Am I pregnant? Or am I not? Are you plucking a flower’s petals in an enactment of the he-loves-me-he-loves-me-not trick to figure out whether you are on your way to welcoming a new member in your family? Leave the guessing out of motherhood by learning about some common symptoms associated with pregnancy.One sure-shot symptom of pregnancy is a missed period, unless you are taking any medications, like steroids, that might disturb your menstrual cycle. However, if your periods are regular and you have missed one, take a home pregnancy test.
This will measure the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG hormone in your urine to determine whether you are pregnant or not. Be advised though that these might not give you conclusive or correct results always, so might have to repeat the test after a few more days. If you want to drive away this ambiguity, opt for a urine test, a week after you have missed your period. Visit a good hospital or a diagnostic center with your morning urine sample to be tested.However, when it comes to ascertaining pregnancy, your gynaecologist is your safest and best bet. Your doctor will conduct a vaginal examination to find out whether your uterus has changed shape in preparation for the baby’s growth.
You will also be advised to undergo an ultrasound sonography as early as around the seventh week of pregnancy to positively confirm your pregnancy; and the bonus is you can hear your little one’s heartbeat during this examination! This assessment will show the yolk sac, which is a positive reaffirmation of the pregnancy, and rules out ectopic gestation, a condition where the embryo attaches itself outside the uterus.There are some other telltale signs of pregnancy like tenderness or soreness in the breasts, caused due to hormonal changes. Nausea is another symptom, though it does not occur until the lady is at least a month into her pregnancy.
This can crop up (pun unintended!) anytime during the day, though it is most evident in the morning, which is why it is termed morning sickness. Fatigue is one more indicator of pregnancy as are mood swings and the need to urinate frequently. Some women also develop an aversion to certain smells or foodstuff.It is not necessary that a woman would manifest all, or any, of these symptoms. However, if you are trying to conceive and see any of these signs then you should visit your doctor without fail. After all, why languish in bewilderment about any good news in the making, when your doctor can announce it within a few minutes?

Once your pregnancy is confirmed your doctor will become more than a health care provider. He or she will become your counselor, friend, guide, and even a shoulder to sob on occasionally. Hence, it is important to choose a doctor who puts you at ease and with whom you can share your confusion and complaints.

During the nine months of pregnancy, you might have to visit your doctor anywhere between 10 and 15 times. Typically, during the first and second trimesters, you will have routine prenatal checkups every month. In the third trimester, you will have to visit the doctor every fortnight. In the ninth month, you might have to visit every week so the doctor can monitor the baby’s readiness for delivery.
Preparing for a Prenatal Health Check To make the most of the time you get with your doctor during your routine prenatal health checkups, file all documented details (including blood test reports, ultrasound test results, medication prescriptions, etc.) related to your pregnancy in a single file and carry this with you. Your doctor can quickly go through it and come up to speed with your case history.During your visit, your doctor will enquire about your physical and emotional health and any health complaints. Discuss all your doubts and questions openly. Nothing is too trivial or unimportant that you cannot talk about it with your doctor.
It helps if you write down your queries and concerns in a notebook and then discuss every point – it will save you and your doctor a lot of time. You can revisit this notebook if you experience any symptoms that you had felt earlier. It will help clear out your doubts without getting too worried about the condition. During your checkup, your doctor will also physically examine you to check your weight and blood pressure. Next, the doctor will measure your abdomen, and check the position of your baby. You can also listen to your baby’s heartbeat through the Doppler, which is usually the highlight of most prenatal visits for expectant parents! After the examination, the doctor will explain her assessments about your condition with you. He or she will also counsel you on any lifestyle changes you might need to make for the better health of your baby or yourself. If any tests have to be conducted, your doctor will explain these to you and ask you to bring the results on your next visit.
If you suffer from diabetes, hypertension or IUGR, your doctor will suggest that you also meet a nutritionist, physiotherapist, and a yoga teacher. It is best if you consider this advice seriously; because it will help you stay healthy and fit throughout your pregnancy and also help you during delivery.

Remember, that ultimately each prenatal visit is targeted at determining how your pregnancy is proceeding. You are entitled to all information related to your baby’s well-being, so feel free to question your doctor if you have any doubts. Your doctor will be more than happy to allay your fears. After all, that is what good guides are for!

