Pregnancy and Birthing

Shelby C asked:


I’m going to the doctor tomorrow. I’m 16 and i have to fake wanting a pap smear to find out. There is a mandatory pregnancy test in his office to get the depovera shot too, so I am also getting that. Is this a good idea, or is it something i should talk to my parents about?

Sophie

peterhutch asked:


 

Ectopic pregnancy is not a normal pregnancy. In normal pregnancy, the sperms reach the egg in the fallopian tube, where fertilization occurs and then, this fertilized egg travels on to reach the uterus and implants itself there to complete the gestation period. However, in ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg fails to reach the uterus for the gestation period and instead implant itself anywhere outside uterus, like cervix, fallopian tube, abdominal cavity. In general, in ectopic pregnancy cases, the fertilized egg implants itself in the fallopian tube.

Causes of Ectopic Pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy occurs as a result of the fertilized egg’s inability to travel down the fallopian tube and into the uterus. This may be caused by an infection, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, or swelling that has formed an obstruction inside the tube.

Tubal surgery - women who have had operations on their tubes are more at risk of ectopic. This includes tubal ligatoin, reversal of sterilisation or tubal surgery for a previous ectopic.

Previous ectopic - about 10-20% of those attempting pregnancy after one ectopic will have another.

DES exposure - this is a drug that was once used during pregnancy, until it was found that female babies of women who used it were at risk of developmental abnormalities of the genital system. Their tubes are more likely to be abnormal and predisposed to ectopic pregnancy. This is a very rare problem and you would most likely already know about it.

Smoking. Women who smoke or who used to smoke have higher rates of ectopic pregnancy. The more you smoke, the higher your risk.1 Smoking is thought to damage the fallopian tubes’ ability to move the fertilized egg toward the uterus.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), such as from a chlamydia or gonorrhea infection. PID can create scar tissue in the fallopian tubes.

Fallopian tube surgery, often used to reverse a tubal ligation or to repair a scarred or blocked tube.

symptoms of ectopic pregnancy

In many cases, a pregnant woman and her doctor may not at first have any reason to suspect an ectopic pregnancy. The early signs of pregnancy, such as a missed period and other symptoms and signs, also occur in ectopic pregnancies.

Pain is usually the first sign of an ectopic pregnancy. The pain may be in the pelvis, abdomen, or even the shoulder and neck (due to blood from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy building up under the diaphragm). Pain from an ectopic pregnancy is usually described as sharp and stabbing. It may come and go or vary in intensity.

Sharp pain in the abdomen or pelvis

Signs of early pregnancy

Irregular Vaginal bleeding

Abdominal pain on one side of the abdomen

Unexplained dizziness or fainting

Remedy For Ectopic Pregnancy

If the ectopic pregnancy is at initial stage then it can be destroyed by a drug methotrexate, which has very minimum side effects. At advanced level, it can only be treated with the help of surgery, in which the pregnancy will be removed.

After-effects Of Ectopic Preganancy

Due to doses of methotrexate, there will be a little nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

When the surgery is actually performed at advanced level, there might be a decrease in the womans fertility. You must know that your pregnancy is normal or not. You will know the early signs of pregnancy if you monitor your pregnancy week by week. If you find anything unusual, see a doctor at once.



Leah

goddess_jn asked:


I’ve heard that during pregnancy women get more difficult, like havung PMS for 9 months. How do you keep your relationship working great when you are pregnant? How do you deal with the idea the he might not be attracted to you anymore cause you are gaining weight, or because you’ve become this big green moody monster? What is healthy in a relationship during pregnancy?

Dean

kso asked:


My last pregnancy was an ectopic and it was treated with methotrexate by one injection and was told not to try to concieve till after 6 monthes. But have heard others trying right away, like within a month. We are anxious to try again but, scared that if we start trying again of running the risk of another loss, or even birth defects. Any advice?

Branden

Apurva Shree asked:


If you are expecting pregnancy, you might be undergoing some body changes and experience early pregnancy symptoms. Many women tend to ignore some of the symptoms that they come across after conceiving and fail to detect their pregnancy. Therefore, it is essential to take a note of every single body change you observe in order to confirm pregnancy. Many symptoms are even experienced before conceiving, but then check out the intensity of arrival of those symptoms. Observe carefully and inform your physician in detail. The early stage of pregnancy brings a number of symptoms to every woman.

