Acquaint yourself With Symptoms of Pregnancy – Health Related Concerns

By: Apurva Shree

Symptom of pregnancy can be easily and mistakenly related with other illness and disorders. It is impossible to lay down an ultimate list symptom pf pregnancy but there are some tell tale symptom of pregnancy which is bound to occur during pregnancy. There are few but lucky ones who will never experience any of these early pregnancy symptoms but generally one symptom or the other is bound to occur among pregnant mothers.

Common Pregnancy Symptoms:

Tough stress, illness and weight loss and so on can be attributed to missed period, but generally a missed period is generally an early sign of pregnancy. If you experience other symptom of pregnancy along with missed period, it is advisable that you acquaint yourself with signs of being pregnant and also consult a doctor to confirm the fact. Tenderness of breast is another symptom of pregnancy. Normally few days after conception, this symptom of pregnancy occurs. As your body prepares itself for breastfeeding, your breasts begin to enlarge and also become tender. Tenderness of breast is usually a temporary symptom of pregnancy and usually disappears after a few weeks.

Nausea and vomiting are usually considered to be one of the hallmark symptoms of pregnancy. Usually referred as morning sickness, vomiting and nausea are one of the most common complaints among would be mothers during the fifth or sixth week of their pregnancy. Morning sickness can occur at any time of the day and can be quite severe sometimes resulting in overwhelming vomiting and even nausea. You will feel tired and exhausted during pregnancy and this is mainly due to the fact that you need much more energy to support another life system inside you.

Darkening of areola is also considered to be one of the foremost symptoms of pregnancy and can prevail throughout pregnancy. If there is continuous darkening of areola then it can well be considered one of other early sign and symptom of pregnancy. Frequent urination as a result of reducing size of bladder during pregnancy is another symptom. Frequent urination is one of the most annoying symptoms of pregnancy that would be mothers’ experience. Strong sense of food, craving for food and constipation are also other symptoms of pregnancy. Changes in the emotional and mental setup of mind are something very much associated with pregnancy. Since you are preparing for motherhood, you tend to become overprotective and sometimes take the role of motherhood too seriously. Mood swings during pregnancy is perfectly normal and those near you should be well advised not to take anything personally.

Today, pregnancy tests are the best way to confirm your pregnancy. Pregnancy blood tests, home pregnancy tests, office urine tests and so on are some of the most recommended methods to confirm your pregnancy. Your can always consult your doctor to confirm the fact and also acquaint yourself with some pregnancy health related issues.

About the Author

Apurva Shree is the online editor of free pregnancy information resource www.pregnancyhealth.info She has developed this site to provide valuable information on early pregnancy symptoms and useful methods to enjoy your pregnancy period and the ways in which you welcome your new world of motherhood. Pregnancy Health. Info is your free resource that not only provides information on early pregnancy symptoms but the other aspects of pregnancy too.

Multiple Pregnancy

1 Introduction
Multiple pregnancy poses particular problems for women, their infants, and for their caregivers. Women are likely to experience the common, unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy, such as heartburn, backache, hemorrhoids, difficulty walking, and tiredness to a greater degree than women with a singleton pregnancy. They are more likely to suffer from anemia, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, preterm labor, and operative delivery. The increased risks to the babies include congenital malformations, monochorionicity (both babies sharing one placenta), poor fetal growth, preterm birth, and perinatal death. For the survivors, in the long term there is a greater risk of cerebral palsy.

2 Prenatal care
A wide range of options for regular antenatal attendance are practised, ranging from modified shared care between obstetrician and general practitioner to weekly visits from the 20th week of gestation onwards. There is no evidence to suggest that one pattern of prenatal care is better than another, because this important research question has never been properly addressed. Regular prenatal visits permit screening for hypertension and pre-eclampsia by careful determination of blood pressure, and, if elevated, checking for proteinuria. Care for women with a multiple pregnancy who develop hypertension may be particularly important, and should follow current treatment recommendations.

