Zita West answers your conception & fertility questions
Zita West is a practising midwife, acupuncturist, nutritional advisor and founder of The Zita West Clinic, London’s leading fertility clinic specialising in integrating complementary therapies into mainstream medicine.
Over the years, Zita’s highly experienced multi-disciplinary team has worked closely with leading fertility clinics and gynaecologists in the UK, helping thousands of couples conceive. Zita has helped many famous clients during their pregnancies, including Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, Stella McCartney and Ulrika Johnson. Zita has also developed her own fertility and pregnancy product range and is the author of six books. Her latest,‘Plan to get Pregnant’, is out now. She is a regular contributor to the Sunday Times and has her own page in Junior Pregnancy and Baby Magazine. Zita has also made countless appearances on television.
Pregnancy
Is itching normal in pregnancy?
How do I know if I'm pregnant?
Pregnancy
Is itching normal in pregnancy?
I am eight weeks pregnant and feel very itchy all over my body. What can I do?
Zita says: itching can be very common in pregnancy. When you are pregnant, the blood supply to the skin is increased, which causes itchiness. Also, as your pregnancy progresses and the skin of your abdomen becomes tighter, this can cause itching as well.
What you need to be careful of is severe itching in late pregnancy, which may be the sign of an underlying serious medical condition called obstetric cholestasis. This potentially can lead to stillbirth so it is very important that you get the itching checked out with your GP, who will do a blood tests to see if you have this condition. It may mean that you deliver earlier and not around your due date.
How do I know if I'm pregnant?
I think I may be pregnant but I was wondering what the early signs are as I'm a bit confused.
Zita says: the most common sign of early pregnancy is the obvious, which is a missed period. Many women feel that their breasts are tender and for some their nipples are sensitive. Others feel nauseous, tired and a bit emotionally fragile and start to crave certain foods. But there are many signs that are different to this. For example: a metallic taste in the mouth. The only way to find out for sure is to do a pregnancy test.
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Published September 2008
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Last Modified: 23/09/2008
Related Chat 10
i have had unprotected sex for 5 months now but i am still not pregant as i had unprotected sex on wednesday night. and i have had a spotting of blood whitch i have never had before. i was wondering if i could be pregnant.
i have missed a period this month, i have had nausea am and evenigs sudden tierdness and veins are more visable on breasts. i have done one test but was a neg. after 2 weeks off my period i had a day off spotting and then at the end of august i started with the nausea and tierdness. and soem times i have stomach cramp feelings or it feeling heavy. i never get this syptoms with a period either. is it worth trying get a appointment with the nurse
hi there, my partner and I have just started trying for a baby but I had a termination over 2 years ago and was wondering how likely it was that there could be complications as a result? It was a medical rather than surgical termination and no problems occurred from it at the time, although I was told there was a small chance of future fertility problems.
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