EXPERT ADVICE

HOW COULD MY BLOOD GROUP AFFECT MY PREGNANCY?

Dr Anuj Chaturvedi, medical director and GP at HealthClic, says: “Pregnant women are always given a blood group test. Essentially, there are four main blood types – A, B, AB and O. However, each can either be RhD positive or RhD negative, which means there are eight main blood groups in total. Mixing blood groups can be life-threatening, so you’ll always receive blood from the same blood group in hospital.

In blood group A, for example, there are anti-B antibodies in the plasma, which would attack the cells in blood group B. While more than eight in 10 people in the UK are RhD positive, if a mother is RhD negative but the child inherits an RhD positive blood group from the father, it could cause complications if not treated in a timely manner.

It’s important to identify at-risk pregnancies early on, so women are usually screened during early pregnancy and again at 28 weeks, regardless of RhD status. If a woman is RhD negative, then there’s a few considerations, such as partner testing, and potential steps that will need to be taken. Anti-D prophylaxis may be administered – which can actually be given to an RhD negative mother following birth to protect future pregnancies, too. Depending on your initial screening results, you may be referred to a specialist clinic for further investigation and detailed antenatal management.

It’s best to have a clear plan in place for your pregnancy – from the planning stages through to labour and beyond – as each individual will have a completely di erent circumstance. But there’s no need to worry, if your tests are organised by an experienced professional, you’ll be able to enjoy all the best bits of this special time and relax!”

I’M FOUR MONTHS PREGNANT AND HAVE REALLY BEEN OVERINDULGING THE LAST FEW MONTHS. WHAT FOODS SHOULD I MAKE SURE I’M GETTING IN MY DIET NOW?

Melanie Lawson, founder of Bare Biology, says: “Eat more fat. After months of indulgence, the first thing you might be tempted to do is cut back on it, but don’t. Fat – the good kind – is crucial for your wellbeing and the development of your baby’s brain and eyes. At the top of the list is omega 3 DHA. It makes up 20 per cent of your baby’s brain, helps to prevent postnatal depression and lowers the risk of infant allergies. Include DHA in your diet by eating oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and anchovies. It’s also important to take supplements alongside that – just be sure they are independently certified, pure and fresh. The UK government recommends eating two portions of fish per week while pregnant. Unfortunately, this doesn’t provide anywhere near the amount of DHA needed to protect the mother’s mental health and support baby’s neurological growth. That’s why supplementation is critical.

Flaxseeds, walnuts and hemp seeds are great sources of healthy fats, too. Not only do they contain some omega 3s, they’re high in fibre. This may help to ease bloating and keep bowels regular. The more fibre you can include in your diet, the more energetic you’ll feel.

Aim for at least two cups of salad or veggies with each meal and add avocados, pumpkin seeds or almonds. This is a great way to provide you with vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and iron. Nuts and seeds are also high in protein – essential for baby’s growth, too.”

GOOD FATS ARE CRUCIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR BABY’S BRAIN AND EYES

WHAT IS A FETAL WELLBEING ULTRASOUND AND SHOULD I HAVE ONE?

Dr Aris Papageorghiou, professor of fetal medicine and obstetrics and consultant at Ultrasound Diagnostic Services, says: “Currently all women in the UK are o ered two ultrasound scans during pregnancy: at 12 weeks and again at 20 weeks. In addition, some women are o ered an extra scan in late pregnancy, for example, 28 or 36 weeks. This is called a fetal wellbeing scan and is also known as a late pregnancy or third trimester scan. Usually this is done due to some risk factor, for example, a maternal condition such as pre-eclampsia or diabetes; a suspected problem with the baby’s growth on examination; or a previous pregnancy complication such as stillbirth. In many countries the scan is done routinely and some doctors believe that this should be o ered to all women.

The main purpose of the late pregnancy scan is to identify those babies that show signs of poor growth or poor placental function. O ering such a scan to all women roughly triples the chances of picking up babies with growth problems; it’s also thought to detect babies at risk of stillbirth. In theory, this should reduce the risks to these babies as they can be monitored more closely and, if necessary, delivered earlier. However, at present, it is not known whether o ering such a scan to all women improves outcomes, and there are ongoing studies to assess this.

The scan aims to assess fetal growth and development. This is done by looking at the position and movements of the baby; measuring the size of the baby’s body parts (the head, abdomen and thigh bone length); estimating the fetal weight, based on these measurements; assessing the amount of amniotic fluid; measuring the blood flow from the baby to the placenta (through the umbilical cord) and within the baby; and checking the position of the placenta and its appearance.”

CAMPAIGN SOURCES: PREGNANCY SICKNESS SUPPORT; NATIONAL CHARITY PARTNERSHIP; APTA CLUB; TOMMY’S ALWAYS ASK

Expertadvice

Our healthcare professionals answer your burning pregnancy questions

I’M 25 WEEKS PREGNANT, BUT MY BABY DOESN’T SEEM TO BE MOVING A LOT. IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG?

Angela Spencer, childcare expert and founder of Babyopathy, says: “It’s more important to pay attention to your baby’s own routine, rather than an average amount of movement you’re often told to expect. Every baby is di erent. It’s essential that you start to recognise your baby’s own specific patterns of movement rather than comparing to others.

In general, you start to feel movement from around 17 weeks. By 24 weeks the baby begins to have more definitive movements, and by 28 weeks there should be a discernible routine of movement and non-movement. It’s this unique pattern that you should be aware of, and take note of any significant changes, too.

Your baby may keep relatively still most of the day, but then become very active at night time, or vice versa. Make sure that you keep track of this and write down any changes you’ve noticed. If your baby appears to be moving as much as they normally would, just be conscious of how these movements are building in strength. Try to stay as relaxed as possible, as stress can have a number of e ects on your unborn baby’s routine, development and wellbeing. If you have any concerns, speak to your GP or midwife.”

Other questions I want to ask my midwife…

DID YOU KNOW?

OF EXPECTANT MUMS WEAR THE WRONG-SIZED BRA

ONE THIRD OF MOTHERS ARE CONFUSED ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY SHOULD EAT DURING PREGNANCY

60% OF PREGNANT WOMEN WORRY THEY ARE WASTING THEIR MIDWIVES’ TIME BY RAISING HEALTH CONCERNS

34% STOPPED EATING CERTAIN FOODS DURING PREGNANCY BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T KNOW WHETHER THEY WERE SAFE OR NOT

OF WOMEN PLAN THE BIRTH BEFORE THEY ARE EVEN PREGNANT