Contact Us
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Locations and Hospital Affiliation
We have 3 office locations to accommodate our patients in the Mercer and Bucks County areas:
123 Franklin Corner Rd.
Suite 214
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Phone: 609-896-1400
Click for directions
1401 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road
Suite 216
Hamilton, NJ 08619
Phone: 609-890-2412
Click for directions
909 Floral Vale Boulevard
Yardley, PA 19067
Phone: 215-504-9090
Click for directions
Our physicians and midwives deliver at
Capital Health System's Hopewell Campus
in Pennington, NJ
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Birth Control and Heart Disease:
Are You At Risk? 
Women who have congenital heart disease are safe in using most forms of birth control, but before starting any medication regimen, it is important to talk to your doctor about your specific concerns. The American Heart Association recommends consulting with your primary care physician, gynecologist and cardiologist before beginning birth control, just to be safe.
Birth control options
Progesterone-only birth control: Depo-Provera (a.k.a. the shot), the mini pill or Implanon (birth control implant) are safe for women with heart disease, in most cases. It is important to note, though, that these forms of birth control may lead to fluid retention.
Intrauterine devices: Intrauterine devices, or IUDs (t-shaped devices implanted by a doctor into the uterus to prevent pregnancy) are also useful for women with heart disease. These types of birth control methods are only recommended for women in stable or monogamous relationships because they do not guard against sexually transmitted diseases.
Tubal ligation: Tubal ligation, also referred to as "getting your tubes tied," is a permanent sterilization procedure for women. This is safe for women with heart disease, but is only recommended for women who no longer want to have children. It can be performed surgically or vaginally.
Birth control and blood pressure
Doctors and researchers have found a link between birth control pills and an increase in blood pressure among some women. They say that it is more likely to occur in women who are already overweight, have kidney disease or have a family history of high blood pressure.
Note: A combination of birth control pills and smoking can be very dangerous to women and is not recommended. Especially in younger women, the combination of birth control pills and smoking increases the risk of heart disease by a whopping 20 percent.
Worried about your blood pressure and how it relates to birth control usage? Consult your doctor before starting any medications and have your blood pressure levels checked every six months to make sure you are in a healthy range.
Source: Go Red for Women
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4 Surprising Pregnancy
Side Effects
Heartburn, morning sickness, uncontrollable cravings for French fries - these are pregnancy side effects that everyone talks about. You may have not heard that some women crave dirt (yes, the stuff that comes from the ground!) or produce so much saliva in their mouth that they have to spit. Find out more about these and other surprising pregnancy side effects.
1. Stuffy nose
Suffering from a runny or stuffed-up nose? Then you're one of the 20 to 30 percent of women who experience congestion throughout their pregnancy. Rhinitis of pregnancy, as it's called, can start as early as your second month and can continue until your baby's birth or even a few weeks afterward.
2. Excessive salivation
Do you constantly need to spit? Experts don't know why many expecting moms salivate so much in early pregnancy, but hormonal changes and nausea may be the culprit.
3. Shortness of breath
Are you feeling like the little engine that could? You're not alone. It's common to feel short of breath when you're expecting, even in the early stages of pregnancy.
4. Dizziness
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded now that you're expecting? Throughout your pregnancy, your cardiovascular system and blood pressure go through a lot of changes. Occasionally your body can't keep up, causing you to feel lightheaded.
Source: BabyCenter
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February 2015
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February is National Heart Awareness Month, and while it may sound like something to celebrate, it's actually about raising awareness for one of the biggest killers of women. The fact is: Heart disease kills one in three women each year - that's approximately one woman every minute.
Yet for some reason, this sneaky killer maintains a reputation as a health threat for men only. As a result, too many women blow off the warning signs. Well, we're here to sound the alarm and make the case about The Health Symptom You Should Never Ignore as now is the time to take action.
