Pregnancy Magazines

Archive for June, 2007

“Am I pregnant?” The answer to this age-old question once demanded a combination of guesswork, intuition, and time. In 1978, however, the long wait to know for sure became a thing of the past. Trumpeted by advertisements as “a private little revolution,” the first home pregnancy tests started appearing on drug store shelves that year. A quarter of a century later, innovations promise to make even the telltale thin blue line obsolete. This web site looks at the history of the home pregnancy test—one of the most ubiquitous home healthcare products in America—and examines its place in our culture.
The home pregnancy test works by identifying the presence of the “pregnancy hormone,” human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), in urine. Understanding hCG:
(See below for definitions of specific terms)When NIH scientists did their research in the early 1970s on measuring and identifying hCG, they were not sure what the role of hCG was in normal pregnancy, what normal levels of hCG should be, or how they would rise and fall during the course of the pregnancy.

Much research has been done, however, in the last 30 years, to answer these questions. Here is what happens during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy as it relates to hCG.

There are three phases of the menstrual cycle:

1. Follicular phase: the pituitary gland increases release of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). FSH stimulates growth of follicles in the ovary and prompts the release of estrogen from the ovary. Estrogen, in turn, causes the thickening of the endometrium. One follicle will mature and release an ovum (egg). LH is secreted mid-cycle, and stimulates the release of that ovum from the follicle in the ovary.

2. Ovulatory phase: The ovum is released from the follicle and makes its way down the fallopian tubes toward the uterus, perhaps to be fertilized along the way. There are increased levels of LH during this phase. An ovulation prediction kit will detect a surge in LH about 1-2 days before ovulation.

3. Luteal phase: this covers the time from ovulation through the next menstrual period. Following ovulation the follicle that released the ovum closes and becomes the corpus luteum. LH sustains the corpus luteum until, in the event of pregnancy, it is supported by hCG. Increased production of estrogen and progesterone follow. Both hormones prepare the endometrium for the implantation of a fertilized egg.

If pregnancy does not occur: the corpus luteum regresses, the hormone levels of progesterone and estrogen go back down, and the breakdown of the endometrium causes menstrual bleeding. The corpus luteum will last 10 to14 days and then die. If pregnancy does occur, the corpus luteum begins to produce hCG. This hormone stimulates the corpus luteum, preventing it from dying in early pregnancy. The corpus luteum produces estrogen and progesterone in the early part of the pregnancy, and is therefore vital for maintaining that pregnancy. Later, these hormones will be produced by the placenta. Therefore, if the corpus luteum does not function early on, the uterine lining will not support a pregnancy. Menstruation will occur and the pregnancy will miscarry. hCG is produced by the placenta in pregnancy, specifically by what is called the trophoblast of the chorionic villi. Levels are higher in the first trimester and then decrease as other hormones take over the job of protecting the embryo and, later, the fetus.If, for any reason, the embryo does not develop normally, the trophoblast will lose its capacity to sustain the rapid rise in hCG necessary to maintain the corpus luteum. To force support of the corpus luteum and sustain a pregnancy, hCG can be used clinically as part of IVF (in-vitro fertilization) and other infertility programs.

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Should I take a multivitamin during my pregnancy?

Yes. Most doctors recommend that pregnant women or those trying to get pregnant take a multivitamin or prenatal vitamin every day. This ensures that you and your baby get enough important nutrients like folic acid. Folic acid helps prevent serious birth defects of your baby’s brain and spine. These birth defects often happen before most women know they are pregnant.

Even women who plan carefully to eat healthy every day sometimes fail to get important nutrients. Taking a daily multivitamin or prenatal vitamin will guarantee you daily dose of needed nutrients. But don’t overdo it. Taking more than one multivitamin daily can be harmful.

What about other supplements?

Folic acid: Pregnant women need 400 micrograms (400 mcg) of folic acid every day to help prevent birth defects.

Folic acid is important for any woman who could possibly become pregnant. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps prevent serious birth defects of a baby’s brain or spine called neural tube defects. Getting enough folic acid can also help prevent birth defects like cleft lip and congenital heart disease.

