Search Results for: monitor

Some women don’t get to know they are pregnant until a few weeks or even months after conception. It is possible that this bundle of joy will start developing inside you and you won’t know except you’re very familiar with the early signs of pregnancy. Since the time frame between conception and getting to know you’re pregnant is a little wide, an accurate estimation of the conception date becomes difficult.

The conception date is the date your baby was conceived. It can be a little difficult, if not impossible for you to know this date by yourself. This is because you can’t tell when the sperm actually fertilized your egg. In fact, you can have sperms living in your womb for about three to five days following intercourse.

As you continue reading this article you will get to know why it is important to know your conception date, how you can know it, and the accuracy of ultrasound in knowing your conception date.

How early can you know you are pregnant?

You can go for a pregnancy test if you think you have missed your period or you have symptoms related to early pregnancy. The earliest time to take a pregnancy test is two weeks after fertilization has taken place. This is because, at that time, your body is already responding to the hormonal changes associated with pregnancy.

Thankfully, you can conduct a pregnancy test at home using a pregnancy test strip.

Why Is Your Conception Date Important?

There are a couple of reasons why you should know your conception date. Knowing your conception date is important because it helps to calculate your due date. With an accurate conception date, your health care provider can use a mathematical formula to calculate when it’s likely for you to deliver. If you don’t get to know your conception date, only an approximate delivery date will be used based on your last menstrual period (LMP).

You can also read this article to learn how to calculate your conception and baby due dates.

Another important reason why you should know your conception date is that it helps to keep track of your baby’s development. Your baby’s body development in the womb depends on the number of weeks he or she has spent there. Different parts of the body develop at different times. Therefore, knowing your timeline would help you follow the stages of pregnancy and prenatal development.

How can you know your conception date?

There are different methods to know or calculate your conception date. One of them is using your LMP. If you remember your LMP, it is easy to use mathematical formulas to know the range of days conception took place.

Read this post to see the mathematical formula to calculate conception dates.

This method has a number of shortfalls. Firstly, it is not possible to find the actual conception date, as one only gets a range. Secondly, some women don’t remember their LMP. This makes it difficult for the health care provider to estimate their conception date.

Another method to find conception dates is via an ultrasound. It is a medical device that uses sound waves to look inside your body and convert these waves to images.

During an ultrasound, a transducer at the top of your stomach emits sound waves that bounce off on your baby in the womb. The transducer then picks the echoes produced and translates them into the image of your baby and this is what you get to see on the screen.

In addition to being really easy to conduct, ultrasounds are safe for both the mother and the child.

How do ultrasounds determine conception dates?

Ultrasounds can tell how far you’ve gone in pregnancy. This happens by comparing your baby’s growth with standard growth patterns for babies. While in the womb, babies grow really fast and the growth pattern is similar for babies all around the world.

When an ultrasound converts the sound waves to images on the screen, the image that pops up is compared with the available standard growth patterns for babies. The appearance of some organs or parts of the body also tells the possible week your pregnancy might be.

The baby’s size can also be measured alongside certain other distinguishing features since specific parts or organs of the body grow at different rates and at different times. With a careful analysis of all these factors, an accurate estimate of the conception date is gotten.

Are ultrasounds really accurate in knowing your conception date?

Ultrasounds are very accurate in determining the date you actually conceived your baby. It measures the crown to rump length of your baby (i.e. head to buttocks) and this length can be used to estimate how old your baby is in the womb.

This can be traced back or compared with standard patterns to tell your conception date.

How can you get an ultrasound?

Most health care facilities, especially obstetrics and gynecology clinics have ultrasound machines. Some even offer free ultrasound scanning during antenatal clinics. With effective ultrasounds, you can easily track the progress of your pregnancy.

Conclusion

If you think you are pregnant or you recently discovered that you are pregnant, it is good that you get to see a doctor. It is very important to know your conception date as you monitor the progress of your pregnancy. The accuracy of the available methods of estimating the conception date differs.

Nevertheless, with an ultrasound, you’re as sure as you can ever be.

Pregnancy comes with a lot of changes, especially as it relates to your diet. This is because, at this stage, two lives are involved – yours and your baby’s. One of the new options you may be advised to include in your diet and routine is black seed oil. In this article, you’d learn about the uses and effects of black seed oil during pregnancy.

Don’t Stop Reading.

As you would discover in this post, black seed oil has many functions and health benefits. Despite these benefits, there is still the question of whether pregnant women can or should use black seed oil.

Read more on this article to discover what black seed oil is; its uses, benefits, and effects during pregnancy. In addition, there’s a section that contains all the precautions to follow while using black seed oil during pregnancy.

What is black seed oil?

Black seed is a flowering plant and people have used the seed to produce different medicines over the years. Black seed oil is extracted from the black seed plant and can be found in Asia, the Mediterranean, and also Pakistan.

