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Harriet Sharkey. Need to Know Fertility, Conception and Pregnancy
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. Conception
The menstrual cycle
Ovulation. must know
did you know?
Time of ovulation
The optimum time of fertility
It’s time to conceive
Stopping using contraception
must know
did you know?
Using your body temperature to predict ovulation
Consistency of vaginal mucous
Ovulation prediction kit
Frequency of intercourse
Sperm production
The sperm’s journey
did you know?
Conception
Egg meets sperm
Genetic make-up and conception
Sexual position and conception
Age and conception
2. A healthy pregnancy
Your pre-pregnancy health
Take care of yourself
Your diet
Your weight
Smoking. did you know?
Be aware of your surroundings
Your diet
must know
A balanced diet
Fruit and vegetables
Protein
Calcium
Carbohydrates
Fibre
Fluid
Reducing fat intake
Reducing sugar intake
Reducing salt intake
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin A
must know
must know
Iron
must know
Folic acid
watch out!
The importance of folic acid
Spina bifida and hydrocephalus
Folic acid from supplements
must know
Folic acid from food
Foods to avoid
watch out!
Processed food
must know
Fish
Vegetarian and vegan diets
The quantity of food
Dieting
Alcohol and caffeine
Alcohol consumption before pregnancy
must know
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy
did you know?
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Coffee consumption before pregnancy
Coffee consumption during pregnancy
must know
Smoking and drugs
The effects of smoking. watch out!
The effects of taking drugs. must know
Things to avoid
Rubella. must know
Toxoplasma
Your weight
Potential problems associated with weight
Appropriate weight before pregnancy
Body shape
must know
Pregnancy risks for the overweight mother
Additional tests for overweight pregnant women
Labour and delivery risks
must know
Losing weight before pregnancy
must know
Weight gain during pregnancy. did you know?
Exercise during pregnancy
Exercise is good
Beginning to take exercise. watch out!
Exercise to avoid
Jogging
When exercise is best avoided
Using a sauna or hot tub after exercise. watch out!
Pelvic floor exercises
Raising the pelvic floor
Avoiding back strain
3. Fertility problems and treatment
Conception difficulties
Potential reasons for conception difficulties
What is ‘infertility’?
must know
must know
The main fertility problems in women
Lack of egg production
Fallopian tube blockage
must know
Endometriosis
The lining of the womb
Thickened or hostile mucous
The main fertility problems in men
Seeking help
Consulting your doctor
Initial investigations. did you know?
did you know?
More specialized assessments
Assessing ovulation
Assessing sperm problems
did you know?
Assessing the function of the fallopian tubes
Fertility treatments
Treating a disturbance in ovulation
Correcting an excess of prolactin
Ovulation induction through medication. must know
watch out!
Hormone injections
Ovarian drilling
Treating a low sperm count
Treating blocked fallopian tubes. must know
Reversing sterilization
must know
Treating unexplained infertility
4. Assisted conception
Assisted conception clinics
did you know?
Where to go
Clinic success rates
did you know?
Clinic location
The costs
did you know?
The risk of twins
Special features that clinics might provide
A clinic’s assessment of your circumstances
Obtaining NHS treatment
Counselling. did you know?
About in vitro fertilization (IVF)
must know
How IVF works
Collecting the eggs
watch out!
must know
Fertilizing the eggs
Transferring the embryos
did you know?
When IVF is used
Natural cycle IVF
did you know?
Testing for genetic disorders
How PGD works
Preimplantation genetic screening
Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
How IUI works
Inserting the sperm
When IUI is used
must know. IUI success rates
Other techniques
must know. ICSI success rates
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
When ICSI is used
Health concerns
Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) must know. GIFT success rates
