Sunday, December 18, 2011

The Stages of Pregnancy

What Everyone Needs to Know About The Various Stages of Pregnancy

Pregnancy is such a critical state that keeping a careful markings on what is happening in your body is important in order to ensure that safety is at the top of one's priority during such condition.

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For pregnant women, it is important to note on the various stages of pregnancy so that you will be able to anticipate what changes to occur and tailor the care you are doing for your body, and for the loved ones, coordinate the support needed by the pregnant woman.

At such stage, it is advisable to keep a journal of yourself so that you will be able to note and track on every event that is happening in your body. Your doctor and yourself can use journals for the purpose of making sure that everything is all right and no needed medical support should be extended for you.

Stages of Pregnancy

While pregnancy is basically a matter of concern among women who are pregnant, it is also helpful for partners and loved ones to be aware on everything that is happening on the woman's body so that proper and specific support would be extended on each semester of pregnancy.

The various stages of pregnancy including the unique characteristics and changes that may happen are listed in detail in the next section.

A. First Trimester - The first semester of pregnancy is characterized by many symptoms a host of changes. This may be difficult for first timers for they would be experiencing the many symptoms and telltale pregnancy horrors typical for such condition.

Symptoms may include tiredness (typical morning sickness), changes on the size of breast and the body mass, vomiting and nausea among other things. Excessive urination may be experienced during this time due to the hormones circulating in the blood which is also brought about by the developing fetus is the uterus of a pregnant woman.

Moreover, before the first semester of pregnancy concludes, the fetus may grow to a size of a hazelnut and starts showing signs life such as heartbeat, and locomotive abilities (moving). This critical stage is also a sign of intensive and regular medical checkup ensuring the health of the fetus and the mother and keeping any more-than-usual pregnancy-related symptoms that may occur.

Nutritious diet is advised at this stage and all throughout the course of pregnancy while advising on keeping a regular and light physical exercise.

B. Second Trimester. The second semester is marked by more aggressive changes. Body figure dramatically changes in the 6th weeks and more pronounced contractions, known as Braxton Hicks contractions, would be experienced. It is also in this stage that your belly will start to become more prominent and you may feel the fetus growing inside you.

On week 20-22, uterus will start growing all the way down to your navel and several changes including the production of colostrum (most nutritious first milk) in your breast, and color on nipples and areolas and overall skin tone may bring discomfort to your appearance.

Also, blood vessels in several parts of your body where the fetus develops the most experiences severe pressure and may result to characteristic hemorrhoids or varicose veins. Pigmentations and other discolorations, called chloasma, may also become apparent during this period and may disappear after giving birth.

Ultimately, the end of the second semester shows more signs of the body development of the fetus as it grows the size of 22 to 25 cm (11 to 14 inches) and may weight around one and a half pounds and may do the usual "kicking".

C. Third Trimester. The third semester is usually called the "preparation time" for childbirth. It is in this stage that your body will become less tolerable for pain and changes. You may start complaining on your lower back and your breast feeling "loaded" to the max.

This stage is also an opportunity for would-be moms to start taking those breastfeeding and childbirth exercises in order to better prepare them for that "big day". This preparation scheme would eliminate some possible delivery spoof which occurs among parents who normally are not better prepared on such circumstances.

Theoretically, this stage is the most uncomfortable semester of pregnancy as you may experience leg cramps, lowerback ache, frequent urination or uncontrolled bladder activity, and more pronounced Braxton Hicks contractions.

The Stages of Pregnancy

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