Maternity : Education : Meadows Regional Medical Center

Patient Education

PLAN NOW FOR A HEALTHY BABY
So you’ve picked out the colors for the nursery and have some favorite names, but you’re not even pregnant yet? Perfect.

One of the most important things you can do for your baby is to start planning before you’re pregnant. That means more than just picking out names. It means making an appointment to see your doctor for pre-pregnancy planning.

“Your diet, level of exercise and overall health before pregnancy can have a dramatic effect on you and your child,” says obstetrician H. M. Suber, MD. “Through pre-pregnancy planning we can reduce the risk of birth defects and other problems during pregnancy.”

Are you taking your folic acid?
Did you know that taking folic acid before you’re pregnant and throughout your first trimester can help prevent up to 70 percent of certain neurological birth defects? And it’s easy to get the folic acid you and your baby will need. “Many of today’s multivitamins include folic acid,” says Dr. Suber. “Folic acid is also found in a lot of everyday foods such as citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, fortified bread products, beans and nuts.”

The key, however, is to start taking your folic acid before you
become pregnant.

Pregnancy is no time to diet.
Dieting during pregnancy can deprive your baby of much needed nutrients. So if you tend to be a little overweight, you may want to lose a little weight now, before you’re pregnant. Maintaining a healthy weight before pregnancy can lead to a healthier pregnancy.

“Remember that if you’re trying to get pregnant, you may not know for the first four weeks. And those first few weeks are a critical time in your child’s development. So diet first, then begin trying to get pregnant,” says Dr. Suber.

Get moving towards a healthy baby. “If you don’t already exercise on a regular schedule, you may want to start before you become pregnant. Keeping your body fit throughout pregnancy can help make your pregnancy easier and your baby healthier. “Try walking or bicycling,” says Dr. Suber. “These forms of exercise can be continued throughout pregnancy and that’s most important. Don’t overstress your body, but find ways to get regular exercise to enhance your overall health.”

Have a pre-pregnancy checkup.
“Having a pre-pregnancy checkup is one of the smartest things you can do for your baby, “ says Dr. Suber, “Especially if you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions or kidney problems.”

Your physician will check your overall health and give you tips about what you can do to have a healthy pregnancy for both you and your baby. Most importantly, you’ll want to talk to your physician about any and all medications you take, from prescriptions to over-the-counter cold medicines.

“Many medications should not be taken during pregnancy,” says Dr. Suber. “Your doctor may change your prescriptions to minimize their effect on you and your baby.”

Also, if you have not been vaccinated for German measles or chicken pox, your doctor will recommend that you have that done at least three months prior to getting pregnant. Chicken pox, German measles and their vaccines can have an adverse effect on your pregnancy, so it’s important to be vaccinated well in advance.

Consider attending a genetic counseling session.
If you have any family history of genetic disease such as Down syndrome or sickle cell anemia, Dr. Suber recommends that you consider genetic counseling prior to your pregnancy.

During this discussion, your counselor will review a detailed family history to help you and your doctor to assess the risk of your child being born with an inherited condition.

Plan now for a healthy baby.
If you’re thinking about having a child, call your doctor for a pre-pregnancy planning session. What you learn can help prevent serious birth defects and make for a healthier pregnancy and a healthier new baby.

For more information on pre-pregnancy planning, call Meadows Regional Medical Center at 912.537.8921.

What NOT To Do
There are many things you can do before you’re pregnant to improve the health of your baby. But here are a few things you should not do.

Don’t drink alcohol. Drinking alcohol, especially during the time before you realize you’re pregnant can cause birth defects, including fetal alcohol syndrome. Abstaining from alcohol while you’re trying to get pregnant is good for you and your baby.

Don’t smoke. Smoking increases your baby’s risk for a low birth weight and several other conditions. If you smoke, you’ll want to stop well before you’re pregnant to reduce your baby’s risk for low birth weight.

Limit your exposure to raw foods and cat litter. The bad news is that you have to cut out those sushi dinners. The good news is that cleaning the litter box has just become your husband’s job. This will lower your risk for toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that can have devastating effects during pregnancy.

THE SOONER YOU KNOW
According to the Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Public Health, breast cancer is the most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in Georgia women. Every year in our state, more than 5,000 new cases are diagnosed and more than 1,000 lives are lost.

Your best advantage is to detect breast cancer early. “An earlier diagnosis is definitely better for the patient,” explains registered X-ray technologist and mammographer China Arline. “The earlier cancer is found, the sooner we can begin treatment.”

Mammography at Meadows
Meadows Regional utilizes the most advanced mammography technology available: digital mammography. This delivers the best possible quality, comfort and convenience. It’s faster, more comfortable and captures better images than older methods of mammography.

“Digital mammography provides a much better image, especially for younger women,” explains Arline. “Younger women tend to have very dense breasts and with the digital image’s higher contrast, we actually can see much better inside the breast.”

As opposed to film-based mammography, which requires several minutes to develop, digital images appear within two or three seconds of exposure. “I immediately can see if I need to take a new picture or not. If the image is clear, the patient can be on her way much sooner,” says Arline.

Additionally, the digital images are immediately stored in the medical center’s picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Radiologists can immediately see the images from any computer, enabling them to analyze the images and deliver a diagnosis, speeding follow-up care.

Mammography also is more comfortable. “We try to be as gentle as possible while getting the best possible image,” Arline says. “We also place a soft pad on the machine to make it softer and not as cold.”

Are you due for a mammogram? Talk to your doctor, or call for an appointment today. To learn more about Meadows Regional’s digital mammography, call 912-538-5805.

Scheduling a Screening Is Simple.
For a routine mammogram, simply call us at 912-538-5804. We can set up your appointment over the phone. It’s that easy.

If you’re experiencing breast pain, feel a lump or have other trouble, see your physician before scheduling a mammogram. If you don’t have a regular physician, we’ll be happy to refer you to one.