Second Trimester / Health & Medicine

All information in "On Health and Medicine" is to be used strictly as a guideline. If you have a health-related concern, you should consult your health care provider.

Regular Office Visits
Special Tests
Vaginal Discharge
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section (VBAC)

eeping up with your regular prenatal office visits is the best way to monitor your and your baby's health. Use these visits to ask questions and air your concerns. The more you know, the more confident you will be with each passing month.

Below is a list of what you can expect at the next three monthly office visits to your health care provider. Of course, this may vary for each individual and for each pregnancy.

Recording weight and blood pressure

Testing urine for sugar and protein

Listening to the fetal heartbeat

Checking the size of the uterus and the position of the fetus

Discussing any concerns or unusual symptoms

Between the 24th and 30th week of pregnancy, your provider may test your blood for gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is caused by changes in glucose levels due to glucose needs of the developing baby. Once detected, it is commonly treated by controlling the mother's diet.

If you have a higher risk pregnancy for abnormalities due to your age, ethnic or national heritage, or family history, you and your provider may feel special testing should be done. The most common tests are alpha-fetoprotein, amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS). When having these tests, be sure to read all material available on them and express any concerns or questions to your provider. Remember that an abnormal reading does not necessarily mean there is a problem, only that further testing should be done. The majority of babies are born healthy.

If further testing shows that your child has a birth defect, counseling and a support group may help you sort out your feelings. Most parents of special needs children will say that the early diagnosis makes it somewhat easier to handle. You can then deal with the emotional feelings from the loss of the child you thought you were going to have prior to dealing with all the emotions of postpartum. Many questions and concerns can be dealt with, and special prenatal care can be given to ensure that further medical complications during birth can be avoided. And the birth experience itself can be what it is intended to be – a joyful celebration.

A thin, milky white discharge from the vagina is normal throughout pregnancy. The discharge may increase as your pregnancy progresses. Thus, towards the end of pregnancy you may wish to use a feminine pad to help protect your clothing. Tampons should never be used, and do not douche unless prescribed by your provider.

Call your provider if discharge:

Turns yellow or greenish in color

Becomes thick and cheesy

Develops a foul odor

Burns, itches, or results in soreness

This could indicate an infection which needs medical attention. To help avoid an infection, keep the genital area clean and dry; wear comfortable, cotton-crotched underwear; avoid harsh deodorant soaps, bubble baths and perfumes; and avoid wearing tight pants of any kind.

Today, mothers-to-be who have previously given birth by cesarean may be able to deliver their next child vaginally. In early cesareans, vertical incisions in the uterus weakened the muscles used during labor. Nowadays, the more common horizontal incision lower in the uterus does not damage these all-important muscles, allowing for a normal labor. The type of incision on your skin does not in any way impact your ability to have a vaginal birth. If you have previously given birth by cesarean, talk to your provider to see if you may be able to deliver VBAC.

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