All About Pregnancy

All About PregnancyPrenatal Development and Pregnancy

Now that we have learned what it takes for conception to occur, we will now look into the process of pregnancy and prenatal development. 1Signs that May Mean PregnancyAmenorrhea (Missed menstrual cycle)NauseaTirednessFrequent urinationSwelling or tenderness of the breastsSkin discolorationInternal changes

The following symptoms are signs that a person could be pregnant. These symptoms also can mean many other things, but they are related to pregnancies. They include amenorrhea which simply means a missed menstrual period, nausea, tiredness, frequent urination, swelling or tenderness of the breasts, skin discoloration, and other internal body changes. 2Signs that Mean PregnancyHuman chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)Hormone produced during pregnancyFetal heartbeatFetal movementFetal imageFetal shapeUterine contractionsMotion of the uterus

This slide lists symptoms that confirm pregnancy. One of these symptoms is the human Cor-e-onic go-nad-o-tro-pin, also known as hCG. This is a hormone produced during pregnancy as a result of the placenta, which is what provides nutrients for the baby during pregnancy. Other signs that mean pregnancy are fetal heartbeat, movement, image, or shape. Each of these can be seen using an ultrasound. An ultrasound is a form of medical imaging that allows the doctor to see within the uterus. The final sign that means pregnancy that we will focus on is uterine contractions which is just motion of the muscles of the uterus. 3Typical Pregnancy Facts38 weeks from the day of conception40-41 weeks from the mothers last menstrual period3 trimesters1st trimester: 0-13 weeks2nd trimester: 14-26 weeks3rd trimester: 27-40 weeks

Pregnancy is typically 38 weeks from the day of conception or 40 weeks from the mothers last menstrual period. It is made up of three trimesters. The first trimester is from the day of conception until 13 weeks. The second trimester is from week 14 to 26. The third trimester is from week 27 to 40. 4Who Takes Care of the Mother?Doctors specialize in many different fields of medical study.Obstetricians are those who specialize in pregnancy and birth.

A general care doctor is not who takes care of the mother during pregnancy. You probably already know that doctors specialize in many different areas of the medical field. Obstetricians are those who specialize in pregnancy and birth, so an expectant mother will visit the obstetrician for the entirety of her pregnancy. 5The First VisitDuring the first visit to the obstetrician, the doctor will do the following things to set a good foundation for the baby:Gather health historyComplete a full physical examLab workGive an estimate of the due dateGive advice on health habits to follow during pregnancy

Video about the First Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jThcEjwLri0

The first visit to the obstetrician may be a bit scary for many mothers. At this appointment, the doctor will do a variety of things to be sure that the pregnancy has a good foundation. The doctor will be sure to gather all health history and some family health history. The doctor will then complete a full physical exam on the mother. The doctor will also do different tests to be sure that all blood counts are normal and test for infections. At this appointment, the doctor will also give the expectant mother an estimated due date and advise about healthy habits to begin the pregnancy. 6Factors that Affect the BabyThree major factors affect the babys healthMothers DecisionsMothers Physical HealthMothers Emotional Health

Everything the mother does while pregnant will affect the baby in some way. There are three major factors with many underlying factors that affect the health of the baby. These factors include the mothers decisions, her physical health, and her emotional health. We will learn more about each of these in the upcoming slides. 7Mothers Good DecisionsHygiene practicesHave a dental checkupAvoid very cold or very hot baths and hot tubsWear comfortable clothes with low-heeled shoesReplace tub baths with showers or sponge baths during the last four to six weeks of pregnancyRest and sleepEight to nine hours of sleep a nightOne 15- to 30-minute rest (with or without sleep) during the day

Here are some good decisions that a mother should make during the course of her pregnancy. One important thing to keep in mind is hygiene. A mother should be very on top her hygiene, even dental hygiene. Expectant mothers should also avoid very cold or very hot baths like hot tubs. Always wear comfortable clothes and low-heeled, supporting shoes. Towards the end of the pregnancy, the mother should begin take showers instead of tub baths. The mother should also make it essential to get at least eight hours of sleep at night with a 30 minute rest during the day. This rest can be simply laying down or actually going to sleep. 8Mothers Bad DecisionsSmoking Lower the amount of oxygen to babyIncreases the chance of miscarriageIncreases chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)DrinkingRaise risk for having problems with learning, speech, attention span, language, and hyperactivity.Increases the risk of miscarriage

A mother should always keep in mind that smoking and drinking are very bad during pregnancy and can cause serious problems for the baby. Smoking while pregnant can lower the amount of oxygen to the baby. It can also increase the change of a miscarriage or stillbirth and the chance of SIDS which is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Drinking can also increase the risk of miscarriage or SIDS. Drinking while pregnant is also know to raise the risk for having problems with learning, speech, attention span, language, and hyperactivity in the child. These symptoms listed are only a few that can be caused by drinking and smoking while pregnant. 9Mothers Physical HealthHealthy weightGood eating habitsRegular physical activityAvoid contact sportsHelps strengthen muscles used in deliveryRelieves tension

As we learned earlier, the mothers physical health is also an important factor to the babys development. It is essential for the mother to remain a healthy weight and have good eating habits. Physical activity is also very important because it helps strengthen the muscles used in delivery and it relieves tension, but the mother should avoid all contact sports. 10Why is Nutrition Important?The baby completely depends on the mother for food by the twelfth week. The baby needs proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins to grow.Healthy Choices: What to eat during pregnancy Video

Tips:Drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water per dayLimit your caffeine intake

