True Birth

We've compiled all your emails and answered them in this listener mail episode.  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/maternalresour...

Varicose veins are a farily common and benign finding in prengnacy. While these types of veins are not harmful, they can be unsightly and uncomfortable. Lower extremity, anorectal, and vulvar varicosities are different types of varicose veins that can be seen and not much can be done to prevent them.  Varicose veins are also very common where as much as 50% of pregnant people experience this type...

Platelets, also called thrombocyotes, are a component of red blood cells.  They are fragments of cytoplasm that are derived from the bone marrow and are essential for blood clotting. Blood clotting is exteremly important in pregnancy and labor and delivery to prevent excessive bleeding (hemorrhage). Should a woman keep an eye on her platelet levels during pregnancy?  The resounding answer is yes....

How long is it necessary to wait to get pregnant after a pregnancy in various circumstances? There is no uniform or immediate answer. In this episode, we explore what is recommend in each circumstance: miscarrarriage, vaginal delivery and cesarean birth. What is the interval between pregnancies that is safe?  Tune in this week to find out.     Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resourc...

Put on your Columbo jackets! When a patient tells the story of what happened in their labor and delivery experience, they often leave clues as to what truly happened from a medical perspective. Every clinician understands that patients are not necessarily coming from a medical background when they recount their own experiences with healthcare. The pertinent medical information can be colored by th...

Group B Strep Bacteria In this episode, we talk about Group B Strep bacteria found on the lower genital tract.  The reason why Group B Strep is a problem, how to know the women with Group B Strep, how to treat women with the bacteria and, why women with Group B Strep are not given antibiotics before labor.   Timestamps [01:38] About Group B Strep bacteria [03:31] The reason why the bacteria is a p...

What was the c-section rate in 1970 compared to what the c-section rate is now?  It's much higher.  The c-section rate in the United States has been as high as 35% and even higher for first time moms.  Dr. Abdelhak speaks to the 5 main causes of the multifactorial cesarean epidemic .   Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalresources.org/ Remember to subscrib...

This episodes walks through the different types of lacerations and how they are repaired.  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/mate...

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.instagram.com/integrativeobgyn/ Facebook: https://www.faceboo...

The round ligaments are ligaments that sit near the uterus and, pass near the inguinal canal and end in the labia majora. It is a very common report in pregnancy to experience pain in the round ligament area.   The pain is most common in the second trimester and can be on either the right or left side and often described as a pulling sensation. It is thought to be caused by irritation of the nerve...

Induction of labor has been a topic of debate and study in the field of obstetrics for many years. One of the key discussions surrounding this practice is its potential impact on the rate of cesarean delivery. In this blog post, we will explore the findings of the landmark ARRIVE Trial and discuss why induction of labor can reduce the chance of cesarean delivery. The ARRIVE Trial, published in the...

What happens in a digital cervical exam done in pregnancy?  What is the purpose and what to expect are all reviewed in this podcast. Dilation, effacement, station, position, consistency and all the components of the bishop score are reviewed.  During pregnancy, healthcare providers employ various assessments to gauge the progress of labor and determine the most appropriate course of action. One cr...

All the categories and classifications of fetal monitoring explained in this thorough episode.  What is external fetal monitoring? What is the criteria? What can we do about it? and Is it a good or bad thing?  During pregnancy, monitoring the well-being of your baby is of utmost importance. One crucial tool utilized by healthcare providers is external fetal heart rate monitoring. In this blog post...

Progesterone supplementation in pregnancy and the preconception period has been debated for several years as to its effectiveness.  In this episode, Dr. Yaakov Abdelahk gives his take on the use of progesterone for fertility, the prevention of first trimester loss and there prevention of preterm labor.  Our practice website can be found at: Maternal Resources: https://www.maternalresources.org/ Re...

Navigating through the intricacies of labor and delivery can be an overwhelming experience, especially if you're a first-time parent. The labor and delivery floor can seem like a bustling hive of activity with numerous healthcare professionals working together to ensure a safe and positive childbirth experience. In this episode, we'll take you on a journey to introduce you to the key players on th...

Anemia in pregnancy is a common concern that affects a significant number of expectant mothers worldwide. It is characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells or a decrease in the level of hemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. Pregnancy places additional demands on a woman's body, as she needs to supply oxygen and nutrients to both herself and her growing b...

Pitocin is the synthetic version of a natural occurring endogenous hormone called oxytocin.  Oxytocin, also called the "love hormone"  is produced in the hypothalamus and secreted by the pituitary gland.    Pitocin, often a word heard in maternity wards and labor and delivery units, plays a significant role in modern obstetrics. This synthetic form of oxytocin is frequently used to initiate or aug...

Retained placenta is when the placenta is not delivered within 30   minutes of the delivery of the baby.  Some facilities or institutions will consider the placenta to be retained only after 60 minutes or even more, but for the majority of locations, 30 minutes is considered a placenta that is retained (stuck).  There prevalence of retained placenta is about 2-3% of deliverer and can happen in vag...

Placenta previa is when the placenta (disposable organ of the pregnancy) extends over the cervix and cervical os. When the placenta is completely covering the cervix, this necessitates birth by cesarean, vaginal delivery is not safe or even doable. Even in a practice where there is usually a route to safe vaginal birth, in the case of placenta previa it cannot be done.  There is a different betwee...

In this fantastic episode check out all you need to know in that time in between your first positive pregnancy test and getting to your first OB/GYN appointment to confirm your pregnancy. Which prenatal vitamins are important? What foods should you avoid? Can you sleep on your back and more? Everything you wanted to know about those first days and weeks of early pregnancy.  Here are some of the th...

Thyroid disease can be tricky to detect in pregnancy because many of the symptoms of thyroid disease can be mild and go undetected or are so similar to the normal side effects of pregnancy they can often be missed. In this episode, Dr. Yaakov Abdelhak, high risk perinatologist and Kristin Mallon certified nurse midwife walk us through everything we need to know about thyroid disease in pregnancy....

As Covid lingers on into the New Year especially with the new Omnicron variant on the loose, the question every pregnant woman wants to know is whether or not to get the Covid Booster vaccine while pregnant.  In this episode, Dr. Yaakov Abdelhak explains why he recommends the covid booster to pregnant women in pregnancy.  We'd love to know what you think?  As always we would love to hear from you!...

Preterm labor is one of the most evasive disease processes we know about in pregnancy and is one of the leading reasons a pregnant woman seeks treatment in a hospital setting. Until now, we have had very little understanding about why preterm labor (PTL) happens. Most of the therapeutic interventions surrounding PTL involve identifying who is in true preterm labor and appropriating care to delay d...

We want to hear from you. What is your biggest fear in childbirth?  Listen is as our two hosts explain what they think a woman's biggest fear is. Also take our instagram poll and let us know what your biggest fear is.    Visit https://www.truebirthpodcast.com/ to listen more episodes! Maternal Resources Social Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/maternalresourceshackensack |nstagram:  @maternalres...

What's the cause of fetal growth restriction? How can you prevent it? In this episode of True Birth, we will talk about fetal growth restriction/FGR previously termed IUGR or Inner Uterine Growth Restriction.       What is FGR? [1:36] It is when the baby falls below the 10th percentile for weight. 10% of babies will be below the 10th percentile, by definition. Hence, 10% of babies will be classifi...