Pregnancy Week By Week (Week 7)

Week 7 Fetus

Must-ask Questions this Week (Week 7)

Is it possible to follow a vegetarian diet during pregnancy?

Whether you are a vegan, a lacto-vegetarian, a lacto-ovo-vegetarian or a semi-vegetarian, you will have to pay careful attention to what you eat to ensure you are getting the essential nutrients during pregnancy. Specifically you will want to maximize iron absorption by combining iron rich foods with foods that help with the absorption (e.g. eating your iron fortified cereal with a glass of orange juice). You will want to ensure you are obtaining adequate number of complete protein exchanges from legumes and grains and dairy foods, if applicable. Vegetarians are also at risk of developing deficiencies in vitamins B12, B2 and D, and calcium, iron and zinc. Make sure your doctor knows about vegetarian diet; your doctor may want to monitor your hemoglobin levels regularly.

I am lactose-intolerant. How can I ensure I am getting enough calcium in my diet?

If you have problems with lactose (difficulty in digesting the sugar in milk), you may have an inadequate calcium supply issue to deal with. Here are some tips to help you tide over the problem: Get your calcium from other sources such as tofu, calcium fortified bread, dark green leafy vegetables, sardines and salmon

Drink milk at mealtimes rather than on its own

Try lactose reduced cottage cheese and yoghurt

Experiment with smaller portions of milk such as half a glass instead of one full glass

Choose low fat cheeses (a large proportion of lactose is removed during processing) and hard cheeses such as cheddar as they are naturally lower in lactose

Eat yoghurts that contain active cultures as these can actually help you digest lactose

I am worried that my morning sickness may be depriving my baby of important nutrients.
Unless you are experiencing severe form of morning sickness, characterized by dehydration, weight loss, acid-based imbalance, electrolyte deficiencies that generally requires hospitalization, you can feel confident your baby is not in any harm's way by your inability to stomach proper food.

How important is it that I take my prenatal vitamins?

Most doctors recommend women to take their vitamins during pregnancy simply because it is impossible to meet their body's demands for iron and folic acid through diet alone. Prenatal vitamin is different from the regular multivitamin because of the folic and iron content. These are the most important supplements for you during pregnancy. (The demand for these nutrients increases dramatically once you are pregnant.) 0.4 mg of folic acid is a important MUST. Although vitamins have its place, you cannot substitute good eating habits with it. Prenatal vitamins contain essential ingredients for the development of your baby and your continued good health. A typical prenatal vitamin contains: Calcium to build baby's teeth and bones and to help strengthen your own

• Copper to help prevent anemia

• Folic acid to reduce the risk of neural-tube defects and toe help in blood-cell production

• Iodine to help control metabolism

• Iron to prevent anemia and to help baby's blood development

• Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, for general health and body metabolism

• Vitamin B12 for blood formation

• Vitamin C to aid in your body's absorption of iron

• Vitamin D to strengthen baby's bones and teeth and to help you use phosphorous and calcium

• Vitamin E for general health and body metabolism

• Zinc to help balance fluids in your body and to aid nerve and muscle function


Which types of fitness activities are approved during pregnancy?

Some types of exercise may do you and your baby more harm than good. The following are considered safe choices for pregnant women:

• Walking

• Swimming

• Riding a stationary bike

• Participating in a prenatal class that emphasizes stretching, and low impact aerobics

• On the other hand, the following are not advisable: Contact sports such as volleyball, football, basketball

• High impact, weight bearing sports such as running or jogging

• Floor exercises that could leave you vulnerable to injury such as full sit-ups, double leg raises and straight-leg raises

Some tips on helping you get started on a prenatal fitness program:

Always consult your doctor before you embark on a regime

Be aware that your body changes during pregnancy making you vulnerable to injury

Start slowly and pay attention to body's signals. If you are huffing and puffing slow down. Gradually increase the duration as your body picks up on strength and endurance.