Once your pregnancy is confirmed your doctor will ask you to conduct some tests. While most parents-to-be take their doctor’s recommendations seriously, there are those who might wonder why so many tests are required whenever they visit the doctor. On your prenatal visits, your doctor will conduct a physical examination, and perhaps suggest some tests to ensure all is well with mother and child.During your first couple of visits, your doctor will recommend the following prenatal tests:

• Urine test: This will confirm the pregnancy.
• A blood test: A blood test will help the doctor find your blood grouping and typing and determine if you have any deficiencies for which supplements have to be taken. Besides the doctor will want to know if you have any sexually transmitted disease (like HIV or syphilis), Hepatitis B, etc. Some of these diseases, like HIV, can be transmitted to the baby so your doctor would like to offer treatments to reduce the chances of passing the ailment to the child.
• An ultrasound: This confirms the nature of the pregnancy (if you are expecting twins or triplets) and the tentative delivery date. During your subsequent visits, your doctor will keep asking you to give a urine sample, to check if you have any urinary tract infections and other conditions.

Trimester-Based TestsBetween 9 to 13 weeks, your doctor will ask you to go for a blood test to rule out any genetic ailments like cystic fibrosis, Sickle cell disease, thalassemia, etc. Between 11 to 13.6 weeks, your doctor will also conduct a Double Marker blood test. This is accompanied by an ultrasound NT scan to rule out any abnormalities, like Down’s syndrome, in your baby.
During your second trimester, your doctor will also recommend an ultrasound between 16 and 20 weeks. This will give the doctor an idea if there are any physical abnormalities in the baby. Between 24 and 28 weeks, an Oral Glucose Challenge Test (OGCT) will be conducted to check if you suffer from gestational diabetes.In the third trimester, you will have another blood test to check if you suffer from gestational diabetes or anemia. An ultrasound scan will be repeated to check the baby’s development and the location of your placenta. In case you have a low-lying placenta, your doctor will advise you to minimize your movements and avoid any strenuous activities until your delivery to avoid any distress to your baby. Your doctor will be your best guide about the tests required to assess your baby’s growth as well as your health. So, go for your prenatal visits and the tests regularly, without fail. Your baby’s well-being depends on it.

Career oriented women worry that they would have to hang up their professional shoes during pregnancy. However, nothing can be further from this myth.If you are healthy and your doctor has signaled that you have a normal pregnancy, there is no reason why you should not continue working while pregnant. Of course, you would need to make some alterations in the way you pursue your career.This is especially if your work is strenuous or demands long hours.

According to research, women who have jobs that require heavy lifting, standing for long periods or have irregular hours are more likely to have health complications during pregnancy and delivery.The simple mantra of a good work-life balance during pregnancy is taking it easy! Most workplaces give special work benefits to pregnant employees, so don’t hesitate to avail of these privileges. Try to maintain a 5-day workweek or take an occasional day off just to rest and relax.Some women find morning sickness the biggest hurdle while maintaining a professional image at work. Just remember, this is a natural occurrence and you have nothing to be embarrassed about! If you have severe incidences of morning sickness, ask your doctor to prescribe some medication to relieve it. You can also chew on gum or suck on ginger flavored lozenges.Here are some other steps you can take to be comfortable at work during your pregnancy:

• Move around whenever you can. It helps in blood circulation and relieves muscle aches and swelling of the feet.
• If you have a desk job, invest in a comfortable chair that offers good support to your back.
• Every half hourrises from your chair and stretches a bit.
• Walk to the water cooler to drink a glass of water. You will meet your daily fluid quota and you can stretch your limbs too.
• Drink plenty of water and other fluids. You need to drink at least 2.5 liters of water daily during pregnancy.
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. This is a good time to put those high heels away.
• Avoid clothes that are tight especially around the abdomen.
• Eat your meals on time and never skip a meal. Ensure your meals are light and nutritious, rather than rich, oily or spicy.
• Munch on healthy snacks every couple of hours, to prevent weakness or indigestion.
• If you feel fatigued, try to get a few minutes of shut eye. This powernap will rejuvenate you.

