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Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more offspring in an embryonal or fetal stage of development by Female Mammal s, including Human s, inside their bodies, between the stages of Conception and Birth . In a pregnancy, there can be multiple Gestation s (for example, in the case of Twin s, or Triplets ). Human pregnancy is the most studied of all Mammalian Pregnancies . Childbirth usually occurs about 38 weeks from Fertilization , i.e. approximately 40 weeks from the start of the last Menstruation . Thus, pregnancy lasts about nine months, although the exact definition of The English Word “pregnancy” is a subject of controversy. The medical term for a pregnant Female is ''gravida'', although this term is rarely used in common speech. The term '' Embryo '' is used to describe the developing human during the initial weeks, and the term '' Fetus '' is used from about two months of development until birth. A woman who is pregnant for the first time is known as a Primigravida or "gravida 1", while a woman who has never been pregnant is known as "gravida 0". Similarly, the terms " Para 0 ", "para 1" and so on are used for the number of times a woman has given birth. In many societies' medical and legal definitions, human pregnancy is somewhat arbitrarily divided into three Trimester periods, as a means to simplify reference to the different stages of Fetal Development . The first trimester period carries the highest risk of Miscarriage (natural death of embryo or fetus). During the second trimester the development of the fetus can start to be monitored and diagnosed. The third trimester often marks the beginning of Viability , or the ability of the fetus to survive, with or without medical help, outside of the Mother's Womb . DETERMINING THE START OF PREGNANCY AND PREDICTING DATE OF BIRTH See Also: Gestational age Before pregnancy begins, a female Oocyte ( Egg ) must join with a Spermatozoon in a process referred to in medicine as " Fertilization ", or commonly known as "conception" (though the Definition Of The English Word "conception" Is Somewhat Controversial ). Fertilization usually occurs through the act of Sexual Intercourse , in which a man Ejaculates inside a woman's vagina, thus releasing his sperm; however, the advent of Artificial Insemination has made it possible for women to become pregnant if pre-existing medical conditions in either the woman or the man make fertilization through sexual intercourse difficult, or if a woman chooses to become pregnant without a male partner. Though pregnancy begins at implantation, it is often convenient to date from the first day of a woman's Last Menstrual Period (LMP). This is used to calculate the Expected Date of Delivery (EDD). Traditionally a human pregnancy is considered to last approximately 40 weeks (280 days) from the LMP, or 38 weeks (266 days) from the date of fertilization. The 38 weeks of gestation is 10 Lunar Month s, i.e. 27.3 days/lunar-month x 10 = 273 days. In the more familiar Gregorian Calendar , the 40 weeks dating from the LMP is equivalent to a little more than nine months and six days, and this forms the basis of Naegele's Rule of approximating the EDD. A pregnancy is considered to have reached term between 37 and 43 weeks from the beginning of the last Menstruation . Babies born before the 37 week mark are considered Premature , while babies born after the 43 week mark are considered Postmature . Though these are the averages, the actual length of pregnancy depends on various factors. For example, the first pregnancy tends to last longer than subsequent pregnancies. Fewer than 10% of births occur on the due date; 50% of births are within a week of the due date, and almost 90% within two weeks. The due date is typically calculated as 40 weeks from the last menstrual period. An accurate date of fertilization is important, because it is used in calculating the results of various Prenatal Tests (for example, in the Triple Test ). A decision may be made to Induce labour if a fetus is perceived to be overdue. Due dates are only a rough estimate, and the process of accurately dating a pregnancy is complicated by the fact that not all women have 28 day menstrual cycles, or ovulate on the 14th day following their last menstrual period. EDD may also be calculated from Sonogram measurement of the fetus. This method is slightly more accurate than methods based on LMP.1 Confinement, the beginning of labor, begins on the day predicted by LMP 3.6% of the time and on the day predicted by sonography 4.3% of the time.2 The beginning of pregnancy may be detected in a number of ways, including various pregnancy tests which detect hormones generated by the newly-formed Placenta . Clinical blood and urine tests can detect pregnancy soon after implantation, which is as early as 6-8 days after fertilization. Home Pregnancy Test s are personal Urine tests, which normally cannot detect a pregnancy until at least 12-15 days after fertilization. Both clinical and home tests can only detect the state of pregnancy, and cannot detect its age. In the post-implantation phase, the Blastocyst secretes a hormone named Human Chorionic Gonadotropin which in turn, stimulates the Corpus Luteum in the woman's ovary to continue producing Progesterone . This acts to maintain the lining of the uterus so