Read them before a visit to know what to ask, or afterwards to go over what we discussed. They are general information. Advice about your own pregnancy or health needs a consultation.
Guides written by Dr. Devang Patel (qualifications: MBBS, M.D. (Obstetrics & Gynecology), FNB (High Risk Pregnancy & Perinatology))
Pregnancy Guide Week by Week: Which Article Fits Your Stage
The articles below are listed newest first, but most readers want them in the order a pregnancy unfolds. Up to about 13 weeks, start with the guide to bleeding in early pregnancy and the NT scan guide. The NT scan has to fall between 11 weeks and 13 weeks 6 days. The comparison of NIPT with the NT scan also belongs here. If you are carrying twins, read the chorionicity guide early, since sharing of the placenta is easiest to see before 14 weeks. In the middle of pregnancy, read the anomaly scan guide before your 18–22 week scan. Read the gestational diabetes guide before your glucose test. From about 28 weeks, the guides on high blood pressure warning signs, baby movements, low amniotic fluid and the signs of labour matter most. Add the VBAC guide if you have had a caesarean before. The diet chart, exercise and thyroid guides apply from start to finish.
Pregnancy Guide for First-Time Moms: Where to Begin
If this is your first baby, you do not need to read everything at once. Start with the trimester-wise diet chart and the exercise and yoga guide, because both change what you do from the first week. Next, read the NT scan guide so the 11–14 week window does not slip past. Around the middle of pregnancy, the kick-count guide explains what a normal pattern of movements looks like. Near the end, the signs-of-labour guide helps you decide when to leave for the hospital. The pregnancy due date calculator gives the dates on which each of these steps falls for you.
The NT scan at 11–14 weeks: what it checks and how to prepare
What the 11–14 week scan measures, why it has to fall between 11 weeks and 13 weeks 6 days, and what happens once the result is in.
High blood pressure in pregnancy: the warning signs you should not wait on
Pre-eclampsia often begins without any obvious sign. Who is more likely to develop it, and which symptoms need a check on the same day.
Expecting twins? Why "do they share a placenta?" is the first question
Whether twins share a placenta (chorionicity) decides how often you are scanned and what is watched - and it is easiest to see before 14 weeks.
NIPT or NT scan: which test do you need, and can one replace the other?
NIPT is a blood test with a high detection rate for Down syndrome; the NT scan looks at the baby directly. Why the scan is still worthwhile for most women, whichever screening they choose.
Pregnancy after 35: fertility, risks and how to plan a healthy pregnancy
More Indian women now have babies in their mid-30s and 40s, and most of these pregnancies are healthy. What changes with age, and how careful planning helps.
Uterine fibroids: symptoms, when to treat, and the options available
Most fibroids cause no symptoms and need no treatment. When heavy periods, pain or fertility problems call for it, the choices range from medicines to keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery.
Low amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios): causes, risks and treatment
What the AFI number on your report means, why the fluid can fall, how the baby is checked and when an early delivery is considered.
Signs of labour: how to tell it has started and when to go to hospital
Telling true labour from the early signs, timing your contractions, and the situations in which you should come in without waiting.
Exercise and yoga in pregnancy: what is safe in each trimester
Walking, yoga and strength work trimester by trimester, the poses to avoid, and the warning signs that mean you should stop. Keeping active benefits both you and your baby.
Recurrent miscarriage: causes, tests and planning the next pregnancy
Repeated loss is often unexplained, and most couples do go on to have a baby. Which tests are worth doing, which are not, and the support available in the next pregnancy.
Thyroid in pregnancy: normal TSH levels and how treatment changes
Thyroid problems are common in pregnancy in India and are checked with a simple blood test. How to read a TSH report, why the thyroxine dose changes and how to take the tablet correctly.
PCOS and pregnancy: how to plan, conceive and stay healthy
Many women with PCOS conceive naturally or with treatment to help ovulation. How to prepare, how to track ovulation, and how to lower the risks once you are pregnant.
Normal delivery after a caesarean (VBAC): is it possible for you?
One caesarean does not automatically mean another. For many women a planned vaginal birth after caesarean is a realistic option - this guide explains how that decision is made.
Bleeding in early pregnancy: common causes and when to worry
About one woman in four has some bleeding in the first trimester, and many go on to a healthy pregnancy. How to recognise the bleeding that needs urgent attention.
Baby movements and kick counts: what is normal and when to call
Your baby's movements are an important sign of wellbeing. What a normal pattern looks like, how to count kicks, and why a change should not be left until morning.
The anomaly scan at 18–22 weeks: what it checks and what to expect
The 18–22 week scan is the most detailed check of your baby's body during pregnancy. What is examined, why the timing matters and how to make sense of the report.
Gestational diabetes: target sugar levels and an Indian diet plan
Gestational diabetes is common in Indian women and can usually be well controlled. Sugar targets, a sample Indian meal plan, and the signs that treatment needs stepping up.
Indian pregnancy diet chart: what to eat in each trimester
Pregnancy Care Tips: First 3 Months
The first three months set up much of what follows, so a few practical steps are worth taking early. Keep taking folic acid, ideally started before conception. Tell me about every medicine and supplement you use, including ones from other doctors. Book the first antenatal check-up at around 6–8 weeks. Come sooner if you have pain, bleeding or a long-standing illness. At this visit the pregnancy is dated by ultrasound (sonography). The early blood tests are also done, among them haemoglobin, thyroid, sugar and blood group. Mark the NT scan window in your calendar as soon as your dates are known. Eat small, frequent meals if nausea is a problem and aim for better nutrition rather than larger portions. Bleeding with cramps, one-sided pain or fainting needs the urgent attention described in the early-bleeding guide.
Gynecology Articles: PCOS, Fibroids and Repeated Miscarriage
Not every guide is about an ongoing pregnancy. Three of the articles are for women who are not pregnant now or are planning a pregnancy. The PCOS guide covers getting ready for pregnancy and tracking ovulation when cycles are irregular. The fibroids guide explains which symptoms call for treatment, and how the choices run from medicines to keyhole surgery. The recurrent miscarriage guide describes which tests are worth doing after repeated loss and how the next pregnancy is supported. For how I assess each of these problems in the clinic, see the treatment pages on PCOS, fibroids and recurrent pregnancy loss.