Pregnancy - What to expect
A human pregnancy is when one or more fetuses are carried inside of a female’s body. It lasts approximately 9 months and begins at the time of the last menstrual cycle and ends at birth, which is 38 weeks long. It is divided into three trimester periods which signify the different stages of the fetal development. The first trimester is usually when the highest risk of a miscarriage or complications can occur. The second trimester is when the development of the fetus can begin to be monitored and the third trimester is also the beginning of viability, which is when it’s possibly for the fetus to survive, should an early birth occur.
An accurate date of conception for pregnancy is important because this is used to determine when different prenatal tests are needed. When a woman is given a due date, it is a policy usually just a rough estimate because it is difficult to determine. Not all women have exactly 28 day menstrual cycles. Pregnancy can be detected by a number of ways including a blood tests and urine tests.
Pregnancy is usually broken down into three periods each of which are about three months long. Although every woman is different, here are examples of what occurs in each period:
The first trimester of pregnancy is when implantation occurs and this is also where the most complications can happen. Most women who are pregnant do not have any signs or symptoms with their health when implantation occurs although some light bleeding is not uncommon. The embryo that is developing is undergoing major changes during this process and morning sickness is also not uncommon.
The fourth through the sixth months of pregnancy are the second trimester. This is when most women feel the most energetic and begin to put on weight. The shape begins to take place and the reproductive organs can be recognized which will indicate whether the fetus is female or male.
During the third trimester of pregnancy, this is where the final weight gain takes place and the fetus is moving pretty regularly. The expectant mother’s belly button may “pop” because of her growing belly. This can also be an uncomfortable part of the pregnancy causing backaches and weak bladder control.
There are many different terms that are used for pregnancy such as being “knocked up” or being a “lady-in-waiting.” Other terms are being “in a fix” or “preggers” or “having a bun in the oven.” Of all these though, the most common term is “expecting” which of course means a woman is expecting a new life or is with child/having a baby.
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