for years, even decades in some cases.

HPV is a virus that is responsible for abnormal paps and precancers of the cervix, as well as cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and even anal cancers. There are many forms of HPV- low risk strains may cause warts, but don’t cause the more dangerous lesions. High risk strains can cause precancerous cells to develop and grow, but can also live silently in a person for years. In past years, HPV was only found when someone had an abnormal Pap smear. Recently, due to advances in the technology used to detect HPV, high risk HPV screening is done at the time of Pap smear in most women over 30 years of age. Because of this, and to the surprise of many women, asymptomatic infections are found at the time of routine annual exams.

HPV infection is very common in both men and women- perhaps one out of every four women has been infected with a high risk HPV strain. This is why there is such a push to vaccinate teenagers before the onset of sexual activity. While teenagers and women in their 20s are more likely to come into contact with HPV, become infected, and then clear the virus through the work of their immune systems, older women are less likely to clear the virus. For this reason, it can live in someone, but go to hibernation, only to emerge at a later time. While women may not be able to permanently get rid of HPV (there is no treatment for the HPV itself, only its effects when they occur), HPV can go silent again once it has emerged. Most people do not stay HPV+ for extended periods of time.

So what does being positive for high risk HPV mean? It means that a woman has come into contact with HPV through sexual activity at some point in her life, perhaps years prior, and is now showing up on a Pap. Having HPV does not equal having cancer or even precancer, it just means that a woman needs to be monitored more closely by her gynecologist until the HPV clears. Any woman who has more questions about HPV should contact our Mesa Ob Gyn office.

Do I get an ultrasound in my third trimester? The function of ultrasound in late pregnancy.

December 13, 2011 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

For many expectant parents, the first comment after seeing their baby onscreen in a detailed ultrasound for the first time is, “when do I get to SEE my baby again?”. This is a natural question- after all, ultrasound is a wonderful way for parents and family to get to know and bond with a baby before the Birth day. However, ultrasound is a medical procedure and has limited use in the last few weeks of pregnancy.

Most women who have gotten prenatal care from an early stage of pregnancy get to see their babies at least once in the first trimester for a dating ultrasound and again for a genetic screening for down’s syndrome, if needed. In the second trimester of pregnancy, ultrasound is used to look at at the anatomy of the baby, make sure all the parts are there and functioning, and to look at the placenta, umbilical cord, and blood flow to the uterus. From a medical perspective, it is this ultrasound that really determines if the fetus is developing normally.

In the third trimester, ultrasound can be used to look at the health and functioning of the placenta and umbilical cord and to evaluate the baby’s growth. Unfortunately, the accuracy of ultrasound at predicting a baby’s weight diminishes later in the pregnancy so that an ultrasound can over or underestimate the weight by a pound. Late pregnancy ultrasound is essential for high risk pregnancies with conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high or low amniotic fluid, and some twins. For most low risk pregnancies, ultrasound is mostly needed at the end if a baby is suspected of growing too much or not enough or if the baby isn’t moving as much as usual.

In conclusion, ultrasound is a vital and exciting tool during pregnancy. While it is most helpful at providing information about a fetus early in pregnancy, it can also be useful in selected pregnancies during the third trimester. Because there is no guarantee that ultrasound will be needed later in pregnancy, it is best to really enjoy and savor the second trimester ultrasound and to make sure and grab some good shots to start the baby album. We offer both early and late ultrasound in our Mesa ob gyn office.

I watch what I eat and exercise regularly- why am I not losing weight?

November 23, 2011 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

Chandler Obgyn Tamar Gottfried discusses weight management over the holidays:

As we prepare to enter the holiday season, many people are focusing on simple weight managment- i.e. not gaining weight between November and January. However, there are those already on weight loss journeys, wondering how to achieve their goals. As I speak to patients in my office about nutrition and exercise a common question arises: Why am I not losing weight?

Although there a million different diet and exercise plans out there, the simple fact remains that in order to lose weight, a person has to burn more calories than she ingests. The most effective nutrition plans advise food journaling ( which means writing down every morsel eaten and weighing and measuring ingredients and portions for accuracy) and calorie restriction. Some people eat the right kinds of food, but eat too much of them due to misjudging portion sizes. While calories, as well as proportions of fat, carbs and protein, do have to be watched in order to have weight loss success, the total number of calories cannot be too high or too low. Many people who are trying to lose weight eat too little or too infrequently during the day. Then their bodies think they are in a starvation mode and hold on to every calorie. That is how someone can eat very little and still not drop weight.

There are many people who exercise daily and become frustrated when the scale doesn’t budge. Again, it is the calories in, calories out idea that can affect weight loss. It has been found that people who exercise regularly may also burn less total calories in the rest of their day, being more sedentary as a reward for having “worked out”. If a person works out and then sits at a desk all day and comes home to sit in front of a computer or a TV, the total calories burned for the day may be low. Additionally, if a person is ravenously hungry after a workout and ends up eating more than usual at the next meal or snack, this will affect the total calories in for the day.

Unfortunately, there is no easy weight loss solution- magic pills aren’t so magic, the success of the HCG diet involves continuing to follow a low calorie diet, and exercise requires a daily commitment to personal challenge. However, in the simplest terms, burning more calories a day through exercise and incorporating calorie burning activities throughout the day, than calories taken in through eating, will eventually result in weight loss success. Luckily there are many more specific tools and plans like Weight Watchers, and the Body Bugg to help people achieve their goals.

