chatwithketch

Q: Good evening doctor, thanks a lot for your answer its really helping us. Please Doc, I will want to know if it is possible for a mother and father to be A+ while the child is o+

A: Everyone’s blood contains antigens and antibodies which form the blood’s defense against foreign bodies. The antigen and antibody present in your blood determines your blood group.

Your blood is made up of red blood cells (which carry oxygen round the body), white blood cells (which help fight infections) and platelets (which help clotting) suspended in plasma (a liquid).

Your blood group depends on genes inherited from your parents.

People with blood group A have A antigen on their red blood cells and Anti-B antibodies in their plasma. Thus, giving this person blood from someone with blood group B will lead to the antibodies (anti-B) attacking that person’s B antigen.

A is dominant to O and so people with A blood group can either have the genotype ‘AA’ or ‘AO’. If two parents have the ‘AO’ blood type genotype, they have a 25% chance of having a child with O+ blood group, 75% of having children with blood group A (25% with AA blood type genotype and 50% with AO blood type genotype).

So the simple answer is yes, it is possible to have an O+ child even when both parents are A+

All the best!

Q: Hello Dr I am not sure whether I have a problem or not; every girl I meet keeps having miscarriages. I don’t know why.

A: condolences on the loss of your baby/ies. It is never an easy experience for anyone to go through.

Unfortunately, often times, the cause of a miscarriage is not identified. You need to understand this so that neither you nor her blame yourself unduly. Having said that though, first trimester miscarriages are mainly due to problems with the baby/fetus. These problems could be due to problems with the placenta. This is how the baby receives its nutrients in the womb and so, if this organ cannot deliver, a miscarriage might occur. There may also be a problem with the baby’s chromosomes, such that a baby may receive too many or too few genetic materials or there may be a damaged egg/sperm. Other associated risk factors include smoking and drinking alcohol, being overweight, malnutrition, increased maternal age, trauma and drug abuse. By the way, trimester is 3 months of pregnancy. Therefore, first trimester refers to the 1st three months, 2nd trimester, the 2nd three months and 3rd trimester, the last three months

To try for a pregnancy again, remember to ensure there is unprotected sexual intercourse at least three times a week with ejaculation of sufficient amounts of semen. Encourage your partner to start on folic acid supplements as soon as she can, to prepare her and baby for the journey ahead.

To prevent a recurrence, focus on ensuring that you both stay healthy and do not indulge in harmful habits like smoking and excessive alcohol drinking. Other helpful tips include eating healthy, keeping weight within normal parameters, avoiding trauma and not abusing drugs.

In addition, as soon as she gets pregnant again, she should register for antenatal as soon as possible and keep to her appointments religiously.

All the best!

Q: I gave birth on the 8^th of October. After some months, I saw my period between the end of January and February, and now I have not seen it again. I ran some tests and it shows I’m not pregnant. Could it be irregular menstruation?

A: Hello and Congratulations on your new baby!

Different women report different changes with their menstrual periods after child birth. Some report longer periods. Others report shorter periods; some others report less pain and others observe absolutely no change at all 😀 So, it’s not strange, but where in doubt, please discuss this with your doctor

A very common question I get asked is if breastfeeding mums can get pregnant. The answer is yes. If you’re exclusively breastfeeding, feeding your baby on demand (every 4 hours), you’re within 6 months of your baby’s birth and your menstrual period has not returned after the birth of your baby, you stand a better chance of not getting pregnant during this period. However, this is not a reliable method.

Birth control pills can help prevent pregnancy at this time. Pills that contain estrogen can lead to reduction in breast milk supply (and yes, combination pills contain estrogen). So, it’s a good idea to avoid such pills at this time. Pills that contain only progestin (like the minipill) is a better idea as it does not affect breast milk supply. It’s usually taken at the same time daily. It’s best to start this discussion before you have your baby or immediately after so that your doctor can advise as to when you should start taking the pills.

Barrier contraceptives like condoms, diaphragms etc can also serve the purpose of preventing pregnancy at this time.

There are, of course, other methods of birth control available eg Intra Uterine Device (IUD), implants, patches etc also exist and you may want to discuss these other options with your doctor as you conclude breastfeeding.

