.png)
Pregnancy
Do you want the facts on how pregnancy happens? Or are you pregnant and want to know more about your options? Maybe you want to know how to have a healthy pregnancy. No matter the question, you’ve come to the right place.
In this section :
1. How does pregnancy happen?
2. How do you get pregnant?
3. What are early pregnancy symptoms?
4.What are the stages of pregnancy?
5.Pregnancy – what to expect month by month
1. How does pregnancy happen??
Sperm needs to meet up with an egg, in order for pregnancy to happen. Pregnancy starts when a fertilized egg implants in the lining of the uterus. It takes up to 2-3 weeks after sex for pregnancy to happen.
2. How do you get pregnant?
Pregnancy is quite a complicated process with several steps. It all starts with sperm cells and an egg.
Sperm (microscopic cells) are made in testicles. Sperm mixes with other fluids to make semen (cum), which comes out of the penis during ejaculation. Millions of sperm come out every time you ejaculate but it only takes 1 sperm cell to meet with an egg for pregnancy to happen.
Eggs live in ovaries, and the hormones that control your menstrual cycle enable a few eggs to mature every month. When your egg is mature, it means it’s ready to be fertilized by a sperm cell. These hormones also make the lining of your uterus thick and gets your body ready for pregnancy.
About halfway through your menstrual cycle, one mature egg leaves the ovary. This is called ovulation. It travels through the fallopian tube towards your uterus.
The egg ‘hangs out’ for about 12-24 hours. It slowly moves through the fallopian tube to see if any sperm are around.
If semen gets in your vagina, sperm cells can swim up through the cervix. The sperm and uterus work together to move the sperm to the fallopian tubes. If an egg is moving through your fallopian tubes at the same time, the sperm and egg can join. The sperm has up to six days to join with an egg before it dies.
When a sperm cell is joined with an egg, it’s called fertilization. Fertilization doesn’t happen right away. Since sperm can remain in your uterus and fallopian tube for up to 6 days after sex, there’s up to 6 days between sex and fertilization.
When a sperm cell does join up with your egg, the fertilized egg travels down the fallopian tube toward the uterus. It begins to divide into more and more cells, forming a ball as it grows. The ball of cells (called a blastocyst) gets to the uterus about 3–4 days after fertilization.
The ball of fertilized cells floats in the uterus for another 2–3 days. If it attaches to the lining of your uterus, it’s called implantation. This is when pregnancy officially begins.
Implantation usually starts about 6 days after fertilization, and takes about 3-4 days to complete. The embryo develops from cells on the inside of the ball. The placenta develops from the cells on the outside of the ball.
When a fertilized egg implants in the uterus, it releases pregnancy hormones. The hormones prevent the lining of your uterus from shedding. That’s why people don’t get periods when they’re pregnant. If your egg doesn’t meet up with sperm, or a fertilized egg doesn’t implant in your uterus, the thick lining of your uterus isn’t needed and it leaves your body during your period.
Up to 50% of all fertilized eggs naturally don’t implant in the uterus. They pass out of your body during your period
3. What are early pregnancy symptoms?
Many people notice symptoms early in their pregnancy. Or you may not notice any symptoms at all.
Some common signs and symptoms of pregnancy:
• Missed period
• Swollen or tender breasts
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Feeling tired
• Peeing more often than usual
For many women, the signs and symptoms of early pregnancy can resemble those of her approaching menstrual period or PMS. So the only way to know for sure if you’re pregnant is to take a pregnancy test. You can either take a home pregnancy test (the kind you buy at the drug or grocery store), or get a pregnancy test at your doctor’s office or at FPA Sri Lanka Clinics.
4. What are the stages of pregnancy?
Pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. The stages of pregnancy are divided into 3 trimesters. Each trimester is a little longer than 13 weeks.
You’ll go through many changes during each trimester. Some people feel discomfort. Others don’t feel much at all.
During the first trimester, you’ll may have lots of body changes. These can include:
• Tiredness
• Tender, swollen breasts
• Morning sickness
• Constipation
• Needing to pee more often
• Cravings or dislike for certain foods
• Mood swings
• Headache
• Heartburn
• Weight gain or loss
Most of these symptoms pass away at the second trimester. This is when your belly gets bigger and you’ll feel the fetus move. You may also notice:
• Body aches
• Stretch marks
• Patches of darker skin
• Numb or tingling hands
• Itching on your abdomen, palms, and feet
• Darkening of your areolas
• A line on your skin running from your belly button to pubic bone
• Swelling of your ankles, fingers, or face
In the third trimester, some of the same symptoms may continue. You may also experience:
• Shortness of breath
• Needing to pee regularly
• Hemorrhoids
• Your breasts leaking a watery pre-milk called colostrum
• Your belly button sticking out
• Trouble with sleeping
• Contractions
If you aren’t sure if your symptoms are normal, and you are concerned, call your doctor, midwife or visit FPA Sri Lanka Clinics.
5. Pregnancy – what to expect month by month
What happens in the first month of pregnancy?
-Pregnancy is divided into 3 trimesters. . Each trimester is a little longer than 13 weeks. The first month marks the beginning of the first trimester.
What happens in the second month of pregnancy?
At the start of the 6th week, the ball of cells turns into an embryo. The embryonic stage of pregnancy lasts about 5 weeks. This is when all the major internal organs start developing.
What happens in the third month of pregnancy?
When you’re 3 months pregnant, the embryo becomes a fetus. The umbilical cord connects the fetus to your placenta and uterine wall. External sex organs also start to develop.
What happens in the fourth month of pregnancy?
Your 2nd trimester begins during your 4th month of pregnancy, starting on week 14.
What happens during week 13 - 14?
The fetus has a CRL of about 3 inches (8 cm).
By looking at external sex organs on an ultrasound, the biological sex of the fetus can sometimes be seen. Hair begins to grow.
The prostate gland begins developing in biologically male fetuses.
Ovaries move down from the abdomen to the pelvic area in biologically female fetuses.
The roof of the mouth is formed.
What happens in the fifth month of pregnancy?
When you’re 5 months pregnant, your fetus develops soft body hair and a greasy coating that helps protect the skin.
What happens in the sixth month of pregnancy?
During the 6th month, your fetus starts to develop blood cells, taste buds, eyelashes and eyebrows.
What happens in the seventh month of pregnancy?
- Your 3rd trimester starts during your 7th month of pregnancy, on week 28.
- The fetus develops more and more fat from now until the end of pregnancy.
- Back pain is common. Your uterus continues to expand.
What happens in the eighth month of pregnancy?
During your 8th month of pregnancy, your fetus is about 11 inches long, and the lanugo (the fine, soft hair that covers your fetus’s body) begins to fall off.
What happens in the ninth month of pregnancy?
When you’re 9 months pregnant, your fetus’s eyes and pupils are more developed, and it has more body fat.
What happens in the tenth month of pregnancy?
When you’re 10 months pregnant, your fetus reaches its final stage of development and you give birth.
Subscribe to Get the Latest News From Us
