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Things that Can Decrease Breast Milk Supply
A baby's nutrition requirements for his healthy growth and development are met by breastmilk till six months of age; breastmilk also provides enough nutritional benefits even after your baby starts eating other food items. Therefore, breast milk is important for your baby’s overall growth and well-being. However, sometimes you may notice a change in your breast milk supply, and this may happen due to various reasons. If you wish to know about things that can decrease your breast milk supply, then you should read the following article.
What Can Affect Your Breast Milk Supply?
There are many things that may interfere with your milk supply, and it becomes of extreme importance for you to know about all these factors in detail. If you are wondering what decreases breast milk supply, here is your answer:
Health Issues that Affect Milk Production
If you are healthy, all your body parts function properly; however, if you are unhealthy, you may notice certain changes in your bodily functions. The same rule applies to milk supply as well, which means if you are not physically healthy it may affect your breast milk supply. Here are some health reasons that may affect your milk supply.
1. Another Pregnancy
If you become pregnant again, then your breast milk supply may reduce. This may happen because your body prepares for your upcoming pregnancy and labour and the hormonal changes happening in the body may hamper with the milk supply. If your baby is 24 weeks or younger, you can start formula milk, but if your baby is older, you can start off with formula milk and solid foods.
2. Stress
Stress is one of the biggest culprits of disrupted milk supply. Therefore, if you are experiencing any kind of physical, emotional or mental stress, it may affect your breast milk supply. The best thing to overcome any kind of mental stress is to talk about it with your family, friends, or even your doctor. Any kind of physical stress should also be treated to pep up your milk supply.
3. Not Paying Heed to Your Health
As a new mommy, your own health and well-being may take a backseat and all you will be concerned about will be your baby. However, when you ignore your health or certain health conditions, it may lead to decreased milk supply. If you figure out that your health condition may be the cause of your decreased milk supply, you should seek medical help for the same.
4. Inadequate Rest
Our body requires ample amount of rest and sleep, and a dearth of both these basic requirements, it may not function properly. You may find it tedious to cope up with your baby’s demands and requirements in the first few months after your baby is born and this may make you tired and exhausted. Postpartum fatigue and exhaustion are some of the most common reasons for decreased milk supply in newbie moms.
Diet and Foods
Certain food items may also hamper your milk production. Here are some of the food and diet factors that may affect your breast milk supply:
1. Inadequate Water Intake
If you are not drinking enough water, it may affect your milk supply. Low water intake may not only affect the milk supply, but it may cause dehydration also, which may cause complications to a feeding mother.
2. An Unhealthy Diet
A pregnant woman requires a nutritional and a well-balanced diet, and the requirements remain the same after the baby’s birth. A breastfeeding mother requires a diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. She is not only taking care of her body but also providing nutrition to her baby. Eating a well-balanced diet and drinking ample amounts of water does wonder to the milk supply of a breastfeeding mother.
3. Excessive Usage of Certain Herbs and Spices
Moderation is not bad and may not cause any kind of problem, it is only when we use things in excess, the problem arises. The same goes for the usage of herbs and spices; it is fine till you use them in moderation in your food, but when you start using them in more amounts it may cause a problem in your milk supply. Some of the herbs and spices that may disrupt your milk supply are parsley, peppermint, oregano etc. On the other hand, using ginger, fennel, alfalfa or garlic may help in increasing your milk supply.
Medication
There are many medicines that can be safely taken when you are pregnant and even when you are breastfeeding. However, there are some medicines that may adversely affect your milk supply. Therefore, it is very important that you tell your doctor that you are a nursing mother before he prescribes you any medication for your medical condition. Here are some medications that may affect your milk supply.
1. Contraceptive Pills
If you are taking birth control pills then it may cause your milk supply to plummet. This is because birth control pills have estrogen in them, a hormone that may cause a reduction in your breast milk supply. You should talk to your doctor if your contraceptive pills are affecting your milk supply. Your doctor might suggest other methods of contraception such as condoms, diaphragms etc., which will not hamper your milk production.
2. Some Other Medications
There are some medicines that may cause a decline in your milk supply. Therefore, it is very important that you speak to your doctor about your concerns before taking any prescription. Also, do not take over-the-counter medicines to treat common ailments as these may affect your milk supply too.
