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What is Pregnancy – Top Pregnancy Questions |
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What is Pregnancy |
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Preparing for Pregnancy: All You Need to Know |
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Pregnancy can be a time of great joy, but for new parents-to-be it is also a period of doubts and fears. However, with the knowledge of what to expect, most doubts can be set aside and you can spend time enjoying this important lifetime milestone. |
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What is Pregnancy? |
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Ovulation and Getting Pregnant |
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Pregnancy, when it occurs naturally from sexual intercourse, is when a mature egg comes in contact with viable sperm during the time when a woman is ovulating. With assisted reproductive methods, mature female eggs are artificially inseminated. |
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How long is a Pregnancy? |
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The average full term period lasts for 40 weeks, although it is generally known that a healthy pregnancy birth can occur at anywhere from 37-42 weeks. Doctors use 40 weeks as the way to estimate delivery date by counting from the last day of your last period. |
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Births that occur before 37 weeks of pregnancy are referred to as preterm births, while those after 42 weeks are called post term.
A pregnancy is broken down into three trimesters of three months each. |
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During pregnancy a number of changes take place. These include weight gain averaging 25 to 30 pounds; of course some persons gain more or less. Respiration, renal and cardiac functions also change in response to pregnancy. It therefore benefits the developing fetus and the mother-to-be if she takes care of herself while pregnant. |
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Pregnancy Testing |
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The first question someone who suspects that they are pregnant normally asks is, ‘how soon can I test? Confirming a pregnancy can be a long wait, but scientific breakthroughs have lessened the wait period tremendously. Now, most home pregnancy kits can confirm a pregnancy within 7 -15 days of a missed period. |
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Pregnancy Symptoms and Dealing with Them |
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For most women, the first three months of pregnancy can be difficult. This is the time when morning sickness kicks in. However, don’t be fooled by the term morning sickness – this can occur at any time of day. The good news for most women is that morning sickness will disappear by the beginning of the second trimester. For a small percentage of women morning sickness will continue until the end of the pregnancy. |
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In addition to morning sickness, there are other pregnancy symptoms you should be aware of. These include: |
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As your body adjusts to being pregnant, you may feel tired a lot more since your body is working for two or more. Some women start to feel tired within the first week of becoming pregnant.
Contrary to popular belief, backaches during pregnancy may start early for many women. In many cases backaches continue throughout the entire pregnancy, but are rarely more than dull aches.
You must have heard of some of the strange cravings that pregnant women have. The hormonal changes that the body goes through are partially responsible. For example, a vegetarian may suddenly start craving meat. Some experts believe that the body recognizes the need for certain nutrients hence the strange yen for something else.
This is always one of the first notable signs of pregnancy. As hormonal changes occur, the breasts not only become tender but also get bigger. This change begins from one to two weeks after implantation and is sometimes the first pregnancy symptom to be noticed. |
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You may not experience all these symptoms with your pregnancy. Every woman’s body is different and therefore will react differently during pregnancy. Not experiencing any symptoms or only a few is not an indication of problems, although early signs such as breast tenderness disappearing within the first three months can signal the end of a pregnancy. |
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Pregnancy, especially if planned, can be a most enjoyable time once you know what to be prepared for. |
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Thank you to Jessica McCurdy Crooks for this “What is Pregnancy” article. |
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Latest Top Pregnancy Questions Articles: |
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