However, not every pregnant woman experiences the same group of symptoms in their early stage at the same propensity. Your symptoms may not resemble with those experienced by one of your acquaintances. Therefore, if you have missed one of the pregnancy symptoms one of your close acquaintances has felt, it does not mean you have some complications. It is our endeavor to impart you knowledge on the pregnancy symptoms that are most likely to appear in the early trimesters, signaling that you are pregnant. Check out below what possible signs you may expect during the early stage of your pregnancy.

Common Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Each early pregnancy symptom gives indication of your pregnancy. On the other hand, unusual pregnancy symptoms and sudden changes in pregnancy symptoms may signal you that you might have some complications. In that case, you should not delay and must rush to doctor immediately. Identifying which symptom is normal and which is not, is only possible when we have a clear idea about pregnancy signs. Read our guidance on early pregnancy symptom to acquire information on occurrence of pregnancy signs. Our information will help you prepare yourself better for pregnancy. So let us start with early pregnancy symptoms:

1. Missed periods – many women feel tizzy and anxious when periods have crossed due dates. Missed period, according to the most of the individuals and pregnant women is a prominent indication of pregnancy. However, a missed period may follow other factors as well, such as certain medications or side effects of medical treatments, stress etc. Therefore, consult your doctor immediately when your period is overdue whether it is an early pregnancy symptom or not.

2. Implantation Bleeding – Right after conceiving, you might notice slight bleeding, which is, as per medical experts, known as implantation bleeding. As the fertilized egg implants itself to the uterus wall, you may find some vaginal spotting which is normal and very common early pregnancy symptom.

3. Abdominal cramping – Many pregnant women complain about cramping pain and contraction in their uterus as they experience during periods when before pregnancy. This is also considered as a strong indicator of pregnancy.

4. Tender, Swollen Breasts - If you are having sore, swollen and tender breasts, take it seriously and inform your physician or take a home pregnancy test. Some women experience this every month just before their periods start!

5.Morning Sickness – This is another very common early pregnancy symptom. Morning sickness is usually experienced as a feeling of nausea during morning and any other time of the day as well. You may as well feel an increased sensitivity to taste and smell due to this queasy feeling during early pregnancy. However, it is up to you to differentiate between indigestion and morning sickness!

If you have experienced all, some or one early pregnancy symptom of the above, get a home pregnancy test kit and get yourself tested, if you have any dubious results, talk to your doctor without any delay.



Tyler

one_bad_deere asked:


We think our larger female dog might be pregnant by our tiny male dog. We were told the small dag was fixed before we got him, but found out too late that he hadn’t been. She’s lactating and has become some what cranky. Since the daddy is a small breed, we don’t expect her to get very big. Could this be a pseudo pregnancy? I was pregnant for about 3 months and misscarried. Right after I came home from the hospital is when she started lactating. Yes I know I should have had her fixed so please don’t post answers telling me something I all ready know. I got both my dogs from people who didn’t want them or didn’t have time to care for them. We know for a fact that she couldn’t haven been gotten by any neighboring dogs due to the fact she’s never outside without a leash. We would have had her fixed by now but I’m diabetic and in and out of the hospital and somehow manage to miss the chances to get her fixed.
Since we got him from family, we thought they were telling the truth and didn’t think they would lie about something like that. And since he was so fuzzy you couldn’t really tell without digging.

Philip

Jessie asked:


I took an at home pregnancy test last week and tested positive, but then had my period a few days later. I would have conceived between September 20th and 24th, and my period came 6 days ago. I started reading up on this and found a lot of questions about chemical pregnancies. How do they happen? And how long will the pregnancy hormone stay in my system if the egg has already been flushed out? I can’t get into my gyno until next week and I need to know what’s going on now.

Bruce

Grace asked:


I just had a miscarriage last week and I still have not recovered. I’m so sad, but I do not want to lose hope. I really want to start trying again after three to five months.

The doctor said that the miscarriage had nothing to do with me or my body. She said most likely the pregnancy wasn’t developing normally due to a chromosome problem

My question is: what are the chances of a normal healthy pregnancy for me the next time I try?

Jared

Tony Edwards asked:


Pregnancy is such a critical time. A woman’s body is drastically changing and the baby inside is creating new demands on the mother’s body. You want to do everything you can right to make sure that your baby is healthy and has a good start in life.

Some birth defects have been linked to the lack of vitamins and minerals. How do you pick the correct prenatal vitamins to ensure a healthy pregnancy? Should you just rely on your physician or should you know more? Should you take prenatals even after your pregnancy? We looked deeper into what a mother really needs to know before and after pregnancy.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is such a critical time, and you want to do everything you can to provide the “just right” array of vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Pregnancy and breastfeeding place tremendous demands on your body and can deplete omega-3 fatty acids. Target each stage of pregnancy with the perfect balance of nutrients.

