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HEALTH&FITNESS
310
January14
According to DR JASMINE MOHD, the
best thing you can do is to relax and
enjoy your pregnancy. Calm mums-
to-be tend to have smoother labours,
she adds.
How should a woman choose her
obstetrician?
Choose someone whom you can
communicate with effectively and feel
comfortable with. Some obs have a
more traditional, “doctor-directed”
approach, while others are more flexible.
Find someone who has enough time to
address your concerns fully.
What is your approach to the
various birthing options?
If the pregnancy is uneventful and the
woman is well, it only makes sense to
go for a natural vaginal birth. Recovery
is faster than after a caesarean section,
and it makes any subsequent births
very easy: they are likely to be vaginal
deliveries too.
An epidural is safe for both baby and
mum. It does reduce the sensation to
push at the end, though, so there’s a
higher chance of the birth needing to be
assisted with vacuum or forceps.
The use of an epidural doesn’t mean
it isn’t a natural delivery, and it can
be a handy option, especially where
the labour is longer than expected. A
mum isn’t any less of a mum if she had
an epidural. That said, I see plenty of
women who sail through delivery with
just gas and air, or no pain relief at all.
What would you advise someone
who wants a completely natural
birth, with as little intervention as
possible?
I would support this if she is fit and
healthy, and the baby is not too large.
There are factors that make certain
labours harder and longer than others,
however, such as a first delivery, a larger
baby, high maternal BMI (Body Mass
Index), or complications like gestational
diabetes – some of which may not be
within one’s control.
Dr Jasmine Mohd
W C Cheng and Associates
339 Thomson Road,
#01-01 Thomson Medical
Centre
6235 4122
drjasminemohd.com#2
One tip that I would give women to
increase their chances for a smooth
natural birth is to come into the hospital
only when in active labour and to avoid
induction of labour unless necessary.
When is a caesarean birth
the best option? What are the
drawbacks, if any?
Planned caesarean deliveries are
indicated in certain situations, for
example placenta previa, where the
placenta is overlying the cervical
opening and labour progress would
result in severe haemorrhage; or
breech presentations that could not be
turned. Emergency caesareans are also
sometimes performed during labour.
Recovery from a caesarean will
invariably be a little longer than that from
natural birth, but most mums do well.
Where do you practise, and how
many babies have you brought
into the world?
I deliver mostly at Thomson Medical
Centre, where my clinic is located, but
also at Mount Alvernia, Gleneagles and
Mount Elizabeth hospitals.
For the past five years, until recently, I
have been delivering between 25 and 30
babies every month. In my new practice,
I focus on a smaller number. This allows
me to spend much more time with my
patients in the antenatal period, as well
as during their labour.
How important is the support of
one’s husband or partner?
Very important! The presence of a birth
support partner has been shown in
many studies to improve birth outcomes.
Secondly, if the partner isn’t there, he
might never hear the end of it!
Valua Vitaly | Dreamstime.com