Thedoc Replies

Our expert answers your medical questions

Is it better to have a natural birth than a C-section?

It depends; there are pros and cons to both. In some cases you do not have a choice, as some conditions make C-sections essential, such as diabetes, severe hypertension, infections in the birth canal, and problems with the placenta.

Twins are generally delivered by C-section, and it may also be needed if the baby’s head is too big for the size of the mother’s pelvis, or the baby is breech at the time of labour. There are advantages to vaginal births, such as being in hospital for less time, generally quicker recovery, and you are avoiding risk of surgery, such as blood clots, infections, heavy bleeding, and scars.

Advantages of C-sections are that they are scheduled and more convenient, and of course can be life-saving in an emergency. The risk of death is higher, and you can get damage to the bowel or bladder during surgery, but in a vaginal birth the stretching of the skin around the vagina may cause weakness of the pelvic muscles, causing later urinary incontinence and prolapse.

I’m 63, but I think I might have had dyslexia my whole life and not realised it. What are the signs and how do I find out for sure?

A GP would not usually direct you to an educational psychologist. However, symptoms to look out for would be lifelong difficulty in reading, trouble reading unfamiliar words, and avoiding reading out loud.

You may struggle to find particular words when speaking, mix up words, or mispronounce words. You may also have trouble remembering dates, phone numbers and names. Spelling might not be very good, and handwriting may be very messy.

Can prolonged exposure to damp cause serious health issues?

Yes, but particular groups of people are at more risk: babies, the elderly, people with respiratory problems such as asthma, or skin conditions like eczema, and also those with weak immune symptoms.

Damp causes mould which produces allergens, irritants, or even toxic substances, and touching or breathing the spores can lead to allergies or asthma attacks.

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