Tony Tan Women and Fetal Clinic

27/08/2026

We learnt the practice of mindfulness over 2 sessions at Brahm Centre. Mindfulness is useful to reduce stress, promote good sleep and has been associated with many health benefits.

25/08/2026

Practising good movement habits can keep you feeling limber and strong

19/08/2026

9 things to do to boost longevity.

The seeds for age- related diseases are sown in middle age

12/08/2026

Vaginal estrogen is very safe as systemic absorption is very low.

It may be useful to treat symptoms such as vaginal dryness and painful in*******se, and also reduces the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with this issue.

Read the latest news from The Straits Times ePaper

09/08/2026

This is a good educational video about cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy, and how to avoid getting CMV from your current toddler(s) during your pregnancy.

We routinely screen for CMV infection at 12 weeks at our clinic as:
1. it is the commonest fetal infection (about 1% of babies born are found to have been infected with CMV)
2. there is an established antiviral treatment that reduces the risk of transmission of CMV to the fetus
3. there is an effective test to determine if the fetus has been infected (i.e. amniocentesis for CMV PCR at >= 17 weeks)

08/08/2026

“This study suggests that third-trimester uterine artery Doppler should be interpreted as an integrative marker of placental, hemodynamic, and vascular function rather than as an isolated indicator of uteroplacental function.”

As this is done routinely at our third trimester scan at 35-37 weeks (or T3bS) when measuring fetal biometric parameters and Doppler studies of the fetal blood circulation, it is currently more cost effective than performing various blood tests (e.g. PlGF and sFlt1) and other tests to predict risks of late pre-eclampsia and late fetal growth restriction.

What does uterine artery Doppler reflect in late pregnancy? Insights from angiogenic, hemodynamic, and vascular markers in preeclampsia https://ow.ly/SnoT50ZxQtz

06/08/2026

Increasing daily step count from 2,000 to 4,000 improves health outcomes moderately, and increasing it from 4,000 to 7,000 improves health outcomes slightly more.

Armed with that information, we went for a 1 hr walk and occasional jog (1 person) at Botanic Gardens after lunch to improve our step count today. My step count after the 1 hr session: 5,814 steps. Another 1,200 for the rest of the day.

We captured some other sights along the way.

05/08/2026

Aim to walk at least 7,000 steps a day to maximize health benefits.

It is a useful target but consider too how fast you walk.

04/08/2026

Alcohol is the commonest cause of liver disease.

The estimated amounts of alcohol in different drinks are as follows:

• 20 g alcohol: beer 500 mL, wine/champagne 200 mL, whisky 63 mL.
• 30 g alcohol: beer 750 mL, wine/champagne 300 mL, whisky 95 mL.

In pregnancy, alcohol should be avoided as a safe amount of alcohol that does not cause harm to the fetal brain has not been established. Different pregnant individuals probably have different “safe” levels.

is the leading cause of -related and the most common indication for liver transplant in Europe and the US, with mortality rates rising over the past two decades.

ALD develops with chronic daily consumption (>20 g/d for women, >30 g/d for men) and encompasses reversible , , , , and .

Most patients are asymptomatic or experience nonspecific symptoms; disease progression is influenced by age, s*x, metabolic risk factors, viral hepatitis, smoking, and genetics. Noninvasive fibrosis tests aid early diagnosis and risk stratification.

Alcohol cessation remains the primary treatment goal, with behavioral and pharmacologic therapies supported by guideline recommendations. Severe alcohol-associated hepatitis or decompensated cirrhosis warrants consideration for liver transplant.

https://ja.ma/4fXSGkG

02/08/2026

In the US, alcohol use in pregnancy is still increasing over the years despite widespread medical advice to not to.

From 2011-2012 to 2023-2024, current use during in the US increased from 9.1% to 14.5%. Over the same period, increased to 4.6% and heavy drinking increased to 2.0%, indicating persistent upward trends in alcohol exposure.

The findings support prevention and intervention efforts that are responsive to behavioral health context. In particular, the co-occurrence of alcohol use with ***co use and frequent distress may be important for screening during pregnancy.

https://ja.ma/4hHHbQv