Obstetrics and Maternity Care in Palm Beach, FL

Obstetrics & Maternity Care

Dr. Adler and Dr. Smith at Comprehensive OB-GYN of the Palm Beaches is a top­ ranked provider of obstetrics care for women throughout the Palm Beach, Wellington, Royal Palm, and West Palm, Florida, area. Obstetrics care includes all services provided to a woman while she’s pregnant, as well as pre-pregnancy counseling and postpartum care. From prenatal planning and pregnancy care all the way through delivery and postpartum care, women can expect the best possible care to ensure they and their babies stay healthy.

Prenatal Care

Prenatal Care: essential tips & information

Prenatal appointments begin with measuring your blood pressure and weight, then we usually conduct a urine test to look for signs of infection and other factors that could signal a serious issue. Patients at our clinic in Palm Beach will be asked about any symptoms they may be experiencing, and depending on how far along a woman is in her pregnancy, her belly may also be measured and the baby’s heartbeat may be evaluated. Mothers-to-be will receive guidance about what to expect during the next few weeks of the pregnancy, as well as information about prenatal vitamins and other advice aimed at helping the mother and the baby enjoy optimal health. Blood tests or ultrasounds may also be performed.

An essential part of your prenatal care is taking the time to see your doctor so they can evaluate your condition throughout your entire pregnancy. Our team of the Comprehensive OBGYN of the Palm Beaches recommend having appointments every month for the first 28 weeks, increasing to every other week until week 36 when visits will occur weekly until delivery.

If there is concern for a high risk pregnancy, where the health and well-being of the mother and/or baby are at risk during pregnancy or delivery, please discuss with your doctor. If you’re not sure what constitutes a high-risk pregnancy some factors that could cause that condition include:

• Older age
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Genetic problems
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Chronic health issues
• Prior miscarriages
• Carrying multiple babies
• Drug or alcohol usage

Vitamin Intake during pregnancy can play an important role for your baby’s development, ensuring they get the nutrients needed for proper growth. However, vitamins and supplements should only be taken at the recommendation and with the guidance of your obstetrician.

Our team at Palm Beach will provide you with the best possible care during your pregnancy.

Weight Gain & Loss During Pregnancy

Gaining weight is part of pregnancy, but it’s important not to gain too much weight to avoid developing health problems like gestational diabetes or high blood pressure. Typical weight gain during pregnancy ranges from about 25 pounds to about 35 pounds, with weight distributed as follows:

• baby – eight pounds
• uterus – two to five pounds
• breast tissue – two to three pounds
• placenta – two to three pounds
• amniotic fluid – two to three pounds
• extra fat to nourish the baby – five to nine pounds
• additional blood supply – about four pounds

Being overweight or obese can pose problems for the health of the mother and the baby during pregnancy but our team with Dr. David Adler and Dr. Aliese Smith in charge will help you keep your weight under control. However, pregnancy is not an ideal time to focus on losing weight. Instead, it’s important to focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet to ensure the proper nutrients are consumed. Patients who are overweight or obese may need to be seen more frequently to ensure they stay healthy, and they can also get the guidance they need to ensure they eat properly for optimal nutrition.

Postpartum Depression

After a baby is delivered, the mother’s body goes through a series of dramatic chemical and physiological changes as the body returns to its non-pregnant state. During this time, hormones can fluctuate dramatically, and feeling sad, depressed, or “blue” is not uncommon during the first days and even weeks after pregnancy. For some women, these feelings linger longer. Any type of mood change following pregnancy should be reported to the office to ensure the appropriate care is provided as soon as possible to avoid ongoing postpartum depression.

Request an appointment at your OBGYN of the Palm Beaches and make your transition to this period painless and smooth.

Infertility Treatment

Infertility is defined as an inability to become pregnant after trying to conceive for 12 consecutive months, or for six consecutive months for women 35 years of age or older. Women who have been trying to conceive for a prolonged period of time but have not become pregnant should schedule an office consultation to discuss the issue and learn about diagnostic tests that can help determine if they’re infertile as well as pinpoint the underlying cause.

Why does infertility occur?

Infertility issues can occur in men as well as women. For women, the most common causes include:

• Older age
• The presence of large uterine fibroids or adhesions (scars)
• Abnormalities in the ovaries, fallopian tubes or uterus that can interfere with fertilization or implantation of the egg once it’s fertilized
• Overproduction of mucus in the cervix (the uterine opening) that makes it harder for sperm to reach the egg
• Endometriosis, a condition that occurs when tissue that normally lines the uterus begins to grow outside the uterus

In men, infertility usually involves issues that affect the sperm structure, its motility (the ability to move normally) or its concentration (such as having a low sperm count or a low number of sperms released with the ejaculate). Chronic health issues, genetics problems and some medical treatments including treatments for cancer can also interfere with the ability to become pregnant.

How is infertility diagnosed?

We at Comprehensive OBGYN of the Palm Beaches conduct several tests to evaluate infertility issues, including blood tests, diagnostic imaging tests, semen analysis and evaluations of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The type of testing will depend on the issues the patient is experiencing as well as the medical histories of each partner.

How is infertility treated?

Infertility treatment often begins with infertility medications or hormone therapy designed to help regulate the fertility cycle. If these steps fail or are not appropriate, other treatments like surgery, in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI) may also be used by our team in charge of Dr. David Adler and Dr. Aliese Smith. IVF and IUI have success rates ranging from about 20 percent to about 40 percent.