3. Labour and Delivery Medication
Many times certain medicines used during labour and delivery may affect your milk supply. However, these are normal side-effects of certain painkillers or anaesthesia that may have been given to you during labour and delivery, and these would subside after a day or two.
Lifestyle Choices
A nursing mother has to make right lifestyle choices, which does not mean that she will have to give up or forsake everything she likes. However, she may have to make certain amends in the habits that may cause ill-effects to her baby. Here are some of the lifestyle choices that cause less breast milk production.
1. Consuming Alcohol
Alcohol may not only affect your breast milk supply, but it may also get into your breast milk and change the taste. It may also enter your baby’s bloodstream and may cause fatal complications. Though alcohol should be strictly prohibited during breastfeeding, however, an occasional drink or two will not harm your milk supply.
2. Smoking
Smoking is equally dangerous for your milk supply. If you like smoking, it will be a good idea to give it up during pregnancy and also when breastfeeding your baby. Smoking interferes with the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for the let-down reflux. These changes may affect your milk supply also.
3. Caffeine
You can enjoy your tea, coffee, aerated drinks, or chocolate in moderation but consuming any of these in excess may cause a reduction in your milk supply. All these food items contain caffeine in them, and excess amounts of caffeine in your body can cause dehydration and thus disrupted milk supply. Also, if you consume excessive amounts of caffeine, it may enter your baby’s bloodstream. This may make your baby irritable or even hamper with your baby’s sleep and thus make him restless.
If you notice your breast milk supply decreasing due to any of the above-mentioned factors, it is important that you make some changes yourself. However, if you are not able to manage your problem, you should seek a doctor’s advice. If you are still unable to meet your baby’s requirements, your doctor may advise you to start giving formula milk to your baby, or if your baby is older than six months, you may be recommended to start giving solid food to your baby.
Also Read: Low Milk Supply Read more
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Amoxicillin Dosage for Children
Amoxicillin is a narrow spectrum Penicillin-based antibiotic that is usually prescribed to treat bacterial infections. Certified by the world health organisation (WHO) as a very safe drug for children, it is usually prescribed for respiratory infections like whooping cough, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and throat and middle ear infections. Some skin infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs) are also treated with this antibiotic, based on the culture results.
What Is Amoxicillin?
Amoxicillin is derived from Penicillin, the oldest known antibiotic. It is a better version of its predecessor, the Penicillin, in its ability to tackle a much larger variety of bacterial strains and in its improved ability to get absorbed into the bloodstream. Sold under different brand names, this generic drug called amoxicillin is widely used to treat both gram negative and gram positive bacterial infections occurring in the ear, throat, and upper respiratory system.
Amoxicillin, in combination with potassium clavulanate, is a widely used combination that has enhanced absorption characteristics. The clavulanate additive prevents the formation of the bacterial cell wall, thereby broadening the spectrum of bacteria that can be countered with amoxicillin.
When Do Doctors Prescribe Amoxicillin For Your Kid?
Amoxicillin is an anti-bacterial drug that is used to treat specific strains of bacteria. Contrary to the popular belief among people, this drug does not work against viral infections like flu and the common cold, simply because of its targeted mechanism of action against the bacterial cell wall. Some common infections of the ear, nose and throat (ENT) system are effectively treated with amoxicillin. Here is a list of conditions for which doctors usually prescribe amoxicillin for children.
Acute otitis media, a common type of middle ear infection in children
Respiratory infections like sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia
A whooping cough
Throat infections like 'strep throat' caused by the streptococcal strain of bacteria
Tonsilitis
Some skin infections
Urinary tract infections
Many mothers tend to self-medicate kids with amoxicillin when the child suffers from these conditions recurrently. It is a very risky and unhealthy practice to administer antibiotics without consulting the doctor, as the dosage and combination may be specific to specific cases. This not only leads to improper treatment but also paves the way the for development of amoxicillin-resistant bacterial strains in the body.
How To Use Amoxicillin?
The generic antibacterial drug called amoxicillin is available under different brand names in the market. It is also available in combination with some chemicals for enhanced action. The child starts getting better usually within two to three days of drug intake. The drug comes in different forms of consumption.
