Pregnancy Care and Information Guide

The pregnancy can be defined as carrying of one or more offspring in en embryonic or fetal stage of development by female mammals. The pregnancy in humans is inside their bodies for the period that is from the conception to the birth. The medical term for pregnancy is ‘gravida’ but the term is rarely used in general talk. The term ‘embryo’ is used to describe the human during the initial stages of pregnancy and later on, it is turned to ‘fetus’ for about two months of development until the birth.

In a pregnancy, there may be multiple gestations like as in case of twins or triplets. Human pregnancy is the most complicated and researched among all mammalian pregnancies.

The childbirth generally occurs about 38 weeks from the fertilization. This makes forty weeks from the start of the last menstruation period (LMP).

In general terminology, the pregnancy lasts long for about nine months. In many medical and legal definitions, the human pregnancy is classified into three periods. They are called as three trimesters. Each trimester includes three months and therefore, three trimesters are nine months in total. Each trimester carries its own importance. Before the pregnancy begins, the female egg or oocyte must meet the spermatozoon in the process to complete the fertilization. When the process is over, the term ‘conception’ can be applied.

The sperm is ejaculated by male deep into woman’s vagina during the sexual intercourse. However, with the latest technology, the advent of artificial insemination has made it possible that the spermatozoa can be injected deep into vaginal canal without the sexual intercourse with men. This helps those women who choose to become pregnant without any partner or a desired partner.

The human pregnancy period from conception to the birth of the child is about 40 weeks. Though pregnancy begins at implantation, it is generally considered from the first date of woman’s last menstrual period (LMP) based on which, the EDD (expected date of delivery) is declared.

Babies born before 37 weeks are considered premature and babies born after 43rd week are marked as postmature. Unlike postmature, preterm (premature) babies are at higher risk of fatality. Their body systems are underdeveloped and they seek emergency medical treatment and probably life supporting systems.

During the entire period of pregnancy, a pregnant woman needs more energy in terms of calories to meet the requirement for her own body and the fetus growing inside her body. She needs extra nutritional supplements and extra caring. There can be a miscarriage (dropping down the dead fetus or baby) if proper care is not taken by mother such as not lifting heavy weight, avoiding accidents such as slipping off on the wet tiles of the bathroom etc. and lack of health food.

The normal pregnancy includes good meeting of egg and sperm and developing the fetus in the uterus and not anywhere else and after the full term, delivery of a healthy baby through vagina without any operation. Sometimes, the fetus gets developed in fallopian tube (called as ectopic pregnancy) which is hazardous condition and needs medical treatment as early as possible.

Many times, the baby is to be taken out by surgery or by forceps. There are various reasons for getting baby out other than the normal way. Baby taken out by surgery is popularly known as ‘cesarean baby’ and care to be taken more as compare to the normal delivery.

There are two periods that carry importance in woman’s life; pre natal (the period before pregnancy) and the post natal (the period after pregnancy). The woman has to follow certain rules and regulations in both of these periods. Pre-natal care will take care of her and her baby. This will help good and healthy fetus development. There are less chances of delivering low-birth weight baby. Pre natal care will also prevent miscarriage and other complications such as preeclampsia.

On the other hand, post-natal care will guide a woman to return to her normal life. It will help getting that beautiful figure back that might have been outshaped during and after pregnancy. For the mother who had cesarean section, post-natal care will help taking care of the stitches and scars of the surgeries. Post-natal care may also narrate about the baby care that all the mothers would like to follow.