Pregnancy Topic

HOW CAN I GET PREGNANT? 

You're more likely to get pregnant if you and your partner are both in good health. Making some changes to your lifestyle may improve your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy. About 84% of couples will conceive within one year if they do not use contraception and have sex regularly. Of those who don't conceive in the first year, about half will do so in the second year. If you've been trying for a baby for more than one year without success, see your GP for advice. 

LIFESTYLE

When you're trying for a baby, avoid drinking alcohol to reduce the risk of harming the baby. If you choose to drink, you should drink no more than one to two units of alcohol once or twice a week and don't get drunk. Advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) also advises women to avoid alcohol in the first three months of pregnancy because of the increased risk of miscarriage. Your partner should drink no more than three to four units of alcohol a day. Drinking alcohol excessively can affect the quality of his sperm. However there's no clear evidence of a link between caffeine (which is in drinks such as coffee, tea and cola) and fertility problems.

Smoking may reduce fertility in women, including passive smoking. There's also a link between smoking and poorer quality sperm, although the effect on male fertility is not certain. However, stopping smoking will improve your partner's general health.

THE BEST TIME TO GET PREGNANT 

You're most likely to get pregnant if you have sex within a day or so of ovulation.  This usually happens about 14 days after the first day of your last period. An egg lives for about 12-24 hours after it's released. For you to get pregnant, a sperm must fertilise the egg within this time. Sperm can live for up to seven days inside your body. Guidance from NICE advises that, for the best chance of success, you should have sex every two to three days throughout the month. You don't need to time it to coincide with the days when you ovulate.

PROBLEMS GETTING PREGNANT 

If you have fertility problems, you may be struggling with many difficult feelings. Complex and often painful emotions are common for people with fertility problems, those who can't have children and those having fertility treatment.

Not all people who experience fertility problems feel this way. The 1.5 million people affected by fertility problems have all kinds of responses, says Brown. But for those who find themselves tackling difficult emotions, there is help.

FIND SUPPORT 

People with fertility problems may find it useful to talk to family and friends about the way they feel. For some, however, this isn’t an option. They may not want to share their problem with people who are close to them. 

Many people find that talking to other people in a similar situation is the most beneficial form of support, says Brown. 

There's also a telephone helpline staffed by volunteers to provide information, support and understanding. You can also find out more about getting counselling or therapy.  

Signs & Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Not everyone may get the same signs/Symptoms when they are pregnant, but here are the Top 10.

1. Missed Period

if your periods are generally like clock work then the first sign you could be pregnant is a missed period.

2. Prickling, tingling nipples 

In some women this can happen a few days after conception, some women might not get this symptom at all.  This happens because pregnancy hormones increase the blood flow to the breasts

3. Spotting and cramping   

It's quite common to have spotting in pregnancy, medical experts are not quite sure why this happens but it's quite common to have pinkish/brownish blood around the time your period would be due. it is thought to be an implantation bleed. This is when the fertilised egg attatches Itself to the uterus. It is also common to have cramping around this time.

 4. Feeling Sick otherwise known as Morning Sickness

If you're lucky, you'll escape this completely. However, morning sickness is a common symptom of early pregnancy. It can start as early as 4 weeks pregnant. You may feel sick and queasy, or even vomit. Despite the name, morning sickness can affect you at anytime of the day.

5. Sore or swollen breasts.

Once you are about six weeks pregnant, your breasts may become increasingly tender to touch. You may notice that your breasts are larger and swollen, with blue veins visible just below the skin. Tenderness tends to be most common in the first trimester, easing as the pregnancy progresses.

Signs & Symptoms of pregnancy...continued

6. Tiredness

Finding yourself yamning and tired all the time can be a sign of pregnancy, although not everyone suffers from it. it can start straight away right until the end of the pregnancy as it is your body supporting baby.

7. Weeing More

This is down to a combination of pregnancy hormones, a larger volume of blood in your system, and your kidneys working extra hard. If you feel pain or a burning sensation when you wee, though, you may have a urinary tract infection (UTI).          

                        

8.Darker Nipples

Skin changes are very common during pregnancy. One of the first changes you may notice is that the circle of skin round your nipples (areolas) getting darker. This can happen from roughly 8 weeks pregnant.

9.Food cravings and altered sense of smell

Food cravings can be a sign of pregnancy. You may go off some foods, but develop acraving for others. This can happen very early for some women, even before they've missed a period, some women might not have any cravings at all through the pregnancy. Some women report a metallic taste in their mouth, others that they can’t stand the taste of coffee or a food they usually like, such as eggs. Your sense of smell may change as well, and you may find that you're more sensitive to the smells from certain food. 

10.  Home Pregnancy Test

When you miss a period, the best way to find out if your pregnant is a jome pregnancy test. You then have a reliable result. You may then need to pop to your GP's to have the result confirmed.

Although you may be carrying a baby it is perfectly healthy to exercise, just know your limits. 

The more active and fit you are during pregnancy, the easier it will be for you to adapt to your changing shape and weight gain. It will also help you to cope with labour and get back into shape after the birth.

