Reduce Your Risk of Getting an STI
Reduce your risk of getting an STI Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) is a risk that can be reduced. While the only way to completely prevent STIs is sexual abstinence, many adult women are sexually active, and a healthy sex life is important to many. Our Grapevine and Fort Worth ObGyns want you to know the facts to better protect yourself from STIs. Facts to Help You Reduce Your Risk An STI is spread in several different ways. It’s important to understand how you can get an STI. Most of you know that having vaginal, oral or anal sex without a condom spreads STIs if you or your partner, male or female, has an infection. But to reduce your risk of getting an STI, you need to know that simply touching an infected person’s genitals can spread herpes. In addition women can spread an STI to their baby during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Certain factors increase your risk Having more than one sexual partner or having a partner who has had more than one partner increases your risk, as does having sex with an infected person or a person with a history of STIs. Using intravenous drugs yourself or having a partner who uses them is another risk factor. Sexually active adults can reduce their risk of getting an STI. Our Grapevine and Fort Worth ObGyns offer the following tips to reduce your risk of getting an STI. The best way to reduce your risk is to use a condom every time you have sex – it is the only birth control method that will protect you from STIs. If you are in a monogamous relationship in which you know your partner’s history, it is not necessary to use a condom. Know your partner’s sexual history and get tested for STIs. Limit your sexual partners. Avoid sexual practices that may tear or break your skin. If you are age 26 or younger, get the vaccination that protects you against HPV and hepatitis B. Our Grapevine and Fort Worth ObGyns are always open and available for frank discussions about how to reduce your risk of getting an STI. Contact us today for an appointment. HPV: The Most Common STI HPV or human papillomavirus is the most common STI. Ninety percent of HPV infections clear up naturally within two years, but the remainder do not, and, left untreated and unmonitored, the virus can lead to serious health issues. –Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/sti-estimates-fact-sheet-feb-2013.pdf
Travel during Pregnancy
Planes, trains and automobiles: Travel during pregnancy We live in a busy world, and many women have questions for our Grapevine ObGyns about travel during pregnancy. We’re providing some general information and tips about travel, but every woman’s pregnancy is unique, and she should always consult her physician. General tips for travel during pregnancy Most women who are having a healthy, routine pregnancy can safely travel during pregnancy. Many women find that the ideal time for travel is during the second trimester. For the majority of women, morning sickness, nausea and vomiting have ended, and they are not concerned about pre-term labor or being able to move or sit for long periods comfortably (that happens in the third trimester!). Here are a few general tips for women who are hoping to travel during pregnancy. Try to travel with a companion. Carry a copy of your medications, medical records and your ObGyn’s name and phone number. Don’t forget to pack medications and vitamins in an easily accessible bag. Check into which medical facilities are available at your destination. Talk to your health insurance provider about what your insurance covers when you are away from home. International travel International travel can present different concerns than domestic travel during pregnancy, and you should consult with our Grapevine ObGyns before embarking on your journey. Check to see if there are travel alerts or vaccinations you should be aware of for your destinations. This information is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. Do not travel to an area that is affected by the Zika virus during your pregnancy. Talk to your insurance provider to determine if you need to purchase travel insurance for international health care. Determine if adequate medical care is available if you should need it for travel during pregnancy. Travel by air or car Most trips occur in an airplane or a car. Our Grapevine ObGyns offer these notes for travel during pregnancy. During air or car travel, get out of your seat regularly. Walk and stretch your legs to avoid blood clots. Check with your airline to determine the cut-off date for travel during pregnancy. Always wear your seat belt. Our Grapevine ObGyns are always willing to have a more in-depth conversation and give advice about travel during pregnancy. Contact us for an appointment.
4 Things You Should Know About Breastfeeding
4 Things You Should Know About Breastfeeding Our Southlake and Fort Worth ObGyns recommend that mothers breastfeed their babies during the first six months of life. Breastfeeding has many benefits for both mother and baby. We’ve outlined four things you should know about breastfeeding to highlight the reasons why we recommend it to our patients. [clear] Breastfeeding provides the elements your baby needs for his or her growth and development. Your breast milk is truly special because it contains the perfect amount of minerals, sugar, protein and water that a baby needs for growth and development. It also contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and other fatty acids that researchers believe are important for your baby’s brain and eyes as they develop. The breast milk your body provides through breastfeeding changes as your baby grows. In the days following a baby’s birth, breast milk is a thicker, yellow substance called colostrum. Colostrum provides your baby exactly what he or she needs in the first few days, including antibodies and nutrients. Three to four days after you give birth, the colostrum changes to breast milk that completely covers a baby’s nutritional needs. As your baby’s appetite grows, your body will produce more breast milk to satisfy those needs. Even if you are only able to breastfeed for a short time, it will benefit your baby. Our Southlake and Fort Worth ObGyns encourage moms to breastfeed for the first six months, but we also tell moms that any amount of breastfeeding provides benefits. Breastfeeding is beneficial for moms, too. When you breastfeed, the amount of oxytocin in your body increases, which can help your uterus return to its original pre-pregnancy shape and size. There are other benefits, too. Breastfeeding helps decrease postpartum bleeding. It may reduce your risk for developing breast and ovarian cancer. It burns additional calories. Clearly, breastfeeding is beneficial for both mother and baby. Our Southlake and Fort Worth ObGyns know that you may have questions and concerns, and we’re here to help. We deliver babies at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine, and they offer breastfeeding classes to help moms-to-be prepare. La Leche League is also a good resource. [bsbutton size=”btn-lg” color=”btn-wih” fa=”fa-envelope” url=”https://womensintegratedhealthcare.com/contact/” target=”_parent”]Contact us to learn more about breastfeeding and your baby.[/bsbutton]
Decisions to Make Before Giving Birth
Four important decisions to make before giving birth Our Grapevine and Fort Worth ObGyns encourage women to make a birth plan to ensure that they have the labor, delivery and birthing experience they want. With that in mind, we’re highlighting four important decisions to make before giving birth. What kind of atmosphere will you prefer during labor and delivery? This is one of the first decisions to make before giving birth. It’s important for you to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible during labor and delivery. Think about who you want present during labor and delivery, and what items – music, extra pillows, audiobooks – would make you feel comfortable. It’s important to make decisions about your labor and delivery experience. There are many decisions to make before giving birth. For example, would you like to watch your baby’s birth? Do you want to give birth in a certain position?Do you want your partner to be with you if you need a C section? Do you want to avoid fetal monitoring during labor? You need to discuss the type of pain relief, if any, you think you might want during labor and delivery. It’s time to talk about the kinds of labor and delivery pain relief methods you want before, during and after delivery. You may consider epidural and spinal blocks, local anesthesia during the delivery, or no pain relief methods at all to experience natural childbirth. Finally, when the baby is born, there are decisions about his or her care that you should make before giving birth. Some important decisions to make before giving birth are related to what happens to your baby right after he or she is born. There are several things to think about. Do you want your partner or someone else to cut the umbilical cord? Are you planning on cord blood banking? Would you like for the baby to be laid on your chest immediately after birth? Are you interested in circumcision for your male child? During pregnancy, we know there is a lot to consider. We hope that knowing in advance some important decisions to make before giving birth will help make your experience better for you, your partner and your baby. Contact us for more information about obstetrics care.
