Why Prenatal Care is Essential

Finding out that you are pregnant is huge news. Whether you were planning a pregnancy or not, being pregnant affects every aspect of your health. No matter what your age or race or socioeconomic status is, every woman needs to understand that prenatal care is an essential aspect of health care.

Prenatal care is the specific medical care given to women while they are pregnant. It should begin shortly after you find out that you are pregnant, and it should continue regularly until you give birth. Many women make the incorrect assumption that if they are healthy before they get pregnant then they will simply have an easy and healthy pregnancy. While good health before becoming pregnant can help set up a healthy pregnancy, it is no guarantee. Many “healthy” women face dire circumstances during pregnancy that pose life-threatening issues to both mom and baby.

At Marietta OB/GYN, we are committed to helping women manage their pregnancies. There are many aspects of prenatal health that are not obvious yet pose a huge impact on pregnancy health. Nutritional health is a big part of a healthy pregnancy. Knowing what to eat and what not to eat is vital information for the development of a healthy baby. Prenatal care also involves monitoring your baby’s growth, which will indicate how your baby is doing inside the womb. Prenatal measurements and ultrasounds give your doctor a thorough picture of how your baby is developing – something that you cannot do on your own.

During prenatal care, your labor and delivery will also be discussed. While all women desire to have a delivery without complications, it is important to understand that plans often need to be adjusted according to the mother’s health and the baby’s development.

All women deserve the most compassionate and informed care throughout their pregnancies. Contact Marietta OB/GYN today to schedule your prenatal care appointment. Our expertise is serving women and their growing babies with specific care. Great prenatal care makes all the difference for you and your baby.

Irregular Periods in Adult Women

No two women are the same, which means that no two women experience the same situation when it comes to menstruation. Yet, there are certain characteristics that are often common complaints among women. Thousands of women go into their OB/GYN’s office and complain about menstrual irregularity. This condition can be problematic in terms of inconvenience, but it can also be an indicator that something a little more serious is going on.

Menorrhagia is defined as a woman’s menstrual period that is excessively heavy, prolonged, or irregular. Symptoms of menorrhagia include having a period that lasts longer than seven days, bleeding so heavily that you need to change your pad or tampon more than once per hour, or having markedly heavy or prolonged periods that disrupt your daily life.

Irregular periods can be caused by a variety of factors:

• Hormonal imbalance: an excess of estrogen and/or progesterone can cause heavy bleeding to occur. Hormonal imbalances are most common in women who are closing in on menopause and girls who are in their first year of menstruating.
• Medications: Certain types of medications can cause heavy bleeding. Some anti-inflammatory drugs, hormone medications, and anticoagulants are linked to excessive menstrual bleeding.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease: this infection of the female reproductive organs can cause irregular periods and excessive bleeding.
• Endometriosis: a painful condition in which uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus. This often causes heavy bleeding during menstrual cycles.
• Growths or cancer: Benign growths in the endometrium (uterine lining) can cause heavy or prolonged periods. Cervical, ovarian, or uterine cancer can all cause heavy bleeding.

If you are experiencing irregular periods, it is important that you have your gynecologist examine you and evaluate your symptoms. Any notable differences in your menstruation are a sign that something has changed within your body. Not all changes are bad or scary, but they should be brought to your doctor’s attention.

At Marietta OB/GYN, we are dedicated to providing the highest level of medical care to our patients. Please call us today to schedule your next appointment.