Nutrition of the mother is extremely important for the baby because at week 12, the baby fully depends on the mother for food. In order for the baby to grow, it needs proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins in an adequate amount. There are many resources where the mother can find the suggested amounts of food intake per day. Some tips for a mother to follow are drinking 8 eight oz glasses of water per day and to limit the amount of caffeine intake. 11Mothers Emotional HealthIt is important that a woman be in a relaxed and calm emotional state while pregnant. When the mother is calm, happy, and relaxed:Adrenaline level is low Heartbeat and breathing are slowMuscles are relaxedWhen the mother is stressed and has negative emotions:Heartbeat increases in mother and babyMuscle tension increases in mother and baby

The mothers emotional health is another very important factor in the health of the baby. It is important that a woman be in a relaxed and calm emotional state throughout the majority of her pregnancy. If the mother is calm, happy, and relaxed, the adrenaline level is low, the heartbeat and breathing are slow, and the muscles are relaxed. This is a well and comfortable environment for the baby to grow and develop. When a mother is under stress and other negative emotional feelings, the heartbeat and muscle tension increases in the mother and the baby. 12Weight Gain During PregnancyIt is normal to gain between 25-35 lbs during a pregnancy.If there are multiple births, expect more weight gain.Too much or too little weight gain can be harmful to the babys development.Sudden weight gain and unusual swelling are serious conditions that require prompt medical attention

During pregnancy, it is normal for an expectant mother to gain weight. For a single child pregnancy, it is normal to gain about 25 to 35 pounds. A mother should expect to gain even more weight for multiple births. If there is too much or too little weight gained, problems can occur or can be harmful to the babys development. The most important thing to remember is that sudden weight gain and unusual swelling are serious conditions that require prompt medical attention. 13Possible ComplicationsCongenital AbnormalitiesPhysical or biochemical problem that developed during the development of the baby in the uterus.Follow this hyperlink to learn morePre-term BirthBaby is delivered before Week 37 of pregnancyMiscarriageA pregnancy ends on its own within the first 20 weeks of birthStillbirthFetal death occurs after 20 weeks of pregnancy

Although an expectant mother may do her best to do all things perfect, there is still a possibility of complications. This slide and the next will focus on possible complications during pregnancy. There is always a chance of congenital abnormalities which is a physical or biochemical problems that are developed during the development of the baby within the uterus. The hyperlink will take you a website that has a lot of information about congenital abnormalities. Pre-term birth is another complication and it means that the baby is born before week 37 of the pregnancy. Because the baby is not fully developed, problems could occur. Miscarriage and stillbirth are two very unfortunate complications that result in the loss of the baby. A miscarriage occurs within the first 20 weeks and a stillbirth is when the death occurs in the last 20 weeks. 14Other ComplicationsEctopic pregnancy in fallopian tubesToo much amniotic fluidToo little amniotic fluidBleeding in late pregnancyPlacenta abruptio (placenta detaches from uterus)Placenta previa (placenta over cervix)Pregnancy-induced hypertension

There are many other complications that occur during pregnancy. Listen closely to learn more about each complication listed on this slide. Ectopic pregnancy is when the fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus. This is rare and is treatable by a doctor. Two much or too little amniotic fluid within the amniotic sac can result in problems for the baby. It can also cause belly pain and breathing troubles for the mother. There are no symptoms to show that your amniotic fluid may be off balance but it can be measured using an ultrasound. Another complication that can occur is heavy bleeding during late pregnancy. This can be caused by many things, but the most serious causes are placenta abruptio and placenta previa. Placenta abruptio is when the placenta detaches from the inner wall of the uterus before the baby is born. Placenta previa is when the placenta grows in the lowest part of uterus and covers all or part of the opening to the cervix. The final complication that we will focus on is pregnancy-induced hypertension. This is also known as pre-eclampsia and is characterized by high blood pressure. This is one of the most common complications of pregnancy. 15Monitoring the Baby Mother is given a blood test given at 12 weeks.This is known as a triple screen:measures AFP (alpha-fetoprotein), HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), and estriol (protein found during pregnancy)screens for neural tube defects, Down syndrome, and severe abnormalitiesOther blood tests screen for STIs and gestational diabetes

Over the course of the pregnancy, the baby must be monitored in multiple ways using a variety of tests and technology. At Week 12 of the pregnancy, the mother is given a blood test known as a triple-screen. This test measures different proteins and hormones such as AFP, HCG, and estriol. There are also other blood tests and laboratory tests that look for sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and gestational diabetes. 16Monitoring the BabyUltrasound produces an image of the fetus inside the wombchecks for structural abnormalitiesused at any timesafe and routine

One of the most common way that the baby is monitored during pregnancy is through the use of an ultrasound. You may have heard of this being called a sonogram. It produces an image of the fetus inside the womb. It can test for structural abnormalities, is safe, and can be used at any time. 17Monitoring the BabyChorionic villus sampling (CVS) tests a small sample of the chorionUsed between weeks 10 and 12Tests for chromosomal conditions and genetic conditions Amniocentesis checks amniotic fluid for over 100 congenital problemscannot be done until the fetus is 15 to 18 weeks old99% safe

Another way that we monitor the baby is through CVS and amniocentesis. Chorionic villus sampling tests a small sample of the chorion. The chorion is the outermost membrane that surrounds the embryo. This test is done during the first trimester during week 10 and 12. It is used to test for chromosomal conditions like Down syndrome and other genetic conditions like Cystic Fibrosis. Amniocentesis is a test that checks the amniotic fluid for congenital and chromosomal problems. It can also be used to determine the sex of the child. This test is not completely safe for the mother and baby, so it is only used on a certain group of mothers. They will be used in there is an abnormal ultrasound, have family history of certain birth defects, a previous pregnancy with a birth defect, or if the mother will be over the age of 35 at the time of delivery. 18