that the embryo will continue to be nourished. The glands in the lining of the uterus will swell in response to the blastocyst, and capillaries will be stimulated to grow in that region. This allows the blastocyst to receive vital nutrients from the woman. Pregnancy tests detect the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin. An early Sonograph can determine the age of the pregnancy fairly accurately. In practice, doctors typically express the age of a pregnancy (i.e. an "age" for an Embryo ) in terms of "menstrual date" based on the first day of a woman's last menstrual period, as the woman reports it. Unless a woman's recent Sexual Activity has been limited, the exact date of fertilization is unknown. Absent symptoms such as Morning Sickness , often the only visible sign of a pregnancy is an interruption of her normal monthly menstruation cycle, (i.e. a "late period"). Hence, the "menstrual date" is simply a common educated estimate for the age of a fetus, which is an average of two weeks later than the first day of the woman's last menstrual period. The term "conception date" may sometimes be used when that date is more certain, though even medical professionals can be imprecise with their use of the two distinct terms. The due date can be calculated by using Naegele's Rule . Medicals signs A number of Medical Sign s are associated with pregnancy.3 ;Early signs These signs typically appear, if at all, within the first few weeks after conception. Although not all of these signs are universally present, nor are all of them diagnostic by themselves, taken together they may be useful to make a presumptive Diagnosis of pregnancy.
;Later signs
SYMPTOMS Physical Symptom s of pregnancy vary. Of the symptoms listed, not all will occur for every woman and individuals may well experience different symptoms during different pregnancies. The following is a list of the most common symptoms. ;First trimester
Other symptoms may be experienced specifically during the later stages, such as:
Contact lens/spectacle prescriptions may be affected. Some women during pregnancy experience mental disturbances more severe than typical mood swings. Psychological stress during pregnancy is associated with an increase in other pregnancy symptoms.4 Sexuality during pregnancy Finally, one popular but exaggerated symptom is an increase in sexual urgency, mostly between the 5th and 8th month, when hormonal changes and physical discomfort such as nausea disappear. Some pregnant women reported a decrease in sexual interest, due to prolonged discomfort or psychological aspects such as not feeling "attractive" to pursue sexual activity, meaning that being pregnant affects their self-sense of beauty. Until the mid 20th century, it was considered a socio-moral "taboo" action for pregnant women to engage in sexual activities. However, that perception has changed today. Sex during pregnancy is a low-risk behavior except when the physician advises that sexual intercourse be avoided, which may, in some pregnancies, lead to serious pregnancy complications or health issues such as a high-risk for premature labor or a ruptured uterus. Such a decision may be based upon a history of difficulties in a previous childbirth. Some psychological research studies in the 1980s and '90s contend that it is useful for pregnant women with love partners to continue to have sexual activity. This is because studies find that those who have sex more than once a week feel less emotionally tense and more confident in the perception of their appearances. Some studies also suggest that they have less painful or quickened labors, which some physicians believe might be because sexual intercourse serves as a type of pelvic exercise. Terminology There are likewise finer distinctions between the concepts of fertilization and the actual state of pregnancy, which starts with implantation. In a normal pregnancy, the fertilization of the egg usually will have occurred in the Fallopian Tube s or in the Uterus . (Often, an egg may become fertilized yet fail to become implanted in the uterus.) If the pregnancy is the result of In-vitro Fertilization , the fertilization will have occurred in a Petri Dish , after which pregnancy begins when one or more zygotes implant after being transferred by a Physician into the woman's uterus. In the context of political debates regarding a proper Definition Of Life , the terminology of pregnancy can be confusing. The medically and politically neutral term which remains is simply "pregnancy," though this can be problematic as it only refers indirectly to the embryo or fetus. In the context of personal treatment, Bedside Manner generally dictates that doctors make sparse use of clinical language like "fetus" and "embryo," and instead simply refer to the developing child as a " Baby ." Detection The early stages of pregnancy are often discovered by using a Pregnancy Test , as soon as 48 hours after fertilization using Sophisticated Testing Methods , but not until six to twelve days after fertilization using more typical methods. In the post-implantation phase the Blastocyst secretes a hormone named Human Chorionic Gonadotropin which in turn, stimulates the Corpus Luteum in the woman's ovary to continue producing Progesterone . This acts to maintain the lining of the uterus so that the embryo will continue to be nourished. The