Do you have a health pregnancy?
October 15, 2010 by admin
Filed under Pregnancy Articles
Timelines
A pregnancy is divided into three phases, or trimesters. The first trimester is from conception to the end of week 13. The second trimester is from week 14 to the end of week 26. The third trimester is from week 27 to the end of the pregnancy.
The doctor will examine you and perform a pelvic exam. He or she may also perform blood tests, a urine test, and tests for sexually transmitted disease, including a test for HIV, which is on the rise in teens. (Some STDs can cause serious medical problems in newborns, so it’s important to get treatment to protect the baby.)
The doctor will explain the types of physical and emotional changes you can expect during pregnancy. He or she will also teach you to how to recognize the signs of possible problems during pregnancy (called complications). This is especially important because teens are more at risk for certain complications, such as anemia, high blood pressure, and delivering a baby earlier than usual (called premature delivery).
Your doctor will want you to start taking prenatal vitamins that contain folic acid, calcium, and iron as soon as possible. The doctor may prescribe the vitamins or recommend a brand that you can buy over the counter. These vitamins and minerals help ensure the baby’s and mother’s health as well as prevent some types of birth defects.
Ideally, you should see your doctor once each month for the first 28 weeks of your pregnancy, then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then once a week until you deliver the baby. If you have a medical condition such as diabetes that needs careful monitoring during your pregnancy, your doctor will probably want to see you more often.
During visits, your doctor will check your weight, blood pressure, and urine, and will measure your abdomen to keep track of the baby’s growth. Once the baby’s heartbeat can be heard with a special device, the doctor will listen for it at each visit. Your doctor will probably also send you for some other tests during the pregnancy, such as an ultrasound, to make sure that everything is OK with your baby.
One part of prenatal care is attending classes where expectant mothers can learn about having a healthy pregnancy and delivery and the basics of caring for a new baby. These classes may be offered at hospitals, medical centers, schools, and colleges in your area.
It can be difficult for adults to talk to their doctors about their bodies and even more difficult for teens to do so. Your doctor is there to help you stay healthy during pregnancy and have a healthy baby — and there’s probably not much he or she hasn’t heard from expectant mothers! So don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Be upfront when your doctor asks questions, even if they seem embarrassing. A lot of the issues the doctor brings up could affect your baby’s health. Think of your doctor both as a resource and a friend who you can confide in about what’s happening to you.
Changes to Expect in Your Body
Pregnancy causes lots of physical changes in the body. Here are some common ones:
Breast Growth
An increase in breast size is one of the first signs of pregnancy, and the breasts may continue to grow throughout the pregnancy. You may go up several bra sizes during the course of your pregnancy.
Skin Changes
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Don’t be surprised if people tell you your skin is “glowing” when you are pregnant — pregnancy causes an increase in blood volume, which can make your cheeks a little pinker than usual. And hormonal changes increase oil gland secretion, which can give your skin a shinier appearance. Acne is also common during pregnancy for the same reason.
Other skin changes caused by pregnancy hormones may include brownish or yellowish patches on the face called chloasma and a dark line on the midline of the lower abdomen, known as thelinea nigra.
Also, moles or freckles that you had prior to pregnancy may become bigger and darker. Even the areola, the area around the nipples, becomes darker. Stretch marks are thin pink or purplish lines that can appear on your abdomen, breasts, or thighs.
Except for the darkening of the areola, which can last, these skin changes will usually disappear after you give birth.
Mood Swings
It’s very common to have mood swings during pregnancy. Some girls may also experience depression during pregnancy or after delivery. If you have symptoms of depression such as sadness, changes in sleep patterns, thoughts of hurting yourself, or bad feelings about yourself or your life, tell your doctor so he or she can help you to get treatment.
Pregnancy Discomforts
Pregnancy can cause some uncomfortable side effects. These include:
nausea and vomiting (especially early in the pregnancy)
leg swelling
varicose veins in the legs and the area around the vaginal opening
hemorrhoids
heartburn and constipation
backache
fatigue
sleep loss
If you have one or more of these side effects, keep in mind that you’re not alone! Ask your doctor for advice on how to deal with these common problems.
If you are pregnant and have bleeding or pain, call the doctor immediately, even if you are not planning to continue the pregnancy.
Things to Avoid in pregnancy
Smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking drugs when you are pregnant put you and your baby at risk for a number of serious problems.
