An egg lives for twenty-four hours after you ovulate. However, sperm can live for up to five days. If you have had unprotected sex within five days of ovulation, you can get pregnant.
The home pregnancy tests available are very sensitive. Some can detect pregnancy as early as ten days after conception. A chemical that reacts with hCG, the hormone produced in pregnancy, is used. Always follow product directions for the best results.
You may have symptoms of pregnancy, all caused by a combination of two hormones, progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). These symptoms include: breast tenderness, breast enlargement, fatigue, headaches, heartburn, mood swings, nausea, vomiting, and frequent urination. Signs of pregnancy include a missed period, skin changes, and changes in your breasts. Evidence of pregnancy includes a positive pregnancy test, increased size of the uterus, and softening of the uterus and cervix.
In addition to increasing your calories by 300 per day, pregnant women need additional nutrients, vitamins, minerals and trace elements to grow a healthy baby. Zinc, calcium, iron, and proper doses of vitamins A, C, and D are all essential. These are all supplied in a good prenatal vitamin. Even a good diet does not always give you an adequate amount of the essential nutrients.
Your regular exercise program probably can be continued during your pregnancy, with some modifications. Just be sure to check with your doctor first. Here are a few helpful hints:
Your expected due date is based on the date of your last menstrual period. A close approximation can be made by subtracting three months from your last menstrual period and adding seven days. A normal human pregnancy lasts from 266 to 294 days. The average is 280 days, or forty weeks.
Morning sickness, which can occur any time of the day, usually lasts until the twelfth or thirteenth week of pregnancy. Most of what you eat is rapidly turned to glucose to feed the baby. Because of this, you can develop low blood sugar, which can cause nausea. Sensitivity to pregnancy hormones also can cause morning sickness. The nausea of pregnancy may increase when you have an empty stomach. Some helpful things you can try are: eating frequent small meals; eating dry crackers or dry toast before getting out of bed in the morning and between meals; avoiding fried, spicy or fatty foods; getting out of bed slowly in the morning; and avoiding long periods of time between meals.
If you aren't able to keep anything down for twenty-four hours, you should call your provider. This may be a sign of a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, which is severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. When you're vomiting, you can quickly become dehydrated and lose electrolytes that keep your body functioning properly.
You are lucky! Some women are more sensitive to the hormone changes of pregnancy than others. If you do not have morning sickness, this doesn't mean there is a problem with the pregnancy.
You can have sex during pregnancy as long as it is comfortable, there is no bleeding, no ruptured membranes, and no history of premature labor. Changing positions as pregnancy advances may be more comfortable. Oral sex is safe as long as your partner does not blow air into your vagina since air could enter the blood stream. Sex will not hurt the baby.
Absolutely. Good dental hygiene and care are essential. Always inform the dentist that you are pregnant and avoid unnecessary X-rays. Any anesthetics or medications should be cleared by your obstetrician before they are administered.
A healthy weight gain in pregnancy is 25-35 pounds for an average-sized woman. A good approximation is: 5-7 pounds during the first thirteen weeks, 10-14 pounds during the second thirteen weeks, and 10-14 pounds during the last thirteen to fourteen weeks.
25-35% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. 75 - 90% of these occur very early in the pregnancy, sometimes even before a woman realizes that she’s pregnant. If you have any bleeding in early pregnancy, call your provider immediately. However, bleeding does not always mean you will miscarry.
Menstrual-like cramps are not uncommon in early pregnancy. This does not mean that anything is wrong. If they persist for long periods of time, become severe, or are accompanied by bleeding, you should notify your provider immediately. This could be a sign of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs outside of the uterus. The most common location for this is in the fallopian tube.
Increased demands on your body's energy and the sedative effect of increased progesterone in pregnancy are part of the reason that you may feel tired. Get as much rest as you can.
Frequent urination in early pregnancy is the result of increased kidney function that rids the body of waste products and toxins for both you and your baby. Avoid hot or iced teas, since tea has a mild diuretic effect. Always drink plenty of water to replace what your body has lost. In later pregnancy, frequent urination is caused by the weight of the uterus and baby on your bladder. This does not allow your bladder to fill before you feel like you have to use the bathroom again.
