View a printable version of this blog post here. Why do my periods hurt so much? During your period, your uterus makes chemicals called “prostaglandins”. Prostaglandins cause contractions of the uterus, which causes pain. These contractions are similar to the ones that happen during childbirth and can be very painful. They may begin 1-2 days […]
My fourth child, a beautiful sweet baby girl, Lyra Noelle, was placed into our arms last October. I was so relieved labor was over, yet one look in her tiny face told me something was different from my other children. “Down Syndrome” were the two words not yet spoken by anyone in the delivery room, […]
During National Women’s Health Week, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some health care topics to help patients improve their overall health and live a healthy lifestyle. #1 – Annual Exams We cannot highlight enough the importance of the screening annual exam. During this visit, your physical as well as emotional well-being is assessed. […]
Today more than ever, women have a wide variety of non-surgical contraceptive options for preventing pregnancy. Research tells us that the most effective methods in preventing pregnancy are long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), which includes 5 types of intra uterine devices (IUDs) and the contraceptive implant (Nexplanon). Benefits of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) LARCs are better […]
As an Ob-Gyn, among the most devastating news I can share with my patient is that they are experiencing a miscarriage or stillbirth. What is a miscarriage? A miscarriage is any pregnancy loss that occurs during the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy, which is around the 5th month. Even though there is some awareness […]
In the United States, 80% or more of pregnancies among adolescents age 15 to 19 years are unintended. National surveys report that ⅓ of high school students are sexually active and only ⅓ of those reported use effective contraception. Barriers to Seeking Contraception Potential barriers might include concerns about confidentiality or cost as well as […]
The goal of contraception is to prevent unintended pregnancy. The unintended pregnancy rate in the United States is nearly 50%. Fortunately, this number has decreased over recent years, in part due to increased access to contraception. Our goal is to decrease it even more. In fact, it is one of the goals of Healthy People […]
Many women have heard the word “pre-eclampsia,” but what exactly does it mean? What is Pre-eclampsia? Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder that can occur during or immediately after pregnancy. Many women with pre-eclampsia do not have any symptoms. Consequences of Pre-Eclampsia If left untreated, pre-eclampsia can lead to liver or kidney dysfunction and even […]
Pregnant with tummy troubles? Let us explain changes to your gastrointestinal system in pregnancy, and what you can do to feel better! Battling Constipation Progesterone, a pregnancy hormone, slows down the GI tract, which can have many unpleasant side effects. Bloating and constipation are two frequent side effects of this. Pressure from the pregnant uterus […]
Fragile newborns need the best possible nutrition to grow and develop into healthy infants. A mother’s breast milk is best, but many times critically ill and premature babies can’t breastfeed, and their mothers are frequently unable to pump enough milk for them. Dr. Jonathan Seigel is a neonatologist and medical director of WakeMed Mother’s Milk Bank. According to […]
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