2.1 Advice and support
Women with a multiple pregnancy need advice and support from caregivers to help them deal with the particular problems of multiple pregnancy and with the common, unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy, such as hemorrhoids, heartburn, and backache (see Chapter 13). They may be especially anxious about the pregnancy, the birth, and their ability to cope with the practical and financial demands of more than one new baby. Assisting women to find support, such as a special antenatal class for women with a multiple pregnancy or referring them to a multiple-birth support group, may help.

2.2 Nutrition
Fetal demands for iron and folate are increased in multiple pregnancy and anemia is reported more frequently than in singleton pregnancies. Routine iron and folate supplementation is often advised from the beginning of the second trimester, although this has not been shown to improve the clinical outcome of the pregnancy.
 
2.3 Ultrasound

If routine ultrasonography is not carried out, an ultrasound examination is indicated when multiple pregnancy is suspected. Routine early ultrasonography results in earlier detection of multiple pregnancies, the detection of mono-amniotic pregnancies (with greater risk), and the detection of some unsuspected congenital abnormalities. Earlier detection of multiple pregnancy has not been shown to improve fetal outcome.
The risk of neural tube defects, cardiac anomalies, and bowel atresias, have all been reported to be increased in twin pregnancies. Conjoined twins and twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence are rare anomalies that are found exclusively in multiple pregnancies. Early diagnosis of fetal anomaly enables appropriate counseling as to the care options available.

The prediction of amnionicity (number of amniotic sacs) and chorionicity (separate or joined placentas) by first-trimester ultrasound is possible, though its accuracy and the relevance to pregnancy outcome remains to be determined. In theory at least, knowledge of amnionicity and chorionicity may be helpful in a number of ways, such as in the differentiation of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome from a twin pregnancy complicated by intra-uterine growth restriction, in management after a single fetal death, or where one of the twins has a major congenital malformation and selective termination is considered.
If twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome develops, several therapeutic options have been advocated. These include: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, repeated therapeutic amniocenteses, and techniques that interrupt the pathological placental circulation. The results of controlled trials of these therapies are awaited, although there has been minimal evidence to date that any of these improve infant outcome.
Poor fetal growth of one or more babies is a risk in a multiple pregnancy. No adequately controlled data are available on the value of regular ultrasound or umbilical artery Doppler for assessing fetal growth and well-being in multiple pregnancy.

3 Preterm birth
Preterm birth presents the greatest threat to infant survival. Counseling as to the signs and symptoms of preterm labor with advice to present to the hospital if they occur, together with a written information sheet, may be of value, although this approach has not been subjected to a controlled evaluation.
Prediction of preterm birth is difficult. Cervical assessment by digital examination or by ultrasonography has been reported to provide useful prediction of the risk of preterm birth.
 How frequent these assessments should be made is uncertain, and whether they are more beneficial than harmful is unknown.
Cervical fibronectin may prove to be useful in predicting which women will give birth preterm, although the main strength lies in its negative predictive value. Whether the measurement of fibronectin will be useful clinically to improve pregnancy outcome remains to be established by controlled trials.
Several prenatal treatments have been used in attempts to reduce the risk of preterm birth and its sequelae in women with multiple pregnancy. These include cervical cerclage, beta-mimetic agents, home uterine-activity monitoring, and hospitalization for bed rest. All have been evaluated by controlled trials but, to date, none have proven to be of value in reducing the risk of preterm birth.

3.1 Cervical cerclage
In normal pregnancy, the uterine cervix is thought to assume a sphincter-like function to retain the contents of the uterus. A congenital or traumatically-acquired weakness of the cervix, or the unusual physiological circumstance of multiple pregnancy, are factors that may render the cervix incapable of performing this function as efficiently as usual.
The data available from controlled trials of cervical cerclage in twin pregnancy are too few to be clinically useful. They are compatible with both a large beneficial effect and with a large adverse effect of the operation. Cervical cerclage does affect other aspects of clinical care and carries some specific risks. It should not be adopted specifically for twin pregnancy outside the context of further controlled trials of sufficient size and quality.

