PREGNANCY

Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more offspring, known as a FETUS , inside the worm of a female. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple GESTATION , as in the case of twins or triplets. human pregnancy is the most studied of all mammalian pregnancies .Childbirth usually occurs about 38 weeks after conception; i.e., approximately 40 weeks from the last normal menstrual period (LNMP) in human. The World Health Organization defines normal term for delivery as between 37 weeks and 42 weeks.

Introduction

Pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, counting from the first day of your last normal period. The weeks are grouped into three trimesters (TREYE-mess-turs). Find out what's happening with you and your baby in these three stages.

What is the first trimester (week 1-week 12)?

 see video early pregnancy 1-4week(1month)

 

During the first trimester your body undergoes many changes. HORMONAL changes affect almost every organ system in your body. These changes can trigger symptoms even in the very first weeks of pregnancy. Your period stopping is a clear sign that you are pregnant. Other changes may include:

• Extreme tiredness
• Tender, swollen breasts. Your nipples might also stick out.
• Upset stomach with or without throwing up (morning sickness)
• Cravings or distaste for certain foods
• Mood swings
• Constipation (trouble having bowel movements)
• Need to pass urine more often
• Headache
• Heartburn
• Weight gain or loss

All About the First Trimester

For most women, the first 12 or so weeks of pregnancy are the most consuming because everything is all so new, so exciting, even overwhelming. To satisfy the little voice inside your head that keeps asking questions, here's a primer. Keep it handy.

      see video pregnancy 5-8weeks(2month)

 

Aversions (and cravings)

Being repelled by certain tastes and smells is common. “Your digestion is slowing down, so some formerly appealing foods become intolerable,” explains certified nurse-midwife Lisa Kane Low, Ph.D., R.N., a faculty member at the University of Michigan School of Medicine. Ignoring an aversion may only make you feel sicker, so don’t feel you have to eat something just because you think it’s good for you. Cravings are the flip side of aversions: Although the cause is unknown, they may simply be your body’s way of telling you to eat what you can stand. Unless they could be harmful (see “H”), go ahead and indulge them.

Breasts

“Pregnant women always think of their bellies as the focal point,” says Low, “but usually the first physical symptom they notice is a too-tight bra.” In fact, the symptoms of early pregnancy, such as acne, mood swings, cramps and especially swollen, tender breasts, closely resemble PMS.

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)

This diagnostic test for CHROMOSOMAL disorders such as DOWN SYNDROME is usually performed between weeks 10 and 12. CVS can be done earlier than amniocentesis, but unlike  AMNIO, it cannot detect neural-tube defects such as SPINA BIFIDA. In addition, says Donald R. Mattison, M.D., senior adviser to the directors of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and Center for Research for Mothers and Children, the miscarriage risk is slightly higher with CVS—around 1 percent vs. less than 1 percent for AMNIO.

Due date

Pregnancy is based on a 40-week (280-day) calendar. To calculate your estimated date of delivery, add seven days to the first day of your last normal menstrual period, then add nine months. Your baby is considered full term if he arrives anywhere from three weeks before to two weeks after this date (more than 90 percent of babies do). If your menstrual cycle regularly is 28 days long, you’re more likely to give birth near your due date. If your cycle is usually longer than 28 days, you’re more likely to deliver later; and if it’s shorter, earlier. But the most accurate way to date a pregnancy is via ultrasound measurement of the fetus’s crown-to-rump length between eight and 12 weeks. 

                   see video pregnancy 9-12weeks(3month)

Fatigue

Extreme fatigue is very common in the first trimester of pregnancy. “Your metabolic rate—the amount of energy you burn just to exist—is way above normal then,” explains Low. The emotional ups and downs can also take their toll on you. Fatigue should let up in your second trimester. But if it doesn’t, you may be anemic—more than 50 percent of pregnant women are IRON-deficient to some degree by week 28, according to Susan Watts, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.

Genetic counseling

If you’re at risk for having a baby with an inherited disorder, counseling can help you and your partner decide whether to undergo tests to determine if either of you is a carrier or to see if your fetus is affected. Age and personal and family medical histories are just a few factors to consider when deciding on testing.