Furthermore, black seed oil can act as an antioxidant because it contains the phytochemical thymoquinone. Antioxidants are substances that protect the body from harmful chemicals known as free radicals.

Sources of black seed oil

Black seed oil exists as an ingredient in certain processed foods. Furthermore, this essential oil can be a spice or food preservative. It can also be purchased as an oil or in powder form.

Alternatively, tea or natural supplements also serve as a reliable source of black seed oil. However, you should be sure to check the labeling of any tea or supplements before purchase to know the actual components used in producing it.

What are the uses of black seed oil?

Extensive research on the health benefit of the black seed oil is relatively limited, especially as it concerns pregnant women.

Nevertheless, some potential benefits have been found from the current studies available. In general, black seed oil has been found to have multiple therapeutic effects including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-histaminic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and immune boosting.

Other benefits include:

• Nasal inflammation: Black seed oil can help reduce nasal symptoms including runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, and itchy nose.

• Rheumatoid arthritis: Research has shown that people with rheumatoid arthritis who use black seed oil have a reduction in their arthritis symptoms, the number of swollen joints and the blood levels of inflammatory markers.

• Obesity: Black seed oil has been found to reduce risk factors in obese people. It helps to reduce weight, waist circumference and level of triglyceride in the body. In combinations with exercise and diet, black seed oil can help to reduce cholesterol level and body mass index.

• Diabetes: Black seed oil has shown some benefits for people with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes. Research has shown that diabetic patients who took black seed in form of oil, seed or tea in addition with their diabetes medications had a decrease in their fasting plasma glucose.

Other uses of black seed oil:

• Acne management
• Breast pain
• Constipation
• Hair and Skin Moisturizing
• Hair growth stimulant

What are the effects of black seed oil during pregnancy?

All drugs have a potential side effect and black sees oil is not an exemption. These side effects may be mild or severe.

If you are pregnant and want to use black seed oil, it is best that you consult with your doctor before doing so. After approval, you can take black seed oil in foods in small amounts. Taking black seed oil in large quantities is unsafe in pregnancy. Excessive consumption of black seed oil can affect the uterus’ ability to contract.

It can also lead to miscarriage in some women.

Some of the other common side effects of black seed oil include:

• Toxicity: Black seed oil contains a substance known as melanthin which when consumed in larger quantity can be poisonous to the body.

• Allergic reaction: Black seed oil when consumed through the mouth can help to relieve allergic reactions. When it is applied directly to the skin in some individuals, it can cause allergic contact dermatitis.
• Risk of bleeding: Black seed oil can slow blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding. Those with any bleeding disorders or blood clotting problems should not take black seed oil.

Precautions to take when using black seed oil

Regulate Consumption

If you are pregnant, don’t consume black seed oil in large amounts by mouth for more than three months. This is because there is not enough information to know if larger amounts of black seed oil are safe when consumed for more than three months.

Avoid consuming large amounts of black seed oil in pregnancy as this can stop the uterus from contracting.

Watch Out For Allergies

When applied directly on the skin, black seed oil can cause allergic reactions. You can try it first with a small area of your body to see if there will be any reaction before applying on a wider area.

Avoid Black Seed Oil While Breastfeeding

While breastfeeding, it is safe to avoid using black seed oil. This is because there is no reliable information to know whether it is safe to use or not.

Don’t Use Black Seed Oil Before Surgery

Avoid black seed oil at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery. This is because black seed oil can interfere with blood clotting thereby increasing the risk of bleeding during the procedure. It can also reduce blood sugar which interferes with blood sugar monitoring. Black seed oil can also increase sleepiness in some people. This disturbs the anesthesia procedure before and after the surgery.

Monitor Your Blood Sugar

Monitor your blood sugar closely if you have diabetes and you are using black seed oil. This is because black seed oil can lower blood glucose levels, leading to hypoglycemia if not properly monitored.

You can discover how to monitor your blood sugar by reading this post on the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

Conclusion

It is important to note that black seed oil is not a replacement for conventional medical care. Irrespective of its many benefits, you shouldn’t use the black seed oil or quit any prescribed medication without consulting your doctor.

Ensure that you seek the advice of your health care professional if you want to start taking black seed oil, especially during pregnancy.

Contraceptives are a great way of controlling birth. This is because they allow time for planning before conception takes place and this helps to prevent unplanned pregnancies. There are different types of contraceptives that perform different functions and can last for different periods of time. However, some of these contraceptive options may come with unusual side effects like bleeding on nexplanon after 1 year or much later.

Therefore, before deciding on a contraceptive method to use, you need to consult your doctor to know which option is best for you and your partner.