3.2 Prophylactic betamimetic agents
Trials have been conducted with a number of oral betamimetic agents, including isoxuprine, ritodrine, salbutamol, and terbutaline, in various doses, for the prevention of preterm labor in women with multiple pregnancy. In spite of the diversity of agents and the varying doses used, the results are consistent. No beneficial effect of prophylactic betamimetic administration has been detected on preterm birth, low birthweight, or perinatal mortality. Although prophylactic betamimetic agents have not succeeded in postponing delivery or in improving fetal growth, the four trials that provide information on the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome suggest that the frequency of this adverse outcome may be significantly reduced. No such effect has been found with prophylactic betamimetics in singleton pregnancies, and it might be a chance finding.
In the light of the theoretical dangers of chronic fetal exposure to betamimetic agents, prophylactic administration of these drugs should only be considered in the context of well-controlled clinical trials.

3.3 Home uterine-activity monitoring
Trials of home uterine-activity monitoring in multiple pregnancy have been small, and not enough detail is available to evaluate the potential sources of bias. There are suggestions that babies born to mothers using home uterine-activity monitoring for twin pregnancy may be less likely to weigh less than 1500 g, or to be admitted to a special care nursery. Because of the high potential for bias, these data must be viewed with caution. Home uterine-activity monitoring, if adopted at all, should not be adopted outside the context of adequately controlled trials.

3.4 Hospitalization in multiple pregnancy
Prolonged bed rest in multiple pregnancy, with the aim of increasing the duration of gestation, improving fetal growth, and decreasing perinatal mortality, has been advocated for many years. The general considerations about the use of bed rest (see Chapter 14), apply equally strongly to its use in multiple pregnancy, as the practice is not innocuous.
Hospitalization and bed-rest in multiple pregnancy was introduced into clinical practice without adequate evaluation and the policy has still not been fully evaluated. Only recently have a few trials been conducted and further controlled evaluations are necessary to clarify the effects of this intervention. More information is available from twin than from higher multiple pregnancies.
There is some suggestion from these trials that routine hospitalization of women with twin pregnancies may result in a decreased risk of maternal hypertension, but a positive impact on more relevant outcomes has been negligible. Indeed the data suggest that routine hospitalization may have adverse effects. The risk of very preterm birth (less than 34 weeks gestation) and very low-birthweight babies was increased by routine hospitalization in these trials. No differences have been detected in the incidence of depressed Apgar score, admission to special care nurseries, or perinatal mortality.
Some obstetricians have suggested that hospitalization for bed rest in twin pregnancies should be applied only for women deemed to be at higher than average risk of preterm birth. Although this more conservative advice is possibly justified, there is remarkably little good evidence to support it. Only one such selective policy has been evaluated in a randomized trial. Comparison between the hospitalized and control groups of women with early cervical dilatation failed to show any benefits on the risk of preterm birth, perinatal mortality, fetal growth, or other neonatal outcomes. There is no basis for widespread adoption of the policy.
Only one trial of bed-rest in triplet pregnancies has been published. The results of this trial suggest that a number of adverse outcomes, including preterm birth, perinatal death, and low birthweight, can be reduced by routine hospitalization of women with a triplet pregnancy. The trial was small; the findings were compatible with chance; and further research is required.

4 Delivery
Virtually no data from controlled trials are available to help determine the choice between vaginal birth and cesarean section for women with multiple pregnancy. A single trial has assessed the effect of cesarean section for delivery when the second twin was in a non-vertex presentation. As would be expected, maternal febrile morbidity and need for general anesthesia was increased with cesarean section. No offsetting advantages in terms of decreased fetal or neonatal morbidity or mortality were found.

