- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preconception articles
- preconception q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Are You or Aren't You?
Common Signs of Pregnancy
By Dr. David Fay
Women may have all of the common symptoms of pregnancy, none of them or any combination of them. Non-pregnant women may have the symptoms. Different pregnancies in the same woman may cause different symptoms. It can be very confusing and stressful; in fact, stress over whether or not one is pregnant can cause symptoms of pregnancy! So how do you sort it all out?
The most common sign of pregnancy is missing a period (called "amenorrhea"), especially if the woman has been having regular menses prior to missing her period. This occurs because hormones elaborated by the corpus luteum* maintain the uterine lining for implantation of the embryo. While there are many causes of amenorrhea, in women of child-bearing age pregnancy is one of the most common. It is also possible to be pregnant while continuing to menstruate, although this is very rare.
Nausea in pregnancy is commonly known as "morning sickness," despite the fact that it can occur at any time of the day. Most commonly it lasts for a few hours, then recedes. It usually begins at about 4 to 8 weeks gestation (calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period). It is caused by a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, the same hormone measured in pregnancy tests), which usually peaks at about 12 to 14 weeks gestation. Levels of hCG decrease rapidly after their peak, and the nausea generally disappears at the beginning of the second trimester. Rarely, the nausea can continue throughout the pregnancy.
Want to see more?
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||
