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MMedical edical Professionals Professionals Medical P rofessionals
You’re Pregnant!!! Any Questions?
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Is Your Cycle Normal?
Submitted by Salvatore Carfagno, DO, FACOO Well, now you Submitted by Salvatore Carfagno,are DO, FACOOG pregnant, with that positive Life is filled with surprises! sign there, your mind Your period should not beis filled one with millions of these surprises. of questions. But that is ok; Heavy Menstrual Cycles your health care In this edition, I will be discussing the issue of heavy provider will be menstrual cycles. For most women, their menstrual more than happy cycle occurs about once every 28 to 30 Theany period todays. answer may last three to seven days. The flowquestions is described thatas moderate. Menses start somewhere around eleven to you may have. fourteen years old. This monthly gift They will continue until really have fifty-one. heard most of Unscheduled Bleeding them before. Bleeding outside of your normal cycle day or heavy scheduled cycles consideredasked abnormal. Here are the mostarefrequently questions by the Unscheduled bleeding is vaginal bleeding at times new mom’s who come into our office. other is than menses. Thisdo may be patterned What theyour first normal thing that I should when I see that or totally irregular in nature. This can be spotting to positive pregnancy test? period like in flow. If the flow is excessive, it may result The best thing to do is to call and schedule your first in anemia (low hemoglobin). appointment with your OB/Gyn. Setting up your first Heavyappointment Cyclic Bleeding prenatal quickly insures that you will be Heavythe cyclic oldand heavy periods) is getting carebleeding you need(plain for you your baby. On whenfirst a woman periods heavy your visit tohas ourregular office you will with be given theflow timeand possibly duration with moremight bleeding to ask all longer of the questions that you havedays. withThis may be associated with cramps or re-enforce pelvic pain.the Pain may patience and reassurance. We will become severe enough all andofor bleeding profuse enough importance of keeping your appointments with to change what you do on a daily basis. To be more us. specific, painanticipated and/or bleeding can of keep a woman from What is the schedule prenatal visits? herFor doing normal, everyday activities. Women a lowher risk, normal progressing pregnancy youmay becomeanticipate fearful toaleave their home, as theyasworry about should visit schedule typically follows: bleeding4-28: through in public. This canweeks) force a *Weeks One clothing visit per month (every four *Weeks visits perkid month woman28-36: to loseTwo work time, time, husband time etc. *Weeks visit per The cost36-delivery: of sanitaryOne products andweek replacement clothing Some women a chronic may also play awith role in how thismedical affects condition a person. or a “high risk” pregnancy should anticipate more frequent Evaluating Heavy Periods visits as directed thebeprovider, these additional visits In this article, Ibywill concentrating on heavy periods or menses. The evaluation of this problem starts with a
will help to better monitor both mom and baby. Keeping your prenatal appointments is the primary thing that you can do to help insure an uneventful detailed history. The history can provide pregnancy and delivery. direction for selecting diagnostic testing. What are some of the things that will happen at my It can sometimes be difficult for a woman first prenatal care visit? to keep an accurate record of her period. I Your first prenatal visit in our office will consist find it helpful to use a menstrual diary. The primarily of getting to know you and your partner, this patient is given a copy of this and asked to will include getting as much of your family medical complete and return to the office with it. history as you can provide. A complete physical Initial lab testing includes complete blood including a pelvic exam will be performed by the count, thyroid hormone and a pregnancy provider. Vaginal cultures to insure no evidence of test. An ultrasound of the pelvis will enable infection is present will always be done. Your questions a noninvasive way to view the uterus and will be answered; you will be given a prescription for ovaries. If one is over the age of thirty-five, a prenatal vitamins as well as orders for a complete tissue biopsy of the endometrium or a D&C prenatal blood panel and an obstetrical ultrasound. We may be needed. The pathological report will realize that the most important question you have is, exclude diseases such as endometrial cancer or “when will I have my baby.” An estimated date of hyperplasia. If testing revels a diagnosis of benign heavy delivery (EDD) will be given to you. The excitement menses (hypermenorrhea) then a treatment plan can be and the countdown to this wonderful time now begins. made. What are some important things that I should know Medical and Surgical Treatment Options about my pregnancy? Treatment shall be separated medicalisand One of theoptions most important things tointo remember to surgical categories. Both options are designed to control keep all of your scheduled prenatal appointments. cycle duration and flow. Most Monitoring your well being andcommonly, the growthbirth and control well medications are used. Combined oral contraceptives are being of your baby on a regular routine basis is the best easy to use and provide cycle control. Other way to establish that your pregnancy is progressing