Pregnancy Do's and Don'ts

Do take prenatal vitamins with folic acid. Medical studies have

demonstrated that folic acid can help to prevent birth defects. Many women may

have a deficiency of folic acid. Your doctor will recommend that you take a

prenatal vitamin with folic acid and you will want to be sure to follow that

advice. There are many brands of prenatal vitamins available at most grocery stores or health food stores.

Don't smoke tobacco. Tobacco has been found to be harmful to

pregnant women and their babies. Do avoid second hand smoke as much

as possible.

Do learn about pregnancy information, and what to expect in your

pregnancy each week, month, and trimester. Look these topics up online, read books and talk to your doctor about any

pregnancy related questions you may have.

Don't lift heavy objects or do strenuous labor. While it is a great

idea to do mild exercise like walking, this is not a time for seeing how much

weight you can lift at the gym. Read Fit Pregnancy magazine for ideas on

maintaining your ideal pregnancy weight.

Do eat health foods. Everything you eat has a positive or negative

effect upon the growing baby in your womb. Feed your baby health foods,

fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, brown rice, whole grain breads, lean chicken, milk, yogurt, etc.

Don't drink alcohol. It is best to abstain and not have any. Although

some doctors say it is okay to have one glass of wine with dinner on the

weekend, be sure to ask your own doctor about your particular body and

individual health situation.

Do enjoy being a mom. This is a magical and special time in your

life. Rather than stress out about the outcome, be sure to enjoy the journey.

Your baby will feel happy and healthy if you are feeling happy and healthy.

Watch some funny shows on television and have a good laugh. Read some

entertaining books, and listen to some pleasant music and sing along.

Smile and rub your belly, while you talk to you baby and say "I love you."

Monica Nelson writes about health topics, about womens health issues, and about specific topics such as early pregnancy symptoms and what to expect in your pregnancy week by week. These health articles are provided as a helpful news service and are not to be considered medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about health issues such as pregnancy.

Diet And Lifestyle Changes While Planning A Pregnancy

Planning a pregnancy makes it imperative that you adopt certain dietary and lifestyle changes if you want a healthy pregnancy and childbirth. A body that is fit mentally and physically will find it easy to handle the strain of pregnancy and childbirth. You may benefit by planning a pregnancy as you are prepared for it, and can get your body in shape before conception.

Changes During The Pre Pregnancy Period

While planning a pregnancy, it is recommended to visit your doctor. A check up will establish if it is safe for you to have a baby, and it will shed light on issues that may need attention. Issues like male fertility problems or female infertility can be dealt with.

Lifestyle changes are extremely important as they play a major role in influencing pregnancy. An ideal body weight that is correct for a person of your height is recommended. Weight plays an important role, as underweight as well as obese women are susceptible to fertility problems. Obese women have more chances of developing complications such as hypertension and diabetes. So, if you are considering pregnancy planning, it is time you got fit. Walking, yoga, and light exercise that do not tire you too much may be taken up. Yoga and meditation are good as they help you relax reducing stress.

You have to give up smoking, alcohol; drugs etc. as they influence fertility as well as have a harmful effect on your health as well as that of the child's. If your work exposes you to teratogens such as heavy metals, solvents, radiation, anesthesia, paint fumes, dry cleaning liquids etc., you may require to change your job, as they are harmful during pregnancy. If your work requires that you stand for long periods of time, or if you have to work in shifts, you may also consider a change of job.

Saunas and hot tubs are better avoided as these have been said to increase the chances of neural tube defect in babies.

Diet also plays a very important role. You may start to eat healthy during the pre conception phase itself. Eating regular meals that are balanced and nutritious is important. Green leafy vegetables, orange juice, fortified cereals, bread, cereals, noodles, potatoes, rice are good. Multi-vitamin and folic acid supplements are also encouraged to be consumed as they greatly reduce the chances of babies with birth defects and neural tube defects etc. Dry fruits, greens, nuts, green leafy vegetables etc. are also good sources of iron, which is important too. Milk and milk products such as yoghurt are good.

Certain foods are best avoided during pre pregnancy such as raw or undercooked meat, soft cheese, raw fish etc., as they may cause severe pregnancy complications. Mercury rich fish such as shark, marlin, and sword fish are a no no while planning a pregnancy. Coffee is best taken in moderation, if possible better avoided completely. Foods that are rich in vitamin A may be taken in moderation as vitamin A in excess is not good, either.