Alcohol
Doctors now believe that it’s not safe to drink any amount of alcohol when you are pregnant. Drinking can harm a developing fetus, putting a baby at risk for birth defects and mental problems.
Smoking
The risks of smoking during pregnancy include stillbirths (when a baby dies while inside the mother), low birth weight (which increases a baby’s risk for health problems), prematurity (when babies are born earlier than 37 weeks), and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant who is younger than 1 year old.
Drugs
Using illegal drugs such as cocaine or marijuana during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, prematurity, and other medical problems. Babies can also be born addicted to certain drugs.
Ask your doctor for help if you are having trouble quitting smoking, drinking, or drugs. Check with your doctor before taking any medication while you are pregnant, including over-the-counter medications, herbal remedies and supplements, and vitamins.
Unsafe Sex
Talk to your doctor about sex during pregnancy. If your doctor says it’s OK to have sex while you’re pregnant, you must use a condom to help prevent getting an STD. Some STDs can cause blindness, pneumonia, or meningitis in newborns, so it’s important to protect yourself and your baby.
Taking Care of Yourself During Pregnancy
Eating
Many girls worry about how their bodies look and are afraid to gain weight during pregnancy. But now that you are eating for two, this is not a good time to cut calories or go on a diet. Both you and your baby need certain nutrients so the baby can grow properly. Eating a variety of healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and cutting back on high-fat junk foods will help you and your developing baby to be healthy.
Doctors generally recommend adding about 300 calories a day to your diet to provide adequate nourishment for the developing fetus. You should gain about 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy, most of this during the last 6 months — although how much a girl should gain depends on how much she weighed before the pregnancy. Your doctor will advise you based on your individual situation.
Eating additional fiber — 25 to 30 grams a day — and drinking plenty of water can help to prevent common problems such as constipation. Good sources of fiber are fresh fruits and vegetables and breads, cereals, or muffins that have lots of whole grain in them.
You’ll need to avoid eating or drinking certain things during pregnancy, such as:
certain types of fish, such as swordfish, canned tuna, and other fish that may be high in mercury (your doctor can help you decide which fish you can eat)
foods that contain raw eggs, such as mousse or Caesar salad
raw or undercooked meat and fish
processed meats, such as hot dogs and deli meats
soft, unpasteurized cheeses, such as feta, brie, blue, and goat cheese
unpasteurized milk, juice, or cider
It’s also a good idea to limit artificial sweeteners, and drinks that contain caffeine and artificial sweeteners.
Exercise
Exercising during pregnancy is good for you as long as you are having an uncomplicated pregnancy and choose appropriate activities. Doctors generally recommend low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, and yoga. Contact sports and high-impact aerobic activities that pose a greater risk of injury should generally be avoided. Also, working at a job that involves heavy lifting is not recommended for women during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about whether particular types of exercise are safe for you and your baby.
Sleep
It’s important to get plenty of rest while you are pregnant. Early in your pregnancy, try to get into the habit of sleeping on your side. Lying on your side with your knees bent is likely to be the most comfortable position as your pregnancy progresses. Also, it makes your heart’s job easier because it keeps the baby’s weight from applying pressure to the large vein that carries blood back to the heart from your feet and legs.
Some doctors recommend that girls who are pregnant sleep on the left side. Because of where some of your major blood vessels are, lying on your left side helps keep the uterus from pressing on them. Ask what your doctor recommends — in most cases, lying on either side should do the trick and help take some pressure off your back.
Throughout your pregnancy, but especially toward the end, you may wake up often at night to go to the bathroom. While it’s important to drink enough water while you’re pregnant, try to drink most of it during the day rather than at night. Use the bathroom right before going to bed. As you get further along in your pregnancy, you might have a difficult time getting comfortable in bed. Try positioning pillows around and under your belly, back, or legs to get more comfortable.
Stress can also interfere with sleep. Maybe you’re worried about your baby’s health, about delivery, or about what your new role as a parent will be like. All of these feelings are normal, but they may keep you up at night. Talk to your doctor if you are having problems sleeping during your pregnancy.
Emotional Health
It’s common for pregnant teens to feel a range of emotions, such as fear, anger, guilt, confusion, and sadness. It may take a while to adjust to the fact that you’re going to have a baby. It’s a huge change, and it’s natural for pregnant teens to wonder whether they’re ready to handle the responsibilities that come with being a parent.
