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Ten Questions About Pregnancy You Might Not Want To Ask Your Doctor
by: Alan Cutler
TEN QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT PREGNANCY
Q1. Can I get pregnant following oral sex or heavy petting?
No. You can only get pregnant from full sexual intercourse.
Q2. How will I know if I am pregnant?
If you have had sexual intercourse since your last period and you are
late for your current period, you may be pregnant. Following implantation
of the fertilised egg menstruation should not occur, hence for women who
have been sexually active and who have previously menstruated regularly,
the absence of a period should be put down to pregnancy.

The most common way to confirm a pregnancy is to purchase and undertake a
home test. These are relatively cheap and can be done in the privacy of
your home. The manufacturers claim they are over 95% accurate.
If the home test has a positive result, you should make an appointment to
see your doctor.
Q3. Is it safe to have sex during pregnancy?
For most couples it is normal for them to enjoy an active sex life
throughout the pregnancy. Sexual intercourse will not harm the
development of your baby as it is cushioned by a bag of fluid in your
uterus.
Sex during your pregnancy may also help you both unwind and should help
you maintain a strong bond with your partner, ready for the months ahead.
Q4. Does vaginal discharge increases during this time?
Yes, unfortunately it does. Vaginal discharge may well increase during
all stages of your pregnancy and should be similar to the discharge you
have previously had before a period. It is only if the discharge becomes
very thick, smelly or blood stained that you need to seek medical
assistance. If the cause is an infection, it can be easily treated with
creams or tablets.
Q5. Will I get piles/haemorrhoids?
You may. Although people laugh and joke about piles, they are no laughing
matter.
During pregnancy the walls and veins in your anus swell and blood flow
becomes sluggish, causing the affected veins to throb and become painful.
There are precautions you can take to help reduce the chances of
developing piles, such as:
„Ï Eat a high fibre diet and drink lots of fluid to avoid constipation.
„Ï Try to relax on the toilet and not strain.
„Ï Undertake regular exercise and pelvic floor exercises to help blood
flow around your anus.
If you do get piles, your doctor, midwife or pharmacist will be able to
suggest a suitable cream to ease the pain.
Q6. What is the best contraception to use after birth?

This will depend on how soon you wish to have another baby. If you want
another baby soon (within one year), then short-term measures such as the
cap or condom, ideally with the use of a spermicide, are probably the
best contraception.
Long term, methods such as contraceptive injection, hormone implant and
¡¥the pill¡¦ may be your best options.
Q7. How soon can I have sex after birth?
It is advisable to wait a few weeks after a normal delivery, and up to
three months after a caesarean, as healing may take this length of time.
It is important however that both you and your partner agree: neither
should feel pressured into it.
Be aware that you may feel dry; though by using water-based lubricants
there is no reason why sex should not be as enjoyable as before.
Q8. How will the midwife measure cervical dilation?
The midwife will measure how dilated (or open) the cervix is by gently
inserting two fingers into the vagina. She assesses how open the cervix
is by opening her fingers and feeling around its perimeter. She will also
be feeling the position of the cervix and how soft it is.
She will always try to be gentle but sometimes the process can be
slightly uncomfortable. Try to stay as relaxed as possible: the tenser
you are, the more uncomfortable the procedure will be. Hold your
partner¡¦s hand while the midwife examines you and ask him to try and
distract you.
Q9. How will the hospital staff break my waters if they need to?
The midwife will discuss with you why you might need your waters
breaking. Remember though, if you are not comfortable with this you can
decline. If you fully understand the need to have your waters broken, and
are happy to go ahead, the midwife or doctor will perform a normal
vaginal examination then insert a long thin plastic hook that is a little
bit like a crochet hook. The hook will be brushed over the bag of waters,
which will usually be enough pressure to break it. The cervix does,
however, have to be sufficiently open for this to be carried out.
Q10. If I have an episiotomy or perineal tear, how will it be repaired?
It is not always the case that your perineum (the area between the
vaginal entrance and the rectum) will tear or need to be cut. Moreover,
if it is, there is no way of knowing if you will require stitches. Some

studies have shown that perineal massage can help prevent trauma. Your
midwife will be able to advise you on this. Sometimes if a small tear has
been sustained, it will be left to heal naturally.
If the area does require stitches, the midwife who has been looking after
you will usually do it. You will be given local anaesthetic to numb the
area before the midwife starts and she will check that you are unable to
feel any pain before commencing. These days, stitches are almost always
dissolvable and will not need to be removed.
Want to know more?
If you do want to know more about pregnancy, from conception to labour,
you should take a look at ¡¥Pregnancy for Beginners¡¦ ¡V a comprehensive
guide for the new mother-to-Be. Written by a State Registered Midwife, it
is a simple, easy-to-understand, yet comprehensive, book you can download
to your computer in minutes. See www.pregnancyfacts.org for full details
of this invaluable guide for the newly pregnant woman.
About the author:
Written by a practising midwife, this article gives a taster for her
comprehensive, yet easy-to-read ebook, ¡¥Pregnancy for Beginners ¡V The
Complete Guide for the First-Time Mother-to-Be¡¦, a unique source of
advice for newly pregnant women. See www.pregnancyfacts.org
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