Do not take medication. without consulting your physician and finding out if it is safe. If you have a disease condition, do find out if it is safe to take the necessary medication. Do ask your doctor before trying a new product such as a hair fall prevention formula. This applies for the fathers too. Generally, have fun planning a pregnancy.

Apurva is an expert on pregnancy related subjects such as early pregnancy symptoms, pregnancy diet and lifestyle issues. She writes on subjects such as planning a pregnancy, male fertility problems and female infertility and other aspects of pregnancy and childbirth.

Visit Pregnancy Articles offers more articles on pregnancy, cord blood banking, and almost everything you would like to know about pregnancy.

Early Pregnancy Tests - Put An End To Speculations

An early pregnancy test is basically done to determine whether a woman is pregnant or not. And that can be determined in many different ways. Starting with a simple Home Testing Kit, for which a wide variety and selection of different pregnancy test kits are available in the market today. A trip to the neighborhood drug store would indeed determine that. The efficacy of a Home Testing kit is subject to certain conditions, and one has to follow the instructions in the manual very carefully for accurate results.

Pregnancy is determined by the substantial increase of the HCG or Human chorionic gonadotropin hormone in the blood and urine. Ovulation normally takes place between the 10th to the 18th day in a normal menstrual cycle of 28-32 days. If fertilization has taken place, and a woman has missed her period even after 32 days, then she should determine whether she is pregnant or not and she may resort to the fastest and easiest, simple over-the-counter Home Pregnancy Test Kits to confirm the same.

The Steps Involved In Using Home Pregnancy Kits:

# The test can be done anytime, but the best time to do the test would be early in the morning because the first morning urine contains the highest concentration of the HCG hormone and thus Pregnancy detection is a lot more accurate.

# Use a clean, unused, disposable plastic cup to collect the urine and then place the dipstick in the urine with the Result Windows facing away from you.

# The result is generally determined within 2-3 minutes of having placed the dipstick in the urine.

# The Dipstick usually contains two windows, a Circular Test Window and a Triangular Control Window.

# For a positive result, two purple color bands (either both color bands are dark or one is dark and the other is light but it is still positive) should appear in both the windows. If it is a negative result, there will be only one purple color band in the Triangular Control Window. If it is an invalid result, there will be no purple color band in the Triangular Control Window, which could be because the test was performed incorrectly, or the Dipstick was beyond the two-year expiration date or it was contaminated.

Different Methods/Ways To Determine Pregnancy

# After the initial determination of pregnancy with the home pregnancy kit, a visit to the Doctor is mandatory. Even if one is not able to determine Pregnancy, the Primary Care Physician or a Gynecologist can perform some simple blood and urine tests to determine the same.

# Once the pregnancy has progressed past the first 6-8 weeks then an Ultrasound can be performed to determine the EDD, (Expected Date of Delivery) viability and growth of the fetus in the womb.

Whatever be the means or method, be it the early pregnancy test kits, or a blood/urine test, a complete and detailed check-up and regular follow-ups is necessary for delivering a healthy child. It is the wholesome responsibility of the mother to do the same, as it is not a very simple and easy process. These tests will definitely help in quelling any fears or apprehensions one has and will eventually help in delivering a normal and healthy child.

An early pregnancy test is the only sure way to confirm the fact that you are expecting. Early pregnancy symptoms indicate towards the fact that you are on your way to become a mother. However, these symptoms are not confirmatory and you should take a pregnancy test at a lab or with a pregnancy test kit. Pregnancy Articles provides free articles on pregnancy testing, use of early pregnancy test kits and other details related to pregnancy.

Vitamins and Nutrients Especially Needed During Pregnancy

You should eat foods packed with nutrients during pregnancy, which is actually the basic principle of healthy eating when you are not pregnant. However, there are a few nutrients that are especially important during pregnancy. These include:

• Folate and folic acid
• Calcium
• Protein
• Iron

A B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects, serious abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord is “folate.” If your body lacks sufficient folate an increase for risk of preterm delivery may be an extra problem for you. Low birth weight and poor fetal growth has also been reported due to insufficient folate during pregnancy. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate found in supplements and fortified foods.

You need 1 milligram (1,000 micrograms) of folic acid per day before conception and during pregnancy.

