Pregnancy and Birthing

Becca asked:


I have polly systic overies, and i have been showing signs of pregnancy, but cant take the OTC prego test, because of my systs, it dosent detect the pregnancy hormone. Will the blood test work or no, and if not then how can i tell if i am truely pregnant? This is causing great stress in my relationship to my boy friend and my self, because we dont know what to do first. Since Money is an issue, ccan you guys help to find out if there are possibiltys of a free blood test some where? At a possible hospitle here in Burlington, Iowa, or what i need to do to look into that. Thanks.

Sierra

Rae C asked:


I’m in my first tri-mester of pregnancy and craving a pizza for dinner, going to make my own, but can’t have ham, bacon, or any other processed meats, does anyone have any good suggestions for toppings?

Yvonne

Tom Smith asked:


Ectopic pregnancy is not a 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. 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, the fertilized egg implants itself in the fallopian tube.

Symptoms

Ectopic pregnancy is usually diagnosed around six weeks of pregnancy. Your spouse should consult her obstetrician if she has any of the following symptoms:

Pain or tenderness in the abdomen or pelvis, especially while coughing or moving bowels, and which may become more severe or chronic with time

Vaginal bleeding

Shoulder pain, especially while lying down

Lower abdominal pain, which increases over a period of time, accompanied by lower back pain

Shoulder pain, which occurs, as the fetus draws blood for its growth, hampers the functions of diaphragm.

Ectopic pregnancy symptoms can include vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, and severe abdominal pain. Other ectopic pregnancy symptoms are quite similar to the normal signs of being pregnant. These include nausea or morning sickness, tiredness, a missed menstrual period, and breast tenderness. This can make diagnosis somewhat difficult.

If you have symptoms of bleeding and stomach pain, be sure to see your doctor immediately. They can determine if you have tubal pregnancy from a simple blood test or an ultrasound. The key is early detection. If it can be treated early on, then the risks to your health and future pregnancies are greatly reduced. By keeping yourself aware of the signs of ectopic pregnancy you can eliminate potential health risks.

Though in many cases, the causes are unknown, the most common factors that lead to the risk of Ectopic pregnancy symptoms are fallopian tube problems, which can be due to pelvic infections (sexually transmitted diseases, pelvic inflammatory disease), intrauterine contraceptive devices, and endometriosis. Smoking, abdominal surgeries involving the reproductive system and several hormonal drugs like fertility drugs, contraceptive hormonal medication have also been associated with Ectopic pregnancies.

Slow rising hCG levels: Your doctor may run a quantitative hCG test in early pregnancy if you are having vaginal spotting or if he suspects ectopic pregnancy. Slow rising hCG levels can be an indicator of an ectopic pregnancy. During a normal pregnancy, hCG levels will double every two to three days in early pregnancy. With an ectopic pregnancy, hCG levels may rise but they tend to go up very slowly and not double like they should. If your hCG levels are low or not doubling your doctor may order more blood work or an ultrasound to rule out ectopic pregnancy or other complications.

Cramping: Mild cramping during early pregnancy is normal, but severe cramping or cramping accompanied with spotting, is not normal and could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. Cramping may be on one side or may feel like menstrual cramps.



Hailey

Robert Baird asked:


If you have told people at work that you are pregnant, you may become aware of how accommodating your boss your colleagues, or your company’s parenting policies are, or how inflexibly and impersonally the needs of new parents are handled. This may provide a completely new perspective of your workplace and gives you a glimpse of the professional environment in to which you may have to integrate your parenting goals. How your company meets your needs as a pregnancy begins is usually indicative of how your requests will be met as a parent in the future. Timing the announcement

If you haven’t yet told your employer, time it well. Even though you don’t have to tell your boss about your pregnancy until 30 days before you begin maternity leave, it’s best not to wait until your pregnancy is obvious. Many women wait until the end of the first trimester. By then the risk of miscarriage is low, and you may have already had first trimester screening for chromosomal abnormalities and CVS showing a normal pregnancy. If you have extreme fatigue or morning sickness, or if your job is very stressful, speak with your boss earlier so that you can negotiate changes to your schedule that will help you to be more comfortable and productive.

Your timing may depend on how your manager has handled previous pregnancies in your company. If you expect an unfavorable reaction, wait until you have demonstrated your productivity as a pregnant employee. Right after the successful completion of a project, for example, would make a perfect occasion to connect your pregnancy with your ability to work well.

Considering the needs of your boss and colleagues

Make sure you are fully informed about your maternity leave options and approach your boss with a plan for your transition out of work, time away, and return to work. Most managers will appreciate that you have thought not only of your own needs but also of those of your colleagues and company. This may put you in a favorable position to negotiate flexible work hours during your pregnancy.

Since your job will be held during your absence, your colleagues may be the recipients of your assignments when you leave. They may wonder whether you will return to work and take back your workload. Assure them that you are aware of their concerns and interested in smooth transitions for all involved.

