Dear Kim:
I read with great concern about your trip to the hospital after returning from Paris for Fashion Week, in which you feared you were having a miscarriage.
I have to tell you as one of the leading high-risk obstetricians in the country, you are doing too much. The problem with too much traveling during pregnancy, especially during your second trimester, is that you have significant disruptive sleep and physical exhaustion.
This could lead to an increased level of cortisol, which could ultimately cause other chemicals in your bloodstream to elevate, like prosatocyclins – which have been linked to premature contractions, putting a pregnant women at risk for Early delivery.
Reports have also indicated that you are working a full schedule, as well as working out with personal trainers seven days a week in order to keep your weight in check. Again, you need to pace yourself. Exercise in pregnancy is healthy, but excessive exercise can lead to physical exhaustion in pregnant women – another risk for premature delivery.
In other words – in pregnancy, too much of a good thing can be bad.
Moderation is key.
I think you need to find a balance between your work duties and your physical rest. The most important thing that a pregnant woman can do for her child is to try to minimize any risk that could lead to a premature birth, which is anything before 37 weeks.
All the best,
Dr. Manny