The following list contains good sources of folate:

• Cereal (3/4 cup 100 percent fortified ready-to-eat cereal provides 400 micrograms of folate)
• Meat (3 ounces of beef liver provides 185 micrograms of folate
• Spinach (1/2 cup boiled spinach provides 100 micrograms of folate
• Beans (1/2 cup boiled Great Northern beans provides 90 micrograms of folate
• Asparagus (4 spears boiled asparagus provides 85 micrograms of folate
• Oranges (1 small orange provides 30 micrograms of folate)

Another important aspect of getting enough folate is taking prenatal vitamins. You probably should start taking daily prenatal vitamins at least three months before pregnancy.

Calcium is always a must for women before, during and after pregnancy. You and your baby need calcium for strong bones and teeth as well as helping your circulatory, muscular and nervous systems run smoothly. During pregnancy your baby will rob you of all the calcium it needs. It is essential you take in enough calcium for you and the baby.

You need 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day.

Good sources of calcium include:

• Dairy products are the richest in calcium
• Fruit juices fortified with calcium
• Breaskfast cereals fortified with calcium

Yogurt, milk, cheese, juice, salmon, spinach, cereal should all be a matter of staples in your diet before, during and after pregnancy.

How much you need: 1,000 milligrams a day.

Good sources: Dairy products are the richest sources of calcium. Many fruit juices and breakfast cereals are fortified with calcium. Protein is especially crucial for your baby’s growth during the second and third trimesters. Protein also aids in repairing your cells and your body changes. You need 71 grams of protein per day.

Good sources of protein include:

• Poultry
• Fish
• Cottage Cheese
• Milk
• Peanut Butter
• Eggs

Iron is used to make hemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to your tissues. Iron is also essential for women before, during and after pregnancy. Iron remains an essential for women throughout her life and even after menopause. During pregnancy your need for iron almost doubles.

Without enough iron you may get fatigued and more susceptible to infections. The risk of preterm delivery and low birth weight may also be higher. You need 27 milligrams of iron per day, possibly more during pregnancy, according to your doctor’s instructions.

Good sources of iron include:

• Cereal
• Beans
• Spinach
• Meat
• Poultry

Typically a prenatal vitamin will contain iron. However, in some cases, your health care provider may recommend a separate iron supplement.

To help fill in the gaps of key nutrients, a daily prenatal vitamin staring ideally three months before conception is essential. Special supplements may also be recommended by your health care provider depending on your particular situation. If you consider taking herbal supplements, always be sure your health care provider gives you the OK to take them during pregnancy.

Source: Mayo Clinic

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Written by: Connie Limon. For an extensive list of FREE reprint articles all about pregnancy visit us at http://smalldogs2.com/PregnancyArticles

Early Pregnancy Signs - How To Detect Before A Pregnancy Test

Most women wonder what will be the first early pregnancy sign that she will notice after conceiving. As opinions and experiences related to primary signs of pregnancy being extremely varying, most of the women seem to get confused how to check for those symptoms. Though many assume a missed period is the announcement of their pregnancy, but doctors contradict this assumption. A missed period can be an outcome of excessive stress, exhaustion, binging on work, improper diet and other health problems. As per medical professionals, expecting mothers must wait for and rely on other possible signs of pregnancy as well besides waiting for an overdue period. Moreover, a missed period is expected to surface after a month of conceiving. Nonetheless, your body starts sending signals from a few days onwards after fertilization, therefore, look for those symptoms to detect your pregnancy as soon as possible.

Signs That Give You Indicators Of Your Pregnancy

Pregnancy consists of a chain of reactions in response to the drastic hormonal changes occur in your body. The reactions include both mental and physical changes and discomforts. Hence, check out what possible pregnancy symptoms, you are about to experience in the early months of pregnancy and how to cope up with those discomforting symptoms –

# Mood Swings and depression – If you feel like weeping at times or getting into a war with your partner for no reason, blame on your hormonal changes instead of your spouse. Expecting mothers may, now and then feel blue, depressed due to increased level of estrogen.

# Nausea or Morning Sickness – Feeling nausea or rushing to loo frequently for vomiting is one of the surest indications of pregnancy. Since this tendency of feeling nausea in the morning or often throughout the day is quite different from normal queasy feeling, so it is a prominent early pregnancy sign. Expecting mothers can manage discomforts of nausea by managing their diets by eating less spicy food and taking small meals instead of larger meals.

# Bleeding Or Vaginal Spotting – After the fertilized egg travels to uterus and gets implanted to the inner walls of uterus, you will notice slight bleeding secreted from your vagina. This is a primary early pregnancy sign you will receive. Unlike regular menstruation bleeding, this implantation bleeding [as it is known due to its time of occurrence] is likely to be pinkish in color and quite normal and harmless. However, heavy bleeding is a warning sign of pregnancy complications including ectopic pregnancy, miscarriages etc.