Oral suspension: The oral suspension is particularly suitable for children. The antibiotic comes as a powder that can be reconstituted in water or milk. It is usually flavoured to enhance the colour and taste. The cleanliness of the diluting ingredients is essential. Usually, a dosing syringe or a measuring cup is used for accurate dilutions.
Paediatric Drops: Paediatric drops are readymade diluted syrups of the desired concentration. It is usually used for small children, where the dosage is very less, and the drug is administered as drops. It comes in a bubble gum flavour.
Capsules: Capsules of amoxicillin are also available with varying doses. It is given for slightly grownup children. It is usually taken with water, milk or juice.
Regular Tablets: Amoxicillin is also sold as oral tablets that come with immediate release (IR) and extended release (ER). The immediate release tablets come as generic drugs only. The immediate release and the extended-release tablets differ in their respective rate of drug absorption, and the doctor prescribes the preferred version depending upon the patient's condition.
Extended-release Tablets: These tablets are believed to be more effective as they have sustained and elevated doses over long periods.
Chewable Tablets: Mildly flavoured chewable tablets are available in the market making it easier for children to consume this drug.
The amoxicillin drug in any of the above forms has to be stored in a cool and dry place away from direct sun and out of reach of children.
Drugs To Avoid Using With Amoxicillin
The treating doctor must be informed about the other drugs that the child is taking. There are many drugs with which amoxicillin has unwanted and adverse reactions, by way of increased or decreased efficacy of the other drug. The ability of the body to collectively excrete the drugs also matters in deciding treatment options. Some of the drugs that should be avoided are:
Other anti-bacterial medicines like macrolides, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and sulphonamides
Probenecid
Allopurinols
Warfarin
Methotrexate, widely used to treat cancer
Live cholera vaccine
Venlafaxine
Some children may be taking vitamin supplements or herbal medications for other conditions. Mentioning these drugs to the doctor can be very helpful in avoiding any unwanted reactions, as there is known evidence of an interaction of amoxicillin with vitamins and herbs.
It is also critical to communicate to the doctor about any known history of allergy to amoxicillin or penicillin, before starting the treatment. If the child is suffering from any kidney disease, asthma or hay fever, the doctor has to be informed about it as well, as it will be very critical in deciding the course of treatment.
Amoxicillin Dosage for Kids According to Weight / Age
The dosage of amoxicillin for kids is very different from that of the adults. Typically, the dosage is determined considering parameters like the age of the child, his or her weight, and the degree and nature of the infection. The table below gives a general guideline for determining the dosages.
Infection
Age / Weight
Moderate Infection
Severe Infection
Ear, nose and throat infection
Above 3 months and weight <40 Kgs
25 mg/kg per day every 12 hours or 20mg/kg per day every 8 hours
45 mg/kg per day every 12 hours or 40mg/kg per day every 8 hours
Above 3 months and weight >40 Kgs
500mg two times a day or 250mg thrice a day
875mg two times a day or 250mg thrice a day
Lyme disease
Weight > 40 kg
500mg to 1g every eight hours for 14 days
500mg to 2 g every eight hours for 10-30 days
Weight < 40 kg
25 to 50mg/kg/day three times a day for 10-21 days
100mg/kg/day three times a day for 10-30 days
Streptococcal Pharyngitis
Newborns or babies till 12 weeks age
2 doses of 30mg/kg per day
Age more than 12 weeks
50mg/kg for ten days divided as 2 or 3 doses
Otitis Media (Ear Infection)
Age between 4 weeks till 3 months
20-30mg/kg per day after every twelve hours
Age 4 months to 12 years
20-50mg/kg daily after eight to twelve hours
80-90mg/kg per day divided into 2 doses every twelve hours
Tonsillitis or Pharyngitis
Age between 4 weeks till 3 months
20-30 mg/kg daily taken every twelve hours
Age 4 months to 12 years
3 doses of 20-50mg/kg per day every eight to twelve hours
Pneumonia
Age more than 5 years and weight > 40 kg
500mg to 1g every eight hours
Age between 2 months and 5 years and weight < 40 kg
20 to 90mg/kg/day divided in doses
Urinary tract infection
Age > 3 months and weight < 40 kg
25mg/kg/day divided in doses every 12 hours
45mg/kg/day divided in doses every 12 hours
Weight > 40 Kgs
500mg two times a day or 250mg three times a day
875 mg two times a day
Skin or Skin Structure Infection
Weight > 40 Kgs
500mg two times a day or 250mg three times a day
875mg two times a day or 250mg thrice a day
Above 3 months and weight >40 Kgs
25 mg/kg per day every 12 hours or 20mg/kg per day every 8 hours
45 mg/kg per day every 12 hours or 40mg/kg per day every 8 hours
A fair idea about the permissible dosage is essential in avoiding any overdose conditions. The numbers mentioned above are a general guide to the drug concentrations. The dosage prescribed by the doctor to the specific cases has to be followed diligently.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If a dose of amoxicillin is missed, it can be given immediately, provided there is a considerable gap before the next dose. If the time is up for the next dose, then there is no requirement to give a double dosage.
