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Pregnancy Preparedness: Part 2- What the health?
When I was family planning I knew I needed to better understand my own health metrics to understand how they may impact a pregnancy. Essentially, I wanted to confirm my body was equipped to take on the task of carrying a healthy baby to term given the high maternal mortality rate in the African American community. Here are some things I did to confirm I was physically and mentally able to have a baby.
Conventional health screening: I scheduled a basic biometric screening to check my BMI, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
Women’s Wellness Screening: I scheduled my annual women’s wellness check up to have a standard pap-smear performed and to discuss some basics regarding my reproductive health.
Cardio Screening: Due to a history of abnormal Electrocardiograms (EKG) I decided I needed to investigate this issue before going any further in the fertility process. I had a series of tests administered such as a stress test, a chemical stress test, and a computed tomography scan (CT scan). The first two tests were abnormal but my CT scan came back normal which ruled out heart disease.
Fertility Screening: While my OB/GYN was my first line of defense when it came to my reproductive health I knew I would need some additional assistance getting pregnant. I proceeded with scheduling initial consultations with a couple fertility clinics before settling on the one I would ultimately use on an ongoing basis. My consultation was followed up by a thorough screening which included an assessment of my hormone levels, genetic testing to screen for DNA disorders that could be potentially harm my child, an ultrasound to examine my female organs, a saline ultrasound to determine if my fibroids would impact my pregnancy, and a HSG screening to ensure there were no obstructions in any of my essential reproductive parts.
Mental Health Screening: Finally, my fertility clinic required me and all its clients to have a psychological exam done before moving forward with any treatment plan. Lucky for me I already had a mental health provider and therefore, I discussed family planning with my therapist. My doctor and I talked through various sensitive subjects such as postpartum depression and what it would mean to be a single parent.
Please comment below and let me know healthy steps you’ve taken to prepare for parenthood. Did you family plan with your healthcare provider?
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Un-wine: how I discovered alcohol removed wine
Trying to hide a pregnancy is very hard especially when everyone’s pastime is drinking! I had to find clever ways to avoid a cocktail without looking suspicious when socializing with family and friends. This was especially true when my grandma proposed a virtual family toast to celebrate my Aunt’s graduation from Yale. I was nervous that my pregnancy would be revealed prematurely given how perceptive my family can be. For example, I once posted an unrelated encrypted message on Instagram about my blog and received a slew of inquiries from my family asking if I was going to make a pregnancy announcement. So in my quest to deceive my family I found my little fingers pitter paddling on my computer’s web browser searching for alcohol removed wines and that is when I discovered the brand FRE!
Fre, is an alcohol removed wine that still has about .05% of alcohol remaining after the removal process. My research suggest that amount of alcohol is deminis and not harmful as it is equivalent to the alcohol content found in some natural fruits. The wine looks like wine and taste like wine plus the price point is phenomenal, pricing south of $8. So if you are looking for some alcohol free ways to cheers in the new year check out the Fre wine brand!
*If pregnant please consult your doctor before consuming this product*