what is the triple screen test and should I get it? February 28, 2007
Posted by guinever in : genetic testing, pregnancy , add a commentThe triple screen is a blood test done around the 16th week of your pregnancy. It has become just another routine test in many OB/GYN offices. By measuring the level of alpha-fetoprotein and pregnancy hormones in your blood, the triple screen or AFP screening can indicate if you have an increased risk for carrying a baby with a genetic disorder such as Down’s syndrome or Spina bifida.
Knowing the exact gestational age is important because the protein and hormone levels increase as your pregnancy progresses. About 5 to 7% of women who are screened show an increased risk of carrying a baby with Down’s syndrome. And of those 5 to 7% , only 1 or 2 babies are born with the disorder. Therefore, the triple screen test has a high false positive rate–this means that your baby probably does not have Down’s syndrome even though the test shows your baby might have it.
These false positive results cause great anxiety for a pregnant woman. Couples worry about their baby for the rest of the pregnancy.
If you get an abnormal test result, it does not mean that there is a definite problem with your baby; it just indicates that your baby might have an increased risk of having a problem. Repeating the triple screen test usually rules out this increased risk.
If your second test yields the same abnormal results as the first test, your doctor will probably recommend having an amniocentesis. Please note that the risk of doing harm to your baby during an amnio test is usually greater than the likelihood that your baby actually has the genetic disorder you are trying to confirm. Amniocentesis could cause miscarriage.
When considering whether or not you should have the triple screen test, ask yourself what you will do with the test results, especially if you get an abnormal test result. For most pregnant women, not having the triple screen test is the smart thing to do. Read what other women have said about the triple screen test.
For a more thorough and technical explanation, please refer to the March of Dimes and WebMD.
how long does it take the cervix to dilate 5 centimeters? February 13, 2007
Posted by guinever in : birth, labor, pregnancy , 234commentsIt takes a long time for the cervix to dilate 5 centimeters. It’s going to be many days or weeks of having Braxton Hicks contractions before labor begins just to get the cervix ready for labor. But if the cervix isn’t “ripe” for labor and your water breaks or your contractions start, then it’s going to take many hours of early labor just to soften and efface the cervix. When I say many hours, it could be 12-24 hours of having light, but persistent contractions just to get to 2-3 centimeters dilated. And then it will be a few more hours to dilate to 4-5 centimeters.
Before the cervix can dilate or open up, it must first soften. This thinning and softening of the cervix is called effacement, which is measured in percentages. Usually, the cervix is long, hard and closed. As a pregnant woman has Braxton Hicks contractions during pregnancy or in labor, the cervix starts this effacement process which ripens the cervix and prepares it for labor. As the cervix continues to soften, it starts to dilate as well.
You may be checked by your doctor or midwife as your due date approaches and found to be 50% effaced and a fingertip dilated. The next week you may be 60% effaced and still a fingertip dilated. The next week, your cervix may be 2 centimeters dilated. The effacing and dilating of the cervix can take many weeks before “real labor” begins. The more contractions you have before labor starts, the shorter your labor will be.
If you slowly dilate during the last weeks of pregnancy, then your cervix will be “ripe” and ready for labor. You may dilate to 5 centimeters after just a few short hours of labor. And if this isn’t your first baby, getting to 5 centimeters could happen very quickly.
However, there is another scenario. If your labor starts and your cervix hasn’t already done a lot of the effacing and dilating that I just described, it will take many hours of light contractions just to get to 2-3 centimeters dilated.
Sometimes, your water may break before contractions begin. You might stay home for about 12 hours having light contractions. During this time, you can follow your normal routine. Eat when you’re hungry, drink when you’re thirsty. You can even relax in the bath after your water breaks if you want to. After 12 hours of these light contractions, your cervix may only be dilated 1 centimeter. It may be another 12 hours or more before the cervix is dilated to 4-5 centimeters and active labor kicks in.
So be prepared for a long, slow early labor if your cervix hasn’t softened during pregnancy. So to answer the question, how long does it take the cervix to dilate to 5 centimeters? A long time.
What does being 2 centimeters dilated mean?
Cervical dilation 101: frequently asked questions
how long is it ok to push during labor? January 29, 2007
Posted by guinever in : babies, birth, labor, pregnancy , 4commentsHow long is it ok to push during labor? The answer is as long as both mother and baby are healthy, it’s alright to just keep on pushing until the baby is born. Just be patient. The second stage of labor or pushing phase can take anywhere from just a couple minutes to many hours.
From what I’ve observed, most primiparas (first time moms) take about an hour to push out their baby. But going over one or two hours is normal and acceptable. If labor seems long and the baby isn’t descending, a change of position is usually all that is needed to bring the baby down. Positions to try besides the typical hospital position of lying on back with feet in stirrups include
- squatting either on the floor or bed; a squatting bar can assist in this position
- sitting up, yet leaning back on bed, chair, or partner between contractions
- lying on side, pulling top leg back during contractions
- walking/standing
- hands and knees
- on knees, but in an upright position
- leaning over a birth ball or chair
For more information about the second stage of labor, read this comprehensive article about pushing for first time moms at Midwifery Today.
If mom is overly exhausted or her blood pressure is rising or the baby starts showing signs of distress (the baby’s heart rate is measured with a doppler or fetal monitor), then that is the time to try to shorten the pushing stage and try to get the baby out quicker. This would include pushing a lot harder for a couple contractions, trying vacuum extraction, forceps, and eventually surgery.
Again, it doesn’t matter how long it takes for pushing as long as mom and baby continue to do alright. It’s important for the laboring woman to eat if she’s hungry, drink if she’s thirsty, and change positions if she feels like it.
what does being 2 centimeters dilated mean? January 22, 2007
Posted by guinever in : babies, birth, labor, pregnancy , 139comments
So you’re nearing the end of your pregnancy and your doctor or midwife “checks you” and you find out that you’re 2 centimeters dilated. What does it mean? When will you have your baby?
Well, your labor could start today, tomorrow or not for another month. Cervical dilation is not a good indication of when exactly you will have your baby.
You can be 36, 37, or 38 weeks pregnant, 2 centimeters dilated and not have your baby for several weeks. Or you can be 2 centimeters dilated and be in very early labor or pre-labor having a couple contractions an hour and maybe have a baby within the next couple days. Or you can be 2 centimeters dilated and be having very long, hard contractions that are close together. In this last scenario, you will have your baby very soon. You can actually be in late labor or in transition, but your cervix hasn’t caught up yet and is showing early labor.
I’ve heard a few women say that they got the epidural, but it didn’t take effect until after the baby was born. The contractions were overwhelming and they just couldn’t handle labor anymore especially when they got checked and their cervix was found to only be 2, 3, or 4 centimeters dilated. They ordered the epidural and as they waited for the anesthesiologist to show up, they had the baby.
So remember, you can’t predict when your baby will be born based on the dilation of your cervix. Dilation doesn’t happen in a standard, uniform way.
Feel free to ask a question and then check back later for an answer, but please don’t ask me when I think you are going to have your baby or if your doctor will induce you because I don’t know. (these questions could be deleted and will not be answered)
You will find additional clarification of when your labor may start by reading cervical dilation 101:frequently asked questions and How long does it take the cervix to dilate 5 centimeters?
For more articles about pregnancy and birth, please refer to my welcome page.
If you enjoy reading birth stories, you might like
diary of a primipara
my second birth: a lot quicker than my first
the labor that kept on stopping
born in our living room
