The gift of Life

Timing Ovulation – 1 day before and upto 3 days after How to find out? Breast tenderness Increased basal body temp Vaginal discharge Cervical changes

How to chart

Factors affecting secretions Infections including STD Excitement Lubricants Douching Breast feeding Menopause Medication including contraception

Contraception Abortion – extreme, moral issues, chemically or surgically induced IUD – copper or plastic loops 96-98% Hormones – combination or single – 99% Condoms – male/female – 98% Barriers – diaphragm, cervical cap – 95% Date aware, withdrawal – natural Permanent – vasectomy, tubal ligation

Escape clauses

Where what how

Pregnancy Fertilization – sperm meets oocyte Zygote – 42 chromosomes Embryo – freely floating Blastocyst – 100 cells Implantation within 7-14 days – placenta 3 rd week – placenta fully functional Foetus – 8 th week - humanoid

Making a baby

Hormone levels

What changes? Bone and ligament in pelvis Hormonal – increased progesterone, oestrogen, cortisol, HPL – increases GH and Insulin Blood – increased volume, slow venous return, decreased albumin Respiratory rate inc with dyspnoea in later part GI – nausea, heartburn, constipation Kidney – urine inc qty and freq, weak bladder Cervical – inc blood flow, muscle mass, softening

Growth of foetus

Just before the show

Labour weeks, Braxton-Hicks, show – release of mucus and blood Stage 1 – contractions regular, painful, cervix fully dilated Stage 2 – bearing down, pushing, head descends, not longer than 1-2 hrs, baby out Stage 3 – expulsion of placenta, bleeding Stage 4 – first 4-6 hrs after delivery, monitoring, breast-feeding

Stages of labour

Placenta Foetal tissue Protects the foetus from maternal blood pressure fluctuations Protects the foetus from maternal immune function Protects the foetus from maternal blood group conflict Protects the foetus from infection or toxic substances Point of exchange of nutrients from mother to foetus Point of exchange of wastes from foetus to mother