5 Conclusions
Additional support may be needed to help women with the emotional, practical, and financial demands of pregnancy and planning for more than one baby.
Routine early ultrasonography results in early diagnosis, detection of fetal abnormalities, and can determine amnionicity and chorionicity. Whether this improves the outcome for the mother or infant is unknown. Regular antenatal attendance permits screening for hypertension. Iron or folate supplementation may help to prevent anemia.
Prediction of preterm birth is difficult and the role of cervical assessment and clinical use of fibronectin remains to be evaluated by controlled trials. Therapies that aim to reduce the risk of preterm birth have not been shown to be effective.
There is currently no sound evidence to support the practice of routine bed-rest in hospital for women with a twin pregnancy; indeed the evidence suggests that this may be harmful. Whether or not such a policy would be justified in women at higher risk of preterm labor, such as those with triplet pregnancy or with early cervical dilatation, remains to be established.
The use of cervical cerclage, oral betamimetics, or home uterine-monitoring, for women with multiple pregnancy cannot be justified outside the context of adequately controlled trials. The indications for cesarean delivery with multiple pregnancy have not been established.

What is the soonest symptoms for pregnancy appear; also have a few things to run by?

What is the soonest you can start gaining symptoms of pregnancy? I have not started my period yet but im not due to start it til next week. Yet i have symptoms of pregnancy. I have nausea, sore breasts, fatigue, hunger, i had spotting about once a week in a half ago and once last friday, so help please.

What are signs of pregnancy before you even miss your period?

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!

Before a Missed Period Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

When most ladies suppose regarding really early symptoms of pregnancy, they automatically assume {that a} missed quantity is that the high symptom. Would you be shocked {that a} missed period isn’t even within the top five very early symptoms of pregnancy?

By the point a woman has noticed a missed amount thanks to a pregnancy, a minimum of five different symptoms might have created themselves known, presumably weeks before the scheduled period.

Here are 5 very early signs of pregnancy that may be noticed by a sensitive mother-to-be. And, all five can happen long before a quantity has been missed.

Elevated Basal Body Temperature

The body’s basal  temperature (the bottom body temperature that happens throughout rest) begins to elevate once ovulation, and stays  elevated beyond your next expected period. Ovulation is when a mature egg is released  from the ovary and pushed down the fallopian tube and is prepared to be fertilized by a sperm. The implantation of a fertilized egg normally takes place 0.5-dozen to 12 days after ovulation – that is concerning 2 to three weeks before the next amount is missed.

This one-[*fr1] to at least one degree Fahrenheit increase in basal body temperature  could be a fragile early wake-up call of pregnancy. This modification in basal body temperature, which is measured by a special, a lot of accurate thermometer, can happen as early as a pair of days once ovulation. And, which will be 2 weeks before you notice a missed period.

Breast Tenderness, Nipple Enlargement And Increased Breast Size

Changes and increased swelling and tenderness within the breast and nipples are one amongst the classic very early signs of pregnancy. Several times, a woman may notice these changes and blame them on a notably sick-fitting or uncomfortable bra or different article of clothing. But, the sensitive girl will notice these changes for what they are – a brand new life is beginning to grow within her with the new pregnancy.

Nipples, significantly the dark area round the nipple known as the areola, enlarge and darken awaiting breastfeeding the new infant. These changes are due virtually entirely to hormone releases within the body, all pending sustaining the new life within. Some consultants say the darkening of the areolas serves a purpose – serving to the newly born kid notice the nipple easier for feeding. These changes to the breast and nipple areas ought to come to ancient once birth.

Nausea And Vomiting-

Additionally known as “morning illness,” this early and uncomfortable sign of pregnancy sometimes targets girls and begins spherical the sixth  week of pregnancy, however sometimes happens earlier. Concerning 0.5 of all expecting mothers have morning sickness – which might or could not embrace vomiting. But, it typically invariably options nausea. Usually attributed to increased hormone levels among the body, some doctors feel that morning illness is  a sensible sign {that the} baby is healthy and is developing normally, and therefore the pregnancy is progressing well. If your morning illness is accompanied with vomiting, be  positive to remain hydrated, keep your electrolyte levels at intervals range. and acquire heaps of rest and nap throughout the day.

