Riverside Obstetrics & Gynecology

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Riverside Obstetrics & Gynecology combines the most advanced medical care with natural options for women. Our medical team includes Russell Turk, M.D., Karen Zino, M.D. and Louise Napoli, N.D., a doctor of naturopathic medicine. We are committed to providing you with comprehensive, gentle care in a way that looks at the patient as a whole, and pays close attention to your individual needs and concerns.
Riverside OB/GYN Welcomes Dr. Karen Zino

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Karen Zino is now practicing medicine at Riverside Obstetrics & Gynecology. After working for a number of years as a physician assistant in the Tri-State area in the fields of primary care and womens health, Dr. Zino decided to pursue her dreams of becoming an M.D. She completed her OB/GYN training at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Monmouth Medical Center, a Drexel University affiliate in New Jersey. Dr. Zino will join Dr. Turk in providing personalized obstetric and gynecologic services, including an array of minimally invasive gynecologic surgical procedures. She also brings a special interest in adolescent medicine to the practice.

Women are 26% less likely to give birth by Cesarean section if they have a doula assisting them in their delivery, according to a 2006 review of research published by Childbirth Connection.

Im a believer from direct experience: I have been a labor Doula for nearly thirty years and provided support at hundreds of births. So to me, its not surprising that the research shows that women do better in labor, need less medication, less intervention, have fewer C-sections and feel better about their birth experiences when they have professional labor support.

What does a doula do? First, shes most likely the only professional who stays with you throughout your entire labor and delivery. She helps you stay both physically and emotionally comfortable, and informed, and she keeps her eye on your labor so that it continues to move in the right direction. When it veers, she helps shift it into a place where you are progressing with positioning, massage, choices in action, decision making around procedures and medications, alternatives to those choices and providing compassion, support and encouragement. Read more.
Stressed Out? You May be in Adrenal Fatigue

The adrenals: two walnut-sized glands that sit on top of our kidneys -- they are inconspicuous and yet profoundly critical for our well being. However, most of us dont have any idea what they are or what role they play in our bodies.

In brief, the adrenals help us to cope with stress by producing adrenaline and cortisol, ultimately enabling us to deal with stress. We are well-equipped to handle short-term stress, but we cannot sustain this high-level response for prolonged periods without exhausting our reserves.

In todays world, it is often the cumulative effect of constant multiple stressors that eventually robs the body of critical nutrients and results in hormonal imbalance, weakened immunity and persistent fatigue. Its not surprising that mothers, and women in general, are especially vulnerable, although anyone can end up in adrenal fatigue.

If you are planning to have a baby anytime soon, take note of some alarming news: The nations Cesarean section rate has reached an all time high, according to a recent report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The number of C-sections has risen 50% since 1996, making the surgery the most common operation performed in U.S. hospitals. Here in Connecticut, the number of C-sections is slightly higher than the national average (34.6%), which gives us the seventh highest C-section rate in the country.

This trend has created a vicious cycle because women who deliver their first baby via C-section are far more likely to deliver subsequent babies the same way. The number of vaginal births after Cesarean (known as VBACs) has dropped from a high of 28.3% of all C-sections to 7.9% in 2005, the last year for which statistics are available. Its gotten to the point that doctors routinely advise women against having a VBAC because they think the small but serious risk associated with the procedure (a 1% chance of uterine rupture) is not worth the possibility of a bad outcome and subsequent lawsuit. Many physicians have given up the practice altogether.

Ideally you want to avoid a C-section because its major surgery, involves a longer recovery time and has a higher risk of complications for both mother and child. Whats more, as Americans embrace complementary therapies, women are increasingly interested in natural and/or less interventional birthing approaches.

A C-section is sometimes necessary of course, but there are steps you can take to avoid this risk if you want to have a hospital birth, which I am convinced after 20 years of practicing obstetrics and gynecology, remains the safest place to have a baby. For example, patients must choose a skilled team of doctors who follow evidence-based obstetrical care, and they need to follow recommendations for optimal nutrition, exercise and lifestyle.

In addition, women should not be afraid to ask prospective doctors, What is your C-section rate? and if having a natural or low intervention birth is a priority, inquire whether they are comfortable with and knowledge about the many ways to facilitate natural childbirth. If you delivered your first baby via C-section, be sure to ask your doctor early on in your pregnancy if he or she performs VBACs and whether you are a candidate to have one. Read the full article