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The Pregnancy Blog Review for March 25 – 31

Welcome to the pregnancy blog review. Each week a variety of topics related to conception, pregnancy, birth and the post partum period are covered in the blog. The review is a good place to catch up on all the week’s blogs in one place. Just when we thought we’d heard it all when it comes to conception, along comes a strange new twist. A transgendered man is claiming to be pregnant. Read more about this unique story in A Pregnant Man? Preterm birth has many potential implications for babies. We often hear and read about the effects of preterm birth … Continue reading →

Determining Gestational Age with Ultrasound

Figuring out the due date is easy if you know the exact date of your last menstrual period and when you ovulated. If you have a regular 28 day cycle, you would add nine months and seven days to the date of your last menstrual period. This is the method used by due date calculating tools used in the doctor’s office and found online. What if you don’t remember the date of your last menstrual period? This is not uncommon. Irregular cycles are another problem with determining the exact due date. In this case, your doctor may suggest an ultrasound … Continue reading →

Understanding the Language of Pregnancy

When you become pregnant, you will soon learn that pregnancy has a vocabulary all its own. When you visit your doctor or midwife, you will hear new words and may be nervous to ask. Learning some of the commonly used terms can help you feel more confident about your pregnancy and in communicating with your health care provider. Alpha Fetoprotein Test is a blood test done early in the second trimester to detect the level of alpha fetoprotein in the pregnant woman’s blood. High levels can indicate a brain or spinal cord defect. Low levels can indicate an increased risk … Continue reading →

Calculating When You Conceived

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You’d think figuring out which day you conceived would be simple math, or at least as simple as looking at the calendar, but there are a couple different factors that play into when conception actually occurs. Your menstrual cycle length, ovulation date, and implantation date can all vary. If you are trying to conceive, you might consider doing a little extra record keeping for accurate dates later on. First, keep track of the days you have intercourse. As unromantic as this sounds, it doesn’t have to be. Keep a roll of stickers by your calendar and place one on each … Continue reading →

Always Get a Second Opinion

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According to a recent news piece in the Irish Times, a woman was told at an early prenatal appointment last year that her baby had died. She was given an abortive drug and set up an appointment to have the fetus removed. When she continued to suffer morning sickness, she decided to get a second opinion. It’s a good thing she went with her gut instinct, because it turned out that the baby was just fine. It’s extremely important, particularly in early pregnancy, to request a follow up scan if the first ultrasound seems to indicate the pregnancy is not … Continue reading →

Routine Screening for a Shortened Cervix

You’ve heard the saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Ben Franklin said those wise words and they still hold true today, especially when it comes to pregnancy. For example, we all know the importance of taking our prenatal vitamins, doing Kegels in the checkout line (or anywhere you remember), getting good prenatal care and taking childbirth classes. It’s always better to catch something before it becomes a problem. Preparation is key in pregnancy. Prevention is the driving force behind screening. We screen for gestational diabetes. We screen for anemia. We screen for blood type. If … Continue reading →

Why Can’t I Be Two Weeks Pregnant?

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It is impossible to be one week pregnant. It is impossible to be two weeks pregnant. In fact, you’re not really pregnant until the third week. Confused? Pregnancy is 40 weeks long, but that number is counted from the “first day” of your cycle. When you are in the first week of pregnancy, your baby is no more than a hope in your heart (and you’re likely having your period). During the second week, you’re more than likely doing the baby dance and by the end of that week, conception occurs. Fourteen is the magic number! From that day on, … Continue reading →

Pregnancy: There’s An App For That!

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“There’s an app for that.” It’s become such a popular phrase that it has inspired websites like appft.com (App For That) where people can submit their own “app for that” scenario. And pregnancy? There really is an app for that! Pilates and Pregnancy Sarah Picot is a Pilates instructor and an author. She created the ever popular Pregnancy Pilates DVD and has now released a new app for the iPhone called Pilates for Pregnancy – Complete. It’s not just an exercise app, it’s a pregnancy planner as well. It even includes a photo album. The planner includes a to-do list … Continue reading →