What If Your Child Vomits?
Vomiting is a common side effect of amoxicillin in children. Since the gut microflora is altered by the intake of this drug, it can cause vomiting. Make sure that the kid is taking enough fluids and electrolytes. Usually, consuming food along with the medication helps to control vomiting. Probiotics also help restore the good bacteria in the stomach.
What If You Give an Overdose?
An overdose of the antibiotic may cause intense side effects in children. Depending upon the magnitude of overdose, children experience severe rashes, kidney damage, nausea, and less urination along with many other symptoms. In such cases, immediate medical treatment is mandatory.
How To Treat Overdose?
There is no particular antidote for an amoxicillin overdose in children. To remove the excess amoxicillin from the body, multiple doses of activated charcoal are used. Activated charcoal immediately interrupts the circulation of the antibiotic. Sometimes, doctors wash the stomach to flush out the medicine. Treatment is also given to correct the symptoms arising out of the overdose. Haemodialysis is done for severe cases.
Side Effects of Amoxicillin in Kids
The dosage and frequency of administration vary depending on the severity of the infection and the age of the child. It is advisable to strictly stick to the dosage prescribed by the doctor and finish the full course to avoid development of an antibiotic-resistant strain of the bacteria. Although considered a very safe drug, amoxicillin may cause some mild side effects in children.
Stomach discomfort with nausea and mild to severe diarrhoea: This common side effect occurs as a result of changes in the gut flora caused by the antibiotic. If the diarrhoea results in considerable loss of body fluids, it is advisable to consult a medical practitioner immediately.
Patches around the mouth, throat and vagina (for girls)
Sudden swelling of the throat and tongue coupled with difficulty in breathing: This is categorised as 'anaphylaxis' or a severe allergic reaction and requires immediate medical attention
Hives or itchy red patches on the skin
Loss of appetite
Tiredness or weakness after taking a dosage of the drug
General fatigue
Heavy periods in girls
Paleness of the skin
Taste aversion
Unusual bleeding
Burning sensation while urinating
Usually, the side effects subside in a day or two as the child's body gets acclimatised to the drug, but it is better to keep the doctor informed about any new allergic reaction.
Safety Measures While Taking Amoxicillin
While administering amoxicillin, it is better to consult the doctor and get an opinion on the other allowed medications. Vomiting and diarrhoea are common side effects of antibiotic intake. Do not give medication to stop watery stools without consultation with the doctor.
Also, when a child is treated with amoxicillin, the urine sugar levels may show some false positives. In such cases, other methods of measuring the sugar levels can be adopted.
Important Things To Remember About Taking Antibiotics
Some very important things to follow while taking antibiotics are:
Strictly follow the dosage and timelines prescribed by the doctor. Increasing or decreasing the dosage can delay the recovery process.
Complete the course of antibiotic given for an infection. If the medication is stopped in between, it leads to the development of resistant strains of bacteria.
Watch out for any adverse reactions or side effects, especially in children.
Avoid any allergic food substances and medicines that have a proven interference with the antibiotic.
Amoxicillin is a safe and effective treatment option for children suffering from various bacterial infections. If your doctor prescribes this drug, keep the above pointers in mind to ensure your child’s quick recovery.
