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FUTURE MOTHER PLANS AHEAD FOR HEALTHY BABY
Q - I’m 26 and engaged to a wonderful guy. We’ve planned our
wedding for a year from now. The only problem is I’m almost
60 pounds over my ideal weight. I’m working hard to lose as
much as I can before the wedding, but not because I don’t
like the way I look. It’s mainly because we plan on starting
our family soon after we get married and want to have a
healthy baby. Does that plan make sense to you?
A - It makes perfect sense to me for several reasons. First,
you’ve obviously done your homework. Compared to women
of normal weight, women who are obese at the time of
conception have twice the risk of giving birth to babies
with heart defects and three times the risk of delivering
babies with open spine defects or the abdominal malformation
known as omphalocele, in which the intestines and
other abdominal organs protrude into the umbilical cord,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC).
Moreover, pre-pregnancy obesity is a major cause of
premature births in the United States, according to the
March of Dimes.
A recent study from Denmark shows that pre-pregnancy
obesity is associated with an increased risk of stillbirth, especially
late in pregnancy. So yes, by losing weight, you are
doing all you can to have a healthy baby.
But, there’s more to it than that. You’re also looking out
for your own health by lowering your risk for heart disease,
stroke, sleep apnea, type II diabetes, gallbladder disease,
certain types of cancer, depression, and arthritis, all
associated with obesity. Lastly, you are doing something
even lovebirds Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes couldn’t do,
waiting until after marriage to start your family.
Congratulations!
WHAT ARE MY BABY’S CHANCES OF HAVING DOWN
SYNDROME?
Q - I’m 36 years old and just found out I’m pregnant. Can
you tell me what the chances are that my baby has Down
syndrome?
A - Your risk of having a baby with Down syndrome increases
with age, as shown in the following statistics:
• At age 25, the risk is 1 in 1,300 births.
• At age 30, it is 1 in 965 births.
• At age 35, it is 1 in 365 births.
• At age 40, it is 1 in 109 births.
• At age 45, it is 1 in 32 births.
Just to show another way to answer your question, the
chances that a 35-year-old woman will not have a baby
with Down syndrome are 364 out of 365 births, or 99.7 percent.
Even at age 40, 108 out of 109 births or 99.1 percent
will not have Down syndrome. You should ask your doctor
for more details at your next checkup.
IS MY BABY’S TEAR DUCT BLOCKED?
Q - My two-week-old is incredibly healthy. But ever since I
brought her home from the hospital, I’ve noticed a buildup
of watery white matter in the corner of her right eye, especially
when she wakes up from a nap. My mother says she
has a blocked tear duct, the same thing I had as a baby. She
thinks I should have her checked by our doctor. What do you
think? Do blocked tear ducts run in families?
A - Here’s why your mother is probably right. Normally, the
tear ducts drain the tears through a small opening at the
inner corner of each eye, emptying the tears into your
baby’s nasal passages. When a tear duct is blocked, the
tears well up in the eye, like a stagnant pond, setting up a
mild infection of the eyelids, which explains the buildup of
watery white matter in the corner of your baby’s eye.
Your doctor should see the eye to confirm the diagnosis.
In most cases, gentle massage of the inner corner of the
eye will open it up. Occasionally, an eye specialist has to
open the duct with a simple procedure. As far as I know,
blocked tear ducts do not run in families.
CHILDREN WITH DIABETES CAN PLAY ANY SPORT IF . . .
Q - Our daughter will be in the ninth grade this fall and is
dead set on trying out for the volleyball team. The problem is
she takes insulin for diabetes, and she was born with one
ovary. Can you tell us whether it’s safe for her to play?
A - Children with diabetes can play any sport if they do the
following:
• Pay attention to their diet.
• Stay well hydrated.
• Monitor their glucose level.
• Adjust their insulin dose accordingly.
The risk of injury to your daughter’s ovary is minimal
and should not prevent her from competing.
Why don’t you consider going with your daughter to
discuss her plans with her doctor. If her doctor agrees that
it’s safe for her to play, ask if he would mind writing a note
for the school principal, stating that in his medical opinion
it’s safe for her to play. Then you and your daughter
should schedule a meeting with the school principal to
present the note and make sure he knows and agrees that
she’s cleared to play.
It’s important to avoid the temptation to run interference
for your daughter and do all of this yourself. Don’t fall
into that trap. By involving her every step along the way,
you will help her learn how to manage her own health care.
This skill is important for all teens, but especially if they
have a chronic disease such as diabetes.
