Worried I may have harmed my baby
DEAR DR MITCHELL,
I recently found out that I was pregnant – measuring 17 weeks – and I didn’t know before because I had no symptoms and did not miss my period. Now that it’s confirmed I have been taking my prenatals and such, but I’m worried about the things I have done over the weeks before I knew. I smoked and drank, and also took the COVID vaccine, and I’m worried that my habits may have affected the baby. I have my anatomy ultrasound soon, and I guess that I will know then what’s up, but should I be worried at all? My doctor believes that everything should be fine.
It is always best to plan a pregnancy and make sure that you are in your best health first before conception. Drinking excessively and smoking can affect the foetus. This is especially so if the excessive drinking and smoking continues throughout the first 14 weeks when the foetus is developing. Smoking and alcohol consumption can also have a negative effect on the foetus as the pregnancy progresses, so it is advised that you make every effort to completely discontinue these harmful habits.
It is important that you focus on having a healthy, balanced diet with your fruits, vegetables and proteins. It is important to take your prenatal vitamins and folic acid supplements to decrease your risk of a low blood count and complications associated with this in the pregnancy.
Pregnant mothers who continue smoking in pregnancy are at an increased risk for developing severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia during the pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is a severe increase in the blood pressure associated with spilling of protein in the urine.
When this is associated with having fits or seizures in the pregnancy, this is called eclampsia. It is important for you to keep up with your regular visits with your doctor to monitor your blood pressure to detect any early signs of pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure.
COVID vaccination in pregnancy is considered safe. All the evidence to date has confirmed no adverse effects on the mother or baby. Mothers who are vaccinated have a significantly lower risk of becoming severely sick or being admitted to the intensive care unit for COVID complications.
Vaccination with two doses of the COVID vaccine and a booster dose is the current recommendation to reduce your risk of developing severe COVID infection.
The detailed ultrasound done at 20 weeks gestation will help to determine if there is any abnormality in the foetus.
The risk of complications is low and you should focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the pregnancy to reduce any unnecessary complications.
Follow the advice of your doctor closely.
Wishing for you a safe delivery and a healthy baby.
Dr Sharmaine Mitchell is an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Send questions via e-mail to allwoman@jamaicaobserver.com; write to All Woman, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5 or fax to 876-968-2025. All responses are published. Dr Mitchell cannot provide personal responses.
DISCLAIMER:
The contents of this article are for informational purposes only, and must not be relied upon as an alternative to medical advice or treatment from your own doctor.