"It's a man's disease." "But I'm too young." "Breast cancer is the real threat." If you've heard or said any of this before, you're not alone. It's time to set the record straight and start reminding yourself that your health is non-negotiable. To help you separate fact from fiction, please read,
If you're pregnant for the first time, some of the side effects might come as a surprise to you. Everything from first trimester symptoms to your growing belly might make you question everything you already know about pregnancy. Do you need to spit constantly now that you're pregnant or have a stuffy or runny nose? Find out more about these 4 Surprising Pregnancy Side Effects.
Keeping the health drive going into February is really tricky, especially during the cold weather. For women in their 40s, it can be even harder to lose those stubborn 10 lbs. as your ability to lose weight may become increasingly difficult. However, with the right diet and exercise regimen, you can still lose weight quickly. The key to quick weight loss success, at any age, is consistency in following a precise nutrition and exercise plan.
Lastly, you may have heard that certain types of birth control, such as oral contraceptives and patches, may increase your risk of heart disease or other heart-related issues. While they are generally safe, there are some signs you need to be aware of and can inform one of our physicians, which is why you should read, Birth Control and Heart Disease: Are You at Risk? During your next visit, we can advise you on safe birth-control medications, let you know about the potentially dangerous interactions that can occur (especially if you smoke) and answer any questions you may have.
Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day!
With warm regards,
The Practitioners and Staff of Lawrence OB/GYN
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The Health Symptom You Should Never Ignore
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 Your heart does a lot of work throughout the day-routinely pushing 1.5 gallons of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels, for one-so when you feel some minor aches or pains, you might think that it's part of the job description. But if you tend to brush off heart symptoms and assume the problem will solve itself, you might want to rethink your laissez faire attitude, says a new study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Otherwise you might run into some serious trouble down the line.
The study, which focused on interviews of 31 cardiac patients who had experienced angina (the chest pain that tells you that you are at increased risk of heart attack, cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death), found that women were 1.5 times more likely then men to wait for symptoms to become more severe and more frequent before seeking medical attention.
What's with the waiting game? Turns out, it had a lot to do with denial. All patients, regardless of gender, went through the same six stages after experiencing chest pain: uncertainty, denial, seeking help from a friend or family member, recognition of the severity of symptoms, seeking medical attention, and finally, acceptance. The main difference between men and women, they found, was that women stayed in the denial period longer and were more likely to wait for friends or family to notice they were unwell, instead of approaching them with the problem.
Even though it is the leading cause of mortality for women, some women still perceive coronary artery disease (CAD) as a "man's disease" and consequently don't recognize their risk, according to study authors quoted in a recent press release. Other research also suggests that women's focus on caregiving roles and responsibility might be at play, making them more concerned with how long they'd be out of commission if something was wrong, rather than seeking out treatment options.
It is important to note that the women in the study were between the ages of 44 and 84, putting them at higher risk for CAD. That said, age isn't an excuse to dismiss your symptoms entirely; if something is wrong and you wait, there is a large chance you'll have a more severe problem than you would have if you had heeded the angina's warning sign-which will leave you with fewer treatment options. So if you feel pressure, squeezing, burning, or tightness in your chest, it's worth it to get it checked out. It might turn out to be nothing, but if not, you'll be glad you didn't wait.
Source: Women's Health Magazine
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| 5 Facts About Women and Heart Disease | |
An estimated 42 million American women live with cardiovascular disease, but too many are unaware of the threat they face. All too often, women don't know the warning signs. Below are 5 facts you need to know so you can begin to improve your heart health today:
1) Heart disease affects women of ALL ages. In fact, 35.3% of deaths in American women over the age of 20, or more than 432,000, are caused by cardiovascular disease each year. It is the leading cause of death of American women, with more than 200,000 women dying each year from attacks - five times as many women as breast cancer. It's a myth that estrogen makes women heart-attack-proof, because even young women can have heart attacks.
2) Heart disease affects more women than men. More women than men die from heart disease each year. One reason? Women are less likely than men to receive appropriate treatment after a heart attack, or even know the symptoms.
