24 wonder women
The HEALTH | JUNE, 2018
24 wonder women
Babies born to diabetic mothers weigh more
THE National Morbidity Survey in 2015 showed a prevalence of diabetes at 17.5 per cent in adults more than 18 years old. There was an increasing trend in prevalence with age, from 5.5 per cent in the 18 to 19 years age group, reaching a peak of 39.1 per cent among the 70 to 74 years age group. The prevalence was higher in females at 18.3 per cent compared with males at 16.7 per cent. This pattern of increasing prevalence has been a concern especially to young women in the reproductive age.
According to the Ministry of Health director general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus from selected public tertiary hospitals was reported to range around eight to nine per cent based on the National Obstetric Registry Report of 2011 to 2012 with Indians having a higher prevalence than other ethnic groups.
He pointed out that in both years, approximately 16 per cent babies were born to diabetic mothers weighed four kilograms and more.
“ There was a two-fold increase in macrosomia in babies of diabetes patients compared with those of non-diabetes. This could have contributed to the increased caesarean section rates,” he said.
Five benefits of swimming during pregnancy
Swimming is considered one of the best form of exercises in pregnancy
ANTAI Hospital Kuala
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Lumpur Obstetrician & Gynaecologist consultant Dr Premitha Damodaran explained that swimming for expectant mothers gives a full body workout and is low impact.
“ It builds strength and endurance and improves muscle tone all gearing
“ As water is also very relaxing, the weightlessness that comes in with zero gravity allows a pregnant woman to feel light and free and this ensures relaxation of body and mind.” – Dr Premitha Damodaran
Swimming during pregnancy helps ease back aches and muscle cramps.
up in a positive direction for labour. It also improves the heart, breathing and oxygen utilisation,” she said.
There is no gravity whilst in water and this wonderful feeling makes a pregnant lady move much better in water. This enables her to exercise more muscles and more parts of her body which she is unable to whilst not in water as she has numerous aches and pains.
“ As water is also very relaxing, the weightlessness that comes in with zero gravity allows a pregnant woman to feel light and free and this ensures relaxation of body and mind,” she said.
Pregnancy causes changes in the shoulders and spine due to the expanding uterus and forward shifting of the lower back. Swimming helps ease this strain by the weightlessness of water easing back aches and muscle cramps.
In addition to this, it helps maintain the weight of the pregnant mother as it is a good form of exercise, gives better sleep and helps with nausea one may experience with pregnancy.
However, Premitha said mothers need to exercise precaution that they do not dive although any form of strokes is fine. In addition to this, she reminds them not to swim in overheated water and to hydrate after a swim in warm water.
Women with cystic fibrosis and reproduction
CYSTIC FIBROSIS DNA TEST
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PRESCRIPTIVE LAUGHTER
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CYSTIC fibrosis( CF) is an inherited disorder that affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices. Thus, secretions become sticky and thick and block plug tubes, ducts and passageways especially in the lungs and pancreas.
Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur Obstetrician & Gynaecologist consultant Dr Premitha Damodaran explained that because of this thicker secretion, women with CF may find it a little more difficult to get pregnant. The thicker mucus makes it harder for sperm to successfully penetrate as it travels up the uterus to the tube for fertilisation. Despite this many CF patients get pregnant successfully.
“ Poor nutrition and health may affect their ovulation again making it difficult to get pregnant. Thus, many patients with CF may opt for fertility treatment or carry out specialised IVF procedures such as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis( PGD) to take away the risk of CF in their
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children,” she said.
Once pregnant, a woman with CF can have a healthy pregnancy. However, the complications she can experience are:
• Lung complications: breathlessness and infection with an increased need for medication such as bronchodilators and antibiotics.
• Gestational diabetes which can happen during pregnancy due to the pancreatic insufficiency. This may involve further medication and insulin.
• High blood pressure is common.
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• Nutritional deficiency is common in CF women which becomes more pronounced when pregnant. She would need essential vitamins and supplements.
• Premature delivery: this can happen due to baby having growth restriction problems and need for delivery, high blood pressure and diabetes again necessitating delivery and even deterioration of mother’ s health leading to early delivery.
• Other complications such as constipation and recurrent fungal infection.
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