Studies have shown that moms who receive the recommended amount of DHA during pregnancy have babies with increased attention spans throughout the first two years of life. The benefits of taking omega-3 DHA before, during, and after pregnancy are truly amazing.

Remember, your baby will take what it needs first to develop and grow, and therefore, your body may suffer if you are not getting enough of the necessary vitamins and minerals needed throughout pregnancy.

Healthy Baby

Every vitamin, every mineral, every nutrient has an important job to do now, for you and your growing baby. Your growing baby’s development depends on it. The right vitamins help build your baby’s bones and teeth and ensure your baby has a healthy start in life.

Eating a variety of healthy foods is important, but with hectic schedules, morning sickness, and the changing nutritional demands of your developing baby, it can be difficult to achieve the right nutritional balance. Nutrition is also critically important during recovery and while you are breastfeeding your newborn baby.

Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are packed full of nutrients that will help support and nourish your growing child and your body during pregnancy. How do you determine which prenatal vitamins are right for you? What do you look for in prenatal vitamins?

Prenatal vitamin supplements are vitamin supplements that a woman can take on a daily basis to ensure that she is obtaining appropriate quantities of essential nutrients during pregnancy. Prenatal nutrition is important but nausea and vomiting can cause women to miss meals and important nutrients from both a balanced diet and prenatal vitamin supplementation.

Just picking up some ordinary vitamins at the drugstore is not enough for a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins contain important nutrients in stronger dosages than regular multivitamin supplements (even those formulated for women). A good vitamin does not take the place of eating nutritiously but it can balance the scales in your favor, and your baby’s too. Researchers at the University of Maryland have noticed that many commonly prescribed prenatal vitamins do not dissolve well resulting in insufficient absorption of the nutrients.

The March of Dimes reports that birth defects of the spine, skull, and brain, such as spina bifida and anencephaly, are more likely to occur if the mother does not get sufficient folic acid during the first few weeks of her pregnancy - even before she knows she is pregnant.

Prenatal vitamins can reduce risk of childhood cancers and omega fish oil intake has been linked to higher IQ in offspring. New research from the Boston University School of Medicine is recommending higher intakes of vitamin D as so many are deficient. The women’s levels of vitamin D were related to the frequency of milk consumption and prenatal vitamin use.

Increased zinc and vitamin B6 levels can boost immunities needed after pregnancy and sufficient B6 has been shown to provide infant growth advantages. This B vitamin can prevent neural tube defects when taken early in pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. Zinc supports normal growth and development during pregnancy.

Calcium and magnesium supplementation are so important during pregnancy. A good prenatal vitamin should include folic acid and calcium, among other nutrients that are important to a healthy pregnancy and baby. In the last trimester of pregnancy, skeletal growth is highest and the fetus draws calcium directly from the mother’s stores. In addition, clinical trials have shown that adequate calcium during pregnancy lowers blood pressure and may reduce the incidence of premature births. Magnesium promotes the health of bones and may help maintain normal blood pressure and muscle comfort during pregnancy.

Folic acid is the most commonly prescribed prenatal supplement for the months prior to becoming pregnant as well and it is essential for the health and growth of the baby, especially for brain functions.

The female body’s requirement for vitamin C increases during pregnancy as this vitamin promotes the normal growth of the baby and supports building strong bones and teeth. It also supports the absorption of another key nutrient during pregnancy: iron.

Iron is recommended to prevent the mother suffering from anemia due to the demands that the baby puts on her iron consumption. Iron is an important mineral and is responsible for helping the mother and the baby’s blood to carry oxygen. Iron deficiencies can lead to severe birth defects for the baby.

Women have an increased requirement for biotin during pregnancy, and a biotin deficiency may occur in as many as 50 percent of pregnant women. This deficiency may increase the risk of birth defects.

Adequate amounts of vitamin A help to promote the health of the baby by promoting normal growth and development of the embryo and fetus, and supporting genes that determine the sequential development of organs in embryonic development. Beta-carotene is a nutrient from plants that the body converts into vitamin A.

Prenatal vitamins can be taken after pregnancy to provide a well-balanced supplementation program. With a mother’s hectic schedule and lack of time, prenatal vitamins are a perfect choice for an after pregnancy supplement regimen.

The correct prenatals are essential for a healthy pregnancy and baby. Doing your research on prenatal vitamins can be very rewarding and time well spent to ensure an easy and successful pregnancy.



Sophia