Pregnancy Week by Week » FAQ

Once my waters break, how long is it safe to wait before contractions begin?

Editor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:12 +0000

For some women who are full term (ie. 37 weeks and over) and whose waters break, contractions don’t begin immediately – this is referred to as PROM (Premature Rupture of Membranes). In other words, the woman’s body isn’t ready to initiate labour and they must wait for contractions to begin. All hospital policies are different - some will allow a woman to wait 12 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours or even 48 hours to go into labour naturally, provided of course that the amniotic fluid is clear with no foul smell and that nothing is inserted up the vagina including sterile gloves for vaginal examinations. Waiting at least 24 hours before inducing will help the majority of moms ( up to 95% ) to go into labour naturally without having to be induced. Once your waters break, you need to let your gynae know and keep her posted of your progress. She will then guide and advise you of when to leave for the hospital.

Does amniotic fluid regenerate once your waters break?

Editor — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:35:42 +0000

A common misconception amongst pregnant women is that the amniotic fluid regenerates once the “waters have broken”. This however is not true and means that if a woman’s waters were to break before 40 weeks, the baby would need to be delivered within 48 hours. It may seem as though the fluid continues to regenerate because of sporadic bursts of fluid throughout the day but this is just because as the mother moves, pockets of water surrounding the baby leak out.

How and where do I get a birth certificate?

Kate — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:57:44 +0000

All children born in South Africa must be registered within 30 days of their birth at the Department of Home Affairs (in terms of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1992.)

A parent, parents, guardian or any other person legally responsible for the child must complete the correct form (available at home affairs) and it must be submitted to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs if you are in South Africa, or the nearest South African embassy, mission or consulate if you are overseas.

Once the child’s birth has been registered, an abridged birth certificate is issued free of charge, usually a day or so after the registration application has been submitted.

You could also go through the following agencies to assist you with this process:

Passport Centre
Bunny hop

When do you need to start antenatal classes?

Kate — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:53:00 +0000

Unfortunately most antenatal classes are not scheduled with just your pregnancy in mind. They are run in batches from time to time.

What we suggest is find out from your Gynae who he/she recommends and be in contact with that specific provider to find out when the next course starts. You would need to reserve a place so book early as these book up quickly. Try finding a course that finishes close to your estimated due date (EDD). They usually run for 6 -8 weeks, so a good time to start would be around 26 – 28 weeks.

What options are available to treat infertility?

Kate — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:12:58 +0000

Depending on the reason for the infertility, there may be several treatment options. For example:

Timed intercourse – Assuming there are no obvious medical reasons for either partner to be considered infertile, Timing Intercourse may be recommended. This may include regular visits to a medical professional who will help determine when the woman is ovulating so that intercourse may be scheduled.

Artificial insemination – putting of washed semen into the uterus by using artificial means to coincide with ovulation.

ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) – is the process of injecting sperm directly into oocytes to aid fertilisation, used in conjunction with IVF.

IVF with egg donation – using donor eggs, as opposed to the recipient’s, for the IVF process.

GIFT/ZIFT – Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) are modifidied versions of in-vitro fertilisation where gametes or embryos are transferred through the Fallopian tube in a prepared cycle.

PGD and assisted hatching are laboratory techniques to try and improve success rates.

What is IVF?

Kate — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:05:04 +0000

Mbali Lechler, managing director of FertilityCareSA, an egg donation and surrogacy programme based in Cape Town, says IVF is an acronym for in vitro fertilization (‘in-vitro’ meaning ‘in glass’). In -vitro usually refers to outside the body (as opposed to ‘in-vivo’, or ‘inside the body’).

According to Dr, Femi Olarogun, a fertility specialist who consults for FertilityCareSA, IVF is the process of obtaining fertilisation in the laboratory between sperms and oocytes harvested and the later transferring of the developing embryo into the uterus.

Seven ways to stay upbeat when feeling down about infertility

Kate — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:40:41 +0000

A woman facing infertility can feel lonely in a world that seems filled with babies and where it appears that every other woman gets pregnant with ease. It is often incredibly difficult for those who have no experience with IVF to understand it.

This according to Mbali Lechler, managing director of surrogacy and egg donation programme FertilityCareSA, who writes a weekly blog addressing a variety of issues dealing with infertility.