How a girl feels often depends on how much support she has from the baby’s father, from her family (and the baby’s father’s family), and from friends. Each girl’s situation is different. Depending on your situation, you may need to seek more support from people outside your family. It’s important to talk to the people who can support and guide you and help you share and sort through your feelings. Your school counselor or nurse can refer you to resources in your community that can help.
School and the Future
Some girls plan to raise their babies themselves. Sometimes grandparents or other family members help. Some girls decide to give their babies up for adoption. It takes a great deal of courage and concern for the baby to make these difficult decisions.
Girls who complete high school are more likely to have good jobs and enjoy more success in their lives. If possible, finish high school now rather than trying to return later. Ask your school counselor or an adult you trust for information about programs and classes in your community for pregnant teens.
Some communities have support groups especially for teen parents. Some high schools have child-care centers on campus. Perhaps a family member or friend can care for your baby while you’re in school.
drizharnium@gmail.com, Bangalore India
Hi
What is early pregnancy like for someone with endometriosis?
April 13, 2010 by admin
Filed under Pregnancy Questions
I have had endometriosis for the last few years and was on birth control to help to keep it from speading. The doctor told me when I wanted to get pregnant just to stop the birth control right before so I went off of birth control about a month and a half ago hoping to get pregnant while I can. During the last few weeks I have had a lot of stomach cramping and nausea and sharp pains in my abdomen area, especially slightly on the right side. I seem to have some early pregnancy symptoms, nausea, swollen breasts, and cramping, but my period is not for about a week, and I did try a pregnancy test but of course I got a negative because it’s too soon anyway. Does it sound like I could be pregnant? What are early pregnancy symptoms like for someone who has endometriosis? Is it just a little more painful than a regular pregnancy?
What are signs of pregnancy before you even miss your period?
March 25, 2010 by admin
Filed under Pregnancy Questions
I’ve had very sore nipples, am achy at times in my low abdomen and the other day had a large amt of white and brownish tinged sticky discharge.I took pregnancy tests which were negative 3 times.
I’m sure everyone asks this but could they have been false negatives,do these seem like symptoms of pregnancy?Could the discharge have been implantation bleeding?
Thank you so much!
How to Identify a Sign of Pregnancy
November 27, 2008 by Freddy McCandless
Filed under pregnancy symptoms
The best way to determine if you are pregnant is through a pregnancy test done at home or in a doctor’s office. However, there are ways to recognize a sign of pregnancy that may occur before a period is missed or a test is taken. In the case of teen pregnancy, these signs may not be recognized or they may be ignored due to stress. Many teens that find themselves in this situation have a hard time coping and will opt to deny the possibility until much later in the pregnancy term.
It is also possible that what is considered to be a sign of pregnancy in many cases is really just a symptom of stress or increased activity level. For example, young women who are under severe strain caused by the demands of school or friends may experience nausea and changes in appetite. It is also true that serious training for a sport can cause a woman to miss periods. However, barring unusual circumstances, theses signs of pregnancy may at least be a signal to make an appointment with your doctor or perform a pregnancy test at home. The sooner a pregnancy is diagnosed, the sooner a teen and her family can weight the options available to her.
Symptoms of Teen Pregnancy
The symptoms of pregnancy in a teen are similar to those that an adult will experience. The primary sign of pregnancy is a missed period, although this can occur for other reasons as well. Other symptoms might include nausea, fatigue and swollen breasts. Parents may notice changes in eating habits as food aversions or cravings kick in, often during the first trimester. Increased urination is another sign of pregnancy that can occur in the early weeks.
Some teens may ignore the early sign of pregnancy, and will then be forced to deal with the situation when the later symptoms begin to appear. These might include an enlarged abdomen as the baby grows, weight gain or loss in some cases and headaches and backaches. The movement of the baby may begin to be more obvious, as small movements and fluttering known as “quickening” will evolve into full fledges kicks and punches from inside. A pregnancy “mask” may appear on the face as the hormones affect the melanin in the skin and food cravings may increase.
If you suspect that you are pregnant, it is important not to ignore the sign of pregnancy that is occurring. A pregnancy test can easily confirm your suspicion so that you can begin weighing your options and make decisions that are right for you and your baby. Seek out help from parents and support groups that can help you understand your options and give you the support and guidance you need to get through this difficult time.