People living with HIV have the same reproductive rights as any other person and it is not uncommon for an HIV positive man or woman to consider having a child despite the risks associated with conception. However, women who are HIV positive and planning to fall pregnant or women who are negative but wanting to conceive with a partner who is HIV positive have much to consider before conception. The priority is a healthy pregnancy without transmitting the infection to the child and this is achievable with effective HIV management.
Weight gain during pregnancy is normal and while many pregnant women try to minimise the extent of the weight gain, it is important to remember that this can affect both mother and baby. It is usually acceptable to gain about 10 to 12.5 kg’s during pregnancy but many factors can play a part in considering what is acceptable weight and what is excessive or too little.
From the second trimester onwards, the weight gain should be gradual but steady – around 0.2 to 0.5 kg per week. Most doctors will tell a mother not to worry about the weight issue as it shows that they are eating well and the unborn baby is getting sufficient nutrition. However, excessive weight gain can complicate the pregnancy and delivery as well as aggravate certain conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure in pregnancy.
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Medical weight loss is the term used for a weight management program developed and supervised by a medical doctor in conjunction with other health professionals like a dietitian, psychologist or biokineticist. These weight loss programs are developed for the individual after appropriate tests, investigations and assessments are concluded. A medical weight loss plan will also consider your chronic conditions and medication and the impact of these factors in reaching your weight management goals.
A normal period is considered as a moderate bleed that lasts for 3 to 7 days and occurs every 21 to 35 days (menstrual cycle). If you are experiencing an abnormal period, it is important to identify how your period deviates from the norm in order for your gynaecologist to isolate the possible cause. There are different types of abnormal periods with various possible causes.
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The MMR vaccine is a 3-in-1 combination vaccine offering protection against measles, mumps and rubella (German measles). While only the measles vaccine is mandatory, many parents opt for the MMR vaccine for the added protection from mumps and rubella because both infections can cause serious complications. Unfortunately, the MMR vaccine has also received a lot of negative press because of supposed links to autism which is totally unfounded.
Rubella, which is commonly referred to as German measles, is a viral infection that is not seen as often as the other childhood infections like measles and chickenpox. Usually the symptoms are mild and may not be easily recognised. German measles infection only lasts for a few days so this can also be confusing to a parent. However the major risk with German measles is to pregnant women since this infection can cause birth defects.
Maternity benefits included
Pre-existing conditions covered (excl HIV/Aids)