Herbs And Supplements To Avoid During Pregnancy
Though herbs are natural, not all are safe to consume during pregnancy. According to the American Pregnancy Association, herbs that should be avoided when pregnant include saw palmetto, goldenseal, dong quai, black cohosh, and several others.
You may also want to be cautious when choosing herbal tea blends to drink during pregnancy. They could contain an herb that may not be safe. Supplements arent tightly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so its important to talk to your care provider about herbs and teas that you are taking.
How Can You Tell If You Are Pregnant Without A Test
The most common early signs and symptoms of pregnancy might include:
When Should You Take A Pregnancy Test
Its usually recommended that you take a pregnancy test after youve missed your period. This is because pregnancy tests measure the level of human chorionic gonadotrophin in your body, which is a hormone that starts to build up when you conceive. It can take around three to four weeks from the first day of your last period for there to be enough hCG in your body to show up on a test.
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Varicose Veins Hemorrhoids And Constipation
Varicose veins, usually found in the legs and genital area, happen when blood pools in veins enlarged by pregnancy hormones. Varicose veins often go away after pregnancy. To help prevent them:
- avoid standing or sitting for long periods
- wear loose-fitting clothing
- wear support hose
- raise your feet when you sit
Hemorrhoids varicose veins in the rectum are common during pregnancy as well. Your blood volume has increased and your uterus puts pressure on your pelvis. So the veins in your rectum may enlarge into grape-like clusters. Hemorrhoids can be very painful, and can bleed, itch, or sting, especially during or after a bowel movement .
Constipation is another common pregnancy woe. It happens because pregnancy hormones slow the passing of food through the gastrointestinal tract. During the later stages of pregnancy, your uterus may push against your large intestine, making it hard for you to have a BM. And constipation can contribute to hemorrhoids because straining to go may enlarge the veins of the rectum.
The best way to deal with constipation and hemorrhoids is to prevent them. Eating a fiber-rich diet, drinking plenty of liquids daily, and exercising regularly can help keep BMs regular. Stool softeners may also help. If you do have hemorrhoids, talk to your health care provider about a cream or ointment that can shrink them.
Early Signs And Symptoms Of Pregnancy
Early pregnancy symptoms can be subtle. You may notice your breasts feel different when you put on your bra, you feel more tired than normal, or your usual breakfast is unappealing.
If you start to feel some of the early pregnancy symptoms below, you may very well be pregnant. Here are some of the first signs and symptoms of pregnancy.
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Other Early Symptoms Of Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings changes in your hormonal balance. And that can cause other symptoms that include:
- Frequent urination. For many women, this starts around the sixth or eighth week after conception. Although this could be caused by a urinary tract infection, diabetes, or using diuretics, if you’re pregnant, it’s most likely due to hormonal levels.
- Constipation. During pregnancy, higher levels of the hormone progesterone can make you constipated. Progesterone causes food to pass more slowly through your intestines. To ease the problem, drink plenty of water, exercise, and eat plenty of high-fiber foods.
- Mood swings. These are common, especially during the first trimester. These are also related to changes in hormones.
- Headaches and back pain. Many pregnant women report frequent mild headaches, and others experience back pain.
- Dizziness and fainting. These may be related to dilating blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and lower blood sugar.
A pregnant woman could have all of these symptoms, or maybe have only one or two. If any of these symptoms become bothersome, talk with your doctor about them so you can make a plan to offset them.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Nausea And Vomiting Of Pregnancy
The first signs of what is medically referred to as nausea and vomiting of pregnancy often manifest themselves between weeks 6 and 12 of a pregnancy. Because a womans sense of smell is heightened during the first trimester of pregnancy, many pregnant women experience intense aversions to particular foods and odors. This is another symptom of morning sickness.
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What Exercises Can I Do When Im Pregnant
You should talk to your doctor before starting any exercise routine during pregnancy. They can give you specific recommendations based on your health and fitness level. In general, though, moderate aerobic exercise and strength training is safe for most pregnant women. Avoid contact sports and anything that could put you at risk of falling or being hit in the stomach area.
When To Worry About Fetal Movement
If youâre concerned that your little one isnât moving as much as he should, now is the time to worry. Fetal Movements During Pregnancy: When to Worry. Your baby should kick hard against your uterus in the third trimester. If youâre concerned that your little one isnât moving as much as he should, now is the time to worry.
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When To Take A Pregnancy Test
A pregnancy test measures the amount of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone in the urine. This hormone is only present when a woman is pregnant. As the egg grows into an embryo, the cells that surround it and later become the placenta produce hCG.
Planned Parenthood indicate that it is best to take a pregnancy test as soon after a missed period as possible. A pregnancy test may return a positive result as early as 10 days after a person has had sex without contraception. However, it typically takes about 3 weeks before theres enough hCG in the urine to produce a positive pregnancy test.
There are many affordable and reliable pregnancy tests available over-the-counter or online. A home pregnancy test can tell whether you are pregnant in a few minutes, with most claiming to offer almost
1 week after a missed period. Results of a pregnancy test are either positive or negative.
If a woman takes the pregnancy test earlier than 1 week after a missed period, it may give a negative result, even if the person is actually pregnant.
If a person believes they are pregnant despite a negative test result, they should repeat the test after 1 week.
To avoid a false negative result, check the pregnancy tests expiration date, and carefully follow the written directions.
How Often Should You Feel Fetal Movements During Quickening
After accelerating for the first few launches, you may not feel the fetal movement every day, Rose says. âThereâs a lot of amniotic fluid and a small, light baby moving.â However, when you reach 2426 weeks of gestation, your baby will have less room to move and you will likely feel movement every day.
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Sickness Nausea And Vomiting
If youre sitting in meetings fighting the urge to vomit, youre definitely not alone. About 50% to 80% of pregnant women will throw up or feel nauseous . That can start happening any time from two to eight weeks after you conceive your baby.
The most likely cause is fluctuating levels of pregnancy hormones .
Oh, and the term morning sickness is a bit misleading too. Nausea or vomiting can happen at any time during the day .
A small number of women might find themselves with a severe form of nausea and vomiting called hyperemis gravadarum . HG can lead to pregnancy complications like dehydration, weight loss and electrolyte imbalance so you might need to be admitted to hospital .
When Should I Call My Doctor About A New Pregnancy
If youve missed your period and gotten a positive pregnancy test, your next step will be to call your healthcare provider for your first appointment. While scheduling, your provider may ask if you have already started taking a prenatal vitamin containing folic acid. Prenatal vitamins are important in early pregnancy because they help in the development of the fetal neural tube. The neural tube will become your babys brain and spine. Many healthcare providers recommend that anyone who could become pregnant take folic acid at all times.
If youre planning a pregnancy, a preconception appointment with your healthcare provider is a good place to start. A preconception appointment is especially important if you take medication for a chronic illness or have other medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure or lupus.
During this appointment, your provider will discuss any current medical conditions, as well as your general health before pregnancy. This appointment is meant to get you into the best place for a new pregnancy.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
- American Pregnancy Association. Early Signs of Pregnancy. Accessed 7/26/2022.
- Merck Manual Consumer Version. Physical Changes During Pregnancy. Accessed 7/26/2022.
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy. Accessed 7/26/2022.
- U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Womens Health. Prenatal Care. Accessed 7/26/2022.
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Can Bad Sperm Cause Ectopic Pregnancy
Based on findings in both animal and human models, we proposed the hypothesis that sperm defects may be associated with the expression of paternal genes which cause abnormal early embryo development and predispose the embryos to interact inappropriately with the genital tract epithelium, and so increase the risk of an …
Following Are Some Complications Of Morning Sickness:
Pregnant women might not be able to keep food and drinks down. It may lead to dehydration and weakness. Women might lose weight up to two pounds or more. It is very concerning and is due to the inability to keep food down.
Feeling feverish can be a symptom of pregnancy. Changes in the respiratory system can make women more susceptible to infections, such as colds and the flu. The weakening of the immune system is a cause of frequent fevers.
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Raised Basal Body Temperature
If you’ve been using a special basal body thermometer to track your first morning temperature, you might notice that it rises around 1 degree when you conceive and stays elevated throughout your pregnancy.
Though not a foolproof early pregnancy symptom , it could give you advance notice of the big news.
Cramping And Spotting During Early Pregnancy
From weeks 1 to 4, everything is still happening on a cellular level. The fertilized egg creates a blastocyst that will develop into the fetuss organs and body parts.
About 10 to 14 days after conception, the blastocyst will implant in the endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus. This can cause implantation bleeding, which may be mistaken for a light period. It does not occur for everyone. If it does occur, it will usually happen around the time you expect your period.
Here are some signs of implantation bleeding:
- Color. The color of each episode may be pink, red, or brown.
