Pregnancy and Children's Conditions

Take a home pregnancy test as soon as the first day of your missed period. It can tell you whether you are pregnant or not. There are a few ways to take the test. You can hold a stick in your urine stream. You can also pee into a cup and dip the stick into it. A line or plus symbol means the result is positive. If it is positive, you should see your doctor. If a test is negative, take another pregnancy test in a few days.

A doctor’s test can let you know if you are pregnant using urine and blood tests. Urine tests can be done at home or in a doctor's office. After testing at home, you can check the results by seeing your doctor. Blood tests are done at your doctor's office but are used less often than urine tests. These tests can check pregnancy earlier than a home pregnancy test. But with these tests, it takes longer to get the results than with a home pregnancy test.

An OB-GYN is an expert in female health, pregnancy and childbirth. OB-GYNs focus on caring for a woman’s overall health during pregnancy. They can do screenings, perform surgery and help with the delivery of the baby.

Regular checkups are important to keep you and your baby healthy. Checkups happen once a month in the beginning of pregnancy, twice a month in the middle and weekly near the end. Your doctor will perform several exams and tell you your due date. They will ask you questions about your lifestyle, relationships and health habits. Most check-ups will test your blood pressure and weight, the baby's growth and harmful infections.

Tests are used during pregnancy to check your and your baby's health. At your first visit, your doctor will use tests to check for infections and diseases. Your doctor might take other tests depending on your age, health history and cultural background. Some tests are screening tests. They detect possible health problems in you or your baby. Based on test results, your doctor might suggest tests to confirm or rule out health problems in you or your baby.

Birthing classes can provide information about labor and delivery. They cover different methods of delivery, how to know when you’re in labor and what you should do when your water breaks. They also cover breathing and relaxation techniques, pain management options, breastfeeding information and ways to care for the baby at home. The hospital where you are planning to give birth is your best source for birthing classes.

WIC is a free government program that can give healthy food for you and your baby if you do not make a certain amount of money. Pregnant, post-delivery and breastfeeding women and children up to age 5 are allowed benefits. A physician, nutritionist or nurse must label you as a "nutritional risk".  People in WIC receive checks or vouchers to buy foods each month. For women who do not breastfeed, WIC also provides infant formula.

Home birth involves giving birth to your baby at home. In general, home births increase the chances of problems during labor and delivery. You can prepare for a home birth by: choosing a nurse to help you with the birth, creating a birth plan so you have everything you need at home and making sure you can contact a hospital in case there are any emergencies or problems. 

Hospital births involves choosing to give birth to your baby at a hospital.  At the hospital, you will be seen by a family physician or a nurse-midwife. It is the safest option for you and your baby. It is close to an operating room if you need a cesarean section. There is help if you or your baby need quick medical care. It also offers pain relief medications for delivery and childbirth.

When you first arrive at the hospital during labor, a nurse will take you into a triage room. If you or the nurses think you are in labor, you will be tested to check if you are ready to deliver the baby. If labor hasn’t progressed enough, you could be sent home. If your contractions seem strong, you will be admitted.

Labor happens when you have cramps in your uterus, when your water breaks or when you have bloody discharge. The first stage of labor lasts about 12 to 19 hours. Many women spend the early part of this first stage at home. You can rest, hang out with family or even go for a walk. Your doctor will tell you when to go to the hospital delivery room, a room in a hospital where babies are born.

The second stage involves pushing out your baby. It usually lasts 20 minutes to two hours. You will push hard during contractions, and rest between contractions. Giving birth in an upright position, such as squatting, is preferred. When the top of your baby's head appears, your doctor will tell you when to push and deliver your baby. After your baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut. The third stage involves afterbirth. It is the shortest stage, lasting five to 30 minutes.

An epidural is a medicine given by injection (shot) in the back. It numbs or causes a loss of feeling in the lower half your body. This lessens the pain of contractions during childbirth. An epidural may also be used to lower pain during surgery or childbirth.

Cesarean delivery, also called a C-section, is an operation to deliver a baby. The baby is taken out through the mother's abdomen. Your doctor might tell you to get a C-section if she or he thinks it is safer for you or your baby. Some C-sections are planned. But most C-sections are done when unexpected problems happen during delivery.

Right after birth, babies need many important tests to improve their health. Some of these tests are required by law. If the baby is healthy, everything but the Apgar test can wait for at least an hour. Before delivery, talk to your doctor or midwife about shots, medicine and tests. The following tests are needed after the birth of your baby: Apgar evaluation, eye care, Vitamin K shot, newborn metabolic screening, hearing test, hepatitis B vaccine and complete checkup.

The first few days at home after having your baby are a time for physical and emotional rest. Try to lie down or nap. Don't try to do too much around the house. Allow others to help you with cleaning, laundry, meals or with caring for the baby.

