Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an important phase in the reproduction of a mother. The reproduction life of a female starts with men ache and ends with menopause. Pregnancy can be defined as the physiological condition of a woman that starts with the birth of the conception and lasts with the birth of the baby. The normal period of pregnancy is generally considered nine months and seven days or 280 days. However, fertilization occurs fourteen days prior to the date of the expected missed period. Therefore, the exact duration of pregnancy is 280 to fourteen or sixty days.

Signs and Symptoms during Pregnancy

The following are signs and symptoms are observed during pregnancy:

1. Amenorrhea/ Stopped menstruation: The menstruation in pregnant woman stops, as the ovum is already fused with the sperm. Sometimes the menstrual date can be changed some days earlier or later. It is wise to wait for at least ten days after the expected date of menstruation to consider occurrence of pregnancy.
2. Breast change: During the early phase of pregnancy, woman experience the changes of breast such as heaviness, discomfort and tingling in the breast. As pregnancy progresses, the beast become large, the nipple and areola enlarge and become more pigmented.
3. Exhaustion: Pregnant women feel sleepiness and lack of the interest to do any work. They feel tired and heavy.
4. Morning sickness: During the early phase of pregnancy, the woman experience nausea in the morning, even accompanied by vomiting.
5. Enlargement of the uterus: With the development of the fetus, the abdomen of the pregnant woman enlarges. It grows out of the pelvis in the supra- pubic region about twelve weeks and reaches umbilicus at twenty-two weeks.
6. Skin change: The skin of the armpit and breast that becomes dark within twenty four weeks, (called chloasma) in the cheek is observed.

Problems during Pregnancy

There are various types of problem that are observed during pregnancy period. These problems are categorized as minor and major problems. As the pregnancy period is special stage, many pregnant woman face various problems. Pregnant woman should be handled with care. It is very sensitive stage.

Minor problems of Pregnancy

Pregnant woman face the following minor problems:

• Morning sickness (nausea and vomiting)
• Swelling of vein of leg
• Anaemea
• Constipation
• Loss of sleep
• Fatigue
• Swelling of gum
• Nasal bleeding

• Abortion: Abortion can be defined as terminating pregnancy before 20 weeks. It is the expulsion of fetus before becoming variable to survive. There are two types pf abortion spontaneous and induced. Expulsion of alive or dead fetus before 20 weeks is called spontaneous abortion. Expulsion of fetus with the desire to kill it or terminate the pregnancy by using medicine is called induced abortion.
• Oedema: Due to extra 5-6 liters of water accumulated by woman during pregnancy oedema is caused. Lower limbs are swollen because of load of increasing baby in womb. Pressed veins get swelled. There might be problem of increasing weight unnecessarily. To maintain the weight in normal state, attention should be paid on meal.