Take your seniors and colleagues into confidence if you suffer any complications during pregnancy. For all you know your peers and bosses will be more than happy to lend support.In case, the travel to office or your job’s demands is getting to you, consider taking a hiatus from work until a few weeks after your baby’s birth. After all, pregnancy is a special occasion in your life, so make the most of it.

Many women think about pregnancy as a time of wonder and awe. Nausea, pain, and increasing responsibilities while ensuring that you are properly fostering the life inside you, can make you feel overwhelmed, hence nourishing your own body and soul is important.

Here are a few ideas on how to take care of yourself during pregnancy.

Healthy Diet

During pregnancy, a woman should have an adequate nutritious diet. Adding about 200 calories a day, post second trimester to the daily diet is usually considered enough to provide nourishment for both the mother to be and the foetus. Eating small, frequent meals throughout the pregnancy is important as you are expected to gain between 11-16 kilos, depending on your initial weight. Most of the extra calories should be protein as they are the building blocks. Below are some pointers that you should take care of

– Your diet should be well-balanced, it should include fresh fruits, grains, and vegetables. – Cereals that are high in fiber and low in sugar are a good choice. – Commercially prepared food often contains excessive amount of salt so these should be consumed sparingly. – Dieting to lose weight, even for obese women isn’t recommended. As some weight gain is essential for the normal development of the foetus. – Most doctors recommend that pregnant women should take a prenatal multivitamin containing iron and folate daily. – Do not smoke, drink alcohol or do drugs as these may lead to growth retardation, mental deficiency and craniofacial or musculoskeletal abnormalities of the foetus. – Ginger capsules (available as an over-the-counter option) may help with nausea in pregnancy, however consulting the doctor before ingesting any medicine is a must.

Weight

How much weight could a woman gain during pregnancy depends on her body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy. BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared and is used to determine whether the weight for a given height is normal. High BMI in a woman leads to less weight gain during pregnancy than those women who have their BMI classified as normal or underweight. Women should avoid gaining too much weight during their first trimester, that is not more than between 1 or 2 kilos each month. Not gaining weight at all can hinder the growth and development of the foetus and gaining too much would end in fat deposition.

Drugs and Dietary Supplements

For any drug prescribed or non-prescribed or available across the counter, a medical advice should be sought. You should specifically consult your doctor for what all dietary supplements should you take, as the number of various vitamins and minerals required by your body during time increases.

Pregnancy doubles the iron required usually in the human body. Most women take iron supplements because an average woman isn’t able to absorb enough through eating to fill the gap. However, these might cause mild constipation or similar minor disorders.

A 400-600 micrograms of daily folate supplement is recommended for expecting women. These are usually available in the form of multi-vitamins. Usually, these are to be taken when you start planning to conceive as a deficiency in folate might lead to a baby’s birth defect of the brain or the spinal cord(neural tube defect), spina bifida.

Its aids in building the baby’s bones, and teeth and strengthening the mom’s bones too. The efficiency of the body to use that mineral increases during pregnancy.

22-30 mg/day of Vitamin E is sufficient during human pregnancy. It is a fat-soluble vitamin found in vegetable oils, cereals, meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, vegetables etc. However, since the requirement is fulfilled by a balanced diet, taking it as a supplement should be avoided.

Most prenatal supplements also include the omega-3 fat docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). About 200 milligrams a day is necessary for foetal brain and vision development during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about making sure you’re getting enough omega-3 DHA in your diet.

Women can continue with their routinely activities during pregnancy. Low Impact activities like swimming, brisk walking, weight training, etc. after medical consultation can be pursued. However, high-impact activities such as running, and horseback riding are feasible under supervision and after the medical practitioner’s consultation to avoid injury, particularly to the abdomen. Contact sports should be avoided.

Sexual desire usually varies during pregnancy. It is safe to have an intercourse throughout pregnancy unless there are medical complications such as leakage of amniotic fluid, uterine contractions, pain or vaginal bleeding etc. Modifications are important with regard to sexual positions as the pregnancy progresses. If the expecting mother is having an history of abortions, intercourse should be avoided without prior medical consultation.

The most viable and safe time to travel during pregnancy is between 14th – 28th weeks.

– While traveling by road/ air or other ways of transport a seat belt should always be worn. The belts should be snug but not uncomfortable or tight.
– Pregnant women should be getting enough space to stretch and straighten the body, specifically stretch her legs periodically.
– In or after 36th week travelling by air should be avoided because there are chances of going into labour during this time. And lowered oxygen levels may cause fetal hypoxia in high-altitude regions.

