What to ask your Obstetrician…

As a consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, I am used to couples coming to my clinic in London with long lists of questions. Some queries are common, some are more unusual, but every single one is valid. I am constantly encouraging my patients to ask questions as it really is the best way to gain the reassurance that comes from being well-informed. It’s easy to misinterpret information found in books, magazines and the internet which can then lead to anxiety; it is usually more helpful to sit face–to-face with an expert and ask everything you can think of! The same goes for partners who can be made to feel more involved in the pregnancy journey in this way. That’s why, rather than a standard Q&A article, here is a list of the kind of questions I get asked, which you can quiz your Obstetrician with at your next visit:

Before pregnancy:

•        Do I need a check up to see if all is normal before I plan to get pregnant?
•        Do I still have enough time to get pregnant?
•        Do other couples have timed sex? Surely this is not common!
•        Do we need to take vitamins to increase our chance of getting pregnant?

During pregnancy:

•        Do I need to do antenatal classes to learn how to push?
•        Does my partner need to attend the antenatal classes?
•        Can we have sex during pregnancy?
•        Can I work as much as when I wasn’t pregnant?
•        Can I do exercises throughout my pregnancy?
•        Is breastfeeding best?

After pregnancy:

•        When is it normal to have sex again?
•        I do not feel like having sex during breast feeding; is this normal?
•        Why am I not loosing my pregnancy weight like others do?
•        Do I need to consider contraception whilst breast feeding?

Believe it or not, this is just a fraction of the questions I get asked and you can see from this small selection that the things people want to know vary greatly. For some women, particularly those who have been pregnant before, a number of these queries may seem silly or unnecessary, but I cannot stress enough that no question is a foolish question – in fact, it’s only fools who don’t ask! Feeling clear about all the issues can only have a positive impact on your pregnancy. As I’ve said, for sound and trustworthy answers I recommend making an appointment with a specialist who will have an in-depth discussion with you. In the meantime, you may find some useful information related to your particular question by visiting www.etiennehorner.co.uk