Pregnancy
Congratulations on your pregnancy! The doctors and staff at Advocare Premier OB/GYN of South Jersey understand that this is a very special time for you and your family. Our goal is to help you feel comfortable and empowered during the exciting months ahead. Following are a listing of resources on ours and various other websites, where you may find reliable information about your pregnancy.
Your First Visit
We will review your medical and pregnancy history, and guide you in steps to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Find general information about routine pregnancy tests you can expect during your early visit at http://www.acog.org/publications/faq/faq133.pdf.
Advanced Maternal Age
Although an increasing number of women are becoming pregnant after the age of 35, this is still considered to be "Advanced Maternal Age" (AMA). While most AMA pregnancies are completely normal, we will discuss this "high risk" condition with you, as well as additional tests that you may wish to consider. You may wish to review the ACOG's helpful patient information section at www.acog.org/publications/faq/faq060.cfm.
Amniocentesis & Chorionic Villi Sampling
These procedures, usually performed by a perinatology specialist in the hospital, are designed to recover fetal cells that can be used to diagnose chromosomal abnormalities early in a pregnancy. This link contains helpful information about amniocentesis and chorionic villi sampling, including reasons to test, procedures, and some of the associated risks of testing.
Ashkenazi Jewish Descent Genetic Screening Options
Most insurance companies cover carrier testing for cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, Canavan disease and familial dysautonomia to individuals of Ashkenazi descent. There are several other disorders that are more common in Ashkenazi Jews, including Bloom syndrome, Fanconi anemia, Gaucher diseases, Niemann-Pick, and more.
For more information please visit http://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Health/genetics.html
Exercise
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise per day on most, if not all, days of the week. See the following links for more information on exercise during pregnancy:
ACOG - http://www.acog.org/publications/faq/faq119.cfm.
FamilyDoctor.org www.familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/pregnancy-newborns/your-body/exercise-during-pregnancy-what-you-can-do-for-a-healthy-pregnancy.html.
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Fish
Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. However, some fish and shellfish contain high levels of mercury that can harm an unborn baby's developing nervous system. In 2004 the EPA published a consumer advisory regarding mercury in fish and shellfish. Read it at: http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/fishshellfish/outreach/advice_index.cfm. .
Flu Shots
Both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the CDC recommend flu shots for pregnant women. See the following links for more information:
Influenza - http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-flu.pdf.
H1N1 - http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/pregnancy/.
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Genetic Screening (1)
We offer our patients "sequential screening," a two-part, pre-natal screening test that assesses your baby's risk of having certain birth defects, such as Downs Syndrome, Trisomy 18, and Neural Tube Defects (such as Spina Bifida). When used correctly, these tests are very good at detecting patients with pregnancies affected by these disorders. For more information about the "sequential screen", see this helpful link to Genzyme, a leader in genetic testing services, or see the Virtua website for a short video by one of their high risk OB specialists.
Genetic Screening (2)
Depending on you and your partner's medical and family history, there are many other genetic tests that can be ordered for you, although not all tests may be covered by your insurance company. See www.mytestingoptions.com for good information about other testing available, such as testing for Cystic Fibrosis, Tay Sachs, Fragile X, and other serious conditions.
Group B Strep
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the CDC recommend screening for Group B Strep (GBS) at about 35-36 weeks of pregnancy, even if you are planning to have a C-section. About 20% of women will test positive for GBS, and will be treated with antibiotics during their labor. Read more about the CDC recommendation at http://www.cdc.gov/groupbstrep/about/index.html.
HIV Testing
New Jersey law now requires HIV testing in the third trimester. We will test you for HIV during your initial pregnancy testing, and then again along with your routine blood work at around 28 weeks. Learn more at http://www.actagainstaids.org/provider/ottl/index.html.
Hospitals
The doctors at Advocare Premier OB/GYN of South Jersey deliver babies at Virtua Voorhees Hospital and Kennedy Hospital in Washington Township. Both hospitals provide excellent services and care to our patients. These hospitals are equipped with state-of-the-art LDR (Labor/Delivery/Recovery) rooms, and both offer perinatology (high risk OB doctors) and neonatology (newborn intensive care) services if needed. Both also have 24-hour anesthesiology so you don't have to wait for an epidural! View the following links for more information about the services available through Virtua and Kennedy hospitals. Virtua Voorhees Hospital (www.virtua.org) - main hospital website, prenatal classes, pre-registration, Virtua L&D FAQ's, general information. Kennedy Hospital (www.kennedyhealth.org) - main hospital website, tours, classes, Weekly Parenting Newsletter, Kennedy L&D FAQ's, or general information.
Medications in Pregnancy
We recommend avoiding any unnecessary medications during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. However, a time may arise when it becomes necessary to take over the counter medications. If you need to take a medication for common symptoms, such as a cold or heartburn, see our recommended list of options included in our New Pregnancy folder, provided in your first prenatal visit. For other medications, or for questions about exposures to chemicals during pregnancy, consider visiting the "Pregnancy Healthline." (http://www.snjpc.org/programs/healthline.html) Also visit the OTIS website (http://www.otispregnancy.org/) for safety information about commonly used medications.
Nutrition
Pregnant women need to increase their calorie intake by about 300 calories per day. You should consume a balanced diet that includes foods from the major food groups. To ensure adequate calcium intake, pregnant women should consume at least 4-5 servings of dairy products per day.
Pregnancy Calculator
Although you will be given a "due date," most infants are not born on this exact date. Use Genzyme's pregnancy calculator to estimate your due date.
Prenatal Testing
For general information about routine pregnancy tests you can expect during your early visits, review patient information from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Tobacco Cessation
Smoking can cause multiple complications in pregnancy, including an increased risk of preterm birth, placental abruption, placenta previa, and low birth weight for your baby. To help protect your health and the health of your pregnancy, we recommend you stop smoking. Visit the following links to assist you in quitting:
Mom's Quit Connection - http://www.snjpc.org/mqc/
CDC Tobacco Use and Pregnancy - http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/tobaccoUsePregnancy/index.htm