Constipation

Another refined and typically overlooked pregnancy clue is constipation – made public as less that three bowel movements per week. Who does not get constipated at only once or another – without being pregnant?

The constantly changing level of the hormone progesterone, that slows down the movement of food through your digestive system, will wreak havoc with the frequency and timing of bowel movements.  Many women who are pregnant but don’t notice it may simply write constipation off as an unrelated, and aggravating issue. Like changes inside the breasts, paying close attention here extremely will create tell a story.

Fatigue And Exhaustion

There’s a big distinction between fatigue and tiredness. Feeling tired and sleepy when a protracted day’s work is totally traditional and expected. Sleep, which typically happens once tiredness, is that the remedy for a body needing rest, as sleep permits the body to repair itself and ready itself for a further arduous day.

Fatigue, on the opposite hand, is not a traditional bodily perform and is usually an indication of some other condition. Technically speaking, fatigue very has nothing to attempt to to with a tired body, as sleep can not normally resolve fatigue. Fatigue will be an indication of disease like bound cancers, auto-immune disorders and a number of different conditions – along with pregnancy.

Fatigue can also be a positive sign of an early pregnancy, sometimes occurring during the first trimester and sometimes partially blamed on a dramatic rise in the level of the hormone progesterone. Pregnancy additionally can put an enormous strain on every bodily operate – it’s no wonder that you’ll feel totally exhausted before the day is through.

Are you experiencing a range of of those terribly early symptoms of pregnancy? If you have got even the slightest plan that you will be pregnant, get a home pregnancy test from your native drug store and take a look at yourself. Then, you will perceive for bound and if positive, you will then notify your doctor and start taking care of your new baby.

What Are The First Signs And Symptoms Of Pregnancy?

There are many early signs of pregnancy. A number of these signs would be extreme fatigue, slight bleeding, cramping, cravings for certain food and change in body temperature. A number of the symptoms of being pregnant would be mood swings, headaches, changes in appetite and even aversion to certain foods. But this is not the quality thing for every woman. Not everybody would expertise all these signs and symptoms.

Some will experience a few of the symptoms while others might experience all of them. Moreover the intensity of each symptom differs per person. So the best way to determine as to whether you are pregnant would be through a home pregnancy test. But there are also other signs as to how one can see if they are pregnant.

One way would be by how your breasts feel. Pregnant women would have tender breasts because the breasts are being prepared for breast feeding. This often occurs during the first eight weeks. Another sign would be frequent urination. During the first 13 weeks or the first trimester, you will keep going to the restroom to urinate because the uterus is expanding to make way for the baby. This pushes against the bladder making you urinate more. After going through the first trimester, the second trimester is said to be much easier for the mother. The early signs that drain the mother physically are all over. Furthermore the mother will be able to get better sleep. It is also during this time when you will hear the first heartbeat of the baby. You will also feel the movements of your baby inside your body at this time.

The final stage of the pregnancy would be the final trimester. During this time, the fetus becomes too big already to move around in the uterus. The baby is getting heavier causing the mother to experience back pains. Some mothers’ ankles start to swell because of the added weight on the legs.

The journey to bringing a child into the world is exhausting but very fulfilling. And all these start with the first signs of pregnancy. So it is important that you will really find out properly if you are indeed pregnant. Do not just rely on signs and symptoms. Get a home pregnancy kit. if you have any more concerns, visit your doctor.

Learn more about Pregnancy Symptoms By Week. Stop by Lisa Castro’s site where you can find out all about Early Signs and Symptoms Of Pregnancy and what it can do for you.

In pregnancy what are the early signs and symptoms?

Finding out you are pregnant is different for every woman, but most will look for a missed period to signal to them.  For a few women, the signs of pregnancy start as early as the same week of impregnation.  But for other women, no symptoms may emerge for many weeks;  for some, no symptoms ever appear. Your doctor should be your first point of contact if your having stages of pregnancy.

