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Why
Headaches |
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Though headaches are a part of life, pregnancy headaches
cannot be solved by popping painkillers. Pregnancy
is a time when you have to look ..
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| Why
Leg Cramps |
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A
sharp, shooting pain in the middle of the night
that jolts you out of the bed is unnerving not to
mention painful. Most pregnant women go through
these leg cramps..
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| Why
Constipation |
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When
you have dry hard stools that are an ordeal to pass,
you have constipation. This can start as early as
conception and persist right through your whole
pregnancy ..
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| Why
Anemia |
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During
pregnancy your blood volume increases and yet you
can be anemic. This is because the production of
red blood cells is not in pace with plasma that
is also being produced ..
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| Intrauterine
growth restriction |
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Small
sized babies don't necessarily mean there is a problem
with the baby, but if its size is due to poor growth
then there is a cause for concern. Some babies start
off growing well and then slow down; others don't
grow as well
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| Ultrasound |
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Ultrasound
also called sonogram, you are usually offered 2
routine scans during pregnancy. Sometimes it can
be more than 2 depending on your situation
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| What
is Engagement |
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•
Before engagement, your baby has been floating in
the sac above your pelvis
• Before
engagement you would have had to eat smaller meals
more frequently as..
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| What
is leucorrhea |
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The
combined effect of hormones progesterone and oestrogen
causes your vagina to secrete more mucus than before.
This discharge termed leucorrhea comes in greater
quantity now that you are pregnant..
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| What
is Lochia |
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Lochia
is a combination of blood, mucus and tissue from
a healing uterus. This post delivery discharge is
normal and it lasts anyway from 2 to 6 weeks..
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| What
is Quickening |
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Quickening
is the moment most pregnant women await eagerly.
What you have seen during your scan is visual, while
quickening offers you something more tangible -
your baby's first movement..
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| What
is Round Ligament Pain |
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•
Round ligament pain can either be a sharp stabbing
pain or a dull ache in the lower part of your abdomen
or groin.
• Round ligament consists
of horizontal and vertical muscles that hold the
uterus in place from the back and front of your
pelvis..
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| What
is a Doppler Scan |
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•
Doppler scan is a special scan
which uses black and white or color images to examine
the blood flowing through the umbilical cord between
the placenta and the baby..
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| What
is Cordocentesis |
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•
Cordocentesis is also called fetal blood or umbilical
vein sampling
• This is an invasive
procedure where fetal blood from the umbilical cord
is taken and tested for suspected abnormalities..
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| Ectopic
Pregnancy |
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Ectopic
pregnancy can become every woman's nightmare
if it is not caught in time. Since abdominal pain
can be due to other reasons, it becomes difficult
to diagnose ectopic pregnancy..
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| Why
Stretch Marks |
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Stretch
mark is a fact of pregnancy for more than 80% of
pregnant ladies. It appears on the tummy, bum, thighs
and breasts and its color depends on the skin tone.
Stretch marks are thin pinkish, reddish or purplish
streaks on light skin and brownish lines on darker
skin..
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| Why
Hair Changes |
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Many
find their hair thicker and glossier during pregnancy.
The quality, quantity and texture of hair changes
when you are pregnant. This is of course a bonus.
Conversely, you may find yourself losing lots of
strands and worry if baldness is around the corner
..
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| Miscarriage |
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Just because you are reading
about miscarriage, it doesn't imply that it's going
to happen to you. Pregnancy loss is something we
all pray does not happen to anyone, more so when
..
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| Expecting
Twins |
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Shock and elation is what you
are likely to feel when you first discover you are
carrying more than one baby. The ride is certainly
going to be different from what single baby mothers-to-be
go through..
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| Episiotomy
- To Cut or Not to Cut |
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Most women worry
about being cut during labor. This concern is real.
After all it does sound daunting to have a cut down
there but in some cases it cannot be helped. The
cut in the muscular area between the vagina and
back passage..
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| What's
Backlabor |
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Labor
contractions are painful irregardless of duration
and location, although its gravity differs from
woman to woman. For some women, lower back pain
gets real intense during labor..
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| Nonstress
Test |
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In
the final trimester, some tests are necessary
to monitor baby's health if the mother is a high
risk candidate for some medical complications
from the start, develops medical complications
during pregnancy or passes week 40 without delivering..
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| Urinary
Tract Infection |
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Urinary tract
infection or UTI as it is commonly termed is essentially
urine that has bacteria in it. It causes a burning
sensation when you pee. UTI is quite a common occurrence
in pregnancy; as high as 1 in 10 pregnant women
suffer from this condition..
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| Biophysical
Profile |
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Also known as
BPP, this is a non-invasive procedure that evaluates
baby's well being with the aid of a nonstress test
combined with an ultrasound. Again, this test is
conducted in the later part of pregnancy to check
on baby's well-being especially..
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Group
B streptococcus (GBS) |
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GBS as this infection
is commonly known is caused by a naturally occurring
bacterium that sometimes makes the genitals its
home. Usually it is symptom-free as no symptoms
manifest and generally it causes no harm to the
mother..
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Breech
Baby |
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A breech presentation
is quite common in the early months of pregnancy
as there is plenty of room for the fetus to swim
around. A very good percentage of babies present
in the normal head down position (vertex) at the
onset of labor. However..
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Preterm
Premature Rupture of Membrane (PPROM) |
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If the amniotic
membranes rupture before week 37, it is considered
to be preterm premature rupture of the membranes
or PPROM. An uncontrollable gush or gradual leak
of liquid occurs before the onset of labor, in some
cases much before baby reaches term..
