When To Know Your Pregnant

How Far Along Am I

Knowing how far along you are in pregnancy is helpful for both you and your healthcare provider. Your provider will use this information to check on your babyâs growth and development, keep an eye on your health, and schedule tests and exams.The weeks of pregnancy can be grouped into three trimesters:

• First trimester: 1 to 13 weeks

• Second trimester: 14 to 27 weeks

• Third trimester: 28 to 40-42 weeks .

Check out the illustration below to see how far along you are in your pregnancy:

Will You Notice Any Pregnancy Symptoms During Weeks 1 2 Or 3

During weeks one, two, or three, you may not even suspect youâre pregnant and you might not notice any pregnancy symptoms at all, as itâs still very early. Donât worryâthis is common .Missing a period is often the first clue that you may be pregnant, and around the time you miss a periodâor a little laterâyou may start noticing those very early pregnancy symptoms. One common early pregnancy symptom is implantation bleeding, which is light spotting that occurs when the tiny ball of cells attaches to the uterine lining. Not everyone experiences it, but this light bleeding is normal and can sometimes be mistaken for menstrual blood. It usually happens 10 to 14 days after conception.Other signs of pregnancy in the first month can include

• bloating

• moodiness

• frequent urination.

Morning sickness is another common symptom of early pregnancy, but it usually crops up between weeks 4 and 9.Now that you know these early signs of pregnancy, take our quiz to test your knowledge!

I Have To Go To The Toilet More Often Is That A Sign

Oh yes, dashing to the loo more than often can be early sign that youre pregnant. During pregnancy your body increases the amount of blood it pumps around the body. That means the kidneys process more fluid than usual which leads to more fluid in your bladder . For more information on early pregnancy signs and symptoms.

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The Cons Of Waiting To Share The News

If youd rather have a support network in place regardless of your pregnancy outcome, feel free to share the news right away.

The first trimester may be tough for some women because of fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and other unpleasant symptoms. Letting a few key people know may help ease the burden. And if you do end up miscarrying, you might not want to have to go through it alone.

You may also want to tell your employer about your pregnancy right away if your job requires you to do physical labor that might be dangerous. These hazards might include:

• bending repeatedly at your waist
• standing for long periods of time
• lifting heavy things, like boxes, more than once every five minutes
• being exposed to chemicals

Your job may require these tasks. The data isnt concrete on whether or not these activities directly lead to miscarriage, but its still worth considering in the overall picture. Speak with your doctor about the recommendations for lifting during pregnancy for more specifics.

Could I Have The Symptoms Of Early Pregnancy And Not Be Pregnant

Many of the symptoms of early pregnancy overlap with other medical conditions, as well as your typical menstrual cycle. Premenstrual symptoms can be very similar to pregnancy symptoms. This can make it difficult to tell the difference. You can also miss a period without being pregnant. This can happen when you exercise in extreme amounts, lose or gain a lot of weight, or even are stressed. Breastfeeding can also cause your period to stop for a while.

The best way to know youre pregnant is to take a pregnancy test. If you have missed a period and think theres a chance you could be pregnant, consider taking a test.

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Understanding The Family Medical History:

This is one of the most crucial things to remember during pregnancy. Once you conceive, it is a good idea to discuss your mothers, grandmothers, or aunts pregnancies. It helps you learn about any genetic disorders or birth abnormalities in the family line. Information like this will prepare you for any potential problems and take preventive actions if required .

Think Realistically About Whether You’ll Come Back

Consider what you can afford when it comes to taking time off. Can you and your partner get by on one salary for a while if you decide to extend your leave? Or is your income crucial to keeping the household humming along?

Are there other logistical or emotional factors that might inform your decision, such as challenging child care options or the notion of leaving your baby in someone else’s arms, no matter how capable? Look into your child care possibilities, then come up with a potential plan for if and when you’ll come back to the office .

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Visits To Doctor For Prenatal Care Are Important:

Many couples visit a doctor even before planning a baby just to make sure that their first time pregnancy is healthy and devoid of complications. Once you confirm your pregnancy, it is important to visit your doctor regularly. Choose the best gynecologist and never skip monthly check-ups. This helps in gauging both the mothers and the babys health. Moreover, it is also necessary to curb any developmental disorders at an earlier stage itself .

What Is A Pregnancy Test

A pregnancy test is a way to determine if youre pregnant by looking at the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin in your body. From the very beginning of pregnancy, your body starts to go through changes to support growth in the grouping of cells that will develop into your baby. One thing that happens very quickly is production of hCG. This chemical is only found in pregnant women and it starts to build up once the fertilized egg implants in the uterus about 10 days after conception.

There are two main types of pregnancy tests urine tests and blood tests. Often, youll take a urine test at home with a home pregnancy test kit. This type of test can be purchased over-the-counter and is available in a variety of price ranges. Blood tests to check for pregnancy are done in your healthcare providers office.

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High Blood Pressure And Dizziness During Early Pregnancy

In most cases, high or normal blood pressure will drop in the early stages of pregnancy. This may also cause feelings of dizziness since your blood vessels are dilated.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, as a result of pregnancy is more difficult to determine. Almost all cases of hypertension within the first 20 weeks indicate underlying problems. It may develop during early pregnancy, but it may also be present beforehand.

A medical professional will take your blood pressure during your first doctors visit to help establish a baseline for a normal blood pressure reading.

How Soon You Can Take A Pregnancy Test

Step back from the supermarket shelves you should wait until the first day of a missed period before you do a pregnancy test . This is usually about two weeks after you think you conceived. So get your diary out and start counting.

Too keen to wait? Some tests are more sensitive than others and can be taken earlier . This might be four or five days before your period is due .

If you can though, its most reliable to wait for the first day of your missed period. And that way you wont get any upset from an inaccurate result.

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How To Tell Your Boss Youre Pregnant When You Work At An Office

If you work in an office setting and have the opportunity to tell your boss face-to-face, here are a few tips to make the announcement go as smoothly as possible.

• Set aside the time. Don’t try to tell your boss the news when you’re in a taxi on the way to a meeting or when he or she has one foot out the door on a Friday. Schedule an appointment to meet so neither of you will be rushed or distracted.
• Accentuate the positive. Don’t start with apologies. Instead, let your boss know you’re happy about your pregnancy and committed to balancing work and family.
• Be flexible . Have a plan in place, but be open to discussion and compromise. Come up with a realistic bottom line and stick to it.
• Set it in writing. Once you’ve worked out the details of your pregnancy protocol and maternity leave, confirm it in writing so there won’t be any confusion later.
• Never underestimate the power of parents. If your company isn’t as family-friendly as you’d like, consider joining forces with coworkers to petition for better parental perks. Making sure that similar allowances are made for employees who must take time off to care for sick spouses or parents may help unite you with coworkers who dont have children.

How To Tell Your Toddler Youre Pregnant

As volatile as toddlers can be, theyre the easiest in terms of breaking the initial pregnancy news. They dont fully understand that the baby youre talking about in abstract terms will be stealing Mommys attention and their toys in a few short months, so its not really a problem for them .

Keep your announcement simple and straightforward, says parent coach Dawn Huebner, author of the self-help book for kids What to Do When You Worry Too Much. Im an advocate of correct terminology, she adds, so Id say something like, Mommies have a special part in their body called a uterus. Thats where babies grow. I have a baby in my uterus, and next spring , it will come out, and youll have a brother or sister.

Since its hard for toddlers to fully comprehend that youre growing an actual human being in your body, its generally a good idea to wait until youre showing a bit, likely around that 12-week mark. That might mean keeping a lid on the baby news so your child doesnt overhear you talking about it with someone else. Still, when you do tell your firstborn, make sure youre ready for everyone from your next-door neighbour to the guy behind the fish counter to know youre expecting. If youre worried about miscarrying or arent ready for friends or coworkers to know, wait, says Reischer. You want to be among the first to know, but you dont want them to have to keep a secret.

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When Can I Take A Home Pregnancy Test

Although you may start to feel early pregnancy symptoms before your period, most women have to wait for an average of two weeks from the time they ovulate for a positive home pregnancy test result. Home pregnancy tests measure levels of human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine.

This placenta-produced hormone makes its way into your urine almost immediately after an embryo begins implanting in your uterus, between six to 12 days after fertilization. You can start using most home pregnancy tests as soon as hCG can be detected in your urine and hCG levels usually arent high enough to be picked up by a home pregnancy test until your periods expected.

Cant wait until then? Some HPTs promise 60 to 75 percent accuracy four to five days before you expect your period. Wait until your period and the rate jumps to 90 percent wait another week and the results are 99 percent accurate.

Know that false negatives are much more common than false positives, so if the time for your period comes and goes without your monthly flow, check in with your health care provider. Either way, youll want to get a blood test to confirm your pregnancy status.

No matter what symptoms you’re having, the only way to know for sure that you’re pregnant is to make an appointment with your OB/GYN.

Can The Exact Date Of Conception Be Determined Accurately

Many women have questions about the date of possible conception, and unfortunately figuring this out is not always so easy. The assumption is that if a woman has pretty regular menstrual cycles, then she will be ovulating during a certain time of the month.

Ovulation is the time when conception can take place because that is when an egg is made available. The problem is that most women do not ovulate on an exact date each month, and many women have a different ovulation day from month to month.

