Prenatal Development and Pregnancy

Signs that May Mean Pregnancy Amenorrhea (Missed menstrual cycle) Nausea Tiredness Frequent urination Swelling or tenderness of the breasts Skin discoloration Internal changes

Signs that Mean Pregnancy Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) Hormone produced during pregnancy Fetal heartbeat Fetal movement Fetal image Fetal shape Uterine contractions Motion of the uterus

Typical Pregnancy Facts 38 weeks from the day of conception weeks from the mother’s last menstrual period 3 trimesters 1 st trimester: 0-13 weeks 2 nd trimester: weeks 3 rd trimester: weeks

Who Takes Care of the Mother? Doctors specialize in many different fields of medical study. Obstetricians are those who specialize in pregnancy and birth.

The First Visit During the first visit to the obstetrician, the doctor will do the following things to set a good foundation for the baby: Gather health history Complete a full physical exam Lab work Give an estimate of the due date Give advice on health habits to follow during pregnancy Video about the First Visit:

Factors that Affect the Baby Three major factors affect the baby’s health Mother’s Decisions Mother’s Physical Health Mother’s Emotional Health

Mother’s Good Decisions Hygiene practices Have a dental checkup Avoid very cold or very hot baths and hot tubs Wear comfortable clothes with low-heeled shoes Replace tub baths with showers or sponge baths during the last four to six weeks of pregnancy Rest and sleep Eight to nine hours of sleep a night One 15- to 30-minute rest (with or without sleep) during the day

Mother’s Bad Decisions Smoking Lower the amount of oxygen to baby Increases the chance of miscarriage Increases chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Drinking Raise risk for having problems with learning, speech, attention span, language, and hyperactivity. Increases the risk of miscarriage

Mother’s Physical Health Healthy weight Good eating habits Regular physical activity Avoid contact sports Helps strengthen muscles used in delivery Relieves tension

Why is Nutrition Important? The baby completely depends on the mother for food by the twelfth week. The baby needs proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins to grow. Healthy Choices: What to eat during pregnancy Video Healthy Choices: What to eat during pregnancy Tips: Drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water per day Limit your caffeine intake

Mother’s Emotional Health It is important that a woman be in a relaxed and calm emotional state while pregnant. When the mother is calm, happy, and relaxed: Adrenaline level is low Heartbeat and breathing are slow Muscles are relaxed When the mother is stressed and has negative emotions: Heartbeat increases in mother and baby Muscle tension increases in mother and baby

Weight Gain During Pregnancy It is normal to gain between lbs during a pregnancy. If there are multiple births, expect more weight gain. Too much or too little weight gain can be harmful to the baby’s development. Sudden weight gain and unusual swelling are serious conditions that require prompt medical attention

Possible Complications Congenital Abnormalities Physical or biochemical problem that developed during the development of the baby in the uterus. Follow this hyperlink to learn more Pre-term Birth Baby is delivered before Week 37 of pregnancy Miscarriage A pregnancy ends on its own within the first 20 weeks of birth Stillbirth Fetal death occurs after 20 weeks of pregnancy

Other Complications Ectopic pregnancy in fallopian tubes Too much amniotic fluid Too little amniotic fluid Bleeding in late pregnancy Placenta abruptio (placenta detaches from uterus) Placenta previa (placenta over cervix) Pregnancy-induced hypertension

Monitoring the Baby Mother is given a blood test given at 12 weeks. This is known as a triple screen: measures AFP (alpha-fetoprotein), HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), and estriol (protein found during pregnancy) screens for neural tube defects, Down syndrome, and severe abnormalities Other blood tests screen for STIs and gestational diabetes

Monitoring the Baby Ultrasound produces an image of the fetus inside the womb checks for structural abnormalities used at any time safe and routine

Monitoring the Baby Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) tests a small sample of the chorion Used between weeks 10 and 12 Tests for chromosomal conditions and genetic conditions Amniocentesis checks amniotic fluid for over 100 congenital problems cannot be done until the fetus is 15 to 18 weeks old 99% safe