As an Chandler Ob gyn physician who has personal experience with weight issues and lifestyle changes, I have a particular interest in helping women address their diet and exercise challenges. Contact my Mesa office for more information.

Do I really need to have a menstrual period? Info on the art of menstrual manipulation.

November 14, 2011 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

Gilbert Obgyn Tamar Gottfried discusses menstrual manipulation;

Although the monthly menstrual period is essential to the reproductive process, it can easily become a burden for women not interested in becoming pregnant. Many women ages 12-55 experience problems with their periods ranging from too far apart to too often to too heavy to too long. This raises a common question: If I’m not trying to become pregnant or if I’m done having babies, do I really need to have a period?

From puberty to menopause, the monthly period bleed is a means to shed the lining of uterus that builds up each month and, in the absence of a pregnancy, is not needed. While an average cycle is every 4 weeks, the range can be from every 3 weeks to every 8. Some women have very infrequent periods and wonder if this is healthy. In women that are not on some kind of hormonal manipulation (the pill, the shot, the IUD), it is important to bleed at least every 3 months. Without some kind of shedding of the uterine lining, the lining can build up and cause pre-cancerous changes. Some women don’t have periods because they are very skinny or are athletes with low body fat percentages. They are at risk from having low estrogen levels and can develop problems such as weak bones. Therefore, in women who are naturally not having regular periods (especially those with polycystic ovaries or are over or underweight), it is best to start some kind of hormonal medication to bring on a regular or more frequent period.

For women who have medical problems associated with their periods (menstrual migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, anemia, horrible cramps, etc) or for women that would prefer not to menstruate, there are ways to safely minimize or skip the period. The birth control pill was originally designed with a placebo or sugar-pill week so that women on the pill would have a monthly bleed and know that they weren’t pregnant. However, there is no medical need for this monthly bleed on the pill or on other methods of hormonal therapy. Therefore, women who want to skip a period can skip the sugar pills in their pill pack each month. Alternatively, they can use a medication like Depo Provera or the Mirena IUD to minimize monthly bleeding.

Women who have seen or heard ads in the media for “stop the flow” often inquire about surgical means for avoiding periods. While a hysterectomy will definitely stop bleeding, it is not necessary for most women. Endometrial ablation, such as the Thermachoice procedure, is an in-office surgical procedure that can minimize and sometimes eliminate monthly bleeding. However, it is designed to lighten bleeding and cramps for women with extremely heavy and/or painful periods, not to eliminate them for women with normal flow. Complete absence of periods after this procedure can never be promised. It is a wonderful, minimally invasive option for improving periods in women who suffer with their cycles each month.

In conclusion, periods are a necessary event for women not on medication, but can definitely be controlled or eliminated temporarily by medical or surgical means. To further discuss menstrual control or the in office Thermachoice procedure, contact my Mesa Ob Gyn office for a consult.

I’m not sick, I’m pregnant! Why should I deliver in a hospital?

November 13, 2011 by Dr. Tamar K. Gottfried Leave a Comment

Chandler Obgyn Tamar Gottfried discusses why you should deliver your baby in a hospital;

In past centuries, most of the babies in this country were born at home with midwives. Infant and maternal deaths were not an uncommon occurrence. Over the years, more and more births were done in hospitals by physicians, and labor and delivery became a medical event. The availability of safe cesarean delivery, antibiotics, epidurals and advanced neonatal care improved the safety of the labor and delivery process for moms and babies.

In more recent decades, there has been another shift in opinion to a care model that allows moms to have the safety of hospital delivery with some of the comforts of home. Long gone are the routine shaving and enemas and episiotomies of the past. Now, hospital based labor and delivery units can offer bedroom-like rooms, wireless fetal monitors, birthing balls and squat bars and nursing support and encouragement for a natural delivery with the safety of operating rooms and neonatal teams minutes away for the rare emergencies that happen.

While the majority of labors are uneventful and proceed without incident, emergencies can occur without warning. A perfectly normal labor and delivery for an experienced mom can turn scary in minutes if the placenta stops working suddenly, a baby’s shoulder gets stuck, a baby doesn’t breathe at delivery or if bleeding doesn’t stop after the baby is born. While some women are classified as “high risk” during the pregnancies and these types of problems are anticipated, obstetric emergencies can happen to anyone. For this reason, hospital delivery brings a level of comfort and security for expectant parents.

Home birth has been around since the dawn of humanity and, under the care of experienced midwives, continues to be an option for low risk women. As my colleague puts it- if you ride on the freeway at 100 mph on a motorcycle without a helmet, you may make it to your destination, but you are taking a risk. It is the same with home birth- it can be safe, but when unexpected events occur, transfer to a hospital is a necessity and the time it takes to get there can critical for mom and baby.

In the instances when emergencies develop, I am always happy to be practicing in the safety of a hospital like Banner Desert Medical Center, with a a level 3 Neonatal ICU, a full children’s hospital, and 24 hour neonatologist on site , with advanced techniques to stop maternal bleeding available, with 3 operating rooms staffed and ready to go, with high risk pregnancy consultants and ultrasound right there, and with anesthesiologists assigned 24/7 to the maternity ward. My patients who choose to have a more natural, unmedicated delivery can do so in a safe and supportive environment. That is why, as an Ob Gyn in Mesa, I recommend hospital delivery for my patients.