After the birth of your baby, you will have vaginal discharge called lochia. You might have swelling in your legs and feet (keep your feet high when possible). You should drink plenty of water and eat fruits and vegetables. Cramping is normal, especially if you are breastfeeding. Your breast milk will come in within three to six days after the birth of your baby. Your doctor will check your recovery around six weeks after birth. Your period could return in six to eight weeks if you do not breastfeed. If you breastfeed, your period might not come back for many months. 

Lactation consultants give information to women about breast feeding. They can answer any questions about breastfeeding so that you will not have any problems taking care of your child. You can ask a child doctor at your hospital for the name of a lactation consultant who can help you.

Before you leave the hospital, you and your baby will be checked to make sure you are in good health. You should be given a baby book that is used to write down all of your baby’s appointments for check-up. The hospital will not allow you to leave if you do not have a proper safety belt in your car.

After childbirth you may feel sad for a few days. These feelings are normal and usually go away quickly. But if sadness lasts more than two weeks, go see your doctor. You might have postpartum depression. It can happen any time in the first year after birth. Therapy and medicine can help postpartum depression. You may have postpartum depression if you feel sad, bad-tempered, have no energy, have headaches or chest pain, cannot sleep, lose or gain weight, are not interested in your baby or think about hurting your baby or yourself.

For mothers over 35 years of age it is harder to become pregnant. The eggs that ovulate each month are of poorer quality than those from a woman's 20s. Also, she is more likely to miscarry, as well as have a baby with genetic problems, such as Down syndrome or a birth defect. During your pregnancy, seeing your doctor regularly is very important. Because of your age, your doctor will probably suggest some extra tests to check on your baby's health.

When you are pregnant with more than one baby, you have multiple pregnancies. Your doctor can confirm whether you are carrying more than one baby through ultrasound.

Women carrying more than one baby are at higher risk of: early birth, low birth weight, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and birth with a surgical operation. It is important to visit your doctor often to check your and your babies' health. 

Before pregnancy, make sure to talk to your doctor about health problems you have now or have had in the past. Some medicines used to treat health problems could be harmful if taken during pregnancy. Medical history that can affect pregnancy include: asthma, depression, diabetes, seizure, high blood pressure, HIV, migraine and obesity.

Using alcohol and drugs during pregnancy is dangerous as it can cause low birth weight and behavioral problems in babies. Pregnant women who drink alcohol increase the chance of giving birth to a baby with a disease called fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Children born with FASD can have strange facial features, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Using illegal drugs during pregnancy is also very dangerous. Mothers who inject drugs could be in danger of getting HIV, which can be passed to an unborn baby.

A pregnancy that ends before 20 weeks is called a miscarriage. Most miscarriages happen early on before eight weeks of pregnancy. Miscarriages are usually due to genetic problems in the unborn baby. Health problems may also be a factor.

After 20 weeks, losing a pregnancy is called stillbirth. Stillbirth is much less common. Reasons for stillbirths include genetic problems in the unborn baby, poor growth in the unborn baby, diseases and infections. 

Condoms are a type of rubber that provides protection against pregnancy and diseases transferred during sex. There are male condoms and female condoms. Condoms work by keeping semen (the fluid that contains sperm) from entering the vagina. Condoms are available without a doctor’s note and are sold in drugstores, supermarkets and vending machines.

Birth control pills provide protection against pregnancy. They prevent a woman's ovary from releasing an egg during her menstrual cycle. They do this by changing the levels of the natural hormones the body makes. All women who take birth control pills need a check-up at least once a year. Women should also have their blood pressure checked 3 months after they begin to take the pill. Birth control pills work when the woman remembers to take her pill every day without missing a day.

Nexplanon is a small rod that is implanted into a woman’s arm. The rod releases hormones into the body that prevents the woman from getting pregnant. After the rod is implanted, the woman is protected from pregnancy for up to 4 years.

NuvaRing is a plastic ring that is inserted into the vagina to prevent pregnancy. The ring is left inside the vagina for three weeks and then removed. To continue protecting against pregnancy, another ring should be inserted a week after the first ring was removed.

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a small plastic device. It is inserted into a woman’s uterus where it stays to prevent pregnancy. An IUD is inserted by a nurse or doctor during the woman’s monthly period. It can be inserted quickly and easily in a doctor’s office or clinic. The doctor can check that the IUD stays properly in position and can pull the IUD out of the uterus when it is time to remove it. 

A vasectomy is a type of surgery that prevents a man from being able to get a woman pregnant. A vasectomy works by cutting the tubes that carry the sperm out of the testicles. The surgery usually takes no more than 30 minutes. It takes about three months before it starts working. Vasectomies can sometimes be reversed, but not always. A vasectomy does not protect a man from getting diseases through intercourse such as HIV/AIDS. 

Tubal ligation is a type of surgery. It prevents a woman from getting pregnant. The surgery cuts, ties or seals the fallopian tubes. The sperm cannot reach the egg to fertilize it and the egg cannot reach the uterus. The surgery takes place in a hospital or operation center. It usually takes about 30 minutes. Tubal ligation can sometimes be reversed. Reversing the surgery does not always work.