So, check with your doctor. Better safe than sorry.

I hope this helps.

‘A child who is obese is more likely to develop diabetes, heart disease, and other complications of obesity earlier in life than someone who develops obesity in adulthood.’ What can you do o prevent this?

Read!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/5-habits-for-moms-that-help-prevent-childhood-obesity-2018071014219

Happy International Women’s Day!
The year has just started (barely) but, oh so much, has already happened! Do you feel the same?
So today, I explore what it means to b a woman. To me…
It’s being thankful for the wonderful children I have (who are not perfect by any means) but make me so very happy 😀
It’s rising above whatever the world tells me is impossible and going ahead to do it (whatever it may be at that moment)
It’s doing it afraid (feeling literally petrified at the prospect of doing it, but finding the inner strength to lift my head high, face my fears and carry on)
It’s lighting the torch for women coming behind me – supporting them to be the best version of themselves and holding them accountable for paying it forward
It’s owning my story – not making excuses for where I’ve been or what I’ve been through. Owning it and speaking to what that has made me today
It’s knowing that my journey has not been easy and yet everyday, I rise!
It’s identifying as a happy feminist, in the words of my daughter, who works to lift other women and support the destruction (yes! Very harsh indeed 😀 ) of glass ceilings wherever they exist!
So, I ask, “are you Generation Equality? Are you supporting the “Realiz(ation) of Women’s Rights?’
For the women, what does being a woman mean to you? And for the men, how do you support the women in your lives to be the best version of themselves?
Happy International Women’s Day!

;Are healthy habits worth cultivating? A recent studysuggests healthy habits may help people tack on years of life and sidestep serious illnesses, such as diabetes and cancer. After all, if you’re going to gain an extra decade of life on this earth, you want to enjoy it!’

Read!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/five-healthy-habits-net-more-healthy-years-2020021918907

Q: Hello good day Dr. Please I have ulcer for years now and have been taking deferent types of drugs still no improvement and currently am using cimetidine please help me is there a permanent cure and also is there foods I need to be avoiding if I drink garri or eat beans I will be having so much pain especially on my chest and painful bowel movement each time I go to toilet is usually watering please help me

A: There are two conditions that may often be confused, one for the other: Peptic ulcer and Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

Gastric acid is secreted normally in the stomach to help the process of digestion. Peptic ulcer is a sore in the stomach, esophagus or duodenum and occurs when there is either over-production of this gastric acid in the stomach or reduction in the quantity of mucous that protects the stomach from the acid. Infection with an organism, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been found to be a cause of peptic ulcer.

GERD, on the other hand occurs when stomach acid backtracks into the esophagus causing heart burn.

In the past, it was thought that spicy foods caused peptic ulcers. However, there’s no evidence to support this, though spicy foods can certainly make the symptoms of ulcer worse  Smoking, stress and drinking alcohol are also likely to worsen the symptoms of peptic ulcer. Caffeinated and carbonated beverages may also be culprit.

Ulcers are also common in people who take certain pain relieving drugs known as Non- Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen.

People with peptic ulcer usually complain of abdominal pain or even sometimes, chest pain as the pain can be anywhere from the breast bone to the navel…giving room for a wide range of descriptions. The pain is usually worse at night or when the stomach is empty.

People with ulcers may vomit blood or pass out fresh or altered blood in stool. For the latter, the stool looks tarry black. Complications of peptic ulcers include internal bleeding, leakage of the acid into the abdominal cavity etc

Treatment is targeted at reduction in acid production, neutralization of acid, treatment of Helicobacter infection, promotion of healing or protection of stomach lining. Cimetidine which blocks the production of acid by acid-producing cells is clearly useful here. Your doctor will determine the best option or combination(s) with your active participation, of course

Thus, prevention is targeted at switching pain relieving drugs (if you have an ulcer, please stay away from NSAIDs, reducing your level of stress, stopping smoking and reducing your alcohol intake. Maintaining a healthy diet filled with loads of fruits and veggies, which provide sufficient vitamins to aid healing, is also a good way to go. It is still not very clear how H. pylori infections spread but it is thought to be probably from person to person or from food and water. So, judicious and very frequent, hand washing will certainly help

Does milk help? Well, temporarily but it quickly makes it worse. Milk coats the surface of the stomach, reducing the pain but then stimulates more acid production. Sounds like you can’t win, aye?! ;D

For GERD, there are also conditions like pregnancy and obesity that make this condition worse and there are also foods that encourage this. Examples of these ‘foods’ are fatty foods, alcohol, orange juice, chocolate and coffee, onions, tomatoes, peppermint and spicy foods.