Tips For Working Moms To Be

Certain practical measures can make a significant difference to the way you feel at work, and consequently, your productivity. Try the following tips.

Break your lunch hour in to more frequent, shorter breaks of 15 to 20 minutes.

Rest during your breaks. Close your eyes and allow your self to cat nap.

Keep a supply of snacks at work. Frequent snacking helps combat pregnancy nausea.

Keep a glass of water handy and drink throughout the day. Try to empty your glass at least four times during an 8 hour day and go to the bathroom frequently.

Try walking around as much as possible to increase circulation, reduce swelling, and prevent blood clots in your legs, which are more common in pregnancy.

If you stand up for most of the day, try and get some time sitting down with your feet up every hour.



Tevin

Robert Baird asked:


Profound changes occur in your body with in days of conceiving. in the first week you may feel surprisingly tired and as the weeks go by you will notice increasing breast tenderness and probably one of the worst effects of early pregnancy nausea. The changes in your body happen as a result of hormone levels that soar dramatically during pregnancy.

Hormonal Changes

Soon after conception, when the fertilized egg embeds in the lining of the uterus, the levels of two pregnancy hormones begin to rise. These hormones are progesterone, which is important in helping to maintain your pregnancy and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Progesterone has many effects on your body, one of which is to relax smooth muscle. We have this type of muscle in our internal organs such as the intestines and uterus. Smooth muscle relaxation is critical in pregnancy because the uterus must stretch, other wise uterine contractions might cause preterm labor or miscarriage. You have a lot of other smooth muscles in your body that are also affected by progesterone. One of the first symptoms of progesterone you may notice is relaxation of your intestinal smooth muscle, which results in a lot of bloating and gas. Progesterone also profoundly affect the way you breathe, increasing how quickly you breathe and how deeply. Expect to feel short of breath when you walk up stairs, even if you are in good shape. Pregnancy hormones make your breasts very sore and your breasts will start to enlarge.

The first trimester is also the beginning of a profound set of changes in your heart and circulation. The amount of blood pumping around your body starts to increase dramatically and your heart has to work harder. As the uterus starts to enlarge it may press on the bladder, and you may feel the urge to urinate more frequently than usual. Even though this is annoying, don’t be tempted to start drinking less fluid. Instead, take frequent bathroom breaks and wear clothes that are not a nightmare to get in and out of.

Feeling Exhausted

Most women feel exhausted much of the time in these first few months. While this is absolutely normal, it can be frustrating. Even if you are getting enough sleep, you may feel like you need a nap by 10am. This can make functioning at your job or taking care of your family feel particularly onerous.

In a perfect world you should give in to these feelings and take frequent naps. For many of us, this is not possible. If you can, allow your self to slow down to whatever extent is possible. Don’t feel guilty about going to sleep as early as you want to, and skip evening social events if you don’t feel up to it. Let your partner organize meals, and pamper your self whenever you can.



Delores

Doesntstayinvegas.com asked:


Like the question states, what type of diabetes happens during pregnancy.
More importantly, why does the head of most babies are usually abnormally large after such a pregnancy?
I am more looking for an answer on why there heads are usually large after such a pregnancy.

It is a question my teacher has been asking and he wants to know why.

Rebecca

Freddic asked:


 

About 16 girls, around 16 years old were reported to be pregnant in Gloucester, and at least 50% of those became pregnant by choice or made a pact to bring up kids. So, what’s shocking about it?

Teens getting pregnant is hardly news. What’s startling is perhaps the number of pregnancies shot up 4 times (in just one school!), it’s also about the pacts that the girls reportedly made, and that some of the girl’s partners are in their 20s. And the school administration seems to be shocked over the welfare of these kids.

Ironically, everyone seems to be shocked except for the girls who made the choice. Remember that some of the girls even got depressed when they found they hadn’t yet conceived. It seems that only now, the girls might be shocked because everyone around them seems to be. But there’s a contention that the girls are too young to apprise the reality, aren’t they? So is it enough reason this one, because one of the parents (father) expressed that he let it be, because he cared for his girl’s happiness!

So what it is that’s so shocking? Is it that some of the girl’s partners, who’re in their 20s may have committed “statuary rape.” Or that, it’s now a long hard road ahead for the girls. Or that quadrupling of the number of pregnancies is startling (is just one school’s stats representative of the whole country?). Or are they the public costs that can be saved by curbing teenage pregnancies. As for costs, teenage childbearing public costs were $120 billion from 1985 to 1990, and that $48 billion would have been saved if the pregnancies came about, if mothers were in their 20s.

Another aspect that surprises me is that on the one hand, there are people who who have to depend on pharmaceuticals called fertility drugs to conceive, and on the other there are the teenage pregnancies (which are for the most part undesirable). Different people seem to think differently. What do you think about it?



Jennifer

Apurva Shree asked:


Pregnancy calls for onset of mixed feelings with its each sign of pregnancy. Women tend to be extremely elated as well feel tremendous anxiety and depression. If you are expecting or planning for pregnancy, these pregnancy symptoms give hint if you are advancing towards pregnancy. When the pregnancy is not planned, early pregnancy symptoms help women take their decision.