Getting enough folic acid is most important very early in pregnancy, usually before a woman knows she is pregnant. So, at least one month before you try to become pregnant you should make sure you’re getting enough folic acid. Women who are already pregnant need to get enough folic acid every single day.

An easy way to get enough folic acid is to take a multivitamin every day. Most multivitamins sold in the U.S. contain enough folic acid for the day. But be sure to check the label! Choose a multivitamin that contains 400 mcg or 100% of the Daily Value (DV) for folic acid.

Another way to get enough folic acid is to eat a serving of breakfast cereal that contains 100% DV for folic acid, every day. Check the nutrition label on the box of cereal to be sure. It should say “100%” next to folic acid. Orange juice, spinach and legumes are also good sources of folic acid.

Iron: Pregnant women need twice as much iron — 30 mg per day — than other women.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant women start taking a low-dose iron supplement (30 mg/day) or a multivitamin with iron beginning at the time of their first prenatal visit. Ask your doctor what she recommends. Prenatal vitamins prescribed by your doctor or those you can buy over-the-counter usually have the amount of iron you need. But be sure to check the label to make sure. Pregnant women should also eat lots of iron-rich foods. Some good sources of iron include lean red meat, fish, poultry, dried fruits, whole-grain breads, and iron-fortified cereals.

Pregnant women need extra iron for the increased amount of blood in their bodies. Iron helps keep your blood healthy. Plus, your baby will store iron in his body to last through the first few months of life.

Too little iron can cause a condition called anemia. If you have anemia, you might look pale and feel very tired. Your doctor checks for signs of anemia with the routine blood tests taken at different stages of your pregnancy. If your doctor finds that you have anemia, she will give you a special iron supplements to take once or twice a day.

Calcium: Pregnant women aged 19 to 50 years should get 1,000 mg/day of calcium. Younger pregnant women need even more — 1300 mg/day.

Most women in the U.S. don’t eat enough calcium. So many pregnant women will have to change their diets to get their fill of this important mineral. Low-fat or non-fat milk, yogurt, cheese or other dairy products are great sources of calcium. Eating green leafy vegetables and calcium-fortified foods like orange juice and breakfast cereal can also provide calcium. If your diet is not providing 1,000 mg/day of calcium, talk to your doctor about taking a calcium supplement.

What role does water paly in nutrtion?

Water: Pregnant women should drink at least six eight-ounce glasses of water per day. Plus, pregnant women should drink another glass of water for each hour of activity.

Water plays a key role in your diet during pregnancy. It carries the nutrients from the food you eat to your baby. It also helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, excessive swelling, and urinary tract or bladder infections. Drinking enough water, especially in your last trimester, prevents you from becoming dehydrated. Not getting enough water can lead to premature or early labor.

Juices also contain water. But juice also has a lot of calories that can cause you to gain extra weight. Coffee, soft drinks, and teas with caffeine actually reduce the amount of fluid in your body. So caffeinated drinks do not count towards the total amount of water you need every day.

Questions in Search of Answers

As wonderful as pregnancy is, it can also be confusing and emotional. Sometimes you’ll feel all alone in your situation. It can be pleasantly surprising to find out that others have similar questions to yours.

From time to time at Pregnancy Hhc we will take a look at the questions that brought people to this site and we’ll share those questions with you. We hope, if nothing else, that you get a sense that you’re not alone, that whatever it is you’re wondering about it’s quite normal to be questioning.

We hope that the Pregnancy Hhc community will chime in with answers to some if not all of these questions. Either way we will focus on bringing you content that answers these questions.

• What are the very early symptoms of pregnancy?
• What to expect before a c section?
• What to expect at three months of pregnancy?
• Pregnant, what to expect at first doctor appointment?
• How early in pregnancy can fatigue start?
• How soon after implantation will you begin to feel pregnancy symptoms?
• What to expect during 3rd trimester?
• UTI in first weeks of pregnancy?
• Miscarriage rate second trimester?
• How common is an ectopic pregnancy?
• How often will I go to the Doctor in the last trimester?
  How much weight should I expect to gain in the third trimester?
• How to ease light headedness and dizzyness during pregnancy?
• Is cramps part of symptoms of pregnancy?
• What to eat before pregnancy?
• How can you feel your baby during the first trimester?