#DrJaneFrederick

Dr. Jane Frederick: Preparing for Mother’s Day 2018

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Getting your body ready for a baby

Are you hoping to become pregnant by Mother’s Day 2018? If you and your partner have made the life-changing decision to try to have a baby, here are some steps you should take this year to ensure you’ll be receiving a Mother’s Day card and flowers in the future.

Schedule an appointment with your primary care physician

It’s important to know if  you have any pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension, that might affect your pregnancy or those influencing fertility, including sexually transmitted diseases or a thyroid condition. This appointment will also be an opportunity to discuss with your doctor the prescription medications you’re taking and whether to continue them when you conceive, as well as to update your immunizations and get a flu shot.

Supplement with folic acid to prevent birth defects

One of the most effective ways to insure your baby does not develop neural-tube defects, such as the deadly neurological condition of spina bifida, is to supplement your diet with 600 mcg/0.6 mg of folic acid daily. You can take folic acid supplements or buy a multi-vitamin that contains it. Once you get pregnant, your obstetrician will increase the dosage to 800 mcg/0.8 mg, which can be obtained in a prenatal vitamin.

Maintain a healthy weight with a nutritious diet

You don’t need to start eating for two before you become pregnant, but we suggest following the ACOG (American College of Obstetricians/Gynecologists) guidelines for practicing healthier eating habits with a balanced diet of the five food groups supplemented by eating foods rich in iron, calcium and Vitamin D.

However, if you are overweight or underweight, this is the time you should take action to lose or gain weight so you can achieve a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) and optimize your chances of getting pregnant as well as be as physically fit as possible during pregnancy.

Think about your family genes

Members of certain ethnic or racial groups should undergo genetic testing to rule out being carriers of serious inherited diseases such as Tay Sachs (Jewish) or sickle cell anemia (African American). A genetic counselor can review your family medical history to determine if further testing is needed based on your family history.

Adopt a healthy lifestyle

You don’t have to stop having fun, but we advise all reproductive-age women to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Stopping smoking is one of the single best things you can do, helping to prevent prematurity and underweight babies. You also should moderate/stop drinking alcohol and, it goes without saying, taking recreational and illegal drugs.

Make sure the father of your child-to-be also prepares

Often, prospective dads are left out of the conversation about pre-conception planning. They, too, should go for a physical — something men frequently neglect — as well as take important steps to make sure they are stopping smoking, drinking excessively or taking recreational drugs, such as marijuana, that could affect their sperm count.

Take a fertility assessment test

Many fertility clinics, including HRC, offer pre-conception patients the opportunity to have their fertility potential evaluated. We will check a woman’s egg supply/ovarian reserve with anti-mullerian hormone and follicle stimulating hormone tests as well as analyze your male partner’s sperm.

Good luck as you prepare for one of the most exciting phases of your life!

One Daughter, Another on the Way

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For four years, Carrie and Steve tried to conceive both naturally and with Clomid. Realizing they needed a fertility specialist, they followed a friend’s advice and decided to work with HRC and Dr. Jane Frederick.

Though previous infertility testing for both Carrie and Steve had come back normal, Dr. Frederick decided to take a second look. She discovered that Steve’s male infertility diagnosis was the problem.

“Dr. Frederick suggested both IUI and IVF, but said that IVF was probably the only way to get pregnant based on the issues we had to overcome,” explained Carrie.

The couple decided to do IVF.  Carrie’s harvested eggs resulted in seven embryos, six of which were viable for transfer. They did a fresh embryo transfer with their first cycle, but did not become pregnant.

Six months later, with four embryos left, the couple did a second round of IVF with two of the frozen embryos. Carrie became pregnant on Easter weekend and the couple now has an 18-month-old daughter Kenzie born right before Christmas last year.

But Carrie and Steve wanted more children,  so they decided to do a third round of IVF.

“We didn’t look at the calendar, but it just so happened that I was on bed rest after the last transfer and it was again over Easter weekend–and we became pregnant,” she said.

The couple is now 16 weeks pregnant again with their second little girl, and her due date is two days after Kenzie’s birthday.

“With Dr. Frederick’s help, we never lost hope,” said Carrie.