The embryo imbeds itself into the uterine wall about 6-12 days after conception.  When it occurs, a few women may suffer from muscular spasm and notice mild spotting.  A delayed or missed periods is indicative of pregnancy for a woman who has been having sex and is therefore advised to have it confirmed. Phone your doctor if your having any questions about bleeding during pregnancy.

You will miss your next period after you become pregnant.  It is probable for a few women to get some bleeding during the pregnancy but this would be much less and a lot shorter than her regular period.Never just use the internet for questions, always call your doctors for questions about pregnancy questions.

Tender and swollen breasts are another symptom that a woman is pregnant. In some women the areolas may get considerably darker.

Women start to feel somewhat fatigued in the first week of pregnancy. Morning Sickness is one of the most talked about pregnancy symptoms though not all women experience it. 

This symptom may never appear for some women, but for others it can last from two to eight weeks. Your lower back might hurt and typically keeps on hurting while you are pregnant, which is experienced like a dull ache.  Alteration of the hormones normally are the reason for headaches in the initial stages of pregnancy. 
Having to urinate greater than normal is one more signal of pregnancy and this starts about six week post the conception.
 

You might also notice you begin craving specific foods; another sign that you might be pregnant. Although they might not be the desire to consume ice cream and pickles, there are still some foods that women are craving throughout pregnancy.  The final word is that if you suspect that you could be pregnant there are a lot of options for home pregnancy tests and going to see your doctor is the first thing you should do so you and your baby will be safe.

Early Signs of Pregnancy and Symptoms of Pregnancy " What to Learn

Symptoms of pregnancy can bring about elation in the expecting parents but its not all plain sailing even from the very beginning. The expecting mother will have to deal with a variety of changes in her body so its good to have some basic understanding as to what could happen and why it does.

Not only does pregnancy take a toll physically but it can affect mental stability too. One moment you may feel really happy and positive where everything in life seems perfect, the next however and you are all doom and gloom and worried about what’s going to happen. This sort of emotional roller coaster can lead to high levels of stress.

This is very normal as there are many things to be considering. Is the baby progressing okay and gaining the correct amount of weight? Is it too large or too small? What if its premature? Is the baby going to be a boy or a girl? Am I eating the right foods and taking the right supplements?

Is the baby okay ” gaining the right weight; too big/too small; is it going to be premature, or maybe late; am I taking the right supplements in the right amounts; am I eating correctly…? So many questions to wonder about for both mother and lets not forget father too.

In the first two weeks after conception there will be a hormonal trigger which will allow mothers body to begin nourishing the baby, and this will occur before any examination can confirm actual pregnancy. Among the most common physical changes are the following:

1.Increased breast sensitivity. This is due to increased hormonal activity. The breasts will probably feel heavier and fuller. This sensitivity can be relieved somewhat with a good bra at the correct size.

2.Heightened levels of fatigue. As a way to support the pregnancy, the body will produce more blood and thus the heart will be pumping faster and the pulse quickens. Couple this with more intense emotions and your energy levels will be taking a toll. Ensure adequate levels of iron and protein intake and rest often. A brisk walk each day is good exercise or something similar that is not taxing on your body.

3.High fatigue levels. The body will be producing more blood as a measure to support the pregnancy and as such the heart will be pumping faster and the pulse rises. While at the same time more intense emotions do affect energy levels. Rest often and ensure a good intake of both protein and iron. Have a brisk walk each and every day or increase your physical activity in other gentle ways.

4.Dizziness. Energy levels and blood sugar levels will rapidly change bringing about the possible onset of occasional dizziness. In this situation, try to avoid standing still for long. Keep healthy snacks close by to help maintain blood sugar levels. These can include low-fat yogurt and dried fruits for example. If dizziness is persistent then do consult your physician.

5.Increases in urination. The uterus can begin to press on the bladder during the early months of pregnancy, which increases the frequency of urination. Be on the look out for any urinary tract infections. If you are losing sleep due to regular trips to the bathroom at night, try to reduce fluid intake later in the day. Panty liners can help to reduce potential embarrassment and discomfort.

How to Identify a Sign of Pregnancy

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.