However, amongst all the probable signs of pregnancy, which should herald the rest of the symptoms cannot be predicted as they vary extremely. Not just the sequence of pregnancy symptoms, the intensity of those tends to range from dramatic to subtle from one woman to another. Many of pregnant women have reported to experience more than one signs of pregnancy – many notice a combination of two, three or multiple first pregnancy symptoms. Now get to know what are the possible symptoms through which you can detect a new life is being implanted in your body. It is the first sign of pregnancy that tells a woman to be prepared for pregnancy or how to go ahead with pregnancy. Expecting mothers are advised to keep themselves as healthy as possible as she must be prepared for myriad duties to be taken and to be done in the midnight after childbirth such as change of diapers, feeding at odd hours, insufficient sleeping etc.

What Are The Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Following are some of the usual symptoms pregnant women are likely to experience.

Missed period is considered as one of the surest signals of pregnancy. Women who are planning for pregnancy are found to wait for an overdue period to be confirmed about their pregnancy. However, relying on this single sign of pregnancy is not advised by doctors anymore, as some other factors can effect in a delayed period. Moreover, if you wait for this symptom, you might have to wait a couple of weeks to a month for finding signals of pregnancy. Look for other symptoms of pregnancy that might surface within a few days after conceiving.

Tender Breasts is one of the signs of pregnancy that may occur after a few days within conception takes place. You may notice the breasts to become more sensitive than before and feels sore and tender. They not only seem tenderer, they can be a bit enlarged than earlier. There is one more symptom to be noticeable as the pigmented area surrounding the nipples or areola. The areola tends to darken in the very early trimester of pregnancy.

Vaginal Spotting is an early sign of pregnancy that takes place because of the implantation of the fertilized eggs in the uterus. As the fertilized egg gets adhered to the inner walls of uterus, it results in slight bleeding through vagina. The bleeding usually accompanies a bit cramping in abdomen and appears pinkish in color. This may last for about 2 to 3 days. However, if the bleeding is heavy and cramping seems to intensify, may signal severe pregnancy complications like miscarriages or ectopic pregnancy. Rush to your doctor if you notice such symptom.

You may also be prone to expect morning sickness or increased feeling of nausea, increased body temperature, tremendous fatigue etc. You may witness one of the many signs of pregnancy at a time or a combination of two, three or even more than that.



Mia

lois r asked:


A friend of mine has not had her period for over three months. She tests every two weeks and the pregnancy results always come back negative. However, she is concerned that she might have a tubal pregnancy, which-from what I hear-are not shown on a pregnancy test-false readings. She hasn’t any signs or anything. However, she does not have insurance and does not want to go to the doctor or hospital unless if she has too-if she has a tubal pregnancy she knows this must be taken care of immediately since this is life-threatening. I neek to know the signs so she and I can be aware of them. Is there a gradual showing of symptoms or do they come at once? Also, how long after conception do these symptoms appear?

Lee

Jasmine Stone asked:


Now that you’re pregnant, you’re wondering if your decision to become vegetarian can still be carried out successfully during your pregnancy. And while it is possible for you to obtain all the nutrients your body will need during pregnancy through a well-planned, nutrient-dense vegetarian diet, careful planning and observation will be crucial to your overall success transitioning to vegetarianism during your pregnancy. In other words: take it slow and be smart!

A good vegetarian diet has a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, lentils, and nuts and some eggs and dairy or their equivalent if you so choose. Fast food, highly processed junk foods, and canned fruits and vegetables are eaten rarely if at all. It’s imperative that you make wise food choices at this crucial time, since a pregnant woman only needs approximately 300 more calories per day and about 10-16 extra grams of protein; however, the body’s need for certain nutrients increases significantly. Every bite you take is important when you’re pregnant. While the RDAs (recommended daily allowances) for almost all nutrients increase, especially important are folic acid, iron, zinc, and vitamin B-12. Attention to adequate amounts of vitamin B-12 is crucial for vegetarians who choose not to eat eggs and dairy.

Work closely with your healthcare professional during this transition. The changeover from a meat-eating to a vegetarian diet can be rough on your body as it actually goes through a detoxification process during the transition. So, you want to ensure your baby is getting all the nutrients it needs at this time, and is growing and developing at a healthy rate. Start very slowly; perhaps only one or two days per week eating a vegetarian diet. Gradually work in soy- and plant-based proteins into your diet, and little by little use them to replace proteins obtained from eating meat products. Be sure to adequately supplement your diet with a quality prenatal supplement, and get adequate amounts of exercise and exposure to sunlight to promote your body to naturally produce vitamin D.  With careful planning, observation, and your healthcare professional’s guidance, the transition to vegetarianism during your pregnancy can be a cleansing and healthy start for both you and your baby to a lifetime of optimal health.



Marie