Yes, microwave ovens have safety shields built in that protect against leaks. Even if there was a leak, you would have to stand very close for a long period of time for any harm to occur. Multiple studies have been done and have determined that video display terminals of computers do not cause birth defects or miscarriages.
Skin changes are common during pregnancy. Every woman is different in her response to changes in hormone levels and in each pregnancy. There is no way to predict how hormones will affect you. Changes that can be seen include: acne, dryness, pigmentation changes, spider veins, blotchy skin and increased sensitivity to cosmetics. The best way to minimize the effects are to keep your skin scrupulously clean and to use natural moisturizers, cleansers, and cosmetics.
There is no reason not to sunbathe. Use a good sunscreen liberally and avoid the sun during peak hours of the day. Keep yourself well hydrated, and don't let yourself get overheated. Apply moisturizer liberally when you come out of the sun.
Metallic dyes, bleach, and permanent solutions are unpredictable in pregnancy. You should avoid the fumes of metallic dyes. Your hairdresser may be able to use natural vegetable hair products.
CVS (chorionic villus sampling) is a test for chromosomal abnormalities. The test is usually performed between the ninth and eleventh week of pregnancy. A small amount of placental tissue is removed from the uterus using a thin plastic catheter inserted through the cervix. The tissue is then grown in a culture and the chromosomes examined for abnormalities. The advantage of CVS is that it is performed early in pregnancy.
Due to the smooth muscle relaxing effects of progesterone, food travels through the digestive system at a slower pace during pregnancy. As this occurs, more water is absorbed from the contents of the colon creating a harder stool. Iron in your prenatal vitamins also may contribute to constipation. Increasing the amount of water and fiber in your diet should help. You should not take laxatives. If constipation becomes a problem, your provider can recommend a natural stool softener.
You can fly without restriction on most airlines until 32 weeks. After 36 weeks, airlines may require written notice from your doctor as to the safety of air travel. Flight attendants can fly up to 32 weeks on some airlines.
However, some precautions are in order. You should get up and move around every hour, drink at least one liter of water for every 2-3 hours in flight, and try to keep your legs elevated as much as possible. If you must fly after 32 weeks, you should take a copy of your medical records with you.
If you are going to be 35 years old when you have your baby, if you have a family history of genetic diseases, or if you have a child with a genetic problem, you may need to have an amniocentesis. An amniocentesis, usually performed between 14 and 17 weeks of gestation, analyzes the amniotic fluid for chromosomal abnormalities, enzyme defects, and other problems. If there is a problem later in your pregnancy, an amniocentesis may be performed to determine the lung maturity of the baby before birth. Amniocentesis may also be used to determine the amount of bilirubin in the amniotic fluid in mothers who have Rh-isoimmunization.
You may be able to work right up until you have your baby. This will depend on the type of work you do, the rules at your company, and whether or not you have any problems with the pregnancy. Many women work until the 36-38th week of their pregnancy.
The curvature of your spine changes as pregnancy progresses to accommodate the increased weight you will carry in the front of your body. High heels can throw you off balance as your pregnancy progresses. You will also add to the strain on the front of your feet by wearing high-heeled shoes. You don't necessarily have to wear flat shoes, but low heels are recommended.
Breasts are sensitive in early pregnancy due to blood vessel engorgement. Progesterone causes smooth muscle relaxation. The blood vessels are made of smooth muscle and connective tissue. The smooth muscles in the veins relax which in turn causes engorgement. This in turn causes the valves which push the blood along not to work as efficiently. Wearing a well-fitted support bra at all times, even while sleeping, will help. Your breasts may also hurt because of an increase in size since your milk ducts are expanding.
60-70% of pregnant women experience shortness of breath. Increased progesterone levels increase the amount of oxygen you take in with each breath. There is also a decrease in the total volume of oxygen a pregnant woman's lung can hold. The exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide in the lung that occurs during pregnancy allows for easier disposal of the baby's carbon dioxide through the mother's blood as it circulates through the lungs. All of these factors contribute to the feeling of being short of breath.
Strange or terrible dreams and nightmares are normal during pregnancy. These are not dreams foreshadowing a problem with your baby. They are simply bad dreams.