Pregnancy refers to the condition where a woman carries a developing fetus in the uterus from conception to childbirth.
Having this condition is a wonderful experience to any woman.
Missed menstrual period is the first sign of pregnancy.
Constipation, breast tenderness, backache, morning sickness, drowsiness, frequent urination, increase in the basal body temperature, sense of smell, abdominal and/or pelvic cramps, tiredness, headaches, are some of the signs of pregnancy.
You can suspect a pregnancy if you are experiencing any or some of these signs. However, confirmation can be done through pregnancy tests in a doctor’s clinic or at home.
Urine test, blood test, and ultra sound test are the pregnancy tests required to confirm your conception in a doctor’s clinic. However, you can make use of a home pregnancy test kit for confirmation at home.
Remember that both these tests identify the presence of pregnancy hormone, a special hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) that is produced by your body after a fertilized egg implants into the uterus.
So, the presence of this hormone in the body confirms your pregnancy. The test results can be positive or negative. Positive results indicate that you are pregnant. Negative result indicates no fertilization.
Having test done too early can give you negative results although you are pregnant. This is due to the absence of HCG hormone in your body. Remember that it takes a minimum of seven days after fertilization for the production of HCG hormone.
Once your pregnancy is confirmed, doctor advices you about the care you need to take during these nine months. The prenatal care includes prescribed medications, regular check-ups, healthy diet, regular exercises, proper rest and other health tips.
The doctor will prescribe the supplements to increase the iron, calcium and folic acid levels in the body, also provides you a list for your prenatal visits.
The prenatal visits are generally scheduled on monthly basis for the first twenty-eight weeks of gestation, twice a month from twenty-eight to thirty-six weeks, and weekly from thirty-six weeks to delivery.
You should maintain a healthy diet that includes proteins, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, and folic acid, which are key nutrients for you and your baby’s growth. Avoid alcohol consumption, smoking, drug use, and caffeine products because these can affect the fetus growth.
Exercising during pregnancy can provide strong and healthy pregnancy. It also reduces your labor and delivery pains. Walking, swimming, dancing, pilates, biking and water aerobics are safe and good exercises during these nine months.
You can also practice yoga during these nine months. Yoga exercises provide a smooth and easy delivery as it works efficiently on the organs of the reproductive system and on the pelvis.
It is also essential for you to have proper bed rest. It is also essential for you to have blood tests regularly to detect the health complications such as diabetes, blood pressure, and sexual transmitted diseases because all these can harm your baby.
So, maintaining a good prenatal care ensures a healthy and safe pregnancy!
