True Birth

This episode will cover exaclty what to expect from your labor induction.  From addmission to the hospital to delivery of the baby, we've covered everything and the order of events so you can undertand the labor induction process.    There are several reasons why your OB/GYN or midwife may suggest induction of labor and several pregnant patients prefer labor induction, electively.  Labor induction...

What is the difference between midwives, OB/GYNs, and high risk MFM specilaits? What about douals. and labor coaches?  Is a midwive like an OB/GYN?  Isn't a midwife just a doula? What are the differences between each?    According the the American College of Midwives the definition of midwifery is: "Midwifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives (CNMs®) and certified midwives (CMs®) encompasse...

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is heavy or excessive bleeding after giving birth.  There are several reasons why PPH may occur following delivery.  In this episode, postpartum hemorrhage as a result of uteirne atony is reviewed.    Uterine atony is when the placenta deliveres but the uterus does not cramp down and stop its own bleeding following birth.  After birth, there is a natural mechanism where...

RH factor in pregnancy and RhD alloimmunization in pregnancy. What happends when a patient has RH negative blood during prengnacy and what happends when alloimmunization takes place.  RhD-negative patients who deliver an RhD-positive newborn or who are otherwise exposed to RhD-positive red blood cells are at risk of developing antibodies which can leadd to alloimmunization.   This primarily affect...

Today is a big anniversary!  We have been at podcasting for 1 year and have reached out 100th episode. In this week's podcast we review our most downloaded episodes and our own personal favorites.  Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalresources.org/ Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  Please consider leaving us a review on iTunes Our Soci...

Placenta encapsulation is the procedure of taking a placenta and making it into pill form for consumption usually following birth. Placenta encapsulation has gained popularity in the past decade as a remedy to aid and assist with postpartum depresssion, lactation, and overall health and well-being following childbirth.   Encapsulation is not the only form of placenta ingestion utlized, but has bec...

Birth plans have increased in popularity in the last several decades and many templates exist online from popular pregnancy and birthing websites, vlogs and blogs. What really needs to be included in a birth plan?   A birth plan is a great way to have a conversation with your OB/GYN or midwife to be on the same page about the expectations surrounding birth.    This episode covers what are key comp...

Radiology and imaging techniques in pregnancy are reviewed such as x-rays, CT scans and MRIs.  Find out when it is safe to get imaging done in prengnacy.    The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommend that routine X-rays and other diagnostic procedures be avoided during pregnancy primarily because if it can be delayed, that is advisable. However, they state that imaging stu...

Different types of uterine shapes and sizes are reivewed and how they affect pregnancy and delivery, mainly septate, unicornuate, bicornuate, and didelphys uterus.   Each of these different types of congential uterine differences can have different affects during pregnancy and labor leading to an increase in preterm labor, spontaneous miscarriage, or malpresentation of the fetal presenting part. ...

What to do when you can't sleep in pregnancy. There are many reasons as to the source of sleepless nights in pregnancy; and the solutions vary by the cause.    Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalresources.org/ Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  Please consider leaving us a review on iTunes Our Social Channels are as follows Twitter: ht...

Bleedding in the first trimester of pregnancy is often more anxiety producing than dangerous in pregnancy. However, it is important to seek the consultation of a medical professional whenever there is bleeding at any point in a pregnancy.    Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalresources.org/ Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  Please con...

The AFP test of the Alpha-Fetoprotein Test is a blood test done in the second trimeter of pregnancy screening for nerual tube defects (NTDs).  This maternal serum along with ultrsasound screening has led to identification of nerual tube defets in most pregnancies, allowing parents to make decisions about pregnancy management. Neural tube defects are birth anomalies that can develop when a portion...

Dr. Yaakov Abdelhak explains the inception of Maternal Resources, what makes it tick and how it's the most special place on the planet to have a baby.  Find out why familes come from over 5 different states to deliver with this special team.  Maternal Resources is a renowned OB/GYN practice located in the northeastern region of New Jersey. With a dedicated team of perinatologists, OB/GYNs, and mid...

Meconium is brown stained amniotic fluid and represents the passage of stool from the bowels of the baby in utero.    We'd love to hear your feedback.  Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalresources.org/ Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  Please consider leaving us a review on iTunes Our Social Channels are as follows Twitter: https://tw...

In pregnancy, thrombophilias or blood clotting disorders can either be inherited or  acquired. As you can imagine, blood clotting is not a preferred state in pregnancy a condition laden with micovessels which could clot easily. Inherited thrombophilias are usually genetic in nature and increase the risk for thromboembolic disease. During pregnancy, the potential for these disorders to be problemat...

Everything that's key to know about the immediate postpartum period.  You've done all the hard work and delivered a healthy beautiful baby. Now, in this episode, we've reviewed all the essential things that you need to know about what to expect right after giving birth.  Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalresources.org/ Remember to subscribe wherever you...

Different types of leg pain in pregnancy are reviewed.    Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalresources.org/ Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  Please consider leaving us a review on iTunes Our Social Channels are as follows Twitter: https://twitter.com/integrativeob YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/maternalresources IG: https://www.ins...

The fetal echocardiogram is a targeted ultrasound that is used to examine the fetal heart in more detail than a standard anatomy ultrasound.  This test is typically performed after the 18 th week of gestation by a highly trained sonographer and is do in addition to a routine anatomy ultrasound. This test can be utilized to determine the structure and the function of the fetal heart and gives a bet...

Precipitous labor is labor that is rapid, usually 3 hours or less from start to finish. This episode is a follow up to a previous episode with some new insights.  To some, precipitous labor may sound like a great idea because the labor can be over very quickly, but it can be associated with other complications.  In this episode, we review the risk factors, the potential risks and how to spot who m...

All the different ways to calculate and accurate due date in a pregnancy.   How to utilize the calender, ovulation and ultrasound technologies to determine when is the best estimated due date.  Due dates are in some ways misleading because most babies are not born on their due dates.  In some cases, it could be more accurate to give a due range rather than an acutal date.  Nonetheless, due dates a...

Macrosomia refers to a fetus larger than 4000 to 4500 grams (or 9 to 10 pounds) at birth. About 9% of infants are born macrosomic and there is a wide variation of size by country.    When a baby is large or even too large for vaginal birth, there can be several complications (maternal, fetal and neonatal) that can arise. Maternal complications can include: slowed or stopped labor, an increase in i...

Pubic symphysis pain which is also known as symphysis pubis dysfunction refers to symptoms a patient feels when the joint between the left and right pelvic bones allows for more movement than usual.  This is a common discomfort in pregnancy due to the increase in the relaxation and increased mobility of the of the ligaments surrounding the pelvis.  Unfortunately, this can cause a lot of pain in th...

Uterine fibroids, also known as uterine leiomyomas are benign smooth muscle tumors found in or around the uterus.  Fibroids are common in women of childbearing age and many women will have no symptoms. Fibroids usually have a minimal effect on the pregnancy, but they can sometimes be associated with fertility concerns and some pregnancy concerns.  While many women have no symptoms and may never ev...

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a very rare, autoimmune disorder in which the immune system damages the nerves, causing muscle weakness, paralysis and pain. The symptoms can last for a few weeks to several years, yet most will make a full recovery. Occasionally, some people with GBS will have permanent nerve damage. In this interesting case, the patient was early in the pregnancy and presented wi...

Gestational diabetes or diabetes in pregnancy diabetes during pregnancy. This podcast will focus primarily on the type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy.   Thoses with pregestational diabetes or diabetes that comes before the pregnacy begins result in diffrent management strageties and carry different risks.  Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalre...