Posts Tagged ‘Pregnancy’

Mucus Plug in Pregnancy

During pregnancy, secretions amass together at the uterus’s orifice and form a kind of a plug at a women’s cervix, blocking the cervical canal. This plug is helpful to the Mother –to- be, as it protects the infant from all the worldly infections, by forming a protective barrier of sorts. It acts as a wall to keep the growing fetus safe from all kinds of bacteria, etc which may hamper its growth. Thus, protection of the child is the mucus plug’s basic task.At the time of labour, the cervix has to open up, to allow safe passage of the baby from the womb, into the outside world. So, at this time, the plug opens up and falls off. The plug may be reddish in colour or a bit on the pinkish side, and is also sticky.

After this is done, depending upon the situation, one will have to contact the health provider. If the plug expelled out is normal in colour, without any aberrations, then he may be contacted as per the decided schedule. However, if the plug is totally red, and if the amount thrown out is more than 28grams, then the Health Care Provider has to be contacted at the earliest.

In fact, he has to be called immediately, as there may be complications, like the mother suffering from placental previa or placental abruption, which may be a problem for the child. So, in such situations, special and proper care has to be taken, and he should be contacted whenever it is necessary to ask questions regarding pregnancy.
It’s believed that secretion of the plug is the first sign that labour will start, however that isn’t a guarantee. Sometimes it may start directly after secretion, and sometimes it may need weeks. The plug is generally ejected in the 36th or 37th week of pregnancy, and after that occurs, the patient is advised to calm down, and keep a cool temperament.

How to Recognize the Symptoms of Gall Bladder in Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, you will probably be interested to learn how to recognize the symptoms of gallbladder in pregnancy. Gallbladder problems are common during pregnancy. In fact, when it comes to common surgeries during the pregnancy period, gallbladder removal comes second, right after appendix removal surgery. Women are prone to gallbladder problems – more than man are. Researches have shown that gallbladder problems fall into the group of common health issues during pregnancy. Generally speaking, women have twice more chances to develop gallstones than men do. This can happen to any woman, regardless of her age.

What Are the Causes of Gall Bladder Problems in Pregnancy?

Contraceptive pills and estrogen are contributing factors to gallstones developing. During pregnancy, the chances to have gallbladder problems are increased because of higher estrogen levels. Progesterone levels are also increased, which leads to slowing down the gallbladder functions. Further on, this causes formation of gallstones. Other causes can be bile salts, cholesterol, lecithin etc.

The Symptoms of Gall Bladder in Pregnancy

Gallbladder attacks in pregnancy often occur right after large or fatty meals. They occur at night and can last from fifteen minutes to ten (or more) hours. Some of the common symptoms are pain the abdomen (upper), back pain, vomiting and/or nausea, pain near the right shoulder, belching, gas and bad digestion. Other symptoms include chills, mild fever, increased sweating and changes in stool color.

The problem with gallbladder symptoms during pregnancy is that they are often mistaken for other pregnancy problems. For example, if you have problems with vomiting and nausea, you may think that this is happening because of pregnancy itself. Gas and abdominal pain can also be mistaken for other pregnancy problems. It is very important to check your health regularly, especially during pregnancy. If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, visit your doctor.

Beta HCG Levels in Early Pregnancy

Beta hCG levels in early pregnancy are quite good indicators of viable pregnancy prior to the sixth week. In fact, the only indicator that is more reliable is baby’s healthy heartbeat, but that can only be heard after the sixth week of pregnancy.

This is the hormone which is responsible for the chemical reaction that occurs while taking a pregnancy tests. Levels of hCG in blood are higher than those in urine, so if you get a positive on a test, you should still go see a doctor for a blood test, because the blood test is more reliable.

It is an embryo’s way to let the woman know that she is pregnant. hCG stands for “human Chorionic Gonadotropin”, but in medical slang, the test is often referred to as “beta”. The level of hCG in a woman who is not pregnant is less than 10 mIU/ml. In a pregnant woman it reaches 100 mIU/ml and more than three quarters of pregnant women (around 85%) will have their hCG doubled in every 72 hours.

Presence of hCG in blood can be determined by blood test taken eight days after the ovulation. It can be detected even before the woman misses her period. HCG is responsible for maintaining corpus luteum which produces progesterone. Progesterone is on the other hand needed because it helps keeping the lining of the uterus healthy and thick.

Thick lining is needed for healthy pregnancy. Although hCG is one of the best indicators of early pregnancy, there is a very large variation of values during the pregnancy. Low hCG level may indicate an ectopic pregnancy (the fetus has started growing outside the uterus) or a possible miscarriage. It can also indicate a miscalculated date of conception.

High levels of hCG can indicate a miscalculated date of conception, but they can also indicate conditions as molar pregnancy or multiple pregnancy.

Twin Pregnancy Week By Week

If you have twin pregnancy, you should monitor your progress week by week. First twelve weeks pass without any obvious differences between the twin and the singleton pregnancy.

The period from week 12 to week 16 is the time when a woman carrying twins may start wearing looser clothes, because her abdomen may be bigger than that of a woman carrying only one baby. Headaches may occur, but morning sickness is going away. As the week 20 approaches, woman may start to feel first kicks. The period from week 20 to 24 is the time when stretch marks appear because the uterus is stretching in order to accommodate two babies.

Some women may develop chloasma, a slight change of face color towards brown especially on the  forehead, lips and cheeks. Anemia is also common at this period, so ask your doctor about some iron supplement.

During the period from week 24 to 28 as the uterus stretches more and more, all the unpleasant feelings are present. Frequent urination, swollen extremities, fatigue and if you were so lucky to make it without any hemorrhoids, it is very likely that they will appear at this period. After week 28, the pregnancy will become quite uncomfortable.

It is very hard to find a good position to sit or sleep, back pain is getting worse because woman has to carry double weight when compared with normal pregnancy. Don’t do any intense work. Shortness of breath  is common during this period.

Be very careful, because in this period, the chance of premature labor is increasing, so you have to pay close attention to what is your body telling you.

After the 32nd week, Braxton-Hicks contractions will very likely increase. If they are persistent or painful, contact your doctor as this may be a sign of preterm labor. Heartburn is also common, because there is an increased pressure on the stomach and there is no enough digestive space. 50 percent of all mothers carrying twins will start their labor in week 37.

Signs of labor will appear at this period: a feeling of pressure on pelvis, amniotic fluid, slight bleeding. You might want to speak to your doctor about “C” section.