Pregnancy: What Women Should Know?

Pregnancy and that whole phase of pregnancy is a wonderful stage in an amazing and blissful experience for every woman. Yet it is essential that every woman knows the basic tips for care and precautions during pregnancy. Doctors do let you know but apart from this your own knowledge also matters a lot. So here is a small guide for you. 

What is pregnancy?

Before gaining any knowledge it is essential to know, what exactly is pregnancy and how does it take place. Well, it is known to all that a male sperm penetrates an egg and fertilizes it. The process usually happens in the woman's fallopian tube after ovulation, i.e. when the matured egg was released from one of her ovaries.

There are 23 chromosomes in a sperm, which includes one of two types of sex chromosomes, i.e. X chromosome or Y chromosome. Sperm with an X chromosome that fertilizes an egg will produce a girl, on the other hand a Y chromosome sperm will produce a boy. Every egg also has 23 chromosomes. In total 46 chromosomes are required to make a human. This fusion of sperm and egg makes the number 46 in total.

Soon after the fertilization, the zygote starts to divide. This process continues until there is a cluster of cells formed. Five to seven days later the division and growth, it attaches itself to the wall of the uterus called the ‘womb’ and puts out root like veins called villi. These villi make sure that the embryo is well anchored to the lining of the uterus.  Villi will eventually become the placenta that feeds and protects the embryo or fetus. Through this placenta the embryo or fetus receives its oxygen and nutrition and expels waste.

Stages during pregnancy or trimesters:

There are 3 trimesters of pregnancy:

The 1st trimester:

In this phase there are 13 weeks known to be the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. In this stage the baby develops the fastest and becomes almost fully formed by the end of it. Most women say that this trimester is actually the period when they are most likely to feel tired, with nausea and breast tenderness.

The 2nd trimester:

The 14th to 26th week of the pregnancy is known as the third trimester. In this trimester it becomes obvious that the mother is pregnant. The body weight keeps increasing because of the growing baby, along with the expanded uterus and the placenta, and even the amniotic fluid, which the mother lays down extra reserves of fat. During the second trimester it is said that the mother will feel the baby's movements, like others if they place their hands on the mothers stomach. The movements may sometimes be observed without touching as well.

The 3rd trimester:

The 3rd trimester is from week 27 until the baby is born. In this trimester the baby will build up fat stores, this continues growing rapidly. In this phase the baby's lungs will develop, with his or her sense of hearing, tasting and sight. There are chances that the mother may experience backache and even find it harder to get into the right position for a good night's sleep. In this the mother will also be urinating more often as the baby and everything around him or her presses against her bladder. The mother may also experience contractions that take place many days or weeks before the birth - called Braxton Hicks contractions; these are not the contractions of labor.

Symptoms of pregnancy:

A woman is pregnant when there is an embryo or fetus developing in the uterus. So, if any of these signs and symptoms apply to you, then there is a good chance you being pregnant. Well, the first symptom is a must, whereas the others are possibilities. So, if your breasts are tender but your period has come, then certainly you are not pregnant; for this you must have a missed period.

Signs of pregnancy are:

1. Missed period
2. Nausea with or without vomiting
3. Tiredness
4. Dizziness
5. Breast changes
6. Breast tenderness
7. Frequent urination

Nausea is very common sign of pregnancy and generally affects pregnant women during the first three to four months of the pregnancy. Next to this comes tiredness, which tends to be more acute during the first and last three months.

Precautions to be taken during pregnancy:

Here are some steps for the best pregnancy, that a mother can do to reduce risks of complications for her and her baby:

• Number one is Physical Activity with some kind of moderate exercise. It not only helps in general health and bodyweight control,  but also prepares the mother for a more successful labor and delivery.
• Next to this is maintaining good bodyweight, so that the babies are born healthy.
• No smoking; is advised to a pregnant mother who smokes regularly, as this significantly increases the chances of having an underweight or premature baby.
• No Alcohol consumption; as the consumption of alcohol while pregnant can harm the baby.
• No Overworking; as too much work is linked to a higher risk of pregnancy problems.
• Medications; a pregnant mother should only take medicines that are prescribed to her by the doctor.
• Avoiding air pollution; as avoiding air pollution is hard if the mother lives in a highly polluted area. Yet certain strategies may be helpful like opening windows on the side of the house with less pollution coming in, avoiding certain streets, etc. 
• Some types of fish; have high levels of mercury, like shark, barracuda, marlin, swordfish. Tuna is also suggested to be avoided.
• Good Diet is a must for a pregnant mother; including plenty of fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains.
• Caffeine is to be avoided by a pregnant mother, or at least cut down on her caffeine intake.
• Avoiding bacterial infections from food is also a must.
• Gardening should be avoided as there are infections that can be picked up from soil and some animal feces.
• Cat feces can cause toxoplasmosis that may affect the baby. So a pregnant woman should avoid all contact with cat feces, along with cat litters and feces in soil.