glands in the lining of the uterus will swell in response to the blastocyst, and capillaries will be stimulated to grow in that region. This allows the blastocyst to receive vital nutrients from the woman. Pregnancy tests typically detect the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin. TIMELINE OF A TYPICAL PREGNANCY The term trimester redirects here. For the term trimester used in academic settings, see Academic Term Pregnancy is typically broken into three periods, or trimesters, each of about three months. While there are no hard and fast rules, these distinctions are useful in describing the changes that take place over time. First trimester Traditionally, doctors have measured pregnancy from a number of convenient points, including the day of last menstruation, ovulation, fertilization, implantation and chemical detection. In medicine, pregnancy is often defined as beginning when the developing Embryo becomes Implanted into the Endometrial lining of a Woman 's Uterus . In some cases where complications may have arisen, the fertilized egg might implant itself in the Fallopian Tubes or the Cervix , causing an Ectopic Pregnancy . Most pregnant women do not have any specific signs or symptoms of implantation, although it is not uncommon to experience light bleeding at implantation. Some women will also experience cramping during their first trimester. This is usually of no concern unless there is spotting or bleeding as well. The outer layers of the embryo grow and form a Placenta , for the purpose of receiving essential Nutrients through the Uterine wall, or Endometrium . The Umbilical Cord in a newborn child consists of the remnants of the connection to the placenta. The developing embryo undergoes tremendous growth and changes during the process of Embryonic And Fetal Development . Morning Sickness afflicts about seventy percent of all pregnant women, typically only in the first trimester. Most Miscarriage s occur during this period. Second trimester Months 4 through 6 of the pregnancy are called the second trimester. Most women feel more energized in this period, and begin to put on weight as the symptoms of morning sickness subside and eventually fade away. Although the Fetus begins moving and takes a recognizable human shape during the first trimester, it is not until the second trimester that movement of the fetus, often referred to as " Quickening ", can be felt. This typically happens by the fourth month. The placenta is now fully functioning and the fetus is making insulin and urinating. The teeth are now formed inside the fetus's gums and the reproductive organs can be recognized, and can distinguish the fetus as male or female. Third trimester Final weight gain takes place, and the Fetus begins to move regularly. The mother's Belly Button will sometimes "pop" out due to her growing Belly . This period of her pregnancy can be uncomfortable, causing symptoms like weak bladder control and back-ache. Movement of the fetus becomes stronger and more frequent and the fetus prepares for viability outside the womb through improved brain, eye, and muscle function. The mother can feel the baby "rolling" and it may cause pain or discomfort when the baby is in the mother's ribs. It is during this time that a baby born Prematurely may survive. The use of modern medical Intensive Care technology has greatly increased the probability of premature babies living, and has pushed back the boundary of viability to much earlier dates than would be possible without assistance. In spite of these developments, premature birth remains a major threat to the fetus, and may result in ill-health in later life, even if the baby survives. Prenatal development and sonograph images See Also: Prenatal Development Prenatal development is divided into two primary biological stages. The first is the : “The risk of miscarriage lessens as the pregnancy progresses. It decreases dramatically after the 8th week.” - Lennart Nilsson , A Child is Born 91 (1990): at eight weeks, "the danger of a miscarriage . . . diminishes sharply." - “ Women’s Health Information ”, Hearthstone Communications Limited: “The risk of miscarriage decreases dramatically after the 8th week as the weeks go by.” Retrieved ). |
Image:10 Weeks PregnantjpgFetus At 8 Weeks After Fertilization
| "http://www3dpregnancycom/static/pregnancy-week-10html" class="copylinks" target="_blank">3D Pregnancy (Image from gestational age of 10 weeks) Retrieved 2007-08-28 A rotatable 3D version of this photo is available here , and a drawing is available here |
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Image:20 Weeks PregnantjpgFetus At 18 Weeks After Fertilization
| "http://www3dpregnancycom/static/pregnancy-week-20html" class="copylinks" target="_blank">3D Pregnancy (Image from gestational age of 20 weeks) Retrieved 2007-08-28 A rotatable 3D version of this photo is available here , and a drawing is available here |
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Image:40 Weeks PregnantjpgFetus At 38 Weeks After Fertilization
| "http://www3dpregnancycom/static/pregnancy-week-40html" class="copylinks" target="_blank">3D Pregnancy (Image from gestational age of 40 weeks) Retrieved 2007-08-28 A rotatable 3D version of this photo is available here , and a drawing is available here </gallery> |
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