Pregnancy Q & A
Reported July 31, 2006
RICHMOND, Va. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) — Weight gain and mood swings are two signs of pregnancy that most of us know about. But there are less obvious changes you may go through, and your doctor might not even tell you about them.
Ah, the joys of motherhood. Ann Kuhn has experienced it twice, with 2-month-old Sandy and 2-year-old Eleanor. But before they entered the world, Ann had to conquer pregnancy. And there were a lot of unexpected changes.
“Hemorrhoids! Never had one of those before in my life,” Ann says. “I had to call my mom and ask her what they were!”
Ann’s memory also faded, her hair and nails grew faster, and her breasts? “Huge. They got a lot bigger,” she says.
Christine Isaacs, M.D., an ObGyn at VCU Medical Center in Richmond, says there’s good reason for these changes. “We really just encourage women to understand that these are normal, natural events that happen,” she tells Ivanhoe.
Your skin can also change. Your feet can grow up to two sizes, and they can stay large even after you give birth! Joint pain, constipation, and shortness of breath are also common during pregnancy.
“With these changes, patients are constantly asking us questions,” Dr. Isaacs says. Questions like: Can i dye my hair? Are hot tubs OK? What about caffeine and fish?
The answers: Dying your hair is safe. Avoid hot tubs during your first trimester. Fewer than two caffeinated drinks a day is alright, and only eat fish two times a week.
Ann took that advice, and even though she experienced some unexpected changes, she says she’d do it again and again. “My husband wouldn’t let me, but I would!”
Dr. Isaacs says it’s also safe to continue exercising through pregnancy, and as long as there aren’t any complications, there’s no reason a woman can’t work until the day she delivers!
If you would like more information, please contact:
Malorie Janis
VCU News Services
1006 E. Marshall St.
Richmond, VA 23298
(804) 827-0889
[email protected]
