Are there adverse consequences of pain in labour? The pain of labour can have emotional, as well as physiological effects. These changes can have an impact on both the mother’s body and her baby. Research has shown that unrelieved pain during labour is a risk factor for postpartum depression. We know that hyperventilation accompanies labour […]

It is roughly a year since South Africa had its first reported Covid -19 case.  Below is an update for my patients of developments applicable to pregnancy in 2021. Please see original notes on Covid in pregnancy posted in 2020, as well as the recent discussion on Covid vaccination in pregnancy. Please note that there […]

Is vaccinating pregnant women new? It has been common practice for some time to offer pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding vaccines. Women are therefore routinely and safely offered vaccines in pregnancy against e.g. influenza and whooping cough. It is important to note that many of the vaccines also protect your baby against infection.  […]

Corona virus and pregnancy The information below is provided as a service to the patients of the practice of Dr Danie Schneider and is not intended as an academic review. Please note that this is a practical guide directed at the pregnant patients of our practice. This is a personal opinion of the research applicable […]

What is puberty? Puberty is another word for the developmental changes a girl’s body goes through during the preteen and teen years. The biggest changes during puberty are that a girl’s body grows taller in a short period of time (called the “growth spurt “) and that her body changes to become more like that […]

What is a mammogram? A mammogram is a breast X-ray used for breast cancer screening.  Breast cancer screening is a way doctors can check for early signs of breasts cancer in women who have no symptoms of breast cancer. How is a mammogram done? Before the mammogram is done, you will be asked to undress […]

Why do my feet swell? Your body produces approximately 50% more blood and body fluids to meet the needs of the developing baby. Swelling is a normal part of pregnancy and is caused by this additional blood and fluid. The growing uterus also puts pressure on your veins, which slows down the return of blood […]

Pregnancy is a critical period during which maternal nutrition and lifestyle greatly influence the health of the mother and child. We therefore have a unique opportunity to influence the long term health of both the mother and infant. Modern obstetric care involves recording a woman’s weight, height and BMI early in the pregnancy and we […]

What is Listeriosis? Listeriosis is an infection caused by the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, often called just Listeria. Listeriosis is typically caused by eating food that has been contaminated with Listeria. Some of the foods that are more likely to be contaminated with Listeria include unpasteurized milk, uncooked meat and fish, uncooked vegetables, lunch (deli) meat […]

Background The sex of a child depends on whether an ovum is fertilized by an X or a Y carrying sperm. It is therefore the sperm that determines the sex off an offspring as all of a woman’s eggs carry the X chromosome, but sperm carries either an X (girl making) or a Y (boy […]