Pregnancy

Pregnancy is caused by the merging of Female gamete with the male gamete, in a process referred to, as 'fertilization'. And happens through the act of sexual intercourse.

 Duration:-

• The actual Pregnancy duration is typically 38 weeks after conception.Though pregnancy begins at conception, it is more convenient to date from the first day of woman's last menstrual cycle, or from the date of conception if known.

• Starting from one of these dates, the expected dare of delivery can be calculated.Forty weeks is 9 months and 6 days,which forms the basis of Naegele's rule for estimating date of delivery.

• Human Pregnancy is generally divided into three trimester periods, as a means to simplify reference to the different stages  of prenatal development.

Symptoms:-

• The symptoms can include nausea and vomiting, excessive tiredness and fatigue, craving for certain foods not normally considered a favourite and frequent urination @ during night.

• A number of early medical signs are associated with pregnancy. These signs include the presence of Human chori-onic gonadotropin (hCG) in the blood and urine, missed Menstrual Cycle, implantation bleeding that occurs at implantation of the embryo in the uterus during the third or fourth week after last MC.

• Increased basal body temperature sustained for over 2 weeks after ovulation, darkening of the Cervix, Vagina and vulva, softening of the Vaginal portion of the cervix, softening of the uterus isthmus and darkening of the skin in a middle of the abdomen, caused  by hyper-pigmentation resulting from hormonal changes, usually appearing around the middle of pregnancy. 

Detection Tests:-

• Pregnancy detection can be accomplished using one or more of various pregnancy tests, which detect hormones generated by the newly formed placenta. 

• Clinical blood and urine tests can detect pregnancy soon after implantation, which is as early as 6 to 8 days after fertilisation. 

• Blood pregnancy tests are more accurate than urine tests. Home pregnancy tests are personal urine tests, which normally cannot detect a pregnancy until at least 12 to 15 days after fertilisation. 

• Both Clinical and home tests can only detect the state of pregnancy, and cannot detect the age of embryo.

Contraception:-

• Birth control is the prevention of conception or implantation of fertilised ovum or termination of pregnancy.

• Contraception is effective when one has the knowledge of various forms of contraceptives and their usage. Lack of knowledge and strong belief in the myths around contraception result in unwanted pregnancies and sometimes unsafe abortions.

• It is important to educate ourselves on contraception to lead a healthy and balanced family life. 

Types of Contraceptives:-

• It is used as birth control methods. However, not all are equally effective. 

• Depending on their convenience, it is for the couple to decide on the type of contraception.Importantly, The pregnancy or failure rate is the primary consideration for choosing a contraceptive. 

Different Methods:-

• Natural forms (Like sexual abstinence during fertile period, Temperate method, mucus method, withdrawal method, rhythm method); Barrier methods (Like Condoms-Male & Female, Diaphragms, Which reduce the risk of AIDS, STDs and untimely pregnancies); Oral contraceptive pills and Intrauterine Devices(IUD); Injections; Cervical Cap; Spermicides; Film; Sponge; Sterilisation - Female (Tubectomy) - Male (Vasectomy).

• Birth Control pills are oral contraceptives containing synthetic oestrogen and progesterone or synthetic progesterone alone. They are most convenient method for all.

Input Soruce =  Manorama YB

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