20/05/2025

LYFE TUESDAY | MAY 20, 2025

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GYNAE SAYS

Pregnancy journey I am pregnant. What should I do? What care should I get? In Malaysia, there are two parallel healthcare systems: Private o Things to consider as expecting mothers

As the rate of diabetes is very high in Malaysia, this test is now routinely done to exclude those who have diabetes complicating their pregnancy and those that develop gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. Some centres will offer you a Non-Invasive Pregnancy Test. It is a screening test for chromosomal abnormalities. It is for low risk cases but due to the cost, it is not offered universally. for ultrasound examinations. This is an opportunity for the expecting couple to see their baby that is growing in the womb. But, not all scans are necessary. The first scan that needs to be done is during the initial stage of your pregnancy. Here is where the location of the pregnancy inside the uterus, date of pregnancy and the number of foetuses will be determined. If there are more than a single fetus, there will be a need to determine the type of multiple pregnancy. The earlier the scan is done, the more accurate these findings will be. The baby’s heartbeat will also be checked to determine if it is alive and well. If you opt for a first trimester screening, the second scan needs to take place between 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy. An ultrasound during this period can give you a risk assessment of chromosomal abnormalities. The next one usually takes place between 18 to 22 weeks. Ideally, this should be done by a maternal fetal medicine specialist. During this time, the structure of the baby is Screening Everybody gets excited

and public. Both are of high standards and your choice may depend on your financial capability or access to either of the care based on your individual considerations. If you choose to get public healthcare, go to your nearest klinik kesihatan and make an appointment. There, the nurse will first conduct an interview to get your full medical history, then make your antenatal book (also known as the pink book) and the necessary blood test. After that, you will be seen by a doctor and an initial examination will take place. They will give you a schedule by the end of it. If you choose private healthcare, you can choose a general practitioner who manages antenatal care for uncomplicated cases. If there are any problems, you should see an obstetrician. If there are any medical complications or problems with your baby, you will then need to see a maternal fetal medicine specialist. This subspecialist manages mother and baby complications during gestation to ensure a safe pregnancy and the best outcomes for both. Clinic visits during pregnancy The usual schedule for clinic visits

are usually four weekly until 28 weeks of pregnancy – then fortnightly until 36 weeks of pregnancy and weekly until delivery. However, if there is a need, for whatever reason, these appointments could be changed to suit your needs. You will usually need a haemoglobin level check every month. This is because your blood volume increases from 5 to 7 litres during the pregnancy. However, for some people, the red blood cell count does not increase proportionately and may cause anaemia, which needs to be treated. During your pregnancy, you will also undergo a sugar test to check if you have diabetes. The protocol varies from place to place, so please ask your doctor. If possible, have an ultrasound examination at every visit to ensure that your baby is growing in the normal graph.

Ulltrasound examination is an opportunity for the expecting couple to see their baby that is growing in the womb.

scanned to ensure the baby has no physical abnormalities. The next scan takes place at 28 weeks of pregnancy. During this scan, the location of the placenta is determined to ensure it is not blocking the birth passage. The growth of the baby is also assessed to ensure it is growing on the correct graph. If it is not, you need to be referred to a maternal fetal medicine specialist. The last scan is usually necessary at 36 weeks of pregnancy. This time, the size and the direction of the baby is determined.

Your doctor will advise you on your chances of having a normal baby based on your other risk factors. If you have the opportunity and funds, you can have an ultrasound examination during every visit to ensure your baby is growing in the normal graph and is well. This will give you reassurance that everything is normal. This article is contributed by consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist, maternal fetal medicine Datuk Dr H. Krishna Kumar.

How ‘eggshell’ parenting keeps children on high alert AFTER “tiger” or “bulldozer” parents, make way for “eggshell” parents. Fragile and emotionally unstable, they force their children to walk on eggshells, anticipating their mood swings. This is a discreet but toxic form of parenting, whose harmful effects can last well beyond childhood. awaits them, they become keen observers, on the lookout for the slightest hint of a crisis. To avoid an explosion, they constantly adjust their attitudes or behaviour, sometimes to the detriment of their own identity.

Many children of ‘eggshell’ parents choose to withdraw into themselves, finding in isolation a form of protection. – PEXELSPIC

They sometimes go so far as to ask their child to support them emotionally, as if their child were their confidant or even their psychological support. This role reversal blurs the boundaries of parent-child relationships. “You are expected to take care of (the eggshell parent’s) emotions, to turn around them and help regulate them, and/or act in a role of parent,” explained Sage in one of her TikTok videos. Growing up in such an environment, always on the edge, leaves lasting marks. Children of “eggshell” parents develop early survival mechanisms that often follow them into adulthood. The slightest conflict becomes a source of anxiety, and every social interaction is meticulously analysed, for fear of triggering an unpredictable reaction in the other person. In these families, the love received is often conditional. The child feels valued only when they meet the

Did your parents ever shower you with affection before losing their temper for no apparent reason? Did they entrust you with adult problems or make you responsible for their well-being? If these scenes sound familiar, you may have grown up with an “eggshell” parent. Behind an apparent gentleness and kindness, these adults can suddenly change their behaviour, swinging from affection to anger without warning. The term “eggshell parenting” is not insignificant – like an eggshell, these parents appear solid, but conceal a great deal of emotional fragility. And, their unpredictability forces children to walk on eggshells around them. Psychologist Kim Sage, who coined the term, emphasised the unpredictability of their reactions. In this unstable climate, children develop a constant hypervigilance. Unable to foresee the reception that

Fortunately, it is possible to break out of these patterns. Identifying the harmful dynamics at work is often the first step towards well-being. Psychological support can help you learn to set limits, listen to your own needs and build healthier relationships. Understanding the origins of this parenting style, often inherited from an unstable family history, can also help mitigate its effects. Long ignored, even downplayed,

“eggshell” parenting is beginning to be named and talked about by psychologists and those who have suffered it. Behind unstable behaviour often lies an unresolved family history. By recognising these patterns, we can better understand them, and perhaps gradually free ourselves from them. Because, if you have grown up walking on eggshells, you can also learn, step by step, to put your foot down more firmly. – ETX Studio

parent’s expectations, never for who they really are. This dynamic breeds fragile self-esteem and fuels a perfectionism driven by the constant fear of disappointing. Trusting others becomes a daily struggle, and expressing emotions seems perilous. Little by little, many children of “eggshell” parents choose to withdraw into themselves, finding in isolation a form of protection. Because being alone is, at the very least, being safe.