I have had the special pleasure of talking briefly with Dr. Glade Curtis of the famed series, Your Pregnancy Week By Week. This being the penultimate primer for both first time Moms and Dads. Dr. Curtis and co-author Judith Schuler provide detailed information about the current development of your baby and describes in detail all the changes happening in mother right up until birth as well as important health issues (for both mother and baby) to be aware of during the course of the pregnancy.

meta-DAD: First I would love to find out how long this week-by-week book series has been going on? And what led you to create the first one?

Dr. Curtis: Your Pregnancy Week By Week was first published in 1989. Looking at pregnancy a week at a time makes sense to me, and it is the way I was taught as a medical resident and resident. As a practicing OB/GYN I found that my patients wanted to follow their progress through pregnancy this way as well. I came across a book with photographs of fetuses and developing babies beginning very early in pregnancy. I thought patients could benefit from understanding the changes taking place in their growing baby. The first edition came out my desire to share this information with pregnant couples.

mD: With technology and medical practices changing as quickly as they do, does it affect how you approach each new edition?

Dr. Curtis: People looking for medical information want it to be current and up to date. This has been important to me and is the reason that this is the “Sixth Edition” of Your Pregnancy Week By Week I am constantly looking at many resources for new developments and advancements in technology and information. I believe it is important to look carefully at advances making sure they are proven, safe and effective. This is an important responsibility that I take very seriously.

mD: Can you give me an example of one of these changes or advancements in the recent past?

Dr. Curtis: Until recently, the standard of care dictated that women age 35 or older at the time of delivery were offered ultrasound guided amniocentesis. This age was picked years ago because the risk of delivering a baby with Down syndrome at this age (1 in 350) was about the same as the risk of miscarrying as a complication of the amniocentesis procedure. Now, less invasive procedures are recommended to all pregnant women instead of amniocentesis. Now ultrasound with nuchal translucency (fold of skin behind the fetal neck) along with blood tests is recommended. If these tests are normal, an amniocentesis is not recommended. This helps many women avoid the more invasive procedure. If the blood tests-nuchal translucency screening test is abnormal, an amniocentesis may be recommended.

mD: Both my wife and I are curious how it is decided to include new information. Specifically, it sometimes feels there is a fine line between educating the Mother (and Father) and really kinda freaking them out, when it comes to some of the health concerns to be aware of within a certain week or trimester.

Right now my wife is in week twenty three of her pregnancy with our third boy and we were reading about the elusive nature of having an appendicitis when pregnant (whew). I’m sure there are a few Moms who walk away from that chapter gripping their right side…

Dr. Curtis: Yes, it is a very delicate balance between educating and scaring people to death. It would be nice to write a happy, everything is good all the time pregnancy book. The reality is that even in today’s world of advanced technology and treatments, there are complications or problems that can occur. All couples don’t need to know about all of these issues, but the ones who are going through it, want it.

I am often contacted by people expressing gratitude for the information - and asking for more details, more information. By discussing these topics, I hope we informing people and making it possible for them to ask their doctor questions.

mD: One of the most interesting weekly topics in your book is “How Your Actions Affect Your Baby’s Development”. Can you talk in general about this topic and maybe share with us some of the biggest pregnancy myths that have persevered through the years.

Dr. Curtis: I think this is one of the most important aspects of this or any pregnancy book. That is, a pregnant woman’s actions before and during her pregnancy can have a major impact on the health of their baby. We continue to learn about pregnancy and developing fetuses, learning about things that are good and bad.

An example is that of folic acid. We now know that a large percentage of cases of neural tube defects (such as spin bifida) can be eliminated by proper diet or supplementation prior to and during the early weeks of pregnancy. Some of the more silly myths include concern about raising your arms above your head or reaching for something high on a shelf resulting in a knot in the cord or the umbilical cord. Both are not true.

mD: Yeah, a lot of those myths we didn’t even know about. My favorite ones are all the different ways you can “tell” the sex of the baby (based on the shape, orientation or size of the belly, et al.).

Personally, I feel some of the best things that you touch upon in your book is some of the practical stuff the Moms and Dads have to think about regarding hospital care and doctor services.

I want to thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and wish you well with future editions.

Sited Links:
Your Pregnancy Week By Week
Mayo Clinic | Amniocentisis

Additional Titles by Dr. Curtis:
Your Pregnancy For The Father-to-be: Everything Dads Need To Know About Pregnancy, Childbirth…
Your Pregnancy After 35
Week by Week Gift Set: Your Pregnancy & Your Baby’s First Year