In this article you will get to understand what Nexplanon is and how it functions, how effective it is, the various side effects it can cause, and when to avoid Nexplanon.

What is Nexplanon?

Nexplanon is one of the many available prescriptions for women who do not want to get pregnant. It is a birth control therapy that comes in form of a thin rod, which is implanted in the arm.

It is as effective as the birth control pills, just that it has the advantage of working without daily dosing, unlike the pills. Nexplanon is small, thin, and very flexible and is placed under the skin of the non-dominant upper arm by your health care professional.

It functions by the use of a hormone. As a result, Nexplanon can act as a contraceptive via three main means. First, the hormone can stop the egg from being released by your ovary. Second, it can also prevent sperm from reaching the egg. Lastly, it can thin the lining of your uterus which does not accommodate the implantation of a fertilized egg.

These three mechanisms of action provide triple protection from conception. In case one fails, the others can back up. This also makes the effectiveness of the implant very high.

Is Nexplanon effective?

Nexplanon is very effective with over 99% effectiveness each year. It can last in the body for as long as three years but must be removed after the third year. It can be removed at any time before the three years elapse if you want to. This means that if you change your mind about childbirth, you can speak with your health care provider to help you get it out.

Does Nexplanon cause irregular bleeding?

Bleeding on nexplanon is one of the most common side effects of Nexplanon. For some women, nexplanon can cause changes in the normal menstrual bleeding pattern.

These changes in your menstrual bleeding pattern can occur in the first 6 to 12 months of using the implant. They include:

• Heavier or lighter bleeding during your period

If you are on Nexplanon, you may notice that your bleeding is coming heavier than it was. If your periods have been heavy before the use of Nexplanon, you may also notice that they are coming lighter.

• Longer or shorter duration of bleeding during your period

Normally, periods last for 3-5 days. However, a woman who uses Nexplanon may notice either an increase or a decrease in the number of days that her period lasts.

• Spotting between your periods

Another thing you can notice with the use of Nexplanon as it pertains to your period is spotting. Spotting means you get stained with blood, even though your period is not yet around. This is usually a common phenomenon within the first few months of use of Nexplanon.

• Varying duration of time between your period

It is not uncommon for the number of days in your menstrual cycle to vary while using Nexplanon. The average days are between 21 to 35 days but it can be longer or shorter if you’re on Nexplanon.

• No bleeding at all during the time of your period

It is also very possible that the blood may cease to flow with the use of Nexplanon. If you miss two consecutive periods, consult your doctor for a pregnancy test or conduct one at home using a pregnancy test strip.

Whichever side effect you notice, do well to consult your doctor for proper monitoring, follow-up, and counseling.

Other common side effects

Irregular menstrual bleeding is not the only side effect of using Nexplanon. Some of the other side effects include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Mood swings
• Acne
• Weight gain
• Breast tenderness
• Back pain

However, it is important to note that these side effects are not set in stone. That is, you may use nexplanon as a birth control method without experiencing any of the side effects mentioned above.

When to avoid Nexplanon

Although Nexplanon is very effective, it is not suitable for every woman. Do not use Nexplanon if you have any of the following:

• If you are pregnant or you think you may be pregnant.
• If you have liver disease or liver tumor.
• If you have unexplained vaginal bleeding.
• If you have or have had breast cancer or any other cancer that is sensitive to progestin.
• If you have or have had conditions related to blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the leg), pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs), total or partial blindness (blood clot in the eye), stroke (blood clot in the brain), or heart attack (blood clot in the heart).
• If you are allergic to anything in Nexplanon.

Also, if you have any of the following medical conditions, you can speak with your doctor about getting an alternative method of birth control:

• Headaches or migraine.
• High blood pressure.
• Kidney problems.
• Gallbladder problems.
• History of depression.
• High cholesterol or triglycerides.
• Diabetes.
• Allergy to anesthetics or antiseptics.

Conclusion

Nexplanon is a very effective method of birth control. Only a few women have stopped the use of Nexplanon because of its side effects. However, the side effects of Nexplanon do not happen to all women. Let your doctor know if you are bleeding on nexplanon or experiencing any of the other side effects in this article.

It is also important for you to remove the implant after three years as that is the maximum number of years it can provide adequate protection against pregnancy. Peradventure you wish to remove it before these three years, you can speak with your doctor.

You should note that having the Nexplanon implant does not provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV. You should seek extra protection from these diseases.

Gestational diabetes occurs when a woman is diagnosed with high blood glucose levels during pregnancy. In addition, the risk of developing diabetes after pregnancy is high in women who had diabetes during pregnancy. Thankfully, conducting an effective glucose test and getting the best result would reduce the chances of diabetes after pregnancy. A sure way to achieve this is to know what to eat before the glucose test for the best result.

You can read this article to learn more about gestational diabetes and high blood glucose during pregnancy.