Also Read: 13 Home Remedies for Cold and Flu in Babies Read more
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Simple Steps to Increase Battery Life of Laptop
Having your laptop run out of juice just when you’re in the middle of something important can be a bummer. Modern laptops are optimised to conserve as much power as they can, but running apps you don’t need or having redundant functions on puts a strain on the battery. There are some steps you can take to improving laptop battery life such that you can get more minutes off your device.
Simple Tips to Extend Laptop Battery Life
Here are 10 ways on how to prolong laptop battery lifespan.
1. Make Changes to the Power Settings
To begin with, get to know the power management features of your laptop, this will allow you to optimise the power consumption. Windows systems have ‘balanced’ as their default setting; however, based on whether the laptop is running on battery or mains, Windows uses different performance settings. When using other OS remember to customise the settings so your laptop doesn’t drain any battery as default settings aren’t always meant to save power.
2. Keep the Screen Brightness Low
The screen is the biggest power drain of batteries in laptops. Every laptop screen has a back light that enables you to see all the colours on the display. This light can be fluorescent as in older laptop models and sap too much power. More recent laptops use LEDs but they sap power as well, only a little lesser. You can add as much as 30 minutes on your battery life just by dimming the screen and keeping it as low as possible.
3. Disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth When Not in Use
Both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth work on radio frequencies and use up a fair amount of power when left on for no reason. When you’re not using either, disable them. Most laptops come with a switch or key to disable Wi-Fi, but Bluetooth takes a bit more effort. Bluetooth can be enabled or disabled from the start menu in some of the laptops. If that’s not an option, head to the Device Manager in Control Panel and directly disable Bluetooth.
4. Do Not Allow It to Overheat
One of the biggest enemies of lithium polymer batteries is heat. Not only is excess heat bad in the short term, but it also reduces the battery’s long term life. Laptops have great cooling systems to keep them cool, but if you have the habit of using it clumsily, say placing it on a pillow while you sit comfortably on a bean bag, it would block the airflow vents. Physical obstruction of the vents is bad both for the battery and the laptop. Dust is one of the contributing factors to it as well. Therefore, try and place the laptop on a flat surface or buy a cooling tray.
5. Kill Redundant Applications
Every application that runs on your device saps a small amount of power. The bigger the application and more resource hungry it, the more power hungry it would be as well. It often happens that you’re running your laptop without closing an app you previously used or you have two different browsers open with a dozen tabs running pages you don’t need at the moment. These can quickly drain the battery. Windows allows you to see the apps which are power and resource demanding but you seldom use, disable them from the task manager.
6. Remove Unnecessary Hardware
Unplug USB devices such as flash drives, hard drives or USB mouse when they are not in use. All of these devices consume a fair amount of power to run. Try and avoid using CD or DVDs when you’re on battery power; the drive hogs into battery life every time you run something from them. Copy the contents to your laptop and remove the disc. Leaving the disc inside is a bad habit as well, because every time you launch windows explorer, the DVD drive starts up.
7. Use a Battery Monitoring Tool
Some of the manufacturers include battery maintenance tools that give you most of the info you need on the state of your battery, the charge and discharge cycles and its power usage statistics. The tools also feature settings to conserve battery for longer performance. If your device doesn’t come with such a tool, you can always install a third party application which does that for you. Battery monitors give you a detailed insight into how your battery is being used so you can optimise your workstation to get the most out of it.
8. Sleep Less, Hibernate More
If you’re in the habit of putting your laptop to sleep when you’re not using it for a few hours, the better option is to put it into hibernation. Sleep uses a small but steady power to keep the memory on and the system loaded, ready to get back to work in a matter of seconds. Hibernation, on the other hand, uses almost no power when it saves the system state before powering off. Sleep is a good idea if you’re only going to be away from your system for a couple of minutes, hibernation is better if you’re away for hours. Hibernation option is disabled by default in Windows; therefore, it needs to be enabled.
