Pregnancy Planning (cont.)
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
In this Article
- Pregnancy Planning Facts
- What is pregnancy planning and why is it important?
- What are pregnancy symptoms?
- What is a pregnancy calculator and calendar?
- Who effective are home pregnancy tests?
- How can diet and nutrition affect early pregnancy?
- How does alcohol affect pregnancy?
- How do high blood pressure and diabetes affect pregnancy?
- What are examples of commonly-used medications that are dangerous in pregnancy?
- How do kidney and heart disease affect pregnancy?
- What infections affect pregnancy?
- What inherited (genetic) diseases can play a role in pregnancy planning?
- Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?
- Can I travel by air during pregnancy?
- Can I have intercourse during pregnancy?
- How soon after stopping birth control can I become pregnant?
- How do we maximize our chances of becoming pregnant?
- Can I do something to help my chances of conceiving a boy or a girl?
- Early Pregnancy Symptoms - Slideshow
- Take the Pregnancy Myths and Facts Quiz!
- Stages of Pregnancy - Slideshow
- Find a local Obstetrician-Gynecologist in your town
Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?
Recommendations from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology say that pregnant women who have an uncomplicated pregnancy should participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most, if not all, days of the week. A few exceptions are noted: ice hockey, kickboxing, soccer, and horseback riding probably should be avoided because they are activities with higher risk of trauma to the abdomen. Also, scuba diving poses a risk of decompression sickness ("the bends") to the fetus and should be avoided. Exercise programs should be discussed with the monitoring health care professional.
Elevated temperatures can have adverse effects on the development of the fetus. Therefore, hot tubs and sauna baths should be avoided when trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
Can I travel by air during pregnancy?
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology guidelines say that air travel is safe for most pregnant women up to 36 weeks gestation, as long as there are no obstetric or maternal complications already diagnosed. Examples of special situations would be women with hypertension, poorly-controlled diabetes, or sickle cell disease, or women diagnosed with increased risk of premature labor. Support stockings during flight, and intermittent walking to move the legs around are recommended to minimize the chance of blood clots in the legs during prolonged flights. Travel plans should be discussed with the monitoring health care professional in high-risk pregnancies.
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