# Gas Or Flatulene – Suffering from gas is a common scenario during pregnancy, hence, it is a noteworthy early pregnancy sign. The digestive system of pregnant women slows down and gives rise to various symptoms of indigestion such as generation of gas, constipation etc.

# Feeling of Increased Fatigue – You may tend to feel an extreme level of exhaustion in the first couple of months of your pregnancy. In the earliest trimester, your body undergoes drastic changes in hormones to support development of fetus inside your body and this is how your body reacts to the hormonal changes. Moreover, due to feeling of nausea you may reduce your normal level of eating which may leave you feeling immensely tired and weak.

Besides all these symptoms, you may also experience other pregnancy symptoms like frequent urinating, increased level of body temperature, abdominal cramping etc. If you are expecting childbirth, you must include each and every early pregnancy sign in a pregnancy journal and consult your doctor to be confirmed through check ups and tests.

An early pregnancy sign could indicate the fact of your being pregnant. However, mere presence of primary signs of pregnancy, such as a missed period or morning sickness in itself is not a confirmation of pregnancy. It has to be confirmed by an early pregnancy test. For more on early pregnancy symptoms and signs, visit Early Pregnancy Symptom

Early Pregnancy Back Pain

Normal and short-term phenomenon

Early pregnancy back pain is a normal phenomenon in early pregnancy. Most of the expectant mothers witness some degree of back pain during the early phase of pregnancy and this pain generally subsides after about 20 weeks. Back pain or spasm, which is reflected by stretching of muscles or burning pain in the left or the right side of the quadrant, is normally the result of the softening of the supporting ligaments and disks due to an increase in the progesterone hormone during the early phase of pregnancy. In some cases, urinary infection during pregnancy can also result in back pain amongst pregnant women. The extra weight of a pregnant women's body and the change in her centre of gravity also result in backaches and back pain.

Remedies for Pregnancy Back Pain

The most important and safe remedy for the treatment of early pregnancy back pain is exercising. This is mainly because certain medications for back pain are contraindicated during early pregnancy. Walking, pelvic rocking, bridging (done by lying down on the floor, bending your knees and lifting your buttocks into air), mini-crunches (done by lying down on the floor), bending your knees and lifting your head on exhalation, are good exercises for relief from pack pain during early pregnancy. Pregnant women do these exercises on their own relieve back pain during their pregnancy.

The right body posture and good body mechanics also play an important role in keeping one free of early pregnancy back pain. The right posture for prevention of back pain early pregnancy is standing straight and tall. However, the importance for correct postures is as essential in early pregnancy as before that. However, in late pregnancy, as the uterus becomes big, one tends to pull back her shoulders to offset the additional weight, which results in a back strain. You can reduce back pain during later stages of pregnancy in such a position by frequently changing your sitting position and avoiding standing for long periods.

Adequate rest and sleep are also essential for avoiding or eliminating early pregnancy back pain. You should take proper rest and avoid strenuous activities to avoid back pain during your pregnancy. You can also do normal yoga exercises to eliminate minor back pain. However, if the back pain persists you should consult your doctor and take proper medication for relief from back pain during pregnancy. In some cases of back pain during pregnancy, doctors may prescribe physiotherapy for back pain relief. Massages and use of special mattresses are also effective for back pain relief during pregnancy.

Signs of pregnancy are a signal of joy for a couple. Pregnancy back pain is a most common pregnancy symptom.For more on early symptoms of pregnancy and other pregnancy problems information, visit, Pregnancy-Period.Com

Early Signs And Symptoms Of Pregnancy - An Overview

How do I know? A common question any average woman would ask. To avoid hap-hazardous steps taken in confusion, here is some information on signs and symptoms of pregnancy to let you know ‘this is it’.

What happens right away?

Its there on your first pregnancy test you tried, but few things may happen even before you experience the visible early signs of pregnancy. Skipping periods may not always happen because of conception. Similarly, pregnancy symptoms such as abdominal cramps during early days of pregnancy may be mistaken to be common menstrual cramps. Thus to avoid any such misleading due to lack of information lets look at the various early signs of pregnancy and stages of pregnancy symptoms.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Early signs of pregnancy can be anything from fatigue, slight bleeding cramps, nausea and food cravings to rise in basal body temperature. Signs and symptoms of pregnancy like mood swings, headaches, constipation and appetite aversions are not unique to pregnancy and might just indicate that you are sick. Similarly, one may become pregnant without experiencing any of the above early pregnancy symptoms. However, if you miss a period or it differs widely from one month to another you might to confirm it through a home pregnancy test.