Infections You may be surprised—and concerned—if your doctor prescribes antibiotics to treat a condition such as a simple gum or bladder infection. But infection anywhere in the body may lead to preterm labor. If your obstetrician prescribes antibiotics, it’s likely because the benefits outweigh the risks. If another physician prescribes them, get your OB’s approval before taking them. 

All About the Third Trimester

Our guide to the exciting last third of pregnancy

With your due date finally just around the corner, you’re eager to hold that baby in your arms—and maybe nervous about giving birth, too. You enter the third trimester filled with energy, but as your body continues to grow and change, you may start to feel tired and experience new aches and pains. How much bigger can I get? you wonder. Let’s face it: You get a tad tired of being pregnant. But there are plenty of things to do to keep your mind off of your expanding figure and the annoyances that come with it. Just follow our guide to the exciting last third of pregnancy, weeks 29–40.

Your Body

As you head into the final stretch, remember to keep eating right and exercising so that your baby gains the proper amount of weight and you’re in the best possible shape for labor and delivery.

Eat often You should gain one pound a week. To do this, get 300 extra calories a day from one serving each of protein and carbohydrate foods, advises Kelly Kullick, R.D., a personal trainer and the Atlanta-based owner of HealthyMoms, LLC. You may feel full halfway through meals because your uterus is pressing on your stomach. Kullick’s solution: “I recommend six to eight smaller meals a day rather than three big ones.” Keep in mind that you still need prenatal vitamins, at least eight glasses of water a day and 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily.

Keep moving As long as you’re not at risk for delivering a preterm baby, exercise is safe in the third trimester. But if you’re used to doing moderate- or high-impact exercise, discuss with your doctor or midwife whether you should continue your routine, says Lisa Stone, a certified pre- and postnatal fitness specialist and president of Fit For 2 Inc., a fitness program for pregnant women and new moms in Atlanta. Avoid lifting heavy weights, as they can put too much stress on tendons and ligaments, which become more relaxed late in pregnancy. Whatever your exercise level, scale back if you feel dizzy or lightheaded and try prenatal yoga classes or brisk walking instead. “Pay attention to your body’s signals,” Stone says. “They’ll let you know when you’re overdoing it. “Keeping up abdominal and back exercises is important to help with postural changes and stability,” she adds, “and to keep your body strong after the baby’s born, when you’ll have a lot of lifting to do.” Since doing crunches on your back is not safe, switch to standing pelvic tilts or lying on your side or on your hands and knees; concentrate on bringing your navel toward your spine. 

Rest up Feeling uncomfortable and going to the bathroom a lot at night can leave you tired. Use a body pillow when sleeping and limit your liquid and food intake after 6 p.m. To combat fatigue during the day, take a five-minute break every hour. Sit back, relax, do deep-breathing exercises or take a walk to rejuvenate yourself.

Stay sexy Sex and orgasms are generally safe unless you’re at risk for preterm labor, but intercourse may begin to be uncomfortable. Now’s a good time for you and your partner to experiment with alternate positions, such as lying on your sides.

Countdown To Delivery

Follow this timeline recommended by Rebecca Burpo, a certified nurse-midwife in Dallas, to prepare for the big day.

Week 30 Start shopping for items you’ll need in the hospital (nursing bras, nightgown, baby clothes, car seat) and at home (diapers, wipes, etc.). Week 31 Attend childbirth classes. The sessions should end by week 36.Week 32 Interview doulas or labor coaches—they book up quickly. Week 33 Have your baby shower about two months before your due date so you’ll have time to shop for items you didn’t receive as gifts. Week 34 Interview baby nurses or postpartum doulas; locate a lactation specialist in case you need one later. Research cord-blood-banking options. Week 35 Meet with several pediatricians and choose one. Your baby will need to be checked immediately after birth. Week 36 Pack your bag for the hospital (don’t forget your phone book). A baby is considered at term three weeks before your due date, so be prepared. Week 37 If you plan to breastfeed, read up on techniques and gather resources to have at your fingertips when you come home. Join a local La Leche League group to meet the leader and other moms; you don’t want to be a stranger if you need to call them for help. Week 38 Tour your hospital’s maternity floor. Decide which family members and friends may visit you at the hospital and at home in the first few days or weeks after you give birth. If you don’t, good intentions can overwhelm you: It’s easier to say “This is our plan” beforehand than to reject offers on the spot. Week 39 Many women begin maternity leave weeks before their due date. If you plan to work up until the end, post an “If I go into labor tonight” memo at work. 

