Information displayed on this page are of a general nature and may not be specific to your individual circumstances. You should seek medical advice and support from a trained doctor when making a health related decision.
Scroll down to take a look at answers from some of our most frequently asked questions!
Pregnancy
FAQs
HOW MANY C-SECTIONS CAN YOU HAVE? IS THERE A LIMIT? DO THE RISKS INCREASE OR STAY THE SAME?
There is insufficient data on which to recommend “safe” number of repeat Caesarean sections. However, studies have shown that the risk of complications increases with increased number of Caesarean sections. Most complications relate to placental issues and adhesions. Placental issues include placenta praevia (low lying placenta) and placenta accreta (placenta implanted and adherent to uterine scar). These placental disorders increase the risk of haemorrhage, blood transfusion and hysterectomy. The degree of adhesion formation varies between different women and is unpredictable, however adhesion formation increases with each abdominal operation, including Caesarians. Adhesions can make surgical procedure more difficult and increase the risk of surgical complications such as bladder and bowel injury and excessive blood loss. Having said this, most women do not experience major complications if they have two or three Caesarean Sections.
IN GENERAL, WHAT ARE THE FOODS TO AVOID? SO MUCH INFO, NOT SURE WHAT’S TRUE!
In general, it is best to eat freshly prepared foods. Don’t let foods to cool for too long on the bench, refrigerate as soon as they stopped steaming. Eat leftovers within 24 hours and reheat to steaming hot. Avoid uncooked and undercooked meat.
Seafood (including smoked seafood), fish, eggs. Avoid pate, cold cooked chicken, precooked prawns, deli foods such as ham and salami, sushi, soft cheese, soft serve ice cream, unpasteurised dairy products. These foods can be eaten if they have been cooked to steaming hot.
Avoid coleslaws, salads, fruit salads unless they have been freshly prepared. Wash all raw fruits, vegetables, salad greens.
Limit liver to no more than 50gm per week as it contains high doses of Vitamin A. Limit fish high in Mercury eg shark (flake), marlin, broadbill, swordfish, orange roughy (deep sea perch), catfish. Limit caffeine intake. Avoid drinking alcohol.
WHEN IS IT USUAL FOR PERIODS TO RETURN POST-PARTUM WHILE BREASTFEEDING?
ANSWER BY DR LEAH XU
There is a lot of individual variation with this. If you are exclusively breastfeeding, then periods may take months to return. At one end of the spectrum, it may be 12-18 months before the periods return despite the toddler no longer being exclusively breastfed at that point. Yet at the other end of spectrum, small numbers of women can get their periods back by 6 weeks postpartum, despite exclusively breastfeeding. However, in general you can expect a few months of being bleed free if fully breastfeeding.
COULD YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT AMNIOCENTESIS PLEASE? WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
ANSWER BY DR ROBIN THURMAN
An amniocentesis is an invasive procedure (ultrasound guided needle into the fluid around the baby) used to get more information usually about genetic or infectious risks.
Overall it is a safe procedure (only 1:200 – 1:1000 procedures have a problem) but because there are risks, these need to be balanced by the benefits. Risks include bleeding, infection, breaking of waters, preterm labour or pregnancy loss. Your Doctor should be able to clarify the risks particular to your situation.
HOW CAN STRESS LEVEL IMPACT CONCEIVING?
ANSWER BY DR LEAH XU
Stress is one of those things that is extremely difficult to quantify and qualify. We know infertility or sub-fertility can cause stress, but we still don’t know exactly the effects of stress on fertility. Stress can certainly make one’s menstrual cycles more irregular, and that in turn can affect fertility. I always say that “there is no point stressing about stress”, and instead we should address the issues that are causing us stress. Not all causes can be resolved quickly, plus it is a fact of life that we will encounter various stressors along the way, so it is important for us to come up with strategies to manage our stress level. This may mean making lifestyle changes, slowing down, or practicing mindfulness/yoga/meditation to achieve better work/life balance and focus on the positive aspects of our lives. Seeing a counsellor or psychologist may be useful in this situation.
WHEN IS THE LATEST YOU CAN TRAVEL OVERSEAS WHEN PREGNANT?