Keep up your normal daily physical activity or exercise (sport, running, yoga, dancing, or even walking to the shops and back) as long as you feel comfortable, once you start to feel overtired or pained during exercise, stop or tone it down a level or two. Exercise is not dangerous for pregnant women and there is some evidence that suggests active women are less likely to experience problems in later pregnancy and labour.

Exercise tips for during pregnancy

Always warm up before exercising, and cool down afterwards

Try to keep active on a daily basis, half an hour of walking each day can be enough, but if you can't manage that, any amount is better than nothing   

Avoid any strenuous exercise in hot weather

Drink plenty of water and other fluids

if you go to exercise classes, make sure your teacher is properly qualified, and knows that you’re pregnant as well as how many weeks pregnant you are, you might like to try swimming because the water will support your increased weight. Some local swimming pools provide aquanatal classes with qualified instructors.

Exercises that have a risk of falling, such as horse riding, downhill skiing, ice hockey, gymnastics and cycling, should only be done with caution.

There are also a number of exercises which can help strengthen the muscles which are used most during pregnancy and labour.

If you would like to know about these kind of exercises, it's best to speak to your midwife or a physiotherapist, as they will know what is best for you.

Exercises to avoid in pregnancy

Don't lie flat on your back, particularly after 16 weeks, because the weight of your bump presses on the main blood vessel bringing blood back to your heart and this can make you feel faint

Don't take part in contact sports where there's a risk of being hit, such as kickboxing, judo or squash

Don't go scuba diving, because the baby has no protection against decompression sickness and gas embolism (gas bubbles in the bloodstream)

FOLIC ACID IN PREGNANCY

Folic acid also know as vitamin B9 significantly reduces neural tube defects such as spina bifida, so it is extremely important to take it while pregnant, especially in the first twelve weeks and before if trying to Conceive.

Folic acid can be bought from a chemist or your midwife can give you some.

It is advised that a 400mg tablet is taken once a day to decrease the risk the risk or spina bifida and also a cleft palate. You should also eat foods rich in folic acid. These foods are:

Brussels sprouts

black-eyed beans

asparagus

broccoli

baked potatoes

bran flakes

hard-boiled eggs

tinned salmon

yeast extract

orange juice or an orange

brown rice

granary bread

FOOD DO's AND DONT's IN PREGNANCY

There are so many foods to avoid while pregnant and others to be cautious of. The foods to avoid are:

Soft cheese with white rind -unless cooked

Soft blue cheese - unless cooked

All pate

Undercooked or partially eggs

Raw or Undercooked meat

Liver

Fish.(shark, swordfish,

Foods to be cautious of:

Tuna: no more than two steaks or 4 cans

Cured and fermented meat:  salami, Parma ham, chorizo and pepperoni, are not cooked

Oily fish supplement: too much vitamin A can be harmful

Sushi: ensure the fish was frozen before making

Milk/ice cream: must be pasteurized

Caffeine: high amounts can cause low birth weight

Green tea: no more than 4 cups a day

Foods safe:

Peanuts

White fish

Liquorice

Cooked shellfish

Soft cheese: made from pasteurized milk such as:

These include:

cottage cheese

mozzarella

feta

cream cheese

paneer

ricotta

halloumi

goats' cheese

processed cheeses such as cheese spreads

Ultrasound scans

For many women, ultrasound scans are the highlight of pregnancy. It's very exciting and moving to 'see' your baby in the womb, often moving his or her hands and legs.

Hospitals routinely offer women at least two ultrasound scans during their pregnancy. The first is usually when you're around 12 weeks pregnant and is sometimes called the dating scan, because it estimates when your baby is due.

The second scan usually takes place between 18 weeks and 21 weeks. It's called the anomaly scan because it checks for structural abnormalities in the baby.

What To Expect Going In To The Scan

You may be asked not to go for a wee before you have the scan. A full bladder pushes your womb up and this gives a better picture.

You then lie on your back and some lubricating gel is put on your abdomen. A small device is then passed backwards and forwards over your skin, and high-frequency sound is beamed through your abdomen into the womb. The sound is reflected back and creates a picture, which is shown on a TV screen. 

Ask for the picture to be explained to you if the image seems confusing. It should be possible for your partner to come with you and see the scan. Many couples feel that this helps to make the baby seem real for them both. You may be able to have a picture of your baby – there might be a small charge for this.

HOW HOME PREGNANCY TESTS WORK

All home pregnancy tests measure the same thing: urinary levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a (developing) placenta-produced hormone of pregnancy. HCG finds its way into your bloodstream and urine almost immediately after an embryo begins implanting in the uterus, between six and 12 days after fertilization. As soon as a test can detect hCG in your urine, it can show a pink line, a blue one, a positive sign, or a big digital yes — all indicating a positive result.

HOW TO GET THE BEST RESULTS

The details of how you should perform an HPT vary by brand, but in general, it's probably the simplest test you'll ever take. You'll either hold the test stick in your stream of urine for a few seconds, or collect your urine in a cup, then dip the stick into it. It's no longer necessary to use your first-morning urine, but if you're testing early,you're more likely to get an accurate result if you haven't urinated in the past four hours (because your urine will contain more concentrated levels of hCG). In addition, most tests prefer you use midstream urine. Urinate for a second or two, stop, hold it and then put either the stick or the cup in position to catch the rest of the stream. Follow the package directions to get the most accurate results.