Pregnancy 

Medical tests such as a pregnancy ultrasound can help your health care provider monitor your baby's development, while more specialized pregnancy tests such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) can help detect conditions such as Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis.  

In our section devoted to pregnancy, learn more about these types of pregnancy tests as well as the importance of prenatal care.  Also get information about pregnancy discomforts and multiple pregnancies.

Determining Your Baby’s Health

A considerable number of pregnancies are unplanned. In fact, around 50% or 1 in 2 of women falls pregnant without having planned to have a baby.

In such cases, it is impossible for couples to have a full health evaluation before trying for a baby in order to assess their genetic health and determine whether the baby they conceive will inherit any family diseases.

However, for the couples who are planning and trying for a baby, there is what is known as preconception genetic testing- this is ideal if you want to try to ensure the baby conceived is free of certain chromosomal abnormalities and hereditary diseases.

Your doctor or prenatal care specialist will first and foremost assess you and your partner’s family medical history to see whether there are any illnesses which seem to run in the family. Further to this, they may suggest carrying out genetic health testing to see whether you and your partner carry the disease causing gene.

Following this, they will discuss the likelihood of the disease being passed on to the baby, any likely complications and so forth. Couples can then decide, based on the risk evaluation, whether to have a baby of their own and adopt.

Prenatal Testing

A range of screening tests including ultrasounds are used to indicate whether there is anything wrong with the baby and monitor the health of the baby closely as pregnancy advanced.

Unfortunately, when it comes to certain conditions such as Down syndrome, a screening test such as an ultrasound will not provide a confirmation. So, if any traits associated with Down syndrome are spotted during a routine ultrasound, the expectant mother may be advised to undergo an amnio.

Amniocentesis and other diagnostic tests such as CVS carry certain risks such as miscarriage or injury to the fetus’ limbs. Pregnant women may be given the option of non invasive prenatal testing which is carried out with 0 risk using just blood samples from the mother.

The fact that the test is done using blood samples collected from the mother means that, unlike amniocentesis or CVS, there is not puncturing of the amniotic sac or tissue biopsy. Non invasive prenatal testing is offered also for paternity and a number of companies, including Genetic Testing Laboratories. The test is done using a kit and blood collection tubes. The blood is collected by a medical blood draw and a medical professional will need to do this.

Prenatal Care, Stages of Pregnancy and Teen Pregnancy

Taking care of your health is essential to the well being of your growing baby. Prenatal care means finding the right care giver for you as well as attending regular prenatal medical checkups.

Here you'll also find information on finding a doula and midwife, as well as questions to be sure to ask your health care provider.

Welcome To Pregnancy. Are You Ready?

Learn about the stages of pregnancy and follow your baby's development with our very own pregnancy calendar. Discover how to calculate your baby's due date and find fun ideas on how to announce your pregnancy.  

Also get information about the what your baby may look like week to week during your pregnancy and find out more about the differences in your body and your pregnancy during the different trimesters of pregnancy.

Teen pregnancy brings with it its own unique set of challenges. Learn about pregnancy myths and facts as well as teen pregnancy statistics. Here you'll also find advice on how to tell your parents that you are pregnant and about your options after your pregnancy is over.

Pregnancy Discomfort And Multiple Pregnancy

Experiencing discomfort during pregnancy is something all moms-to-be go through.

Learn about how to alleviate common pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness, cramps and swelling, as well as how to minimize the appearance of stretch marks and varicose veins.

Eating for more than two? Being pregnant with twins or multiples is an exciting time for moms-to-be that can also bring with it special concerns.

Learn about staying healthy during a multiple pregnancy as well as information on how to reduce the risk of complications.

If you're a mom-to-be, working during pregnancy can be a challenge. Find out about how to stay safe from workplace hazards for pregnant moms as well as how to talk to your boss about going on maternity leave.

Staying Healthy During Pregnancy

Don't forget the importance of a healthy diet and exercise to your growing baby. Discover easy tips on eating right and staying fit during your pregnancy so that both you and baby stay healthy!

One common concern moms-to-be have is about sex during pregnancy. Learn about when sex during pregnancy can be unsafe and about comfortable sex positions, as well as changes in your libido during pregnancy.

 

 

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justwondering22
Hello everyone, Okay so I have a small question.....now on my phone i have the application "my days" which allows me to add in the days i start and end my period and also days i have sex and the days im ovulating....it works very well except for this month its been very weird. so on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of oct me and my fiance had unprotected sex then on the 19th i thought i had started my period but it was very light bleeding which looked like implantation bleeding then it stopped completely on the 23rd then again on nov 2nd i got my period but once again it was very light bleeding then the very next day it stopped. on the 10th of nov again i got my period this time heavier then normal...when i input this into this application i have it said that i would have high fertility on the 16th of nov. but i did not know this until last night 12am on nov 15th my fiance and i had unprotected sex. im very confused. do you think i can be pregnant and is this bleeding normal?
12 years ago
thatgirlie
fish09, only you are the one that can decide the biggest decision of your life. You should not be judged either way but most importantly you should not be forced into anything as well. Follow your heart and be certain about your decision because either way it is a life changer. Be strong sweetie and good luck.
12 years ago
indianwomenhealth
Your information is realy usefull for women's I gett informative info from your content and I want to share also about some information related to women. Duration of Pregnancy The expected date of delivery (EDD) is 40 weeks counting from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP), and birth usually occurs between 37 and 42 weeks.[12] Though pregnancy begins at implantation, it is more convenient to date from the first day of a woman's last menstrual period or from the date of conception if known. Starting from one of these dates, the expected date of delivery can be calculated using the Naegele's rule for estimating date of delivery. A more sophisticated algorithm takes into account other variables, such as whether this is the first or subsequent child (i.e., pregnant woman is a primip or a multip, respectively), ethnicity, parental age, length of menstrual cycle, and menstrual regularity.) Thanks, Deepti Sharma
12 years ago
Yvonne123
I need answers asap! okay my last period was MArch 3, 2011 i was sexually active on march 20, 2011 afterwards i didn't get my period i tested april 18 test negative i waited for may & no period aftewards i tested june 3 & again negative then june 7 i had cramping thoughtit was my period iwiped and there was ligh pink color on the paper after wards no moreblood i wnt to my doctors june 10 tested negative again so i was like whats the problem finally i got my period july 5 to july 11 also august then again no period on september & october were now in November and since august i ould feel light flutteing and from octobr until now it feels like a tap or kick type its always been on the left side so can I be pregnant & not know? its been about 7 mnths since i had sex?
12 years ago
rebeccapaulene
I had my period late September & skipped late October. I concieved on October 2nd, when am I due? This all confuses me very much!
12 years ago