Having been through three failed artificial inseminations, five failed IVFs, one ectopic pregnancy, one chemical pregnancy, and a miscarriage, Lechler can relate to those who feel that infertility is an uphill battle, and whose global agency has helped more than 300 couples conceive with the help of egg donation.

“Unfortunately, I know only too well what it feels like to have your dreams shattered time and again, to long for something that may never happen.”

Experiencing infertility, a failed IVF, or a miscarriage may evoke a myriad of emotions for both partners in an affected couple. Disappointment, anger, resentment, guilt, loneliness, embarrassment, sense of failure, a profound sense of loss, grief, and a loss of self-esteem, are common emotions a couple may go through. One may experience some or all of these and the intensity and combination may vary for each individual.

According to Vicky Fabricius, a psychologist who consults for FertilityCareSA, a couple can prepare themselves for the possibility of a failed IVF treatment ahead of time, and should allow themselves to feel and experience each emotion as it arises.

“Tell yourself that your feelings are valid and that is natural for you to feel this way. These feelings are not a sign of weakness, they are normal human responses to a very difficult time in life,” believes Fabricius.

Getting the balance is the key, so Fabricius suggests these seven ways to stay positive include:

1) Spend time with loved ones who know what you are going through and can understand and support you and avoid people who are insensitive to infertility issues.

2) Journal your thoughts and feelings. Lechler decided to take her painful experiences and turn them into a purpose by reaching out to others in a similar situation and assisting them in their dreams of building a family. By helping others and focusing less on her personal pain she believes she has helped heal her wounds and find peace with life as it is.

3) Spend time on infertility blogs or support websites, keep yourself educated and informed about infertility and reading widely on the topic.

4) Avoid attending social gatherings that involve children such as baby showers or children’s birthdays.

5) Take time for yourself focusing on your self-care and engage in activities that are nurturing such as going for a massage, watching your favourite movie, treating yourself to something special, and don’t forget to exercise.

“Go on a holiday, do something completely unrelated to trying to have a baby, find happiness in other parts of your life,” suggests Lechler.

6) Connect with your higher power, spend time in nature or participate in other activities that help you feel grounded.

7) Realise that your partner is also feeling a complex range of emotions that may be similar or different to yours and try not to judge this difference, acknowledging that this may put strain on a relationship, and don’t be afraid to seek professional help for yourself and your partner if needed.

What causes infertility in men and women?

Kate — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:02:37 +0000

There are numerous reasons for infertility in men and women. In women, tubal damage secondary to infections, inability to ovulate and uterine disease like fibroids are possible factors. However, between 5 and 25 % of cases are considered ‘unexplained’, which is diagnosed after extensive investigations and no cause is found for the infertility. In Men, environmental (such as smoking, heavy alcohol use, and exposure to potentially noxious substances) and genetic factors (for example chromosome deletions) may affect sperm quality and quantity.

Answer courtsey of FertilityCare SA

What is Infertility? How is it clinically defined?

Kate — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:23:13 +0000

According to Dr. Femi Olarogun, a fertility specialist, the definition of infertility is the inability to conceive despite regular exposure to unprotected intercourse. It affects roughly 15% of women and the diagnosis is made after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse (or sooner if there are obvious ongoing gynaecological conditions that may affect fertility).

*Dr. Femi Olarogun is an OB/GYN with a subspecialty qualification in Reproductive Medicine, which includes management of infertility. He has a practice at Blaauwberg Netcar and the University of Cape Town, and consults for FertilityCareSA (For more information on dealing with infertility, please visit http://fertilitycaresa.com/).

How soon can I test to find out if I’m pregnant?

Elzet — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:04:15 +0000

This depends on two things – your personal cycle and the type of pregnancy test you use. Some pregnancy tests can detect pregnancy before the date that you are due to begin your period (as early as 7-10 days after ovulation) but, most available home test kits specify that you test one day or more after a missed period. The testing strength of each home pregnancy test differs from brand to brand, so be sure to read the instructions on the packaging of the pregnancy test and select your preferred choice. Home pregnancy tests are urine tests and these measure the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hcG), the pregnancy hormone, in your body.

Blood tests, as performed by your doctor, are able to detect even smaller levels of hcG in your bloodstream and are thus able to detect pregnancy much earlier than urine tests. Blood tests can only be performed by a medical professional, and this is why the home pregnancy test is the preferred first stop for anyone eager to confirm a pregnancy.