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Contraction
Stress Test |
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Fetal movements
translate to fetal well-being. Of course there are
times when the fetus is not active and this does
not necessarily imply that the fetus is in trouble.
For instance it is normal for the fetus to move
less towards the end of the term because there is
less room for movement..
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Incompetent
Cervical Syndrome |
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Also referred
to as cervical insufficiency, this condition is
thankfully uncommon but its still good to know about
it . The diagnosis almost never happens in the first
pregnancy until the mother miscarries. Cervical
insufficiency is a sure suspect..
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| Why
Nosebleeds & Nasal Congestion |
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Nose problems
are common particularly in the colder months of
the year. They can be uncomfortable but fortunately
don't last long nor do they present serious repercussions.
The membranes inside your nose may either dry out,
bleed easily or become swollen..
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What
is Mucus Plug |
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One sure sign
that labor is on the way is when you lose the mucus
plug. Tinged with blood or clear in color, the mucus
on your underpants in the last weeks describes this
plug. The thick mucus has been blocking the opening
to the cervix for a while now..
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| The
Overdue Baby |
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Impatience,
anticipation multiplies as the agitated mother
(understandably so!) waits for her bundle to arrive.
In such cases, pregnancy seems to almost go on
forever, especially when it crosses the 40th week.
Almost 10% of first time pregnancies result in
babies being born two weeks later than the due
date..
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Pregnancy Signs |
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You may
experience all the signs of early pregnancy, grow
hopeful that you are pregnant, and still not be.
Or you may have hardly any symptoms and be definitely
pregnant. The truth is pregnancy signs and symptoms
are mere clues..
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| Iron
- a Vital Mineral |
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In
pregnancy extra iron is a must so that sufficient
hemoglobin can be manufactured for two. Where once
the average woman needed 15mg, now during pregnancy
the dose doubles to 30mg. Pregnant females who..
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Thyroid
Conditions and the Pregnant Woman |
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During the first
half of pregnancy, a pregnant body's need for the
thyroid hormone called thyroxin increases. Thyroid
problems can either take the form of hypothyroidism
(when there is a lack of the hormone)..
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Sleeping
Positions during pregnancy |
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Often women wonder
if it is alright to sleep on their tummy during
pregnancy. Sad to inform you pregnant ladies out
there but sleeping on the belly and on the back
are not the best positions for you during your pregnancy
months..
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| Another
Baby on the Way.. |
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Every pregnancy is different.
If this is your second or third pregnancy, expect
the experience to be different from the very first
time you were expecting your baby. Subsequent pregnancies
hold different challenges..
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| Pain
Relief during Labor |
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Every labor and
delivery is different, and so is the pain threshold
- what is bearable for one woman may be intolerable
for another. You cannot predict which way your labor
is going to go but you can certainly choose..
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Rhesus
Disease |
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Every individual
is born with a certain blood type (A, AB, B, or
O) and all blood are either Rhesus positive or Rhesus
negative. About 85% are born with the Rhesus factor
in their blood being Rh positive..
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| 1st
Stage of Labor |
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The
first stage is usually the longest and the hardest
part of labor. During this stage the cervix gradually
opens to allow the baby to make its way down into
the birth canal..
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| 2nd
Stage of Labor |
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Many women find
the second stage easier to cope because they find
things under their control more or less. In essence
this stage lasts from full dilation until the birth.
Once the cervix is completely..
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| 3rd
Stage of Labor |
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The final part
of labor begins after the baby is born and ends
with the delivery of the placenta. Since the mother's
entire attention will be on her new baby, she may
not even be aware of this part of labor. There are
two ways..
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| What
is Labor? |
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Regular contractions
with dilatation of the cervix define labor. Contraction
sans the dilatation or opening of the cervix is
considered as latent phase or early labor which
is different from proper..
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| Pregnancy
Loss - The Aftermath |
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There are no set rules as to
how and what you will feel after miscarrying. Whether
you feel numb or guilt or grief, allow yourself
to succumb to those feelings and try to work through
them. After all..
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| Assisted
Delivery |
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When
labor doesn't progress smoothly, some assistance
becomes necessary. Popular procedures involve the
use of instruments such as forceps or a vacuum extractor.
Common reasons for assisted delivery are -
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| Life
in the Uterus |
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The
development of the fetus inside the utero from a
tiny group of cells to a fully grown baby occurs
with the help of the placenta, umbilical cord and
the amniotic fluid. This trio forms your baby's
life..
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| Pregnancy
after 35 - An Overview |
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To
wonder if your time is really up after you cross
35 is a thing of the past for those women who have
baby making plans on their agenda. You don't really
have to watch the clock but you need to be aware
of the facts, the pros and the cons. More and more
women are..
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| The
Effects of Stress During Pregnancy |
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The effects of stress during
pregnancy are inconsistent and inconclusive. There
are some evidence suggesting that stress during
pregnancy can cause lower birth-weight babies and..
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| Over
the Counter Medication |
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Pregnant or not, we all tend
to get our share of illnesses. During pregnancy
however we will wonder which medication is safe
and which should be avoided. There are a lot of
drugs which were once safe to buy..
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| Massage
in Pregnancy |
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Massage in your
pregnant months has therapeutic effects on your
body and mind. If your partner is doing it for you
it is one way of having him feel involved in your
pregnancy. Massage is not just for labor but..
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| What
Baby's Position During Pregnancy |
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The position the baby assumes
can affect labor and birth. Right up to week 36
it doesn't matter which position the baby lies in
because there is still time for it to make the change.
Basically most babies..
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