9. Avoid Keeping the Laptop Plugged in All Day
Most battery managers avoid charging the battery to its full capacity; however, it’s best not to keep it plugged to the mains all the time when you’re at your work desk. Charge it up to 85 percent or so instead of 100 percent every time. The same goes for discharges as well; avoid using your laptop to the point of complete battery drain often. Ensure your battery hovers around 60 to 70 percent most of the time.
10. Manage the Memory
Shut down every program that you no longer need and turn on the battery saver. If you’re using only one program at a time such as the Adobe reader or playing a video file from the laptop and don’t need to use anything else, you could even put the laptop in airplane mode to conserve the battery.
FAQs
1. How Do I Know If My Laptop Battery Is Good?
One of the first signs that your battery is getting weak is that you get fewer hours on it per charge. If you are using Windows 7 or later versions of OS on your laptop, there is a built-in warning that displays a red X on the battery icon when it’s time to replace the battery. If you need to know exactly how well your battery is doing, install a third party tool to get all the info you need on the battery at any time.
2. How Many Years Does a Laptop Battery Last?
Laptop batteries typically have a capacity of 1000 full charges. That is about a lifespan between two to four years.
Battery saving applications and device settings are helpful in conserving the battery. However, smarter use of your laptop can go a long way in plugging up all the leaks that drain your battery sooner.
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Does Progesterone Help To Prevent Preterm Labour?
Pre-term labour could lead to many complications during childbirth and after, where the baby will have to be incubated. While this is an undesirable situation, there are times when it is necessary as the baby is ready to pop out.
Preterm labour is when the baby arrives anywhere between the 28th and the 33rd week of pregnancy. They are at increased risk of infant mortality. Studies have shown that using progesterone can, however, reduce this risk by up to 40%. Progesterone injections for preterm labour are a common occurrence for many women before giving birth.
What is Progesterone?
Progesterone is a hormone that is released in females and it plays a major role in controlling menstruation after ovulation. In pregnant women, it can help prevent preterm birth by nullifying the contractions that lead to the same.
It is important that babies make it as close to their due date as possible because it could lead to a lot of complications in terms of health.
Role of Progesterone Hormone in Pregnancy
Progesterone supply during pregnancy is vital as it helps the endometrium strong to nurture the fetus in the body. It provides a supportive environment in different stages of the pregnancy to ensure that the fetus stays healthy throughout the entire time period.
As the pregnancy progresses, progesterone plays a role in helping the breasts get ready to produce milk for the baby. Also, the lungs are strengthened with the help of this hormone to provide more amounts of oxygen.
Post 8 to 10 weeks of the pregnancy period, the placenta takes over from the ovaries to increase the amount of progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth.
When do Doctors Recommend Progesterone Therapy to Pregnant Women?
Generally, women who are more likely to have miscarriages or preterm births are provided additional progesterone therapy. Here are a few situations where progesterone might be prescribed:
1. Past Preterm Births
When a mother has gone through the experience of a preterm birth in the past, doctors generally advise progesterone therapy. This therapy is generally started somewhere around the 16th to the 20th week of pregnancy and continues well into the 36th week.
The 17 hydroxyprogesterone for pre-term labour is injected into the mother, with a typical dosage anywhere around 250 mg.
2. Short Cervix
A short cervix can be insufficient to hold the fetus in for longer periods of time and this can lead to preterm birth. This can pose many risks for mothers and it is recommended that pregnant women get their cervix measured between the 19th and 24th week of pregnancy.
Physicians carefully monitor the cervical length, in cases of previous preterm births with ultrasounds done every two weeks - right from week 15 till week 24-26. There are also many risk factors for short cervix including:
C and D procedures (surgeries that can scrape the lining of the uterus)
Cervical incompetence in previous pregnancies
Any situations of PPROM - Previous Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes
Any biopsy of the cervix used to remove pre-cancerous tumours or diagnostic purposes
Previous childbirth trauma when the cervix got torn
Later-term or even repeated abortion
Abnormalities in the uterine and anomalies
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure
For those who have a shorter cervix, the progesterone is generally given at the 18th week of pregnancy and is continued right till the 36th week. This type of therapy sessions involve the administration of the body’s natural progesterone in the following forms:
Gels
Vaginal suppository
Tablets
3. Past PPROM
The Premature Rupture of Membranes occurs when the chorionic membranes and amniotic sac rupture even before the process of labour. When this happens before the 37th week of pregnancy, the condition is called PPROM (Preterm PROM). In such cases, providing progesterone is not as effective for those having the PPROM in their first pregnancy, but they will benefit in subsequent pregnancies.
