PRE-CONCEPTION:
Before you plan on becoming pregnant or if you have any chance of becoming pregnant, whether planned or not, you should have your body and your mental and emotional self in optimal health to help ensure you will have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Eliminate any bad habits, such as alcohol consumption, smoking, drug use, unneeded medications and schedule a check up with your health care provider or midwife. You should be tested for any possible STDs or other infections and be treated before becoming pregnant. You should be checked for any other disorders (simple blood tests) such as thyroid or glucose problems. Your blood count (hematocrit, hemoglobin, WBC, RBC) should be taken to see if you are anemic.
You should be getting daily moderate exercise, such as walking, swimming, bicycling or other active, but non-stressful exercising. Optimize your diet and obtain a quality prenatal vitamin-mineral supplement with sufficient folic acid. Discuss with your midwife before taking any supplement, herbal remedy, over-the-counter or prescription medication while you are trying to get pregnant or after you become pregnant.
For more information about pre-conception recommendations see:
MoonDragon's Pregnancy Information: Pre-Conception Considerations
For the first eight weeks your developing baby is called an "embryo."
As early as 3 weeks after fertilization, parts of the developing human body can be identified and is barely 2 mm (.08 inch) long. The outer layer - the embryonic skin - is thickening along the middle line of the body and forming two lengthwise folds. Between the folds is a groove that closes to form the neural tube, which will soon develop into the spinal cord and brain. At one end of the tube, the rudimentary brain forms a swelling. Nerves from the brain stem and primitive backbone are also beginning to develop. The body is seen to have three different layers of cells known as germ layers or cell layers. Out of these layers, all the different organs of the body will gradually be formed.
The embryo still does not look human yet, but it is beginning to assume a certain shape and characteristics recognizable as those of a mammal. When the menstrual period is just over a week overdue, a head is barely perceptible surrounding the brain, with a large gaping mouth opening. Immediately below the head, the embryonic heart is forming and beginning to beat by the 25th day. The lower part of the embryonic body still resembles a pointed tail. The cells continue to become specialized more and more.
At four weeks, the basic human design is beginning to emerge. The embryo is now 6 mm (about 1/2 inch) in length and weighs less than an ounce. On each side of the neural groove, 40 small blocks of bone called somites are formed from the middle layer. Thirty-two or sometimes 33 of these blocks become vertebrae, while the tail gradually regresses. From the 12 thoracic vertebrae, located at the level of the chest, the ribs start to grow around the rudimentary lungs. Tiny limb buds form, which will grow into arms and legs, appear. The embryo looks like a tadpole. Between the mouth opening and the heart, six projections grow outward from the cervical (neck) section of the vertebral column. They resemble fish gills. One of these projections will become the lower jaw, while others form the neck and face. During this phase, the embryo is very sensitive to influences which could cross the placenta, such as drugs or certain infections.
You miss your period. A pregnancy test will confirm your suspicions that something is happening inside of your body. Your body is making the hormones needed to "grow" a baby. Your baby's placenta releases the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) into your bloodstream to your ovaries to stimulate production of progesterone. The hCG levels rise and works as part of your hormonal system that protects the embryo against the occurrence of your menstrual period. Bleeding would strip away the endometrium, including the embryo. The pregnancy test is extremely sensitive and can pick up even small amounts of hCG in the mother's urine or blood stream within a week or two after a missed menstrual period. Some new rapid pregnancy tests can have results within a week or two after ovulation, before the menstrual period has been missed.
There are many type of over-the-counter pregnancy tests to choose from, but they all work on the basic simple principle of detecting the presence of hCG in urine or serum by the use of specially treated paper that will change color if hCG is present making the result positive for pregnancy.
Conception Kit Pregnancy Test
Your breasts are slightly bigger and sore. If you have morning sickness, try eating crackers, drink peppermint leaf or ginger root tea. You may have cravings (food or otherwise - the pica syndrome, or hate foods you usually like. Your sense of taste and smell become more sensitive. You may feel more tired than usual or unable to concentrate while involved with everyday tasks or work. You will urinate more often because your growing uterus is pressing on your bladder.
Before you get pregnant, supplement your diet with the B-vitamin folic acid (it's found in most multivitamins) to reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spine. Visit your midwife or health care provider for your first prenatal care check-up as soon as you think you are pregnant. Often a prenatal vitamin supplement may be recommended in addition to a good prenatal nutritional program with adequate protein, vitamins, minerals (including sodium) and calories. Ask your midwife or health care provider before taking any prescription drugs or over-the-counter products. Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Stop doing street drugs.
MoonDragon's Pregnancy Information: Pregnancy Calendar Index
Photos obtained from A Child Is Born by Lennart Nilsson
and Pregnancy - in anatomical illustrations by the Carnation Company
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