Pregnancy is the period or time of conception where the sperm of a male fertilizes the egg of a female. The fertilized egg of the female will then move or travels down the fallopian tube and then implanted in the uterus, where the formation of placenta and embryo takes place and later the development of the fetus begins.
The state of beginning pregnant is about nine mouth which is equivalent
to 40 weeks.The period of pregnancy is in
three phases or periods termed trimesters. It is very difficult to tell when
exactly you become pregnant. so most practitioners start counting pregnancy
from the first day of your last menstrual period even though, of course, by
then you were not pregnant. The first day of your last menstrual period is
typically about two weeks before you ovulated and conceived your baby.
Practitioners count from there because for most women when exactly they
ovulated they either can't tell or do not know but most of them do know when
their last menstrual period started. So in order to give all pregnancies some
standard timing, most practitioners use the first day of your last menstrual
period as the starting point of your 40-weeks pregnancy.
General Symptoms of pregnancy
May include missed periods, tender breasts, nausea and vomiting,
hunger, and frequent urination. The fact that you are experiencing these signs
is not a guaranty that you are pregnant. It is best to run a Pregnancy test to
confirm you suspicions.
When and how your child develops.
During sexual intercourse,
the meal may release anywhere from 100 million to 300 million sperm in a single
ejaculation. But only one of those sperm
will successfully achieve the fertilization process. In fertilization process
timing is very important if the sperms get to the site of fertilization too
early, they risk of dying before the egg shows up is high. Too late, and the
egg will be out of site or reach.
This is why the sperm must meet the egg during ovulation in order
for the egg to be in the right place for pregnancy to occur. This means that
couples should have sex during or just before ovulation to give the expectant
parents the best chance of pregnancy. Sperm present in the semen swim their way
through the cervix into the uterus, then from the uterus to the Fallopian
tubes, where an ovulated egg is waiting for fertilization which forms a zygote.
The fertilized egg or the zygote starts to divide rapidly. Within a week the
embryo implants itself into the uterine lining, causing pregnancy.
First Trimesters
The first trimester which is about three mouth or 12 weeks usually
starts from the first week of conception to the 12th week of pregnancy. Within
the first 4 weeks, the embryo stars to
develop some physical features. The head, arms, legs,
and some other vital parts would have developed. The development of the liver
and the digestive system start at this point. Getting to the latter part of the
first 4weeks the embryo divides in to two parts one part forming the placenta
and the other the fetus. The placenta provides the needed nutrient and oxygen
to facilitate the growth of the developing baby. It very important to observe
healthy lifestyle at this stage, the use
of tobacco and alcohol should be
completely avoided and healthy diet should be maintained. Within the 5th - 12th week the nervous system begins to develop,
arms and legs become visible. At this point,
the heart begins to pump and the cartilaginous skeleton is replaced by bone cells.
By the end of the week 12, the major
blood vessels and the roof of the mouth are almost completed and a more
recognizable figure begins to take shape.As at this time the major external and
internal organs are now beginning to develop. The heart starts to pump and
the kidney also become functional.
During this period the mother may go through some changes.
Some physical changes or symptoms that occurs at this point
Extreme tiredness
Heartburn
Weight gain or loss
Breasts become swollen and
tender.
The nipples will stick out.
Morning sickness
Cravings for certain foods
Mood swings
Constipation
Urinating very frequently
Headache
Second trimester weeks 13-27
which is the second trimester, it’s most comfortable period for
majority of pregnant women. At this period all organs are now fully formed. The
baby grows at a faster rate during this period. Metabolic
process like urinating starts at this period. The fetus can hear and has
established sleep-wake cycles. By the end of this period the mother may feel
her baby move, and by the help of a stethoscope,
the mother can hear the heartbeat. This is usually around week 20.For the
pregnant mother, there is a rise in
energy and her abdomen will start to look pregnant, as the uterus grow rapidly
in size. Most of the early pregnancy symptoms will gradually disappear, and you can enjoy
a more relaxed life. The baby at this trimester
would almost be four times as big as it was at the end of the first
trimester. During this period the pregnant mother may experience a number of changes. You might find yourself
growing more appetite, and your weight gain will accelerate. You may also experience
leg cramps and heartburn. Other symptoms that might show up could be nasal
congestion, varicose veins, and backaches, line on the skin running from belly button to
pubic hairline abdomen area, darkening of the skin around the nipples, Stretch
marks on your breasts, thighs. Some body parts of the baby (heart lungs kidney
brain) at this point can be examined an anatomy ultrasound scan can be used to
check if they are working all right. At this point,
you might as well scan to see the sex of your baby. At this period avoid
restrictive clothing but rather invest in maternity wear and eat healthy,
nutrient-dense foods.
Third trimesters
The third trimesters start from the 28th week to the day of
delivery. In other words, your third trimester lasts from month 7 through month
9 of pregnancy. During this point, the
baby grows and takes up space in the uterus.
Any baby born within this trimesters there is high chances of survival. At
this point, baby moves into the
head-down position. At this trimester your doctor will run a number of tests just to make sure you and the
baby are in a good condition. About 50 percent of all delivery cases turn out
to come late. But you’ll be officially considered overdue once you
reach week 42 of pregnancy and at this point,
if it doesn’t begin on its own your doctor will induce labor.At this trimester you baby is fast growing changes will occur
in your baby It is advised that you eat nutritious foods to help the baby
develop well. The baby’s digestive system will be fully developed, cartilage
transforms to the bone, develop firm and
opaque skin, the brain also develop and all the five senses develop. Many women
find breathing difficult, Lack of bladder control, Fatigue hemorrhoids, Crazy
dreams, Abdominal achiness, Clumsiness, Heartburn, Stretch marks and
varicose veins. These symptoms are as a
result of the baby getting bigger and this is putting more pressure on your
organs (Labor contractions, lightening,
and water breaking)
As your due date nears it’s advised that you stay in
relatively close proximity to your doctor or midwife in case you go into early
labor. The third trimester is a good time to educate yourself about labor and
delivery. Read more about why and how to breastfeed before baby arrives and you can as well l Learn
about the stages of labor