When GIFT is used
Donor sperm and eggs
How sperm and egg donation works. must know. Frequency of sperm use
How egg insemination works. must know. Insemination success rates
When donor sperm and eggs are used
Deciding to use the treatment
Choosing a sperm donor. must know. Donor screening
Sperm donor anonymity
Choosing an egg donor. did you know? The legal mother
Embryo donation
Surrogacy
How surrogacy works
Deciding to use surrogacy
did you know? Scottish law
Finding a surrogate
5. You’re pregnant!
Finding out you’re pregnant
Establishing pregnancy
Performing a pregnancy test
must know. Doing a pregnancy test
Emotional changes
Morning sickness
What is morning sickness? did you know? The baby’s health
Hyperemesis gravidarum
must know. Minimizing morning sickness
Treating hyperemesis gravidarum
must know. Changing palette
Your changing body
Your breasts
Tiredness
Passing urine frequently. did you know? Thrush
Vaginal discharge
Skin changes
did you know? Greasy skin
Bleeding gums and dental decay
Estimated date of delivery
Calculating when your baby is due
must know. Ultrasound and delivery dates
A long or short menstrual cycle. did you know? Calculating EDD
Your developing baby
Ultrasound scans. must know. Measuring time
Abnormalities
must know. Embryo vs fetus
The placenta
The umbilical cord
The amniotic fluid
Antenatal visits
The importance of regular checks
The aims of antenatal care
Healthcare professionals
The first visit
did you know? Make a list
must know. Urine specimens
Subsequent antenatal visits
Antenatal tests
Urine checks
Urinary tract infection
Blood pressure checks. did you know? Measuring blood pressure
Blood tests
Blood groups and rhesus disease
must know. Safety precautions
Internal examination
Ultrasound scans
Twins. must know. Twin complications
Screening for abnormalities
Determining an abnormality
Feelings on diagnosis of an abnormality
Screening tests
must know. Nuchal scan accuracy
Nuchal translucency scan
Double or triple blood test
must know. Down’s syndrome
Diagnostic tests
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
Amniocentesis
Ultrasound scan
did you know? Screening and diagnosis
6. Facing problems
Complications caused by pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancy
Why ectopic pregnancies occur
must know. Future fertility
Diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy
did you know? Early detection
Treating an ectopic pregnancy
Miscarriage
must know. Causes of bleeding in early pregnancy
The known causes of miscarriage
Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy
Treating miscarriage
must know. The chances of infection
Evacuation of the uterus (D&C)
Potential miscarriage complications
Emotions following a miscarriage
Further pregnancies
must know. Successful pregnancies
Recurring miscarriages
must know. Other potential complications
Pre-eclampsia
did you know? Pre-eclampsia is more likely if you:
When pre-eclampsia might occur
Treating pre-eclampsia
Pre-existing medical problems
did you know? Pre-existing medical condition
Asthma
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy. watch out!
Diabetes
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
watch out!
Inheriting diabetes
Epilepsy
watch out!
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy. watch out!
Heart disease
High blood pressure. must know. Safe medication
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
Inflammatory bowel disease
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
Migraine
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
Rheumatoid arthritis
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
Sickle-cell anaemia
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
Systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE) did you know? Connective tissue disease
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
Thyroid problems
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
did you know?
Venous thrombosis
watch out!
What happens in pregnancy
Treatment in pregnancy
Want to know more?
List of Search Terms
Contents
1. Being pregnant
So you’re pregnant
A good start in life
Your baby
You
must know
Gifts for life
Birth
Here comes dad
Change for the better?
What you can do
Relationships
You and your partner
Pregnant without a partner
You and your baby
Hopes and reality
Your expectations
Positive planning
Managing your time
must know
Money and work
The stress factor
The ABC
Food focus
good to know
Eating for health
Feeling up to it?
Energy food and the sugar trap
good to know
Vegetarian and vegan diets
Supplementing safely
Eating for health. Good for you
Food to avoid
must know
Drinking for health
Alcohol
Get shopping
good to know
Get planting
Weight in pregnancy
Step by step
Recommended overall weight gain
Calculating your BMI
What contributes?
Too much?
good to know
Too little?
Your feelings
Exercise and relax
watch out!
Exercise for love and comfort
Aerobic and anaerobic exercise
Antenatal stretches
After birth
Chilling out
Drugs
Yoga
good to know
Work: your entitlements
Sit down for your rights
Maternity leave
Statutory maternity pay (SMP)
good to know
Additional maternity leave
Paternity leave
Standing up for your rights
Sex
good to know
Intimacy
He wants sex but I don’t
I want sex but he doesn’t
After the birth
must know
Planning ahead
Bare essentials
For your baby: clothes
For your baby: equipment
must know
good to know
Day to day
For you after birth
For you and your partner
Optional extras
Cleaning products
People power
2. Healthcare
Medical care
Your GP
Your midwives
must know
Your obstetrician
Your paediatrician
Other medical carers
Complementary therapies
Why choose complementary therapies?
watch out!
Which therapy for you?
Complementary therapies and their benefits
Acupuncture
Aromatherapy
Counselling/psychotherapy
Doulas
Homeopathy
Massage
Osteopathy
Visualization
Antenatal classes and groups
must know
Community groups
Antenatal exercise classes
Antenatal testing and screening
Routine monitoring
Standard tests
To know or not to know?
Antenatal tests
Screening tests
Diagnostic tests
must know
What does a positive screening test result mean?
Rhesus factor
good to know
Down’s syndrome
False positives, false negatives
Special care
What is a high-risk pregnancy?
Monitoring
Emotional support
Labour and birth
Where do you want to give birth?
Safe and sound
At home?
In hospital? good to know
Midwifery and GP units
Consultant-led units
Home vs hospital: advantages and disadvantages. Home
Hospital
Will it go according to plan?
3. Week by week
Weeks 1–2
good to know
How your baby grows
Weeks 3–4
watch out!
Week 5
How you may feel
Your baby
Week 6
good to know
Acupressure to relieve nausea
Week 7
must know
Is sex safe?
