Obstetrics FAQs
• Who will deliver my Baby? Dr. Ehiremen make every effort to deliver all his patients. But I do share calls with other physicians. When you are admitted to the hospital for delivery the nurse will contact our office exchange to determine which doctor is covering your labor and delivery. All of the doctors share the same philosophies of labor and delivery management and strive to make your delivery experience pleasant and safe.
If you are scheduled for an induction or a c-section you are scheduled on a day Dr. Ehiremen is on call so that he can deliver you. If you are scheduled for a c-section and you go into labor before your scheduled date then you will be delivered by the doctor on call if after 6pm.
• When should I ask non-emergent OB questions? Bring a list of your questions to your OB visits. Your OB visits are for education and following the health of your pregnancy. Please save your questions for your visits, unless they are emergencies.
Pregnancy FAQ’s
• How many OB ultrasounds will a patient receive during her pregnancy? One or two ultrasounds are generally necessary to document your due date and make sure your baby has no physical abnormalities. Other ultrasounds may be scheduled to diagnose and follow problems during a pregnancy.
• Should I receive the flu vaccine? Yes. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that the flu vaccine be given in pregnancy to protect both mother and baby. The flu shot (not the nasal spray vaccine) have been given to millions of pregnant women over many years and has not been shown to cause harm to pregnant women or their babies. For more information, click here to visit the CDC website.
• Should I receive the TDaP vaccine (aka “whooping cough” vaccine)? Yes. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)recommends the TDaP vaccine during each pregnancy, with optimal timing between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation, although the TDaP vaccine may be given at any time during pregnancy. “Cocooning,” or giving the TDaP to adolescents and adults who have close contact with an infant < 12 months, is also recommended. For more information, click here to visit the CDC website.
• What if I have vaginal bleeding? Spotting is not uncommon during the first trimester, especially after a pelvic exam, vaginal ultrasound or intercourse. However, if you experience severe cramping, continued vaginal bleeding requiring pads, or passage of clots, please call us.
• When should I call if I am in labor? Please call us if you experience regular, painful contractions lasting 30-60 seconds every 3-5 minutes for over one hour or if your water breaks. You may have some vaginal spotting with mucus (also known as “bloody show” or “passing the mucus plug”) but this may not correlate directly with labor. Wait for the onset of regular, painful contractions. Call the office at (901) 345-4640 during or after office hours if you think you are in labor or have a question for the triage nurse or on-call physician.
• What if the baby is not moving well? If you have noticed the baby is not moving as much as usual, perform “kick counts.” Eat or drink something. Monitor all movements. If the baby does not move 10 times in 2 hours, please call us.
Gynecology FAQs
• What if I have new GYN problems? These issues will be considered and a plan will be decided on. In general, problems will require another visit to go over testing and a treatment plan.
• What is a Consultation Visit? If you have complicated problems with hormones, pelvic pain, infertility, menopause, or need to discuss surgery, we will schedule a specific visit to address the particular issue. These visits are scheduled for 15 minutes.
• How long is a Procedure Visit? Procedures are scheduled for 15–30 minutes in our office. This includes an explanation of the procedure, the risks, answering your questions about the procedure, and the procedure itself. Please make sure you get all the instructions before the procedure so you are properly prepared.
Procedure/Surgery FAQs
• I have my surgery date scheduled. What else do I need to do? Typically, you will have an appointment at our office the week before your scheduled surgery date to discuss the procedure with your physician, ask any questions, sign consents with our surgical scheduler and arrange pre-operative labwork at the hospital.
• What medications should I plan on discontinuing before surgery? If you are taking any blood-thinning medications (Coumadin, Lovenox, aspirin), birth control pills or other hormonal contraceptives, or any medication that may affect bleeding/clotting, please ask your physician when/if you need to stop taking your medications before surgery.
• What type of preparation is necessary the day before surgery? Depending on the complexity of the planned surgery, a bowel prep may be necessary. Ask your physician if you should follow a clear liquid diet or light, non-greasy meals the day before surgery. You will need to buy a bowel prep such as magnesium citrate. Drink half the bottle of magnesium citrate around 3 pm and the remaining half of the bottle around 7 pm. Stay well hydrated with clear liquids. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight. If you are taking prescription medications, please ask your physician specifically about which medications you should take the night before or morning of surgery.
• What can I expect after laparoscopic surgery? You may feel sore for a few days after surgery. Bloating or gas is a common cause of pain after laparoscopic surgery. Early ambulation and medications such as Gas-X or simethicone are helpful in reducing bloating or gas pain.
• How do I take care of my incision? If you have tape strips (Steri-strips) on your incision, they may peel off in the shower. If the tape strips do not peel off within a week, remove them yourself. If you have Dermabond in your incision, it should soften within a week, at which time you can peel off the Dermabond from the incision. Keep all incisions clean and dry. After leaving the hospital, the incisions do not need to be covered with a dressing. If you notice any redness surrounding the incision or drainage from the incision, please call us.
Test Result FAQs
• How do I get my blood lab results? Blood lab results are available on your patient portal if normal or we send you a text message. We will call you with abnormal blood tests or discuss the results with you during your next office visit.
• How do I get my Pap results? All normal pap results are noted in your chart and can be viewed from your patient porter. We also sent you a text message if your results are normal. If your results are abnormal, you will be called and a description of any additional testing or treatment that may be required.
• How do I get Mammogram results? By Tennessee state law, the facility that does your mammogram must notify you of the results. If we get them before you do and they are abnormal we will call you and tell you what the treatment plan is.
After Hours
• What phone number do I call after office hours? Call our main office number (901) 590-4428 to connect to our answering service. Dr. Ehiremen or his covering colleagues is always available for emergent issues.
• According to our office policy, pain medications will not be refilled after hours or on weekends. If you anticipate running out of your pain medications soon, please schedule an appointment with your provider or contact your provider during office hours.