Your Mind

At some point, the energy and good mood of the second trimester may start to dip. “As women begin to experience an anticipatory anxiety, things can take a downhill slide,” says Ann Dunnewold, Ph.D., a Dallas psychologist who specializes in the emotional aspects of reproductive issues. Mentally preparing for labor and delivery, as well as a newborn, can cause a great deal of uncertainty. Talk with other women who can offer realistic support for such decisions as whether to circumcise your baby or bank his cord blood. Don’t listen to horror stories or read every pregnancy book. Instead, find one author whose philosophy you like and stick with him or her.

 It’s also easy to feel tired of being pregnant, and body-image issues are often to blame. “Many women are larger than they ever thought they’d be and feel unhappy with how they look,” says Rebecca Burpo, a certified nurse-midwife in Dallas. To get past any discomfort with your weight, first confirm with your doctor that you’re gaining pounds appropriately, then remind yourself that you’re doing the right thing. “It’s important to accept that this is what you need to weigh to make a healthy baby,” Burpo says. To feel good about your looks, choose clothing that skims the body rather than bunches or billows out.

Worry about weight stems from other issues as well. “When you’re pregnant, you have less control of your body,” Dunnewold says. The more you can let go of any illusion of control, the better you’ll feel about yourself. Spending a lot of time with your partner can help. “Often couples get closer as they try to eke out every last available minute alone together,” she says.

If your partner’s level of excitement and anticipation doesn’t match yours, it may be that the baby hasn’t become as much of a reality to him as it has to you. Involve him as much as possible in preparing for the delivery and bringing the baby home. If he’s happiest in his workshop, ask him to try his hand at building a toy chest or other nursery items.

Your Baby

Your doctor or midwife will want to see you every two to three weeks starting at around week 28, then every two weeks at weeks 36 and 37, and weekly at 38 weeks, says Russell Laros Jr., M.D., professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. At 36 or 37 weeks, your doctor will order a culture for Group B strep, an infection that can affect the baby. (If you do have Group B strep, you will likely be treated with antibiotics during labor.) During these last visits, your doctor will be looking for potential problems with you or the baby, including preeclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure) and indications that you might go into premature labor. Fortunately, a child born as early as 28 weeks has an excellent chance of survival.

What should I eat?

Eating a balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your baby. There are a few foods that you should be more careful about eating while you are pregnant. Meat, eggs and fish that are not fully cooked could put you at risk for an infection. Do not eat more than 2 or 3 servings of fish per week (including canned fish). Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish. These fish sometimes have high levels of mercury, which could hurt your baby. If you eat tuna, make sure it is light tuna and eat no more than 6 ounces per week of albacore tuna and tuna steaks. It is safe to have 12 ounces per week of canned light tuna.


Wash all fruit and vegetables. Keep cutting boards and dishes clean. Eat 4 or more servings of dairy foods each day. This will give you enough calcium for you and your baby. Do not drink unpasteurized milk or eat unpasteurized milk products. Soft cheeses such as Brie, feta, Camembert, blue cheese and Mexican-style cheeses such as queso fresco may have bacteria that can cause infections.


If you drink coffee or other drinks with caffeine, do not have more than 1 or 2 cups each day.


It is okay to use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (some brand names: Equal, NutraSweet) and sucralose (brand name: Splenda) while you are pregnant, but you should use them in moderation. If you have a genetic disease called phenylketonuria, or PKU, you shouldn't use aspartame at all..

• Iron is also a very important component for the growth of the baby.
• Use only iodized salt.
• Eat good quality proteins ‘“ 3cups milk, Soya bean and pulses.
• Yellow and red foods like papaya, mango, pumpkin, orange, carrot, tomato are very good sources of vitamin A. Consume 1 serving every day.
• Drink plenty of water. It prevents constipation and urinary tract infection. Take fluids in between 2 meals. Never along with the meal.
• Avoid fried food, processed food (sugar, white flour, canned juices, soft drinks), stimulants (tea/coffee) and excessive seasoning in the food. 
• Nausea and vomiting is a common symptom during pregnancy.
• Mix a quarter of a lime with dry ginger and a little water. Have this 1/2 hour after breakfast and lunch.
• Consume 1 apple/ banana/ day. It aids digestion.
• Constipation is another troublesome symptom which you must check.
• 3 liters of water intake is very essential for regular bowel movement
• In case of stubborn constipation take 2 spoons of psyllium seeds with a little warm milk before going to bed.
• Raw salad increases fiber in the diet and prevents constipation.
• Do not use artificial laxatives.