- Bleeding. Implantation bleeding is usually much less than your usual period. Its often described as light bleeding that never turns into a flow or enough to need a tampon.
- Pain. Pain is usually milder than your usual menstrual pain. It may involve some cramping. It can be moderate or severe, but its most often mild.
- Episodes. Implantation bleeding is likely to last less than 3 days and does not require treatment. It can sometimes last only a few hours.
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Schedule A Preconception Checkup
The best way to prepare your body for pregnancy is to make sure your body is healthy and thats where a preconception visit with an OB-GYN, certified nurse-midwife or family medicine doctor comes in.
A preconception checkup is similar to an annual physical but includes additional care geared toward family planning and pregnancy. It may take a couple of weeks for you to get in for an appointment. Thats why we recommend that you make a preconception appointment early on.
Here are some of the things you can expect during your visit:
- A review of your medical and reproductive history, including:
- Whether youre up to date on recommended immunizations like tetanus, hepatitis and whooping cough
- Current medications youre taking
- Health conditions youre managing, like diabetes, anxiety, high blood pressure or other medical concerns
- Past pregnancies
Whats the difference between a midwife and OB-GYN? Or how about a family doctor for pregnancy? All can provide you with incredible care now and if you get pregnant. Choosing the right person for you comes down to your health, pregnancy goals and preferences.
Metallic Taste In Your Mouth
If you suddenly find yourself disgusted by the foods you used to love, pregnancy hormones may be to blame.
Pregnancy can lead to dysgeusia, a change in your sense of taste. This can lead to a sour or metallic taste in the mouth when you consume certain foods, or even when you arent eating or drinking at all!
Dysgeusia is most common in early pregnancy, during the first trimester, and often disappears as pregnancy hormones settle during the second trimester. If not, dont worry: your taste buds will return to normal after giving birth!
You can manage dysgeusia by brushing your tongue when you brush your teeth and rinsing with a mild solution of saltwater or baking soda and water.
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Morning Sickness Or Nausea
That telltale, queasy feeling known as morning sickness can hit you at any time of day and it typically begins when you’re about 6 weeks pregnant, though it can vary and strike even earlier. For most women, nausea starts by week 9.
Hormones, mainly increased levels of progesterone , can cause the stomach to empty more slowly, resulting in this early pregnancy symptom resembling seasickness.
What Pregnancy Really Feels Like
I cant take credit for admitting that pregnancy is hard. Susan Magee, author of The Pregnancy Countdown Book imparted that revelation. Her book guided me through pregnancy.
Specifically, she wrote, Im going to tell you something about pregnancy that I wish someone had told me flat out, straight up, and early on: Pregnancy is wonderful, joyful, and miraculous. But its also hard work. Yes, pregnancy is hard work.
When I was carrying my now 1-year-old son, I experienced what many would call an easy first trimester. Even so, during that time I:
- had tender breasts
- felt general malaise
But I didnt throw up. Nor was I in a lot of pain. I was just constantly cranky.
Everything went downhill during my second trimester, though. I was tired all the time, even if I got eight hours of sleep.
I also peed a lot. I already had an overactive bladder to start with, but during pregnancy, I went running for the bathroom every 10 minutes, if not less. I couldnt leave the house without using the restroom at least five times, even if nothing came out of me.
The constant need to urinate brought on by pregnancy affected my personal and professional life. For example, I missed out on a workshop I really wanted to attend because I wasnt able to find a bathroom within the 30 minutes between leaving my apartment and reaching the train station. I ended up turning around and heading back home to avoid disaster.
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What Does Early Pregnancy Cramps Feel Like
What Does Early Pregnancy Cramps Feel Like
Most women feel some cramping early in their pregnancy. This is normal and is caused by the uterus starting to grow. The cramping may feel like menstrual cramps. It may come and go and may be more pronounced at certain times, such as when you are active or when you have your period.
Some women have more severe cramping, which may be a sign of a problem. If you have severe cramping, see your health care provider.
What Does Early Pregnancy Bleeding Look Like
Most women experience some type of early pregnancy bleeding. This bleeding can occur at any time during the first trimester, but is most common during the first eight weeks of pregnancy.
There are a few different things that can cause early pregnancy bleeding. implantation bleeding is the most common, and is caused when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. Other causes of early pregnancy bleeding can include a miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, or a problem with the placenta.
If you experience any type of early pregnancy bleeding, it is important to consult with your doctor. He or she will be able to determine the cause of the bleeding and provide you with the appropriate treatment.
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