RUNNING HEAD
HOW COULD MY BLOOD GROUP AFFECT MY PREGNANCY?
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 different 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 30 | The Ultimate Baby Book 2021
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 offered two ultrasound scans during pregnancy: at 12 weeks and again at 20 weeks. In addition, some women are offered 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 offered 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. Offering 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 offering 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.”
SOURCES: PREGNANCY SICKNESS SUPPORT; NATIONAL CHARITY PARTNERSHIP; APTA CLUB; TOMMY’S ALWAYS ASK CAMPAIGN
Dr Anuj Chaturvedi, medical director and GP at HealthClic, says: “Pregnant
