Pregnancy and childbirth

Motherhood is the finest experience of a women's life, every married women wants to be a mother but have we ever tried to analyze the complications and the difficulties that a women has to face while she is pregnant.

Pregnancy is a difficult period for a women as well as her family. A pregnant woman faces a lot of changes occurring into her body, emotions, and family. Pregnancy happens when men's sperms fertilize with a female's ovum.

An early indication of pregnancy is a missed menstrual period. Other symptoms include breast tenderness and swelling, fatigue, nausea or sensitivity to smells, increased frequency of urination, mood swings, and weight gain. In some cases women may experience cravings for unusual substances such as ice, clay, or cornstarch; this condition, called pica.

By the 12th week of pregnancy many of these symptoms have subsided, but others appear. For example, a woman's breasts usually increase in size, and her nipples darken. The most obvious symptom is weight gain; most physicians now recommend a gain of about 9 to 12 kg (about 22 to 26 lb) by the end of pregnancy.

The first few months of pregnancy are very vital for the developing baby, because during this period the child's brain, arms, legs, and internal organs are shaped. That's why a pregnant woman should be especially careful about taking any kind of medication except on the advice of a physician who knows that she is pregnant. There are so many things that should be avoided by pregnant woman like, X rays, stress, smoking and alcohol consumption.

The health of their unborn child is a matter of concern for most of the mothers, especially those over the age of 35, when genetic problems are more common. Safe, effective tests are available that can detect genetic disorders which cause mental retardation and other problems. The most common test is amniocentesis, and in about 95 percent of the cases tested the baby is found to be normal. Some doctors recommend that all pregnant women over the age of 35 have an amniocentesis test.

Sometimes pregnancy can create perilous problems, this generally happens when the pregnancy isn't normal. Taking the instance of entopic pregnancy, in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, in the abdomen, or in a fallopian tube. Symptoms include sudden, intense pain in the lower abdomen about the seventh or eight week of pregnancy. Entopic pregnancy can result in massive internal bleeding and possibly death if not tackled properly.

Another serious complication involved with pregnancy is Toxemia, it includes symptoms such as include high blood pressure; rapid, large weight gain, due to edema, of as much as 11 to 13 kg in a month; and protein in the urine. If untreated, toxemia can lead to seizures and coma and death of the infant.

Please do consult your health care professional if you undergo severe abdominal cramping or vaginal bleeding. They will provide you prior information regarding pregnancy and childbirth.

Birth Control Related Information Birth Control Pills Birth control pills are the most popular type of birth control. The pills usually come in packs of 21 or 28 pills. One pill is taken every day. The first 21 pills have a combination of synthetic estrogen and progesterone hormones. Birth control pills work by preventing ovulation, i.e. the ovaries from releasing eggs. The pill also thickens cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to enter the uterus... Read more...