ANSWER BY DR ROBIN THURMAN
Most airlines allow you to travel overseas while pregnant up until 34 weeks. This applies to singleton uncomplicated pregnancies and you will need a letter from your Doctor to confirm this. Other considerations I mentioned earlier apply, such as travel insurance, local diseases and emergency plans.
ARE THERE ANY SPORTS THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED DURING PREGNANCY?
ANSWER BY LAURA WIECZORSKI
Contact sport should be avoided during pregnancy from as early as you find out! Impact sports involving running/jumping etc should be avoided from 20 weeks onwards and ideally the intensity and duration should be slowly reduced up until this point.
CAN WE COLOUR HAIR WHEN PREGNANT?
It is generally believed that hair dye is safe in pregnancy, although research on this topic is limited. The common recommendations are:
- Deferring hair dyeing until past 1st trimester
- Wear gloves if you choose to DIY, and leave dye in the hair for the shortest amount of recommended time then rinse the scalp thoroughly
- Avoid applying hair dye directly to the scalp. The use of highlights would be very safe as the hair dye is applied to the hair shaft, so that there is NO absorption of any chemical through your scalp
- Consult your hairdresser about using a dye that is low in ammonia and chemicals
WHEN DOES BLOATING STOP, IF AT ALL?
If at all, bloating is common in early pregnancy and tends to improve in the second trimester. It is caused by hormonal changes in early pregnancy can be associated with nausea and constipation. It helps to do some gentle exercise such as walking each day and to avoid constipation by drinking enough water (1-2 litRes per day) and having fibre in your diet (fresh fruit with skins, wholegrain cereals, seeds and raw vegetables).
ARE THERE ANY VEGAN PRENATAL VITAMINS OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN RECOMMEND?
ANSWER BY DR NATALIA KHOMKO
Vegan Prenatal Vitamins
- Eagle Tresos Natal – over the counter/online, high Choline, 1/day
- Orthoplex White Pure Natal – Practitioner only, some Choline, 1/ day
- Naturobest Prenatal – over the counter/online, high Choline, can help to reduce nausea. 2/ day
- Biomedica Natal Care – Practitioner only. low dose Choline. Mav cause nausea in some women. 2/ day
Vegetarian Prenatal Vitamins
- Zycia Natal Nutrients – over the counter/online, high Choline, 1/ day
Choline is an important nutrient for baby’s brain development. It can be difficult to get adequate amounts from vegan diet alone so a supplement is helpful.
Important to buy Vegan Supplements from reputable Australian brands as Australia has strict testing guidelines for supplements. There could be potential safety issues with overseas online brands.
HOW MUCH WEIGHT SHOULD I GAIN DURING PREGNANCY?
ANSWER BY DR ROBIN THURMAN
Healthy weight gain in pregnancy is important to reduce risks of complications like gestational diabetes. An average is about 11-16kg total. The exact amount varies for each woman and the range depends on your pre-pregnancy weight and height (BMI), whether you are carrying twins or a singleton and if you have other specific medical issues. A great resource is from The Women’s
IS MY OBSTETRICIAN GOING TO BE AT MY DELIVERY?
ANSWER BY DR ROBIN THURMAN
With private care, your baby will always be delivered by a fully qualified Obstetrician.
However, no one can be available all day, every day of the year. Therefore Obstetricians will need to have cover arrangements in case of illness, planned leave or for regular rest, for safety.
Here at O&GCG we have an on call roster including all 5 female Obstetricians to ensure a well rested, experienced Obstetrician from our practice is always available to care for you.
You will meed all ur Obstetricians during your pregnancy care.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM NOT COVERED FOR PRIVATE BY THE TIME OF DELIVERY?
ANSWER BY DR ROBIN THURMAN
Your private health insurance has a waiting period (usually 12 months) before you will be covered for obstetric care within a hospital. If you have not finished your waiting period by the time of delivery then you will need to pay the hospital admission and delivery costs out of pocket. You can contact us on 9329 6668 to find out more about these costs. Shared care with a private obstetrician may be another option to consider.
IS IT SAFE TO TAKE ELEVIT PRE PREGNANCY?
ANSWER BY DR ROBIN THURMAN
Elevit pre-conception and pregnancy multivitamin is specifically aimed at women trying to conceive and throughout pregnancy. It contains both of the recommended supplements: folic acid and iodine. It is safe to take and is particularly useful if your diet is inadequate in other areas.