Aim to exercise 20-30 minutes at least 3 times a week (if you are a candidate of morning sickness, exercise will be the last thing on your mind. Go easy on yourself and wait to work out when you feel up to it)

Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and overheating. Limit strenuous exercise to 30 minutes and skip the hot tub or sauna

Ensure your workout includes both a warm-up and a cool-down

Wear a bra that provides adequate support. Your breasts are larger and heavier now and the ligaments that support breast tissue can be permanently damaged if they become overstretched

If your feel that exercising on your back makes you feel light-headed or nauseated, then avoid this position

Make sure your workout includes the four most vital prenatal exercises: squatting, pelvic tilting or rocking, abdominal curl-ups and pelvic floor exercises called Kegels

Remember pregnancy alters your centre of gravity so it may be easier for you to lose your balance

Never exercise to the point of exhaustion

Stop exercising immediately if you experience vaginal bleeding or uterine contractions, or if your membranes rupture

Avoid increasing the intensity, duration, or frequency of your workouts at any point after week 28. Fetal demands for oxygen and nutrition are at their peak during the final trimester, so it is advisable to go easy on the fitness front


Are hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms really off the limits during pregnancy?

Anything that raises your body temperature over 102° F can be dangerous to the developing baby particularly during the first trimester. It is best to skip the post-exercise trip to the hot tub or sauna room and just settle for a relaxing soak in a warm tub (not hot) instead.

Some Basic Pointers (Week 7)

Miscarriage

• The cause and reason behind a miscarriage is not known. The most common finding in early miscarriages is an abnormality in the development of the embryo. Studies indicate more than half of all early miscarriages have chromosomal abnormalities. Types of miscarriages are outlined below.

• Threatened miscarriage may be assumed when there is a bloody discharge from the vagina during the first half of pregnancy. Bleeding may last for days or even weeks. There may not be any cramping or pain. If there is pain, it may feel like a menstrual cramp or a mild backache. Resting in bed is about all you can do, although being active is not the cause of the incident. No procedure or medication can prevent a woman from miscarrying. Threatened miscarriage is a common diagnosis since 20% of all women experience bleeding during the early pregnancy but not all miscarry.

• Inevitable miscarriage occurs with the rupture of membranes, dilation of the cervix and passage of blood clots and even tissue. Miscarriage is almost certain under these circumstances. The uterus usually contracts, expelling the fetus or products of conception.


Incomplete miscarriage

• is one where the entire pregnancy may not be passes at once. Part of the pregnancy is passed while part of it remains in the uterus. Bleeding may be heavy and continues until the uterus empties itself.

• Missed miscarriage occurs when the embryo retained had died earlier. There may be no symptoms or bleeding. The time period from when the pregnancy failed to the time the miscarriage is discovered is usually weeks.

• Habitual miscarriage refers to three or more consecutive miscarriages.

• If you have a miscarriage, don't blame yourself or your partner for it. It is usually impossible to look back at everything you have done, eaten or been exposed to and find the cause of a miscarriage. Most doctors don't recommend testing to find the reason for miscarrying unless you have had three or more miscarriages. Chromosome analysis can be done and other tests can be performed to investigate the possibility of infections, diabetes and lupus.

Your Nutrition (Week 7)

It is hard to eat nutritiously for every meal. You may not always get the nutrients you need or in the amounts you need. Your prenatal vitamin is not a substitute for food, so don't count on it to supply you with essential vitamins and minerals. Food is important, too!

Nutrient	Food sources
Calcium	dairy products, dark leafy vegetables, dried beans and peas, tofu, Paneer
Folic acid	liver, dried beans and peas, eggs, broccoli, whole grain products, Oranges , orange juice
Iron	fish, liver, meat, poultry, egg yolks, nuts, dried beans and peas, dried fruit
Magnesium	dried beans and peas, cocoa, seafood, whole grain products, nuts
Vitamin B6	whole grain foods, liver, meat
Vitamin E	milk, eggs, meat, fish, cereals, leafy vegetables
Zinc	seafood, meat, nuts, milk, dried beans and peas