Pregnancy Planning (cont.)
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
In this Article
- Pregnancy Planning Facts
- What is pregnancy planning and why is it important?
- What are pregnancy symptoms?
- What is a pregnancy calculator and calendar?
- Who effective are home pregnancy tests?
- How can diet and nutrition affect early pregnancy?
- How does alcohol affect pregnancy?
- How do high blood pressure and diabetes affect pregnancy?
- What are examples of commonly-used medications that are dangerous in pregnancy?
- How do kidney and heart disease affect pregnancy?
- What infections affect pregnancy?
- What inherited (genetic) diseases can play a role in pregnancy planning?
- Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?
- Can I travel by air during pregnancy?
- Can I have intercourse during pregnancy?
- How soon after stopping birth control can I become pregnant?
- How do we maximize our chances of becoming pregnant?
- Can I do something to help my chances of conceiving a boy or a girl?
- Early Pregnancy Symptoms - Slideshow
- Take the Pregnancy Myths and Facts Quiz!
- Stages of Pregnancy - Slideshow
- Find a local Obstetrician-Gynecologist in your town
What are pregnancy symptoms?
There are both symptoms and signs of pregnancy. These symptoms and signs depend upon the time in pregnancy. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the first sign of pregnancy is most often a missed menstrual period. If a sexually active woman's periods are generally regular, missing a period for a week or more is presumptive evidence of pregnancy.
Early symptoms of pregnancy also include feelings of breast swelling and tenderness, and nausea sometimes with vomiting. "Morning sickness" does not always occur in the morning, and the nausea of pregnancy can occur at any time of day. Many women become fatigued early in pregnancy, and some may feel abdominal enlargement (bloating).
Early in pregnancy, the woman may feel she has to urinate frequently, especially at nighttime, and she may leak urine when coughing, sneezing or laughing. This is also normal later in pregnancy and is not a problem.
Other changes characteristic of pregnancy include the deepening color of the areola (area surrounding the nipple), increased body temperature, the so-called "mask of pregnancy" (darkening of skin on the forehead, bridge of the nose, or cheekbones), and a dark line going down from the middle of the central abdomen area to the pubic area. Eventually, enlargement of the abdomen is a normal feature of the growing fetus.
What is a pregnancy calculator and calendar?
A pregnancy calendar or calculator can allow a pregnant woman to understand what is happening to her body and to the developing embryo or fetus at each stage of pregnancy. Most pregnancy calendars explain the changes of pregnancy on a week-to-week level and can be found online or in print form. In many cases, pregnancy calendars contain photos or diagrams to illustrate the appearance of the fetus at each stage.
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