Week 8
good to know
Week 9
good to know
Twins
Week 10
Week 11
must know
Dad
Week 12
good to know
Know your hormones
Love hormones
Prolactin
Oxytocin
Endorphins
Oestrogen
good to know
Progesterone
Stress hormones
Week 13
Be kind to yourself
The placenta
good to know
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Week 17
must know
Week 18
must know
Posture
Week 19
good to know
Week 20
must know
Music
Week 21
Week 22
Welcoming the spirit
Week 23
good to know
Week 24
Week 25
good to know
Feeling blue
Week 26
Visualization
good to know
Relaxing
Birth preparation
Lessons in life
Developing: on cue and in situ
Emotional intelligence
Week 27
Week 28
Week 29
Week 30
Week 31
Inverted or flat nipples
Stem cells
Week 32
Week 33
Do
Don’t
Week 34
good to know
IQ and EQ
Week 35
good to know
Premature rupture of the membranes (prom)
Week 36
Week 37
Week 38
must know
If your baby is in breech position
Week 39
good to know
Check the movements
Week 40
Week 41 plus
Why induce?
must know
Induction – your options. Non-medical techniques
Medical techniques
4. Labour and birth
Preparing for labour
must know
How to prepare
Arrange for someone to be with you
Feel your fear
Get in the know
Your baby’s debut
Your birth plan
must know
Team work
A birth plan. Labour
Birth
In the first few days
Signs of labour
must know
Contractions
Breaking waters
A show
Other signs
Pre-labour
Positions for labour
Follow your instincts
Try to avoid lying on your back
Pain and pain relief in labour
good to know
Natural fear, natural coping
Self-help
To boost your comfort and enhance labour
Birth partner tips
Water
Safety in water
When to use the pool
When not to use the pool
Midwife-led pain relief
Gas and air or ‘entonox’ (inhaling nitrous oxide)
Intradermal water injections or intracutaneous sterile water blocks
Local anaesthetic
Opioids and tranquillizers
Consultant-led care
Epidural
watch out!
Pudendal block
Spinal block
Monitoring in labour
Foetal heart monitoring
What if the reading is low?
Hand-held monitors
Cardiotocograph (CTG)
Internal monitoring
Monitoring: pros and cons
Stage one: opening your cervix
The latent and active phases
Contractions
The first stage
Transition (5 minutes to 2 hours)
must know
To push or not to push?
Slow progress?
Assisting labour. Complementary care
Breaking your waters (amniotomy or ARM)
Augmentation with oxytocin
Stage two: your baby is born
The power of birth
Birth
The first breath
First contact
Your baby’s arrival
If you need help
Cutting the cord
must know
Stage three: greeting your baby and placenta
Hello, baby
How does it feel?
After labour
must know
Extra help for labour and birth
good to know
Normal, natural and assisted birth
Why might intervention be needed?
Assisting birth. Episiotomy
Ventouse
Forceps
How might you feel after intervention?
How might your baby feel?
Caesarean birth
Elective caesarean
Emergency caesarean
must know
The procedure
Emotions of a caesarean
Afterwards with your baby. watch out!
Recovery
The next pregnancy: another caesarean?
After birth: you and your baby
must know
Is this normal?
Your real baby
After the birth: what happens to you
watch out! Concerning signs for your baby
Signs that you need extra attention
5. The early days
Settling in
must know
Dancing together
Baby, baby
Mirror, mirror
Bonding
If the ride gets rocky
Now what do we do?
Contact
Warmth
watch out!
Nappies
Nappy rash
must know
Guarding against nappy rash
Baths
Play
Feeding your baby
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding basics
good to know
When to feed
watch out!
Common problems
When to stop breastfeeding
The emotions of breastfeeding
Bottle feeding
Bottles from birth
Practicalities
must know
Mixing breast and bottle
Crying: what is your baby telling you?
Tuning in
Why your baby might cry
watch out!
Leaving her to cry
Sleep
Comfort
watch out!
Family sleeping
The red-eye life
Sleepy time
Into the future
One day at a time
6. A-Z of health concerns
Abdominal pain
Amniotic fluid: too much (polyhydramnios)
Amniotic fluid: too little (oligohydramnios)
Anaemia
Anxiety and stress
Back pain
Bleeding in pregnancy
Blood pressure: high (hypertension) and pre-eclampsia
Blood pressure: low (hypotension)
Breast pain
Candida (thrush)
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Cervical incompetence
Chicken pox
Chlamydia
Cholestasis
Congenital abnormalities
Constipation
Depression
Diabetes
Diarrhoea
Down’s syndrome
Ectopic pregnancy
Fibroids
Fits and epilepsy
Headaches
Herpes
HIV
Incontinence
Indigestion and heartburn
Intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR)
Itching and rashes
Large babies
Miscarriage
Nausea and vomiting
Osteoporosis
Pain in pregnancy
Pelvic pain (SPD)
Piles (haemorrhoids)
Placenta accreta
Placenta praevia
Placental abruption
Post-traumatic stress
Premature labour and birth
Rubella
Special care
Still birth
Strep B
Swelling (oedema)
Toxoplasmosis
Twins, triplets and more
Vaginal discharge and itching
Vaginal tears
Varicose veins
Vitamin K
Want to know more? Websites
Books
Magazines
List of Search Terms
Acknowledgments