Emergency contraception is used to prevent pregnancy in women. It can be used after a sexual assault or rape, when a condom breaks, when a woman forgets to take birth control pills, when you have sex and do not use any birth control or when birth control is not used correctly. Emergency contraception can be taken in tablet form (such as Plan B One-Step and Next Choice which you can get at pharmacies) or you can get an IUD. Emergency contraception works best when you use it within 24 hours of having sex. 

Abortion pills can be used to end an early pregnancy. In many cases, the first day of your last period has to be less than 9 weeks ago. If you would like to use abortion pills your doctor will do a physical exam, look at your medical history, take blood and urine tests and have you sign forms. You will take 2 medicines for the abortion. Regular period starts in about 4 to 8 weeks afterwards. A follow-up appointment is needed to make sure that you are not having any problems.

An in-clinic abortion is a procedure that ends an undesired pregnancy by removing the fetus and placenta from the mother's womb. Reasons to get an abortion include: a personal decision not to carry the pregnancy, a baby with a birth defect or other problem, a pregnancy that is harmful to the mother’s health or a pregnancy that came from rape or incest. An in-clinic abortion involves suction that is used to remove the unborn cells from the mother’s womb. 

A sore throat is very common in children. Sore throats can be very painful and make it hard to swallow. A regular sore throat should get better in seven to ten days. Strep throat is a worse sore throat that a doctor will test for. If your child has strep throat, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics for them. Be sure that your child takes all the antibiotics even if they feel better.

Ear pain should be looked at by a doctor so that they can figure out what the cause of the pain is and what treatment is needed.

Urinary tract infections are also called bladder infections or UTIs. If your child has a UTI, they might have pain while urinating and urinate more often. A doctor will decide what kind of treatment is needed.

Bumps, redness or itchiness may be a skin infection. It is important to have a doctor look at it to see what the problem is.

Bronchitis and bronchiolitis are both infections in the lungs. Bronchitis can happen at any age, but bronchiolitis usually only happens to children 2 or younger. Both can have a cough and difficulty breathing.

Children can often experience different pain in their bodies. Usually over the counter medicines, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, are best for children.

Children may experience regular colds throughout the year. These colds can include a runny nose, congestion and a cough.

If your child is experiencing a runny nose, congestion and a cough for more than 10 days without feeling better, they may have bacterial sinusitis.

A child under 4 years old should not be given over the counter cough medicine.

Chickenpox is an infection that causes an itchy rash of spots all over the body and flu-like symptoms. The vaccine is given by injection when kids are between 12 and 15 months old. They receive another shot for further protection at 4 to 6 years of age. Kids who are 6 to 13 years of age and have not had chickenpox also may receive the vaccine. Kids 13 years or older who have not had either chickenpox or the vaccine need two doses at least 1 month apart.

This vaccine protects against three illnesses. Diphtheria is an infection of the throat that can cause severe breathing problems. Tetanus is a disease that can happen at any age caused by bacteria that infects an injury. Pertussis is an illness with cold-like symptoms that lead to severe coughing. The DTaP vaccine should be given at: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15–18 months and 4–6 years of age.

Hepatitis is a swelling of the liver that is spread through sex, needles and syringes. Those who are infected may develop liver disease or cancer of the liver. The vaccine is given shortly after birth, at 1–2 months of age and at 6–18 months of age. If a mother carries the virus, her baby must get the vaccine within 12 hours after birth.

Measles is a very contagious infection. It causes skin rashes all over the body. Mumps is a disease caused by a virus. It usually spreads through saliva. Rubella is an infection that affects the skin and causes swelling in the back of the neck or behind the ears. MMR vaccinations are given at age 12 to 15 months and at 4 to 6 years of age.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the coverings of the brain and spinal cord. Most cases are caused by bacteria or viruses. The meningococcal vaccine protects against four types of meningococcal bacteria. It is recommended for all kids. Vaccination is given to kids who are 11 or 12 years old, with another shot given at age 16. 

HPV is a disease that is spread through sex. It can cause genital warts and can result in cervical cancer. It can also lead to cancer in the penis, anus and throat. The vaccine is given at 11 or 12 years of age, as well as for older kids who are unvaccinated. If needed, kids can get the vaccine starting at age 9.

Immunizations required to enter Kindergarten in a Buffalo Public School are: Polio, “DTaP”, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Hepatitis B, “Chickenpox”, Hib vaccine and PCV vaccine. 

Immunizations required to enter 7^th grade in a Buffalo Public School are: Polio, “DTaP”, “Tdap”, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Hepatitis B, “Chickenpox” and the meningococcal vaccine.

Immunizations required to enter 12^th grade in a Buffalo Public School are: Polio, “DTaP”, “Tdap”, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Hepatitis B, “Chickenpox” and the meningococcal vaccine.