Frequently Asked Questions
No. No amount of alcohol is recommended in pregnancy. Alcohol intake in pregnancy has been associated with fetal malformations and developmental delays and we encourage you to avoid it.
Cigarette smoking is harmful to maternal health, which is reason enough to recommend smoking cessation or reduction during pregnancy. In regard to pregnancy, cigarette smoking has been associated with spontaneous pregnancy loss, placental abruption, premature rupture of membranes, preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth. We are here to support you and help you by providing interventions to aid with smoking cessation.
Yes, however we discourage use. There is no evidence that the artificial sweeteners such as: aspartame (nutrasweet), sucralose (splenda), acesulfame potassium (Sunett), stevioside (stevia) or saccharin (sweet n low) increase the risk of birth defects, however they have been linked to increase cancer risks in ongoing studies.
Yes. Fish consumption in pregnancy is actually associated with improved neurodevelopment in children. However, fish is also a source of mercury exposure and mercury can cause fetal neurologic damage. Consuming fish in pregnancy needs to balance the benefits of omega-3 and DHA and the risk of mercury exposure. patients should try to consume two to three servings of fish a week, high in DHA and omega-3 but low in mercury. These fish include anchovies, herring, mackerel, mussels, oysters, both farmed and wild salmon, sardines, snapper and trout. Fish you want to avoid with high mercury are king mackerel, shark, swordfish, marlin and tile fish.
It is OK to eat a hot dog or turkey sandwich or any other deli meat as long as it is fully cooked and heated up prior to consumption. If you microwave it and make sure it is steaming you are good to go! The reason these foods need to be fully cooked are to avoid exposure to toxoplasmosis and listeria. This also means you should not eat any raw meat, unpasteurized dairy or unheated deli meats.
You should always wear a lap and shoulder seat belt while in a motor vehicle and should never disable the airbags. The lap belt should be placed across the hips and below the uterus. Although there is potential for injury from a seatbelt, the risk is low and, because seatbelts significantly reduce the risk of major injuries from collisions, the overall effect is beneficial.
Although data is limited, pregnant patients should avoid hot tub uses in pregnancy. It can increase your heart rate which then can increase your babies heart rate and can also cause dehydration. When a maternal body temperature increases there is considered risk for miscarriage and birth defects. Swimming pools are typically maintained below normal body temperature and are considered safe in pregnancy.
Can I dye my hair while pregnant? Yes, data is limited but because systemic absorption is minimal, hair dye is presumed to be safe in pregnancy.
As long as your skin care products DO NOT contain Retinol (products containing retinoids which are typically used for acne and anti-aging) or accutane (usually used to treat acne), they are safe to use.
Yes! Most sexual activity is safe for patients having healthy pregnancies. This includes sexual intercourse or penetration with fingers or sex toys. The amniotic sac and the strong muscles of the uterus protect the fetus. If you have pregnancy complications or have been told that you should be on pelvic rest then sex should be avoided until you hear differently from your provider.It is normal to have cramps or spotting after sex with penetration. The cervix is very friable in pregnancy. Having an orgasm can also cause cramps. If you have severe, persistent cramping, or if you have bright red bleeding more then spotting you should call us.
Yes, it is recommended to go for your routine cleanings in pregnancy. If it is necessary to have a cavity filled it’s important to make sure your dentist is aware you are pregnant and that you only have lidocaine without epinephrine.
Topical insect repellants including DEET can be used in pregnancy and should be used especially in areas with high-risk for insect borne illnesses such as west nile and zika virus.
Yes, data is limited but because systemic absorption is minimal, getting your nails done is presumed to be safe in pregnancy.
Optimal blood flow is when you are side lying or on your back with a hip wedge. Pregnancy pillows can be helpful for this. This is because in pregnancy because after 20 weeks, an enlarged uterus can compress the maternal great vessels which can decrease utero placental blood flow. Waking up on your back is okay, do not panic! Waking up on your back is your body telling you to turn over onto your side and go back to sleep!
Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 12:00pm and 1:00pm-4:30pm, closed for 1 hour during lunch. A provider is on-call 7 days per week, 24 hours a day for urgent matters.
We are closed for the following holidays:
- New Years Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving and the day after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve and Christmas day
We value and respect everyone’s time and strive to run our clinic on time. In an effort to accomplish that goal, please be aware that our clinic schedule tends to be full and that we may need to reschedule your appointment if you arrive 10 or more minutes late for your appointment time. Please know that the intent of this policy isn’t to be punitive, it’s simply to respect the patient who may be scheduled immediately after your appointment time.
Our main office number is (802) 862-7338. During regular business hours you can reach our front office and nursing staff. Our Triage nurses are busy on the phone’s so please leave a detailed message and they will get back to you within 1-2 business hours. If you are in labor or experiencing an OB or GYN emergency please press option #1 for the labor line.
Now it’s even easier to become a Maitri patient! Please click this link to set up your account. Once this has been completed, please call the office to schedule your first appointment. If you would like to complete the New Patient Registration prior to your visit, please click the registration form link below. Bring the completed form with you to your appointment.
If you have an urgent concern and our office is closed, dial the main phone number and press 0 to be transferred to the answering service. They will take your information and page the on-call provider. Please leave a number that will be available for at least 15 minutes. Please remove all blocks from your telephone as the providers do block their personal numbers when returning your call. If your phone is blocked, this will slow down the response.
If you don’t have an urgent issue, you can use the regular options listed above and leave a voicemail for the appropriate person and they will get back to you when the office re-opens.
We don’t like filling out forms anymore than you do! With the Patient Portal, you won’t need to update your demographics at check in each year. If you’ve scheduled a preventative or problem visit and haven’t been to our office in a while, login to your account at the Patient Portal and make changes if needed. Simply, click on My Account on the left side, make your changes and submit at the bottom of the page. Give yourself time to relax and read a magazine in the waiting room!
Our Triage nurses are highly qualified and experienced to help you on the phone during regular business hours. They are diligent about checking the triage voicemail and strive to return all calls the same day.
Please use the Medical Release Form if you are transferring to our practice. Simply submit the completed form to us and we’ll take care of the rest.
Maitri Healthcare has compiled a booklet that will be be helpful as you go through your pregnancy:
We ask that you arrive 10-15 minutes early for your appointment with your insurance cards so that we can best assist you. Our schedules are quite full and we may be required to reschedule your appointment if you are 10 minutes or more late. We do charge a $75 fee if you don’t show for your appointment. If you need to cancel your appointment, please call as soon as possible so we can take you off the schedule. In a sincere effort to run on time and out of courtesy to patients after you, we will kindly ask you to reschedule your appointment if you are 10 or more minutes late for your appointment.
If you’ve registered for our patient portal, you can update your demographics online, just click the patient portal link, select Personal Information under the My Account band on the left side of the page. Make any changes and click Submit at the bottom of the page.
If you’d like, you can download the link below for registration and complete it prior to your visit. Simply click the link and select download. You can use drop down buttons for most of the entries, then print and bring to your appointment.
Email is appropriate for general practice questions only. We prefer not to answer medical questions over email as it is not always a secure form of communication for potentially sensitive medical issues. We do not schedule appointments electronically as of yet.
We look forward to meeting you!
We offer the cell free DNA testing to patients who desire genetic screening.
Visit the Natera page for more information: