5 signs that you are pregnant

A missed period

This might be one of the first signs of pregnancy you actually notice. If you have regular cycles you may be able to detect that you are pregnant when you miss your period. This is one of the most reliable signs of being pregnant.Scientific basis: A period occurs when the body stops producing progesterone (a hormone that plays a special role in the female menstrual cycle and in pregnancy) temporarily. This causes the uterus to shed its lining. When you become pregnant your body starts producing a lot of progesterone to sustain the baby. There is no progesterone withdrawal and no period. Period.

Abdominal bloating and breast tenderness

If your periods are not very regular it might be a little tough to notice a missed period. Abdominal bloating is another sign to look out for. Dr Anjali Rajurkar, an obstetrician from Mumbai, offers this tip, "If you have been trying to get pregnant and your jeans suddenly feel snug check if you are exhibiting other signs of pregnancy".Further, you might notice that your breasts have suddenly turned sore and sensitive.Scientific basis: Both abdominal bloating and breast tenderness result from the high levels of hormones your body starts producing when you become pregnant.
Fatigue and sleepiness
You just woke up and had a cup of coffee. But you can't wait to go back to bed again. You feel tired all the time.Well, most pregnant women experience a high degree of fatigue and sleepiness in their first trimester.Scientific basis: No one knows for sure why this happens. But experts believe that the high levels of progesterone in your body might be responsible for this feeling of exhaustion.
Nausea and vomiting
Finally! And you thought we would never mention it.For some women nausea is one of the first symptoms of pregnancy. They start feeling unusually queasy and certain odours become very repulsive. Though the nausea and vomiting you experience in the first trimester of pregnancy is called morning sickness, it could occur at any time of the day. It is often triggered by meals.But if you do not have any nausea during the first trimester, do not panic. You might be one of the lucky few who escapes this ordeal entirely.Scientific basis: Again, blame it on your hormones. Experts believe that high levels of human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone vital for the sustenance of pregnancy, causes morning sickness.
Bleeding
Some women experience a small amount of vaginal bleeding when they become pregnant. When the fetus implants itself on the wall of the uterus this can happen. The bleeding is extremely light and might last a couple of days. In any case, if you spot vaginal bleeding, contact your obstetrician to rule out other causes.

Pregnancy tips

Help your spouse steer clear of these pregnancy no-nos to help keep her and the baby safe and healthy:

1. 
   Avoid fish with lots of mercury in her diet. Get correct information from your dietitian on what fish to eat and what fish to avoid when she is pregnant.
   
2. Don't disregard food borne illness. Eat, cook, handle and clean food safely! According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, food borne illness can cause serious health problems - or even death for both mother and baby.
   
3. Protect her from using chemicals. Products including herbicides, pesticides, paint, stains, and some cleaning solutions may be harmful to your baby. If she must use these things, make sure she wears gloves, a mask, and keeps the room well-ventilated.
   
4. Don't let her clean or change a cat's litter box. This could put her at risk for an infection called toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite that cats can carry in their feces. Toxoplasmosis can harm a fetus.

pregnancy tips

Pregnancy Tips
Taking care of yourself during your pregnancy is of utmost importance. Your gynaecologist will give you general guidelines, but don't expect to be spoonfed. Here's what you need to know and do on your own.
Diet Read up on what constitutes a good diet or speak with a nutritionist. Your doctor may not tell you to avoid eating outside, but if you have a sensitive stomach, use your own common sense and stay away from uncooked foods, salads, and avoid eating at places where the food is suspect. Don't eat outdoors in the summer when food gets spoiled easily. Be particular about eating a well-balanced meal and don't fill yourself up with empty calories.

Sleep How should you sleep at night? Sleeping on your back when pregnant may harm your back, as the added weight sits straight on your spinal cord. It's best if you sleep on your side, preferably on your left side. This position also ensures optimal oxygen flow to your baby.

Alcohol Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol at this time. You may have heard or read at various places that wine is fairly safe during pregnancy. However, while the safety of downing a drink may be questionable, refusing it is unquestionably a safe bet. The choice is up to you. If you are craving for a drink, you may consider giving in and going for a small glass of red wine. But if the craving is not so strong and you can overcome it, consider opting for a juice! A cup of mild coffee a day is fine, but needless to say, a cup of juice is even better. The choice is yours.

Exercise A short walk everyday will suffice. You don't need to gear up for the marathon, but keeping your leg muscles strong will help in the delivery process. Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise programme.
Read Spend some time reading everyday. This will not guarantee that your baby will grow up with a love of literature, but reading is definitely a relaxing activity. In fact, it is a good idea for you to stay away from depressing books, and read something light and interesting. "I read a lot of very funny books and joke books when I was pregnant. With the result that I laughed a lot, and my baby too is constantly smiling and laughing. I don't know if it is the result of all the books I read, but I believe a happy pregnancy leads to a happy baby," says Sunayana. So if you enjoy reading, pick up some lighthearted books at this time. If not, surely a joke a day should be achievable! Pregnancy in general can be a very stressful time, and this is a great way to just let loose and laugh. The effects of heartfelt laughter are bound to impact a foetus positively.
Music Listen to soothing music, and play the same music consistently at the same time. Continue when the baby is born, and watch your baby calm down as soon as you play the music!

How your menstrual cycle works

Some background
A newborn baby girl has up to 450,000 eggs stored in her ovaries. When she starts her periods between the ages of about 10 and 14, one of these eggs will ripen each month. The egg is released from the ovary and caught by the ferny ends of the fallopian tube, which transports it, using a gentle rippling motion, along to the uterus (womb). If the egg is fertilised by a sperm along its journey, it will bed down once it reaches the uterus and grow into a baby and a placenta. If fertilisation doesn't take place, the egg will be flushed out, along with the lining of your uterus, when you have your period

What's a normal menstrual cycle?

An average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days - that's counting from the first day of one period to the day before the next. Some women have much shorter cycles, possibly lasting only 23 days, and some have much longer ones, lasting up to 35 days. Cycles which are shorter or longer than this are probably not normal, and you should see your GP. You should also see your GP if you bleed between periods or after sex.

How your hormones work
Your menstrual cycle is under the control of an array of hormones produced in various parts of the body: • Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (produced in the hypothalamus, which is in the brain)

• Follicle stimulating hormone (produced in the pituitary gland, which is also in the brain)

• Luteinising hormone (produced in the pituitary gland)

• Oestrogen (produced in the ovaries) • Progesterone (also produced in the ovaries)

The whole process starts in the brain. The hypothalamus produces gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRh), which travels to the pituitary gland and signals it to release follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is carried round the body in the bloodstream and stimulates the ovaries to start ripening eggs. Between 15 and 20 egg-containing sacs, called follicles, then start to mature in the ovaries. One follicle (or very occasionally, two or more) grows faster than all the others. FSH also stimulates the ovaries to produce oestrogen. This encourages the eggs to mature and starts to thicken the lining of the uterus so that it's ready to support a pregnancy, should fertilisation occur.

Ovulation: the egg is released
As oestrogen levels rise, levels of FSH fall temporarily and then rise again - accompanied by a huge surge of luteinising hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland. It is this hormone that triggers ovulation - the moment that the most mature egg bursts out of its sac and away from the ovary. The egg is immediately caught up by the ends of the fallopian tube. Normally your cervix (the neck of your uterus) produces a thick, opaque mucus that sperm can't penetrate. Just before ovulation, though, oestrogen changes the mucus so that it becomes thin, clear and stretchy. This allows the sperm to swim through the cervix into the uterus and up to the fallopian tubes where fertilisation may take place.
After ovulation
In the ovary, the now empty follicle collapses and becomes a corpus luteum. This small yellow mass of cells starts to produce the hormone progesterone. Progesterone changes the mucus in the cervix so that, once again, it becomes impenetrable to sperm. It also acts on the lining of the uterus, which becomes thick and spongy as a result of an increased blood supply, ready to receive a fertilised egg. As levels of progesterone rise, your breasts may feel stretched and tingly. The pituitary gland stops producing FSH so that no more eggs mature in your ovaries.
If fertilisation occurs...
If the egg is fertilised in the fallopian tube, it will continue to travel to the uterus, where it beds down in the lining. At this implantation stage the fertilised egg is made up of about 150 cells. The journey from ovary to uterus takes about five days. Your progesterone levels will stay high and you may start to feel the early signs of pregnancy.
If fertilisation doesn't occur ...
If the egg isn't fertilised or doesn't successfully implant, it starts to disintegrate and the corpus luteum shrinks. Your oestrogen and progesterone levels drop and the lining of your uterus starts to produce prostaglandins. These chemicals cause changes in the blood supply to your uterus, breaking up the lining, and stimulating the uterus to contract. Your period starts and the lining of your uterus is shed along with the unfertilised egg, and your menstrual cycle starts again.