contraceptives that can used are vaginalIfring, safely. Do not drink anybeamount ofthe alcohol. you do patch or the depo provera shot. The intrauterine device smoke, now is the time to quit. Illegal drug use can have containing a contraceptive medication is a good a catastrophic outcome for your baby. If these habits are It isyou, placed by let a doctor in an office aalternative. difficulty for please the provider knowsetting so that and provides long-term cycle control. With information and help can be given to you. this alternative, about 30% of users nottake get aduring menstrual Are there any medications that do I can cycle. The other 70% usually have a light spotting type pregnancy that are safe? ofItperiod. The patient has no need to take a pill or is best to assume that no medications should beplace a patch. Surgical optionshowever, can also there be considered. taken during pregnancy; are times when Endometrial ablation is the use of various to you may have no other option. In this casedevices make that destroy the endometrium. These include a balloon with call to our office and we will be sure to have a provider circulating hot water, circulating hot water, cryotherapy give you the best advice for you and your baby. There andcertain electrical current. Ithat use can the balloon device or taken the are medications definitely not be device employing electrical current as my devices of
in the first three months (12 weeks) of pregnancy. It is best to let our providers make these decisions for you. What to do if you are unfortunate in experiencing nausea, vomiting, or hyperemesis? This is probably one of the most prevalent symptoms of early pregnancy. Keep in mind that your body is changing in many ways, your hormones are raging with all of the demands of this new life forming and it is the reason for these symptoms. Although it is called, “morning sickness”, it can last all throughout the day for some women. In most cases it lasts just a few weeks and by your second trimester it subsides and is gone. These symptoms, however to you, do not mean that in choice. Usually thesedistressful types of procedures are performed anything is wrong withsetting. your baby. Some of the bestlasts only an outpatient surgery The procedure itself remedies for the symptoms of morning sickness are to: and several minutes. Post-op course is usually unremarkable l. Eat more meals. short. Return tosmall activities is rapid, with very little down Avoid greasy, orrestricted spicy foods. time.2.Post-op pain is fried usually to menstrual-like 3. Avoid lying down a meal.with non-steroidal cramps. The cramps can beafter controlled 4. Keeping or cereal nearby to snack on medications suchdry as crackers Naproxen. can also help with theseissymptoms. The response to treatment varied and highly In severe cases,Most therepatients are medications that canperiods. be takenThe to individualized. have no further alleviate this distress; we suggest trying amenorrhea rate (no however, periods) approaches 70%. Of those that non-medication first. have a return of therapies their cycle, it most commonly light in flow We realize there will The be many more questions your and/or shortthat in duration. benefit of this type ofassurgical pregnancy progresses. best thing to do is to write them intervention is related The to the lack of medication side effects. down bring them with do youhave on your office visit. Birth and control medications somenext undesirable side Writing themmost down insuresarethat you willlibido not forget your and effects. The notable decreased (sex drive) important questions andreal leave thefor office without all of your weight gain. These are issues most women. answers. We are alwaysCan happy to answer any questions that Advanced Care Help! you may have and all of the staff is very This is a common problem in all ages.educated One doesand nothappy have to take this time with you. Be comfortable in knowing to tolerate this problem. As a Gynecologist, I have very that good iftreatment you have options a question we will ourofbest to getwith yourheavy, answer to help takedocare women asbenign quickly as possible vaginal bleeding. You have positive pregnancy test in yourperiods hand, now If therethe are concerns about your isand the time to pick up the phone and schedule your first how heavy they are, feel free to contact prenatal visit with us.
my office for an evaluation.
We’re With You All The Way We’re With You All The Way Old-Fashioned Care With State-Of-The-Art Technology
Old-Fashioned Care With State-Of-The-Art Technology Quality, Compassionate Healthcare for All Stages of a Woman’s Life Quality, Compassionate Healthcare for All Stages of a Woman’s Life
Courtyard Professional Offices Courtyard Offices NJ 08201 707 White Horse Pike,Professional Suite D4 • Absecon, 707 White609.272.0506 Horse Pike,•Suite D4 • Absecon, NJ 08201 Fax: 609.272.0607 609.272.0506 609.272.0607 Linwood• Fax: Commons Linwood Commons 2106 New Road, Suite D10 • Linwood, NJ 08221 2106 New Road, Suite D10 • Linwood, NJ 08221 609.927.2244 • Fax: 609.927.2242 609.927.2244 • Fax: 609.927.2242 Affliated with: Affliated with: AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center and Shore Medical Center AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center and Shore Medical Center SALVATORE A. CARFAGNO, DO, FACOOG PICTURED: Salvatore A. Carfagno, DO, FACOOG,
Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rachel CNM, MSN withGrencavich, his beautiful family
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March/April 2017 September/October May/June 2021 2017