Tender And Swollen Breasts

Have you ever imagined why breast tenderness, a major pregnancy symptom is a major indicator of pregnancy? The reason why breasts become tender and sore during early pregnancy is that they undergo hormonal changes to prepare for lactation i.e. breast-feeding. This kind of change in the breast size occurs generally in the first eight weeks.

Frequent Urination

During the first trimester of pregnancy i.e. roughly the first 13 weeks, you may experience an early sign of pregnancy wherein you will find yourself rushing to the restroom more often which happens because the uterus starts growing and causes frequent urination.

The Second Trimester

The second trimester of pregnancy is often considered to be the “Golden Period” as the physically demanding early signs and symptoms of pregnancy are all over by now. You get relief from pregnancy symptoms and related inconveniences such as constant nausea. Moreover, better sleep patterns are major signs of advancement in the process of healthy pregnancy.

The most joyful moment is experienced during this time as you might get to hear the first heartbeat of your baby. An ultrasound conducted in around 19 weeks may make you feel the diverse movements of your baby inside your body.

The Final Trimester

The final trimester is the final stage of pregnancy. This is the time when the fetus becomes too big to move in the uterus. Due to difficulty in finding right positions while sleeping or sitting, you may have recurrence of pregnancy symptoms such as back pain. The ankles might swell due to excess weight on the legs. At the end of the third trimester, a fetus usually settles into a head-down position in the uterus. Now you should get ready to welcome your baby in this world.

Now the fact is clear that apart from few acute pregnancy symptoms, others might just happen because of other kinds of illness. However, the safest bet is not to rely just on early signs of pregnancy but to go for home pregnancy test and confirm. If the result is negative though you experience various signs and symptoms of pregnancy, visit your doctor to know the reason behind these symptoms if you are not pregnant.

Be well prepared and aware so that your child is the only pleasant surprise you get.

Signs and symptoms of pregnancy do not always indicate pregnancy.

There are some situations where you would witness early signs of pregnancy but you might not be pregnant.

Know more about pregnancy symptoms on Early Signs Of Pregnancy to be sure about when to be happy and when you need to be careful about your pregnancy.

Your Friendly Guide to Pregnancy Week by Week

Pregnancy week by week brings new development in woman’s body. Pregnancy period of 40 weeks can be divided into 3 trimester (which means three months long). First trimester includes the period from week 1 to week 12. Second trimester is from week 13 to week 26 while third trimester commences at week 27 and continues to term (which is the 40th week).

Week 1 to week 12

In this trimester of pregnancy week by week child grows rapidly and forms all organs and body structures, though very tiny. To put things into perspective - the baby is tinier than a grain of rice!!! Week 4 makes the woman realize that she is pregnant. Within a week, heart of the baby starts beating.

Week 13 to Week 26

Thirteenth week onwards, pregnancy enters into the second trimester and there are further developments in pregnancy week by week. Baby further develops and gradually, vocal chords begin to form, the nervous system starts to function and the reproductive organs become fully developed. Baby’s hair, eyelids, eyebrows, eyelashes, nails, fingers and toes also get formed. This is a period where one can see on ultrasound whether it is a boy or a girl. By week 20 one can feel the baby moving. Within next 3-4 weeks baby’s skin is reddish in color, wrinkled with veins visible through baby’s translucent skin. This is also the period when the baby may start responding to sounds.

Week 26 to Week 40

This is the trimester during which pregnancy week by week enters into its culminating stage. During this period the fat starts depositing on the baby. His/Her hearing is fully developed and can move with the rhythm to music. By week 27 babies can even cry. By Week 29 of pregnancy the senses of sound, smell and taste are also developed. Week 32 is the time when baby spends most of its time in sleeping. Lungs are almost fully developed, baby can open and close the eyes and can also grasp firmly. During these weeks the baby position changes to prepare itself for delivery. The baby drops down in the pelvis with its head facing down towards the birth canal.

As one shall realise by now, pregnancy is by far the most sophisticated process in the human body. Pregnancy week by week undergoes marvelous changes – changes which have till date left even the most scientifically equipped human amazed at this intricate accomplishment of nature.

