Advances in medical science rarely get much press, and often patients only discover them when they need some type of specialized treatment. For instance, last year alone, it became possible to link ultrasound machines with smartphones.
Besides furnishing us with highly sophisticated medical devices and equipment to heal us or monitor our health, science has also provided us with readily accessible high tech that can help us in our regular life. For instance, today there are many free or online tools a mother should know about that can help her through her pregnancy.
Whether you have a hectic corporate career or you’re a parent working from home, the use of online tools like pregnancy calculators and online services like telemedicine and online therapy will make your pregnancy much easier.
Free Online Due Date Predictor Tools
When using a due date predictor, it’s important to keep in mind that this is only an estimation and not all pregnancies are delivered on their given due date. In other words, they will give you a ballpark figure of when your baby will be due. Online pregnancy tools give you some idea of when to expect rather than no idea at all. A higher degree of accuracy is not possible because these tools can’t take into account individual variables since the algorithms are based on statistical probabilities. For instance, your delivery timeline may change if there are some complications and your obstetrician decides to induce labor to protect you and your child.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine, which is a blend of telecommunication and information tech, can provide you with clinical healthcare regardless of your distance from a clinic. Since it removes geographical constraints for you to get medical assistance during your pregnancy, it can even help you without your having to leave home. Besides the option to see and talk to your doctor many miles away through video conferencing, it’s also possible to transmit health informatics or medical images from one place to another.
A special program called TeleOB designed especially for expectant women is ideal for low-risk expectant mothers with no known complications. Virtual visits reduce many prenatal appointments when you don’t need a physical examination.
“In the traditional obstetrician care model, you’re looking at 14 or more visits, says obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Sue Moreni, explaining the benefits of the program. “With TeleOB, we designate up to five prenatal visits as safe to do as a telemedicine visit, and this helps patients save time.”
Online Therapy
Many therapists work on a sliding scale, so they will probably charge you only what you can afford to pay. Psychotherapy during pregnancy is important because, despite the excitement of having a child, there is also much stress, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders that occur during pregnancy. While family and friends may try to be comforting, they are unlikely to have the therapeutic skills you need to manage any episodes of emotional distress. A therapist familiar with issues that arise during pregnancy, ranging from a strain in your relationship to unexpected life changes, will be available to support your mental health. It doesn’t matter if the mood swings you are going through during pregnancy are only “a passing phase” because you’re unlikely to have a sense of perspective when you’re experiencing extreme distress about how your overwhelming feelings will eventually ebb away. Therapy when you’re feeling highly emotional during your pregnancy will make a world of difference to your sense of well-being.
Pregnancy is always challenging, especially in these hectic and uncertain times, so it’s always a good idea to use online resources like online calculators, telemedicine, and online therapy to make the journey a little easier.
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