So for the person in the question, I suggest you keep a food diary over a period of time and try to figure out the trigger foods. If you suspect garri or beans, try to confirm this by having a ‘beans meal’ or drinking garri, and watching for heartburn and an unpleasant taste at the back of the mouth. If this is not the issue, perhaps it’s a weight issue or even over-eating.

Treatment is targeted at the acid and healing the esophagus. Remember that occasional heartburn is not regarded a problem but if it happens frequently, like two or more times every week, then it becomes a problem and is now referred to as Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). So, drugs used can stop acid production (like Cimetidine), reduce acid production and cause healing of the esophagus or neutralize the effect of the acid.

Prevention involves trying to avoid your trigger foods (quite a number are actually healthy maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding heavy meals just before bedtime, try eating smaller meals and avoid tight clothes that may also put pressure on your abdomen.

So, see a doctor first to confirm the diagnosis….peptic ulcer or GERD and then he’ll advice on treatment.

Good news is, these ulcers can heal and so you may not have to take meds forever.

Have a fabulous evening and remember…no heavy meals before bedtime 

Q: Good day Doc. recently, babies are dying in the womb of their mothers with her knowing. Please Doc what can I do to keep my wife & unborn baby alive & healthy & at what stage of pregnancy can she take routine drugs?

A: Here’s an excerpt from my book, Just For The Health Of It, that speaks to a variant of this question. If this is your wife’s first pregnancy, then you’re probably more worried than most. But the practical truth is that she should register for Antenatal care as soon as she realizes she is pregnant.To prepare for that visit, she should remember the date of her last menstrual period, family history of birth of child with abnormality, sickle cell disease etc. She needs to be generous with information about any and everything that may affect the baby’s health such as lifestyle habits like smoking and alcohol drinking etc.Ultrasound scan and other screening tests will also be carried out on urine, blood, blood pressure etc to confirm genotype, rhesus group, Diabetes, presence or absence of anaemia, high blood pressure, abnormalities etc. HIV screening will also be done after voluntary counselling.

You both should choose a center that you feel confident with as regards the quality of the medical personnel and you should freely discuss the birth plan with them.In the first instance, antenatal care will be scheduled once every 4 weeks until the pregnancy is 28 weeks. Thereafter, the appointments are scheduled every 2 weeks until 36 weeks and thereafter, every week till delivery. This is the normal schedule, but your wife’s care giver may decide to give her shorter appointments if there are other factors to be considered like the presence of hypertension in pregnancy or indeed to review results of tests you had been sent to do.Then, those drugs that she is given? If she’s like me and hates to take meds, then this is a big deal! 😀 But she does have to take them. The folic acid ensures that the baby does not end up with abnormalities of the spine and also helps build up her red blood cells in combination with the other meds given. She has got to be religiously committed to taking these drugs to give her pregnancy the greatest chance of a good outcome.

So, has she taken today’s dose? Encourage her to go do it now

For nutrition, here are 5 tips for a pregnant woman:

• Eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods from different food groups.

• Be sure to include a lot of high fibre foods like vegetables, whole grain cereals etc to deal with the constipation associated with pregnancy.

• Ensure you take your antenatal medications (prenatal vitamins) in addition to eating well.

• Be sure to also take foods rich in iron eg and foods rich in folic acid eg green leafy veggies and beans. Folate prevents deformities of the spine.

• Drink at least 4 servings of milk, other dairy products or calcium rich foods. If you don’t eat enough, your baby will start drawing on your own stock from your bones. So, drink up your milk!Pregnancy provides an opportunity for a mother to adequately prepare her baby for life in 9 months. Make sure that you get all the nutrients that give your child a great health boost.

Have a good night, everyone 😀