Pregnant

A series of things have to happen before a woman can get pregnant. A woman must ovulate, meaning her ovary releases an egg that travels down the fallopian tube toward her uterus. If the egg is met with sperm while it is moving toward the uterus, there's a chance the sperm will fertilize the egg, which will then implant in a woman's uterine wall. At this point, a woman will be able to determine she is pregnant via home tests.

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Early signs of pregnancy come before a woman can really test it. The most obvious sign of pregnancy is a missed period, but she may notice a change in her emotions as her body generates hormones necessary for nourishing the fetus. She may notice an increased need to urinate, nausea or food cravings and aversions that are so often associated with pregnancy. If a woman thinks it may have been two weeks since she conceived (i.e. about two weeks prior to her missed period), she should be able to take a home test with some level of accuracy.

Once a woman realizes she's with child, she should abstain from any kind of consumption known to harm developing fetuses. Smoking, alcohol consumption or other drug use should be stopped. A woman may also want to refrain from drinking coffee and eating certain foods that doctors recognize as potentially harmful to a healthy pregnancy. A woman will be pregnant for nine months, or roughly 42 weeks. During this time, she'll need to have more regular check-ups with her health care provider. She can expect to gain anywhere from 15 to 30 pounds during the second and third trimesters.

There are books, blogs and resources a plenty to get a woman through every possible pregnancy question. There are even fashionable maternity clothes sold at one's every day department stores. Expecting is an exciting time during which women are said to glow in a way unmatched by any other disposition. However, watching one's diet, exercising, adjusting one's lifestyle and preparing for the delivery of the child will become a time-consuming responsibility. Many employers are required by law to give a expectant employee and/or her spouse a paid or pardoned break from work to raise the child during the first few weeks or months of its life.