Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

Pregnant women can have all sorts of thoughts, doubts and wonderings at this exciting time in their lives; in particular women who are pregnant with their first baby. You have probably read about all the usual questions about pregnancy such as discomforts, symptoms, general dos and don’ts.

In this post we look at some of the other, less common symptoms of pregnancy or questions about pregnancy that you may have:

Is it normal to see a decrease in appetite?

You would typically be expecting your appetite to increase during pregnancy, and even cause strange cravings. So what’s with the decrease in appetite, you’re thinking about?

Consider the fact however that the major hormonal upheaval going on inside the body has probably made your sense of taste change, and your sense of smell keener which could affect what you find appetizing.

Then there is the nausea so is it any wonder that the appetite could be impacted somewhat? In fact it is common for women to lose a bit of weight in the early stages of pregnancy due to this.

Is it normal to have so much gas?

This could be one of the most embarrassing questions about pregnancy that you may have.

Unfortunately a whole lot of pregnant women experience some amount of gas during pregnancy, which could be unusually foul smelling as well.

What vaccines should pregnant women take?

We know that immunity is compromised during pregnancy and a woman is more susceptible to certain infections at this time. In the event there are some vaccines that it is recommended pregnant women should take. To answer the questions about pregnancy vaccines, it is recommended that women should take the following vaccines:

• Tetanus/Diphtheria if there has been no booster dose in the past 10 years.
• The Flu vaccine is highly recommended and routinely given during the second or third trimester of pregnancy.
• Hepatitis B administered in three doses.

Vaccines such as Hepatitis A, MMR, Varicella and polio should not be taken in pregnancy, nor should any vaccines that have live viruses.

Some questions about pregnancy and sex:

Is it normal to enjoy sex more during pregnancy?

Absolutely! Some women have the best sex of their lives and the most intense orgasms ever during pregnancy. What can add to this is the fact that many men find the pregnant belly and the enlarged breasts to be even more attractive which can make the experience better for both. Equally however some women find that sex can be a no-no during pregnancy and both extremes can be perfectly normal.

Why is the dad to be feeling all of the pregnancy symptoms?

The tendency for men to experience some or all of the pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, weight gain, mood swings feeling tearful and having food cravings has been noted since ancient times and is known as the Couvade Syndrome. Visit our detailed post to read more questions regarding pregnancy and the Couvade Syndrome.

And if there are questions about pregnancy that continue to worry or nag at you, do not hesitate to ask your health care provider about them.