3) Chest pain is still the most common symptom when having a heart attack, though not everyone experiences it. Although a heart attack without chest pain is a bit more common in women than in men, chest pain is still the most common symptom of a heart attack for women and men. Typical chest pain is a squeezing pain, fullness or heaviness in the chest. Women are slightly more likely than men to experience atypical chest pain, which may be burning or sharp and of a shorter duration.
4) 9 out of 10 heart disease patients have at least one risk factor. Several medical conditions and lifestyle choices can put women at a higher risk for heart disease, including: high cholesterol; high blood pressure; diabetes; cigarette smoking; overweight and obesity; physical inactivity and alcohol use.
5) Heart disease is preventable. There are plenty of things you can do to control your risk of getting heart disease. Start by quitting smoking or using tobacco of any kind. Get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy weight. Limit your alcohol and always practice good nutrition. Read labels, and stay away from "saturated fat" and anything that contains "partially-hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" fats. These products are usually loaded with unhealthy fats. All of these tips are key to controlling some of your heart disease risk factors and can make a difference in your overall health.
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| 5 Ways to Quickly Shed Winter Weight | |
 According to MSNBC, your metabolism slows at a rate of 5 percent for each decade after you hit the age of 40. If you are over 40, you are going to have to work harder to lose 10 pounds quickly than you did in your 20s and 30s. Eating a well-balanced diet and getting plenty of exercise can help you to lose weight quickly as you get older. Before you make any changes to your diet and exercise plan, speak to your doctor.
Step 1
Follow a reduced calorie diet. You must burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat. To lose weight quickly, take off at least 500 calories from your daily caloric intake. Track the calories in all food items that you eat in a diet journal. Avoid high calorie foods with little nutritional value, such as cookies, candies, chips, soft drinks and pastries. Drink plenty of water and eat lots of fiber to keep your body regular.
Step 2
Exercise for 60 minutes or more daily. You should spend 60 minutes most days of the week participating in some form of moderate-intensity exercise. Examples of activities are jogging, swimming, basketball, soccer and cycling. Besides set workout times, you can burn more calories and lose weight quicker by changing your daily habits. Take walks at lunchtime, use the stairs instead of the elevator and park as far away as possible from the entrance in parking lots.
Step 3
Eliminate Bedtime Snacks. People who eat at night gain 19 pounds more per year than people who don't do any nighttime snacking; this is due, in part, to the fact that late-night eaters typically show less discretion when it comes to the type and amount of food they eat. Stop eating at least three hours before bedtime to help drop 10 pounds. If nighttime munching is usually done out of boredom, try taking a bath, giving yourself a manicure, leafing through a magazine or even heading to bed early to curb eating.
Step 4
Eat lean protein sources and control portion sizes. Eat plenty of lean protein to boost your metabolism and lose more weight. At each meal, consume one serving of a lean protein, such as fish, skinless chicken and turkey breast. Controlling your portion sizes is a virtually painless way to cut hundreds of extra calories from your diet. Instead of eliminating your favorite foods, just eat smaller portions and you could lose 10 pounds. Vow to stop eating foods straight from the package, and put them in small bowls or plastic baggies before eating in order to avoid taking in multiple servings. As a rule, avoid eating snack servings any larger than your fist.
Step 5
Weigh yourself daily. When you've overindulged or your pants are suddenly tight, it's easier to just avoid stepping on the scale. But weighing yourself every day can actually help you lose weight because it keeps you accountable for changes in your weight. It also means you can take steps to reverse weight gain before it snowballs into an extra 10, 15 or 20 pounds.
Source: LiveStrong
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Our Pledge to You...
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 Our vision is to provide the highest level of care to women through all phases of their lives while helping them to understand how and why their bodies function as they do.
We consider patient education to be one of our most important responsibilities. By educating women and empowering them to take a more active role in their own health care, they are able to make better decisions that will enable them to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Please know that we value and respect our patient's privacy. Your name will never be shared or sold and you can unsubscribe from our list by clicking the icon at the bottom.
The highest compliment you can give us is to refer our practice to others. We value your trust and thank you in advance.
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