Nine Months- Femina - Indiatimes

Signs That Need Attention

Severe vomiting
Spotting – similar to light period
Fever and/or severe headache
Severe swelling on hands and feet
Regular contractions that get closer
with time much before the due date
Leakage of fluid from the womb
Baby stops moving for more than two hours

A planned pregnancy for a woman is a dream come true. For most, pregnancy lasts about nine months or 38 to 42 weeks from conception to birth. It is a time of rapid growth, development and change for mothers. Along with the external and internal physical changes, your emotions fluctuate a little, too. Know what changes you and your baby will experience during this gestation period because this will help you in planning before a baby comes.

During pregnancy, certain laboratory tests are done on all women in order to diagnose any possible problems. These include testing samples from blood, urine and cervix. These tests also help in knowing the baby’s progress. Certain other tests are carried out depending upon medical history and family background. You may even need to be tested for infections such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Regular weight gain and blood pressure is also noted down.

The First Trimester
The first three months are a little difficult because your body starts making hormones which cause morning sickness and heartburn. The morning sickness may make you feel tired during the second month, so eat several small meals — as that helps. Your breasts will enlarge and turn tender, so wear a good support bra. The nipple area may darken. Under normal circumstances, having sex during the first trimester is usually safe. Avoid taking medicines unless required and only after a doctor’s advice. You may want to urinate more frequently. In the third month, you may develop a dark line down the center of your belly, which will lighten once you deliver the baby. In spite of the nausea and vomiting, you may gain about 1.5 kg during the first three months.

Tests to be undertaken:
An ultrasound confirms your pregnancy and allows the doctor to tell the age of the foetus and also whether there are twins. Get your blood checked for blood type and Rh factor. If your baby’s Rh factor is different from yours, the antibodies that develop during the first pregnancy can threaten subsequent pregnancies. But these problems can now be easily resolved and prevented. Chorionic Villis Sampling (CVS) is usually performed between the 10th and the 13th week of pregnancy and can detect genetic abnormalities and chromosomal disorders. Get this done if you have a history of genetic abnormalities in your family.

The Second Trimester
In each subsequent month, the average weight gain should be about 1.5 kg, and a little more in the last two or three months. Morning sickness usually gets over by this time and your belly starts to show. The hormonal changes, increased pressure in the lower abdomen and decreased motility within the gastrointestinal tract can cause constipation. You’ll start to feel your baby kick, stretch and move. She can now even hear your voice. Your heart beats faster and you may need some more rest than usual. Lack of calcium at this time may give rise to leg cramps. You may even feel the weight of your pregnancy on your back and ‘waddle’ when you walk. Take the daily prenatal vitamins such as folic acid and minerals such as iron recommended by your doctor.

Tests to be undertaken:
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels are tested in the blood during the 15th to 20th week. An abnormal AFP result indicates foetal brain and spinal cord defects, Downs Syndrome — a chromosomal abnormality that includes mental retardation, multiple foetuses and a miscalculated due date.

Amniocentesis may be performed between the 15th and 20th week of pregnancy. The test is usually carried out in women above the age of 35 and on those who are at a risk of genetic disorders. It involves removal of the amniotic fluid surrounding the foetus, which is then tested for genetic disorders and certain birth defects.

Glucose Tolerance Test, performed during the fifth month of pregnancy, measures the level of glucose in the blood. Abnormal levels will indicate diabetes that may develop during pregnancy, which then needs monitoring.

The Third Trimester
Your ankles and hands may swell during the day, so try to put your feet up for a while every few hours. Stretch marks will begin to appear on your belly, hips, buttocks and breasts. The baby kicks a lot now. Your breasts continue to enlarge. During the eighth month you may experience a breast leak —the first milk called colostrum.

You need to urinate often due to the abdominal pressure on the bladder. You may feel short of breath. Avoid sleeping on your back; sleeping side-ways is a better position. Having sex during the third trimester is safe unless your doctor advises against it. You may feel irregular contractions that do not get any closer in frequency. Don’t forget to take your regular calcium, iron and folic acid supplements.

The last month of pregnancy is a difficult time for some as you need to carry the baby’s weight around. You need to pee yet more often. Finding a sleeping position that’s comfortable becomes difficult. The baby moves down into your pelvis and this is the time when you may be able to breathe easily. The cervix begins to dilate and becomes thin. At around 34 to 36 weeks, the baby turns head down into the birthing position.

Tests to be undertaken:
An ultrasound will tell you the position of the foetus around the eighth month. It may even be able to detect the chances of a breech delivery or whether the you need a Caesarian section. Blood pressure is checked and monitored to avoid complications at the time of delivery. Foetal monitoring is done to monitor the foetal heart rate and uterine activity. If the foetal rate is found abnormal the woman may need a Caesarian section.

Pregnancy Care
Eat small meals and drink plenty of fluids
Do not hold when nature calls, for pregnant women are more prone to urinary infections.
Exercise is a must. Take long walks. Do your Kegel exercises – clench, hold and slowly release the pelvic floor muscles to strengthen them. Do deep breathing exercises.
Take as much rest as possible and try to de-stress yourself.