When you need to see a Gynaecologist
If you have:
- Pain during periods (before, during & after)
- Pain during Intercourse
- Lower abdominal pain
- Heavy bleeding during periods
- Prolonged Periods
- Irregular periods
- Bleeding in between periods or after intercourse
- Any vaginal bleeding or discharge after Menopause
- Abdominal swelling and bloated feeling
- Feeling tired / Giddiness
- Any vaginal discharge at any age (white, watery, blood stained, foul smelling, itchy)
- Vulval itching , pain and growth or mass
- Urinary symptoms (↑ frequency of urine, pain while passing urine, any difficulty in passing urine, not able to hold urine & any leakage of urine while coughing)
- If your periods delayed for more than one week see Gynaecologist and check urine pregnancy test
- Once Positive
- You need to have basic blood and dating scan to locate site of the pregnancy sac and number of pregnancy sacs.
- Then you need to have NT scan at 11 to 13 weeks (to screen for downsyndrome) and along with first trimester screening blood test.
- You should start taking folic acid for first three months. It is better to start folic acid three months before becoming pregnant to prevent neural tube defects for your baby.
- Then you need a scan (anomaly scan) at 18 to 20 weeks to find out any anomaly for your baby.
- You need to have GCT (Sugar Test) at 24 to 28 weeks to find out whether you are at the risk of delivering sugar in this pregnancy.
- Your CBC should be checked 24 to 28 weeks and again at 36 weeks to find out your count is normal.
- Further scan will be decided by the Doctor depending on the problem.
- All pregnant women should have monthly check upto 28 weeks, then once in two weeks till 36 weeks and then once in a week till delivery.
- In each visit it important to check your urine for any protein & sugar, weight, BP and baby’s growth and heart beat.
- If everything is normal you can wait for 1 to 2 weeks after your due date with proper monitoring of the baby.
You need to do antenatal exercises to increase the rate of normal delivery.
With proper dietary advice/regular antenatal exercises/regular antenatal checkups you can have a safe and fruitful pregnancy, delivery and post natal period.