First trimester pregnancy is the most important stage of pregnancy because in this stage of pregnancy you witness early pregnancy symptoms and this is the time when you need to be cautious towards pregnancy complications. Pregnancy Week By Week offers all the information you need to track your pregnancy week by week and enjoy your pregnancy.

Pregnancy and Excercising - 6 Reasons to Excercise During Pregnancy

Everyone knows that exercise is good for your health. Exercising during pregnancy can have additional benefits. Generally, exercise should be light, especially during the first few weeks of pregnancy while your body adjusts to the changes. Heavy exercise can divert blood flow from crucial areas and most women that exercise regularly should tone down their workouts during pregnancy.

Walking, swimming, and yoga are two popular exercise activities suitable for pregnant women. Other forms of exercise like weight lifting are okay too as long as it is not too strenuous. Most experts recommend exercising 3-4 times a week, unless a medical condition prevents it. If in doubt, always consult a physician first. Listed below are some of the top reasons for exercising during pregnancy.

1. Exercise can reduce the length of labor and reduce recovery times. The right exercise routines will increase stamina needed for delivery.

2. Improve emotional health - exercise lowers stress and improves emotional health and can make it easier for the new mother to get through the experience of pregnancy.

3. Exercise can help with weight management after the child is born. A common concern with most mothers is losing weight after pregnancy. Exercising during pregnancy can make postpartum weight loss easier.

4. Exercise is good for your unborn baby. By keeping your body healthy, you are also helping out your baby.

5. Reduced pregnancy side effects - Symptoms like headaches, fatigue, swelling, and constipation are common in pregnant women. Exercising has been shown to reduce the occurence of these symptoms.

6. Decrease risk of premature birth - exercise has been shown in studies to decrease the risk of premature birth by about 50%.

Make sure to drink plenty of fluids before exercising, have a nutritious diet, and avoid over exertion. Also, listen to your body - if you start feeling sick or nauseous, then you should stop and rest.

About the Author - Criss White

Criss White is a professional web writer on baby and new mother topics for baby and pregnancy websites. For baby shower supplies, information, and more baby related articles by this author, visit My Baby Shower Favors and Babies and Showers.

Note: If you find this article useful, you may reprint it on your website, e-zine, or in your newsletter as long as the credits above remain in tact and the hyperlinks stay active.

Pregnancy Complications - Minimize Complications With Vitamin C

Pregnancy consists of two very common and strongly felt effects for expectant mothers – the joy of giving birth on the one hand and the fear of pregnancy complications on the other. Most women fear if their pregnancies end up with negative outcomes like premature birth of babies etc. As per the recommendations of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin C plays a role in reducing the intensity of various types of complications that may arouse during pregnancy. A small quantity of vitamin C contributes a great deal in alleviating complications that may affect both baby and mother in the second trimester of pregnancy.

What Is Premature Birth?

Premature birth is commonly known as delivering of the baby prior to the due date. Normal pregnancy is said to end at about forty weeks. In clinical language, a premature birth marks the delivery of the baby before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature delivery takes place when the membranes or the wall of the sac that supports growth of the baby and contains amniotic fluid appears to break or ‘rupture’. Across the world, about 10 to 20 percent of the pregnancy cases may end up in this Premature Rupture Of Membrane or PROM.

Premature birth implies delivery of baby before complete pregnancy development in the womb. Therefore, babies delivered prematurely show several complications in them. First of all, due to premature delivery the baby feature improperly developed legs, lungs and other limbs. This is why those underdeveloped organs may not function as they do and cause various health complications such as infections. The main reasons to contribute to the increase in the risk of PROM are smoking habit, lack of proper nutrition, infections in vaginal areas during the months of pregnancy.

How Far Is Vitamin C Beneficial In Minimizing Pregnancy Complications?

Inadequate amount of Vitamin C in the pregnant woman’s body is supposed to be the main cause of pregnancy complications. The cells in the bodies of expectant mother are not supposed to be deficient of vitamin c as it is an important ingredient to produce and repair connective tissues in the body. Moreover, vitamin c plays a vital role in restoring the membranes or the walls of the sac to prevent PROM. This is the reason why medical experts advise adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables enriched with vitamin C. Vitamin C is also a good source of antioxidants to fight against free radicals and environmental damages.

