ASK THE (Health) EXPERTS

How is my overdue pregnancy managed?

Your midwife or doctor may offer you a ‘membrane sweep‘ at about 40 weeks to see if this will trigger labour. This involves having a vaginal examination where your midwife or doctor will sweep their finger around the inside of your cervix. This stimulates your cervix to produce hormones that may trigger natural labour. You don’t have to have this procedure — it’s your choice, and you can discuss it with your midwife or doctor.

If your labour doesn’t start naturally after this, your midwife or doctor will suggest a date to have your labour induced. This is when your doctor or midwife uses medicines or other techniques to get your labour to start. If your pregnancy is low risk, induction is usually planned to take place in the first few days after you reach 41 weeks.

Induction is planned in advance, so you’ll be able to discuss the advantages and disadvantages with your doctor or midwife and find out why they think your labour should be induced. It’s your choice whether to have your labour induced or not.

If you reach 42 weeks, you will be advised to give birth in hospital rather than at a birthing centre or at home.

Do I need to use contraception while breastfeeding?

Once you start ovulating, you can get pregnant. This can happen before you have your first period after giving birth. So, if you want to avoid pregnancy while breastfeeding, you should use contraception. There are several safe contraception options you can consider while breastfeeding and make sure to talk with your doctor for advice before resuming sexual activity.

pregnancybirthbaby.org.au

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Plate versus braces in Orthodontic treatment and why?

Orthodontic treatment to correct or prevent simple orthodontic problems prior to eruption of all adult teeth is often done using a removable appliance or ‘plate’. A plate is a plastic appliance with wires and sometimes springs which can be used to move teeth or hold space for unerupted adult teeth while your child’s jaws and teeth are developing. Plates are removable appliances so rely on compliance from your child to wear as instructed.

Braces are fixed appliances used to correct simple or complex orthodontic problems, generally when your child has their full adult dentition. However, they can be used on just some of the adult or baby teeth for a short period of time to correct simple issues as a first phase of treatment.

Plates or braces at an early age are used to treat functional and aesthetic issues with developing bites – using the child’s growth to our advantage. It can sometimes help prevent more complex treatment at a later stage if intervention is early. It may not necessarily prevent the need for comprehensive treatment with braces in their teens, but can make treatment later much simpler and faster.

Tara Burrows

Dip App Sci & Dental Therapy (Latrobe Uni)

Peninsula Orthodontics: 134 Tanti Avenue, Mornington

peninsulaortho.com.au