Tony Tan Women and Fetal Clinic

29/01/2026

2nd gym class for the clinic staff.

24/01/2026

The minimum effective dose for exercise for longevity benefits can be as little as:

1. 20 minutes per week of strength training provided that you do 5-6 repetitions of 6 sets of exercises, where you push yourself till the last set feels like you cannot do > 1 more repetition.
2. 30 minutes per week (3 x 10 minutes bursts) of hard aerobic exercises like running.

This is a suggested home-based strength training routine of 6 sets of 6 reps structure per exercise, using only bodyweight for accessibility and safety. It targets major muscle groups across upper body, lower body, core, and full-body stability to build strength while promoting longevity through compound movements that enhance muscle preservation, bone density, and functional mobility.

Perform one exercise per muscle group, completing all 6 sets before moving to the next (rest 60-90 seconds between sets).

Warm up with 5 minutes of marching in place or arm circles; cool down with gentle stretches.

1. Lower Body: Goblet Squat (Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings)
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, clasp hands at chest like holding a weight. Lower by bending knees and hips until thighs are parallel to the floor, then drive through heels to stand. This builds leg power for daily function and fall prevention.

2. Upper Body Push: Push-Up (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Start in plank position (knees down if needed), lower chest to floor by bending elbows, then push back up. Keep body straight. Modifies easily at home and strengthens posture-supporting muscles for long-term independence.

3. Upper Body Pull: Inverted Row (Back, Biceps, Rear Shoulders)
Lie under a sturdy table or use a bedsheet draped over a door, grip edge, pull chest toward it while squeezing shoulder blades. Lower slowly. Targets back for balanced strength and spinal health.

4. Core: Plank (Abs, Obliques, Lower Back)
Hold forearm plank position with body in straight line, engaging core (6-second holds count as 1 rep, rest briefly between). Builds stability to combat age-related decline.

5. Lower Body Unilateral: Bulgarian Split Squat (Each Leg: Glutes, Quads, Balance)
Elevate rear foot on a chair, lower front thigh parallel to floor, then push up. Switch legs after 6 reps per side. Enhances single-leg strength for real-world longevity.

6. Full-Body: Bird Dog (Stability, Core, Hips)
From all fours, extend opposite arm and leg, hold briefly, alternate. Improves coordination and resilience against injury.

Getting in shape can be easier, and faster, than you might expect.

22/01/2026

1st gym lesson for the clinic.

Exercising to be healthy.

20/01/2026

Walking is a simple and good physical activity for health.

Brisk walking till you are out of breath, can still say some words but cannot sing, means that your exercise is now of moderate intensity, and is a better exercise. Aim to do this for at least 150 minutes a week.

Running is most efficient for training cardiovascular fitness, but may stress the knee joints.

Start by walking regularly, then progress to brisk walking. Consider bursts of slow and fast walking. Running may become a natural progression.

17/01/2026

Regular exercise is the best intervention currently available to improve lifespan (number of years alive) and healthspan (number of years lived in good health).

If one is sedentary, moving more already improves longevity.

If one is already moving a bit, doing more regular exercise further improves healthy longevity.

It is recommended to do resistance training twice a week, and to do aerobic exercise at least 150 minutes a week.

The time to start is now, and gradually increase. Go with a companion / companions as social connectedness also helps improve longevity.

12/01/2026

Use of metformin after giving corticosteroids in premature babies to reduce the risk of respiratory morbidity at birth appears to reduce the risk of higher sugar levels in mothers and the risk of low sugar levels in the premature newborns.

This randomized clinical trial of pregnant women examines whether metformin can reduce the rate of neonatal hypoglycemia in preterm infants whose mothers receive betamethasone by mitigating maternal hyperglycemia.

09/01/2026

Flu and whooping cough vaccination to the mother when pregnant reduces the rate of admission / emegency visit of the infant < 6 months old to the hospital for flu or whooping cough.

This cohort study examined the association of influenza and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy and infant hospitalization or emergency department visits in northern Italy.

08/01/2026

High grade maternal and / or fetal vascular malperfusion are more commonly seen in placentas presenting with fetal growth restriction (with high umbilico-cerebral ratio > 0.8 or cerebroplacental ratio < 1.25, or umbilical PI > 90th centile) than in small for gestational age fetuses with normal Doppler studies.

This is one of now many studies that show association of low cerebroplacental ratio with increased placental lesions that are associated fetal growth restriction.

In our clinic, we do weekly cerebroplacental ratios from 36 weeks in all pregnancies to guide the timing of delivery of our term low- and high-risk pregnancies.

Placental lesions in small for gestational age fetuses with and without clinical features of fetal growth restriction: a secondary analysis of the Doppler Ratio In fetal Growth restriction Intervention Trial At (near) Term (DRIGITAT) study https://ow.ly/pugC50XTl5u

31/12/2025

We are commemorating the end of 2025 with our outstanding clinic nursing staff! This year has been notable for several accomplishments - we have revised multiple clinical protocols and have sponsored one nursing staff to attend an executive course in genetic counselling, and we have remained committed to improving patient outcomes through sustained quality improvement efforts. Looking forward to 2026. Our objective for the new year is to stay up-to-date with the increasing evidence available for practices that promote healthy longevity, and to implement these practices in our daily operations. Happy new year to all!

14/12/2025

The prospective stillbirth risk (means the risk of stillbirths in those that have not delivered yet) exceeds 0.1% from 39 weeks onwards. The majority of stillbirths at term may not have many clinical risk factors (eg advanced maternal age >= 35, BMI >= 30, previous Caesarean section, diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy, reduced cerebro-placental ratio on Doppler studies, smoker).

One strategy to reduce unexplained stillbirth at term is to induce labour at 39 weeks.

https://ja.ma/3KS0wk1l n e m

This study characterizes stillbirth rates in 2016-2022 across clinical risk factors and geographic-based measures of access, income, and race in a large US commercially insured population.

10/12/2025

Celebrating Genie’s birthday at a restaurant that is in its 2nd month of operation with a very attentive manager. The South and Latin American fare was very good.