Several studies have been conducted to establish the significant contribution of vitamin c to reduce the likelihood of pregnancy complications. Studies prove that women who consumed vitamin c in sufficient amounts have been found to have a lower risk of premature birth than those with lower vitamin C intake. This conclusion related to vitamin C were made after studies were undertaken that observed notable changes in 120 women with random intake of 100 mg of vitamin c supplements or use of placebo. All these 120 women were healthy and were pregnant for 20 weeks. The evaluations were taken every four weeks starting from their twenty week of pregnancy. Women with this vitamin c intake lessened their incidence of pregnancy complications by 74 percent in comparison to those who did not consume vitamin C.

During your pregnancy, you should try to avoid pregnancy complications. Pregnancy is the most important phase of life and you should stay healthy and fit during all 40 weeks of pregnancy. Pregnancy offers free information and articles related to early pregnancy symptoms, stages of pregnancy and all other details that you need to cope with this most beautiful period of your life.

Pregnancy Symptoms and Signs

How can you tell if you are pregnant? There are a number of signs and symptoms to watch for. Chances are you will only experience a portion of the symptoms. Each pregnancy is different, and the same mom to be can experience different pregnancy signs each time she gets pregnant.

Pregnancy symptoms can begin for some mothers immediately after conception. Some pregnancy signs require that you chart your cycle, noting your daily basal body temperature.

Implantation

While a rare minority will experience pregnancy symptoms sooner, typically the first pregnancy signs occur when your baby implants around 8-10 days after ovulation. Implantation causes an increase in progesterone levels, which can lead to higher temperatures giving you a tri-phasic chart. If you temperature remains high for fifteen or more days after ovulation, you may be pregnant. Some women will see a slight temperature drop at implantation. Implantation bleeding sometimes occurs and can be pink, red, or brown in color. You may also have lower abdominal cramps.

Positive Pregnancy Test

The next and best sign that you are pregnant is a positive pregnancy test. Home pregnancy tests measure the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine. The most sensitive home pregnancy tests will show a positive result when the hCG levels reach 20, which can happen as early as four days before your period is due, or approximately 10 days after ovulation.

False negatives are common when testing early with a home pregnancy test, so I recommend you wait to use one until eighteen days after ovulation to avoid false negatives. The usual recommendation is to wait until 14 days after ovulation before testing. Blood serum pregnancy tests performed by your doctor are much more sensitive. They can detect hCG levels as low as five. If you continue to experience pregnancy symptoms, but your home pregnancy test continues to show negative, you can make an appointment with your doctor to confirm your pregnancy.

Missed Period

One of the most common pregnancy signs is a missed period. For women with a standard 28-day cycle, their period is late if it has not arrived fifteen days after ovulation, or twenty-nine days after the first day of their cycle. Elevated basal body temperatures for 15 or more days will typically accompany the missed period.

Frequent Urination

Frequent urination is a very common early symptom of pregnancy. You may find yourself unable to be away from a bathroom for more than hour at a time, or waking up in the middle of the night to urinate.

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness can begin as early as 2 to 4 weeks after conception. The term morning sickness is something of a misnomer, as you can experience the nausea and vomiting throughout the day. Morning sickness typically is worst during the first trimester, and most pregnant women will have their morning sickness symptoms lessen or subside completely during the second or third trimester.

Breast Changes

Breast tenderness usually begins around 3 to 4 weeks after conception. This can also be a sign of your impending period. Usually the degree of breast tenderness is much stronger with pregnancy than with your period. You may also notice a slight tingling sensation.

Another change to your breasts early in pregnancy is the appearance. Your areolas can become larger and darker.

Fatigue

Fatigue can be an early sign of pregnancy. This symptom is not just being a little tired; it is more like feeling totally wiped out. Your normal daily activities can send you to complete exhaustion.

Body Discomforts

The physical and hormonal changes you experience with pregnancy can cause a long list of body changes that are annoying and uncomfortable. You may experience headaches, backaches, acne, constipation, heartburn, mood swings, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, and abdominal cramps.

Food Cravings

Food cravings are a very common pregnancy symptom. Approximately 85% of women will experience some type of food craving during their pregnancy.

Food Aversions

The other side of food cravings is food aversions. They are also a very common sign of early pregnancy. You may find that a favorite food suddenly makes you feel nauseated just thinking about it.

Smell Aversions

A heightened sense of smell may cause some odors to seem stronger than normal when you are pregnant. Some smell aversions can cause food aversions.

Baby Movement

You can feel your baby moving as early as 16 weeks, but for first-time mothers may not feel the baby moving until 20 weeks or more.

