You know when Google is great? When you’re looking for a Thai restaurant in your new neighbourhood. Or when, for the life of you, you can’t remember who played the cool mum in Mean Girls. (it was Amy Poehler, by the way.)
Then there are other times when asking the internet a question can be confusing, and sometimes even dangerous. Googling medical symptoms, as temping as it is, can often send the sick into a state of panic.
It’s the same for pregnancy. Type in any symptom or scenario and you’re instantly served page after page of chatrooms in which you’ll find anecdotal advice. The sense of community is great but the information is often not medically sound.
It’s something Dr. Joseph Sgroi sees a lot. He’s an obstetrician, fertility specialist and gynaecologist and witnesses patients often coming to their own conclusions from Google.
So, in the interest of facts (and sometimes peace of mind), we’ve asked Dr Joe to answer some of the most common pregnancy questions his patients look up on the internet.
‘My symptoms are different from my last pregnancy.’
‘Can I tell if I am pregnant before missing my period?’
‘Can I tell if I am having a boy or a girl?’
‘Is spotting in early pregnancy a bad sign?’
Do you have other pregnancy questions you’d like answered? Let us know in the comments!
Top Comments
Hi Dr Joe,
I have a question on behalf of Mums who have controlled Gestational Diabetes with almost all readings within the limits but still have a baby that is measuring large by 28-30 weeks. How do you know if the baby is large because of genetics (not to worry too much) or because the "diet control" is not working and requires medication to give a helping hand (time to be proactive)? When should Mums and Obstetricians be worried? Thanks! Nektia