For those of you who are going to be a mother: Everything about pregnancy in simple terms

Are you expecting to become a mother? Or have you already received the good news? After all, this is a very special and beautiful time in your life. But at the same time, there are many questions and little fears that come to mind, right? It's very normal to think things like "What will happen now?", "What should I do?", "Is this feeling normal?" So don't worry, we'll talk about this wonderful journey called pregnancy in a very simple way that you can understand.

What is pregnancy simply?

Simply put, pregnancy is the time when a baby (fetus) or multiple babies are growing inside your uterus. This usually happens after sexual intercourse, but can sometimes happen through medical procedures (Assisted Reproductive Technologies - ART).

Many people first find out if they're pregnant with an at-home pregnancy test. However, a blood test can be 100% more accurate. Some of the early signs include missing your period , morning sickness, and feeling tired all the time .

Most pregnancies end in the birth of a healthy baby. This can be a vaginal delivery or a C-section. However, sometimes it can end in a tragic way, such as a miscarriage, abortion, or stillbirth.

How do you start this amazing journey?

Pregnancy is a very complex and amazing process. But it all starts with two tiny cells: a woman's egg and a man's sperm. Let's take a look at how this happens.

• Eggs come from the ovaries: Your body's ovaries contain eggs. Each month, during your menstrual cycle, an egg is released from an ovary. This egg travels down the fallopian tube and waits for 12 to 24 hours for a sperm to arrive. This process is called ovulation .

• Sperm comes from the testicles: A man's testicles produce sperm. During ejaculation, millions of sperm are released. During sexual intercourse, these sperm pass through the vagina and travel to the fallopian tubes.

For a pregnancy to occur, the egg and sperm must meet. When a sperm penetrates the egg, we call it fertilization . Now this fertilized egg divides into a mass of cells and travels down the fallopian tube to your uterus in about three days. It is then called a blastocyst. Then this mass of cells attaches to the uterine wall and implants itself. This is called implantation . This is when pregnancy really begins.

After implantation, your body starts producing pregnancy hormones. These hormones stop your period and help the baby grow.

If not naturally, are there other methods? (ART)

Some people may have difficulty conceiving naturally. In such cases, doctors can help the egg and sperm meet. This is what we call Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). There are two main methods:

• IUI (Intrauterine Insemination): This involves the doctor inserting sperm from the man directly into your uterus through a special tube (catheter). This is done on the day of ovulation.
• IVF (In vitro Fertilization): This is a slightly more complicated procedure. Here, your eggs and your partner's sperm are combined in a lab to create an embryo. The doctor then implants the embryo into your uterus. Various medications are used to increase the success rate of this procedure.

How long is pregnancy? How to calculate the due date?

The average pregnancy period is 40 weeks , or about 280 days . However, the way this is calculated can be a bit confusing for some people.

Your doctor calculates how long you've been pregnant from the day your last menstrual period (LMP) started . This is where many people get confused. Because your ovulation occurs about two weeks after the start of your menstrual cycle. That means you're two weeks into this calculation before you actually get pregnant.

There is a way to calculate your approximate due date:

1. Write down the day your last menstrual period began.

2. Add 7 days to that day.

3. Count back 3 months from the date of arrival.

4. Then add a year.

But remember, this is just a rough estimate. The date your doctor gives you is the most accurate. Also, only a very small percentage of babies are born on their exact due date, about 5% .

Stage three of this journey: let's see what happens

This 40-week journey is divided into three main stages. We call these trimesters. During each stage, your body and your baby go through major changes. Imagine, your uterus, which starts out about the size of a lemon, grows to the size of a watermelon by the end!

Definitely avoid these things in the first trimester!

This is a very important time when your baby's major organs are developing. That's why your doctor will advise you to completely avoid these things:

• Any drink containing alcohol .
• Tobacco products (smoking).
• Drugs taken for recreation.
• Certain foods: For example, unpasteurized dairy products, raw fish, and fish high in mercury .

What is a "Full-Term" baby?

Doctors classify pregnancy in another way. "Full-term" means the full term of the baby. The best chance of a healthy baby is if it is born at this time.

• Full-term: Born between 39 weeks and 0 days and 40 weeks and 6 days.
• Early-term: Birth between 37 weeks and 0 days and 38 weeks and 6 days.
• Late-term: Birth between 41 weeks and 0 days and 41 weeks and 6 days.
• Post-term: Birth after 42 weeks.

Why should you see a doctor during pregnancy?

Getting regular prenatal care during pregnancy is the best thing you can do for your health and that of your baby . By going to the clinic regularly , your doctor can check your health , detect any complications early, and make sure your baby is developing as expected.

At the clinic, the doctor does things like:

• Examining your body, breast, pelvic examination.
• Asking questions about your symptoms, lifestyle, and habits.
• Checking your blood pressure and weight.
• Listening to the baby's heartbeat with a special device (fetal Doppler).
• Measure the size of your belly (fundal height) to get an idea of ​​the baby's growth.
• Explaining prenatal screening tests to see if the baby has certain genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome.
• Blood tests are done to check for anemia and gestational diabetes.
• It checks for infections like syphilis and HIV.
• Ultrasound scan.
• They will talk about how the baby will be delivered and your wishes.
• Will answer any questions you have.

Schedule for going to the clinic

Typically, during a healthy pregnancy without complications, you will see your doctor as follows:

• Once a month until 28 weeks.
• Every two weeks from 28 weeks to 36 weeks.
• Once a week from 36 weeks until the baby is born.