Intuition

For some women, they just “feel” pregnant, even though they have had no other signs or symptoms. A mother's intuition is frequently accurate.

It is possible to experience some of the signs and symptoms of pregnancy, yet still not be pregnant. It is important that both you and your baby get under a doctor’s care as early as possible. If you think you might be pregnant, treat your body as if you are pregnant until you know for sure. Take a home pregnancy test if you miss your period. If the test shows positive, then you are pregnant. Congratulations!

Elleth Faewen is a wife who has lost three pregnancies, one to stillbirth, one to miscarriage, and one to an ectopic pregnancy. She founded Baby Talk Zone as a friendly online resource for those pregnant, trying to conceive, and adopting. Elleth is currently on the waiting list for IVF. You can visit her online forum at http://www.babytalkzone.com

Baby Talk Zone provides a free pregnancy due date calculator http://www.babytalkzone.com/duedatecalculator and a free downloadable monthly ovulation cycle chart in both Fahrenheit and Celsius http://www.babytalkzone.com/chart-your-monthly-cycle

Heartburn in Pregnancy – Helpful Tips

Heartburn in pregnancy is caused by a muscular weakness. The muscle involved is the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a ring of muscle between your stomach and esophagus. The LES is designed to relax when you swallow food so that the food can enter the stomach. Once the food is in the stomach, the LES is to tighten, keeping food and stomach acids from flowing back into your esophagus. If the LES always worked properly, no one would ever suffer heartburn in pregnancy.

Like many other parts of the body, however, the LES is affected by pregnancy. Heartburn in pregnancy is a frequent complaint.

Common Question about Heartburn in Pregnancy

When does heartburn start in pregnancy? How soon in pregnancy do you get heartburn? When should I expect heartburn in pregnancy? The question varies, but the answer is always the same. Heartburn in pregnancy usually begins around the fifth month. From that point forward, it may come and go until you give birth.

How do you treat heartburn in pregnancy?

Pregnancy Heartburn Treatment

Pregnancy heartburn treatment begins with an understanding of the relationship between heartburn and pregnancy. Why is it that at this time when you are so happy to be expecting, you suddenly have heartburn?

With pregnancy, the placenta produces progesterone, a hormone that relaxes the uterus' smooth muscles. It relaxes some other muscles, too, one of which can be the LES separating the esophagus and stomach. As progesterone relaxes the LES, it fails to close and/or remain tightly closed. This allows acids to flow back into the esophagus, causing heartburn. Progesterone also affects the contractions of the esophagus, slowing the wavelike action. This, too, contributes to heartburn in pregnancy.

As your pregnancy progresses and your baby grows, your abdominal cavity will become crowded. The limited space will be taken up increasingly by the growing, moving infant. This puts pressure on the stomach, which in turn pressures the LES to open. Heartburn can quickly result as stomach acids are pushed into the esophagus.

Steps of Pregnancy Heartburn Treatment

Your healthcare provider will warn you not to take medications that might harm the baby. There are steps you can take, however, to treat heartburn in pregnancy.

1. Watch your weight gain. Ask your physician how much you should reasonably gain, and be careful to keep your weight to that limit. Excess weight will place more pressure on the LES and increase heartburn.

2. Avoid tight clothing, especially around your waist and abdomen. Tight clothing also contributes to pressure on the LES muscle ring.

3. When bending, bend at the knees rather than at the waist. Bending at the waist is a common cause of heartburn in pregnancy.

4. Eat several small meals during the day in place of three larger meals. Eat slowly and chew your food well.

5. Have your last meal or snack at least two to three hours before bedtime. Allowing food to digest before you lie down can reduce heartburn.

6. Although you will want to drink eight to ten glasses of water daily, you should Avoid drinking large amounts of liquid during meals. Try to remember that a distended stomach will pressure the LES and cause heartburn.

7. Ward off potential heartburn by chewing gum after eating. The chewing action can help release air bubbles that contribute to heartburn and the gum stimulates the production of saliva, which can help neutralize acid.

CAUTION: The author is not a professional physician, and offers this information about heartburn in pregnancy for educational purposes only. Please seek advice from your health care provider.

© 2007, Anna Hart. Anna herself suffered heartburn in pregnancy, and she empathizes with your problem. She invites you to read more of her articles about heartburn at http://www.heartburnreliefblog.com. Anna continues to research and post regular information on that site. If you are eager to help your children understand heartburn in pregnancy, you will enjoy Anna's article on how to demonstrate it for them.