Nonetheless, studies have shown that some of the results obtained when screening for diabetes mellitus are actually false-positive results (A false positive result is a result that comes out to be true when it is actually not true). This is largely due to the kind of foods eaten and the activities engaged in before glucose screening.

In this article, you will find out what an OGTT is, the need for a glucose test, how to prepare for a glucose test, and what you should and shouldn’t eat before a glucose test.

What is a Glucose Test or OGTT?

OGTT simply means Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. It used to be a gold standard for diagnosing diabetes mellitus. In pregnant women, OGTT is still commonly used to diagnose diabetes. This test is done by giving the patient a specific quantity of glucose to take orally and then blood samples are collected at hour intervals for testing.

Why You Need a Glucose Test

It is good for you to do a glucose test, especially during pregnancy.

This is because pregnancy puts you at a higher risk of developing diabetes compared with when you’re not pregnant. It is also good for you to conduct a glucose test to monitor your blood sugar and manage diabetes if you have a previous diagnosis.

Here are some other reasons why a glucose test is important:

• A glucose test helps to identify primarily high or low blood glucose levels. This helps your health care provider to know how best to manage your health.
• A glucose test helps in monitoring the effect of diabetes drugs on blood sugar levels. It tells your health care provider if the medications you are placed on are really helping to lower the blood glucose or if there will be a need to change them.
• It also helps to understand how other factors such as diet, exercise, stress, and illness affect your glucose level.

How to Prepare For a Glucose Test

To prepare for a glucose test, you need to do away with things or activities that may impair your result. These include stress, certain foods, and drugs. Your preparation for the OGTT depends on whether you are going for the 1-hour OGTT or the 3 hours OGTT. The difference between the two tests is the time required for the test and the number of times blood samples will be taken from you.

For the 1-hour OGTT, you’ll be given a glucose-rich liquid, and your blood sample will be taken after 1 hour. Sometimes, more testing may be required and you may be asked to do the 3 hours OGTT. For this test, your blood samples will be taken every hour for 3 hours after ingesting the glucose liquid.

You can prepare for the 3 hours OGTT following the guidelines below:

• Do not eat, drink, smoke, or perform any strenuous exercise for at least 8 hours before the first blood sample is taken.
• For about three days before the test day, eat a balanced diet containing complex carbohydrates. Some of these foods that provide carbohydrates include bread, cereal, rice, fruits, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes, beans, and corn.
• Inform your doctor about all the drugs you are taking – whether they are prescribed or not. This is because some drugs can interfere with blood glucose, thereby interfering with the results. You may be asked to stop those drugs for some days before the test.

What to Eat Before a Glucose Test

What you eat before taking a glucose test is really important, especially when going for the 1 hour OGTT. If you would have to eat at all, go for meals that have very low simple carbohydrates content. This is because simple carbohydrates raise the blood glucose level and may give a false-positive result.

Foods that you can eat before going for a glucose test include good or complex carbohydrates. These foods have a high fiber count, therefore, your body takes a longer time to digest them. They enter the bloodstream slowly and there are no spikes in the blood sugar levels.

Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include:

• Fruits such as apples, watermelon, and berries.
• Whole grains such as oatmeal and whole-wheat bread
• Legumes such as kidney beans, black beans, lentils, and chickpeas.
• Vegetables such as leafy vegetables, green beans, tomatoes, broccoli, and cucumbers.

You can balance your meal with protein-rich foods such as fish, dairy, nuts, and lean meat.

What You Shouldn’t Eat Before a Glucose Test

There are certain foods to avoid when going for a glucose test. This is because they digest quickly and enter the bloodstream. Hence, they have the ability to spike blood sugar levels.

Some of the foods to avoid include high sugar foods or simple carbohydrates (which include refined grains and highly processed foods). These foods include:

• Refined cereals
• Fruit juice
• Pancakes
• Doughnuts
• Cakes
• White bread
• Sugary toppings like jam or syrup
• Muffins etc.

What Happens Next?

The result of your glucose test determines what happens next after the test. If your result comes out good, you will be advised on dietary and lifestyle habits you can engage in to maintain your current blood glucose level.

If the result value falls in the pre-diabetic stage, you may not be placed on any drug to control your blood glucose. This is because, with adequate diet and lifestyle modifications, you can still bring down that blood glucose and prevent it from entering the diabetic value.

If on the other hand, the result value falls in the diabetic stage, further tests will be done to confirm the diagnosis. Subsequently, you will be placed on drugs to put your blood sugar in check.

Conclusion

Gestational diabetes can be screened for and monitored duly using the OGTT. The kinds of food you eat before the test can also affect the values that will be gotten. If in doubt, confirm from your healthcare provider the kind of glucose test you will be doing to help guide your decision on the choice of food to eat.