If you also take into account that sperm can live in the body 3-5 days after intercourse has taken place, this can make determining conception very difficult.

Most doctors use the first day of the last period and ultrasound measurements to gauge the gestational age of a baby and determine when the baby was conceived. But these are just tools used to estimate the datesit is very hard for anything to tell what the exact date of conception really is.

Most people do not realize that ultrasounds can be off up to 5-7 days in early pregnancy and up to a couple of weeks off if the first ultrasounds are done farther into the second trimester or beyond.

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What Are The Symptoms Of An Ectopic Pregnancy

The early symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy can be very similar to typical pregnancy symptoms. However, you may experience additional symptoms during an ectopic pregnancy, including:

• Vaginal bleeding.
• Pain in your lower abdomen, pelvis and lower back.
• Dizziness or weakness.

If the fallopian tube ruptures, the pain and bleeding could be severe enough to cause additional symptoms. These can include:

• Fainting.
• Shoulder pain.
• Rectal pressure.

When a tube bursts, you may feel sharp lower abdominal pain. This is a medical emergency and you will need to contact your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room immediately.

If you realize that you are pregnant and have an IUD in place, or have a history of a tubal ligation , contact your healthcare provider right away. Ectopic pregnancy is more common in these situations.

Can I Be Pregnant And Still Have A Period

Pregnant women can have some light irregular bleeding during pregnancy, but it should not be like a normal period. Some women can confuse this for their period because often it can come right around the time she was expecting her normal period.

The irregular bleeding or spotting that can occur during pregnancy is often a dark brown or a light pinkish color. It should not be enough bleeding to fill pads or tampons over a few days. If you are bleeding enough to fill pads and tampons, then this would be a good indication that you are probably not pregnant. Learn more about getting pregnant while on your period.

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Where Does An Ectopic Pregnancy Happen

Its considered an ectopic pregnancy whenever the fertilized egg implants outside of your uterus. The egg is meant to travel down the fallopian tubes and imbed itself into the wall of your uterus, where it can begin to develop. In an ectopic pregnancy, the egg implants in one of the structures along the way. The most common place this can happen is within the fallopian tubes. The majority of ectopic pregnancies happen herecalled a tubal ectopic pregnancy. A fertilized egg can also implant on other organs in your abdominal cavity. This is a rarer form of ectopic pregnancy than one that happens in a fallopian tube.

Do All Women Get Early Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Every woman is different. So are their experiences of pregnancy. Not every woman has the same symptoms or even the same symptoms from one pregnancy to the next.

Also, because the early symptoms of pregnancy often mimic the symptoms you might experience right before and during menstruation, you may not realize you’re pregnant.

What follows is a description of some of the most common early symptoms of pregnancy. You should know that these symptoms may be caused by other things besides being pregnant. So the fact that you notice some of these symptoms does not necessarily mean you are pregnant. The only way to tell for sure is with a pregnancy test.

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When Are You Most Fertile How To Find Your Best Time To Get Pregnant

If youre trying to increase your chances of getting pregnant, you might be wondering when youre most fertile. The short answer: Your fertile window is the name for the six-day range each month that you can conceive. Pinpointing it accurately is the key to getting pregnant, as these are the days that a healthy sperm can fertilize a viable egg.

Here, we will review: how to pinpoint your fertile days and why its essential to do so.

Ultrasound To Determine Pregnancy

If your home pregnancy test or beta-hCG blood test is positive for pregnancy, the next step will be to confirm the pregnancy with an ultrasound. An ultrasound is typically planned for 5-6 weeks past the missed period. The ultrasound will confirm where the embryo has implanted, if there is more than one, and if the heart is beating.

Learn more about when and why ultrasounds are performed during pregnancy.

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How Does Conception Work

Each month, your body goes through a reproductive cycle that can end in one of two ways. You will either have a menstrual period or become pregnant. This cycle is continuously happening during your reproductive years from puberty in your teen years to menopause around age 50.

In a cycle that ends with pregnancy, there are several steps. First, a group of eggs gets ready to leave the ovary for ovulation . The eggs develop in small, fluid-filled cysts called follicles. Think of these follicles as small containers for each immature egg. Out of this group of eggs, one will become mature and continue on through the cycle. This follicle then suppresses all the other follicles in the group. The other follicles stop growing at this point.

The mature follicle now opens and releases the egg from the ovary. This is ovulation. Ovulation generally happens about two weeks before your next menstrual period begins. Its generally in the middle of your cycle.

After ovulation, the opened follicle develops into a structure called the corpus luteum. This secretes the hormones progesterone and estrogen. Progesterone helps prepare the endometrium . This lining is the place where a fertilized egg settles to develop. If you dont become pregnant during a cycle, this lining is what is shed during your period.