Keeping Track

I never realized how important it would be to keep track of your periods until I entered my obstetrics and gynecology department. When it comes to pregnancy, it's alll about dates - and the correct ones at that! 

Sometimes, you come across interesting and frustrating cases – I had a young girl who once walked in while she was in labour, and she was shocked – she had no idea she’d been pregnant. She was adamant that she’d never had a sexual encounter. Despite the denial, somehow, she’d gone through 40 weeks of pregnancy without even realizing it until the contraction pains hit. She’d had no screening, no follow up, no nothing – thankfully she had an uneventful delivery. 

So many things can go wrong during pregnancy, but you can also try to minimize these risks by having proper follow up. I’ve met women who’ve delivered past their dates and had to deliver really big babies, and there are still cases of intrauterine deaths because of the lack of awareness regarding risk factors surrounding pregnancy. 

As clinicians, we want to ensure that every pregnancy gets the best of care, and being sure of your dates is essential for that to happen. If you have your dates wrong, it’s essentially means that your estimated due date could be off. A lot of management revolves around your correct dates – and it could make a difference delivering a premature baby versus a term one. 

So ladies, remember your periods – try and write it down in a diary, or your phone. If you’re of childbearing age and sexually active, it is really important to be aware of things like that – you could have an unexpected surprise, and when the time comes, you want to be aware.