Trying for a baby? Being healthy before, during and after pregnancy involves so many different aspects of your life. So, I've compiled a quick list to help you stay on the healthy side.

1. See your practitioner before becoming pregnant.
2. Start changing your food habits to include a healthy variety of foods.
3. Exercise! Starting now will help you stay in shape during pregnancy, can lower your risk of miscarriage, and has been proven to help reduce labor complications and length.
4. Educate yourself!
5. Eat a new vegetable you've never tried.
6. Check out a book on pregnancy.
7. Figure out what to do about chemical birth control, like the birth control pill.
8. Stop smoking. There are many programs to help you.
9. Take a prenatal vitamin. They can be prescribed by your practitioner or you can buy them over the counter. Ensure it contains 0.4 mg of folic acid.
10. Ask your partner to join you on your new healthy habit changes.
11. Track your cycles. Learning what you can about your cycles will help determine when you ovulate and when you conceived. These make for more accurate due dates.
12. If you need a new practitioner, interview before you become pregnant.
13. Ask your friends about pregnancy and parenthood.
14. Avoid chemicals that could possibly harm your baby. You can find these at work, in your home, and just about anywhere, be environmentally sensitive.
15. See your dentist before you get pregnant and brush your teeth daily.
16. Tell any medical professional that you may be pregnant if you are trying to get pregnant. This can prevent exposure to harmful tests and chemicals if you are pregnant and don't know it yet.
17. Stop changing cat litter.
18. Remember, it can take up to a year to become pregnant. If you have been actively trying for a year or more than six months if you are over 35, see your practitioner.
19. Act pregnant. This includes not drinking alcohol, even while trying to conceive. There is no known safe level during pregnancy and alcohol can cause birth defects.
20. Announce your pregnancy when you are ready.
21. Talk to your parents, what do you want to take from their experiences? How do you want to be different?
22. Rest when you can. Nap!
23. Start a journal or a pregnancy blog.
24. Use non-medicinal remedies for problems like nausea, heartburn, and constipation.
25. Drink six - eight eight ounce glasses of water a day.
26. Read yet another book!
27. Join a prenatal yoga or exercise class.
28. Keep your prenatal appointments with your midwife or doctor. This will help ensure that if you have any problems that they are caught early and kept to a minimum.
29. Take an early pregnancy class.
30. Remember to add 300 - 500 calories a day while pregnant.
31. Tour your selection of birth facilities before making a choice if you are not having a home birth.
32. Review the signs of premature labor and warnings signs for when to call your practitioner.
33. Talk to local doulas and start interviewing. Doulas can help you have a shorter, safer and more satisfying birth.
34. Keep a food diary to ensure that you are keeping up with your daily requirements.
35. If you are decorating your house or a nursery remember to avoid fumes often associated with paint and wall paper. Perhaps have friends do the heavy work while you help make snacks for them. Keep the windows open!
36. Baby sit a friend's baby and learn a bit about caring for a newborn.
37. Take a childbirth class. Sign up early to ensure you get the class and dates that you want.
38. Swimming is great in late pregnancy. It can help relieve a lot of aches and pains and makes you feel weightless.
39. Take a breastfeeding class to help prepare you for the realities of breastfeeding.
40. Stretch before bed to help prevent leg cramps.
41. Continue to exercise, even if you have to slow down. This will help you recover more quickly.
42. Write a birth plan. Something to help you clarify what you want or need for your birth experience. Share this with your practitioners and those you have invited to your birth.
43. Have film and cameras ready!
44. Practice relaxation whenever you can. Try for at least once a day.
45. Do pelvic tilts to help with late pregnancy back pain. It will help relieve your pain and even encourage the baby to assume a good birth position.
46. Pack your bags if you are going to a birth center or hospital. Don't forget your insurance cards, pre-registration forms, camera, birth plan, etc.
47. Review the signs of labor and warning signs.
48. Take a picture of yourself before the baby comes!
49. Read birth stories.
50. Kiss the baby! 

Posted in: PREGNANCY