4. Other conditions
Progression in the field of medicine can lead to additional uses for progesterone for the prevention of preterm delivery. Some have suggested progesterone therapy can help those women who have experienced premature labour in their current pregnancy though the validity of this is still not fully clear.
Progesterone Treatment during Pregnancy
There are different ways to administer progesterone treatments during pregnancy, depending on the doctor’s advice. If you’re someone who’s in line for progesterone treatment, then you could be prescribed shots, suppositories and tablets based on what’s best for you.
1. Progesterone Shots
Progesterone shots for preterm labour is a common way of getting the hormone into pregnant women. It involves an oil-based solution being injected into the body and this is also the most established way of providing progesterone to pregnant women.
The injection is inserted into the buttocks once a day and it uses thick or larger needles to penetrate thick skin and fat. This method cannot be done by patients on their own and they will require medical intervention as the process can sometimes be painful to endure.
The Progesterone shots to prevent preterm labour side effects include skin reactions and rashes but these are common and should be expected.
2. Vaginal Progesterone
The vaginal progesterone delivery method includes vaginal gels, vaginal inserts. An FDA approved vaginal gel is used once a day for up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. A majority of women who have used this gel have approved its convenience and the comfort that it provides.
There are also progesterone oral tablets that are used vaginally in addition to inserts that are effective for women under 35 years.
Progesterone Suppositories
These suppositories are generally compounded at pharmacists and are wax-based. These can be used two to three times a day though they can cause a messy leakage in the process.
What Are Its Side Effects?
Progesterone shots and oral medicines can give rise to various side effects in women, which are minor. However, if a pregnant woman has liver disease or arterial disease, then the progesterone is contradicted.
Some of the side effects include:
Vaginal discharge after shots
Irritation or reactions at the site of injection
Fatigue
A headache
Sleepiness
Nausea
The last four side effects are consistent with oral medications.
Natural Ways To Avoid Preterm Birth
There are a few natural ways to prevent preterm birth. These include:
Following a healthy diet
Visiting the doctor regularly
Take care of any health problems - like diabetes, high BP and depression
Have a diet that incorporates different food and stay healthy.
Thus, progesterone is known to help improve the health of the cervix and ensure a healthy pregnancy. Consult a doctor before proceeding and using the same, to avoid any side effects
Also Read: Taking Progesterone to Prevent Miscarriage Read more
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
6 hours ago
Q. is sesame seeds healthy in 37th week of pregnancy
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
4 hours ago
A. yes you can have but limited .
During pregnancy it is always advisable to have your normal routine foods and include more of sprouted grains along with green leafy vegetables and adequate water intake which helps maintain good health
Do have regular daily walking
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. ninth month mein kab tak delivery ho sakti hai
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
2 hours ago
A. anytime after full term ok. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. my last period date Dec 26 pregnancy test date January 31 check panen apom 37 days ipom enaku evlo weeks and days what ?..
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. I don’t understand your language can you please post your question once again in English or Hindi whatever language you are more comfortable with because anybody on this only we can give you response on that
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. which good formula milk or baby food for 4 months old baby
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
2 hours ago
A. no complementary foods below 4 months can use any branded formula milk. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
2 hours ago
Q. Iam 9month pregnant and having very painful condition due to constipation and gastric issues
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
2 hours ago
A. during pregnancy better not to take medicines for constipation take lot of water green leafy vegetables seasonal fruits you can try suppository if the problem is more o k o k
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 7 months
19 mins ago
Q. hi Doc,
eating raw mango, chapathi or any heat producing foods cause miscarriage during first trimester?
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
3 mins ago
A. no relation ok c. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
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Astha
Mom of a 8 m old girl
1 min ago
#walloffame
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Heba
Mom of a 2 yr 2 m old boy
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#babyofsummer24
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Kuldeep Yadav
Father of a 5 m old girl
4 mins ago
#cutestbaby cute baby #cutie
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