Skin care, hair care, breast care, dental care, bowel elimination, vaginal douching, and clothing are all important for the mother to be.

The skin glands could get more active during pregnancy and tend to perspire more. Frequent baths or showers with shower gels/ soaps are recommended until 32nd week. Later to that, medical advice is recommended.

– Therapeutic baths relax tensed and tired muscles, counter insomnia, and makes the expecting women feel fresh and sweet smelling.
– Bathing in tubs or while sitting on stools, may pose a physical maneuverability problem; so, showers are recommended during late stages.

Pregnancy often makes your body grow faster than your skin can keep up with, leading to the breakage of elastic fibers just under the surface of the skin causing stretch marks.

– Lotion/ Cream

– The idea is to keep your skin hydrated with a rich lotion or cream

– Do not use retina – or other chemicals as they might be harmful when you are pregnant or nursing.
– Egg Oil could be used regularly from the first trimester, to subside pregnancy related stretch marks.

The oil glands also increase their secretions and the hair tends to get oily more often thereby requiring frequent shampoo.

It is important to begin preparing the breast for breastfeeding during the prenatal period. Post the fourth month, a fluid called colostrum might be secreted leaving the breasts itchy and damp. Washing is the basic form of hygiene and is to be done without soap to remove dried colostrum, and lanolin must be applied after to prevent evaporation of perspiration and softening the skin.

– A well-fitted support bra should be worn at all times to support the enlarging breasts.
– Pads may be worn inside the bra cups to absorb colostrum leakage from the nipples and should be replaced/changed as and when required.

woman with beautiful teeth

The would be mother must maintain normal dental hygiene, that is brushing at least two times a day. Women can suffer from tooth problems because of increased estrogen levels lead to swelling and sensitivity of the gums. Additionally

–  Minor dental work/ procedures, such as fillings, capping and simple extractions, may be done during pregnancy; however, avoid anesthetics.
– Major Procedures like dental surgery, should be postponed until after the pregnancy as they need to use anesthetics. Anesthetics and analgesics may affect the developing foetus.

Women who had no problems with bowel usually experience a little or no change in the daily routine. But those who are prone to constipation, get stool become noticeably more irregular during pregnancy because of:
– Decreased physical exertion and bowel relaxation, as a response to changing hormones.
– Pressurized bowel from the gravid uterus.
– Constipating effect due to iron supplements.
High fiber diet and fluid intake followed up by regular exercise would improve the conditio

Normal vaginal secretions are usually intensified during pregnancy due to active hormonal changes. Vaginal douching should never be done without consulting a medical practitioner, as it might lead to air embolism or infection.

– Feminine hygiene deodorant sprays should not be used as they might lead to perineal irritation, cystitis, and urethritis. Undesirable odors can be controlled with daily use of soap and water as prescribed by the consultant
– If douche is prescribed, it should be done slowly using a gravity bag. Douches shouldn’t be done while sitting on a toilet so to avoid injury by falling and the tip is not to be inserted deeper than 3 inches.

A woman wearing pregnant friendly clothes

Clothes are of utmost importance during pregnancy as they give a sense of wellbeing to the expecting mother. The clothes should be lightweight, preferably cotton, non-constrictive, adjustable, absorbent, and enhance the sense of well-being of the would be mother.

Nothing you wear during pregnancy is as important as shoes, and these shoes should be comfortable and well-fitting, easy to wear, especially in the last trimester when it is difficult to bend.

– Flats or shoes with a low heel, not more than 1 or 1 ½ inch should be worn. These help you to maintain your balance and stability in late pregnancy.
– They should also have a good solid base of support (broad heel) to avoid tottering.
– Massaging and foot rubbing lead to better circulation and toning of the feet muscles.

Work schedules should be suitably modified during pregnancy, to promote foetus growth, relaxation and continue good muscle tone thereby preventing muscle atrophy.

– Footstools can help prevent pressure on veins, relieve strain on varices, and minimize swelling of the feet.
– You should resort to frequent rest periods
– Take a break and walk around every two hours.
– Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
These steps will help prevent fatigue, relieve tension, and increase circulation.