Things to Know About Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an experience of a lifetime. Apart from physical changes, the woman also undergoes a plethora of psychological changes. These changes on the physical and emotional front can be quite challenging to deal with. If you are a first timer, then a slight variation in your physiology can scare you beyond wits. Hence, it is imperative that you know a few basics about pregnancy. This will enable you to determine what is normal and what is not. Needless to say, this will ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Things You Should Know About Pregnancy

You should begin expanding your knowledge about pregnancy right from the time you plan to conceive. This includes understanding your menstrual cycle and knowing your safe and fertile period. Knowing the minimum sperm count required to get pregnant would be an additional advantage. After that, you should look out for possible pregnancy symptoms. Once, you get pregnant you should read self help books on pregnancy or attend prenatal classes.

Gestational Age
Gestational age is counted from the first day of your last menstrual period. Since fertilization occurs anytime between 11-21 days of menstruation, your baby can be born anytime after 37 weeks and before 40 weeks of pregnancy. This can be considered as a full term pregnancy.

Bleeding
Bleeding is completely normal if it occurs during very early pregnancy. It is called implantation bleeding or implantation spotting and the discharge is mostly pink or brown in color. However, if bleeding occurs after the first trimester, you should consult your OB-GYN without delay. This could be an indication of a possible miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy. In either case, you need an immediate medical intervention. Thus, unusual bleeding is one of the important indications of abortion.

Weight Issues
It is a well established fact that pregnancy causes a lot of weight gain. But what you need to know is how much weight gain is normal and when exactly should you put on weight. A weight gain of 25 to 35 pounds is considered normal. This amounts to about extra 300 calorie consumption everyday. Weight gain usually occurs during the second trimester, mostly in the 5th month, when a voracious hunger sets in.

Diet and Nutrients
Your doctor will most likely make a diet chart for you, during pregnancy. Apart from eating well-balanced meals, you should also take prenatal vitamins and supplements such as folic acid (to alleviate birth defects), iron (to prevent anemia) and calcium (to strengthen bones and teeth).

Signs of Labor
Once you are nearing your date, you should look out for signs of labor. One sure shot sign that you are going into a labor is frequent contractions which increase in duration as well as intensity.

There are certain physical conditions that will accompany you throughout your pregnancy. These include back pain, swollen legs and drastic variations in emotional state. Also, the hormonal changes may make you susceptible to various diseases and infections. You should also be aware of the fact that pregnancy causes tremendous fatigue and an excessive urge to urinate. During the later stages, you may find yourself coping with a condition called 'nesting', which essentially is an urge to clean the house or do other chores.

Hope this article helps you to get familiar with your physiological changes, so that you can enjoy your pregnancy and motherhood without any unnecessary stress.