Am I pregnant?

Every month you always ask yourself “what if I am pregnant?” I always did that when we were trying to conceive last year. It only took 2 months of activly TTC to get pregnant. Here is a great article and some things to look for in early pregnancy!

1. Presumptive Evidence
A woman suspects she is pregnant based upon the following perceptions:

Lack of menstruation. Other things can cause this, but pregnancy and menopause top the list of possibilities.

Breast changes. Breasts are tender early on; later the nipples become darkened and enlarged. Later still, there is colostrum discharge (a precursor to milk).

Chadwick’s sign. This old-fashioned term refers to a bluish discoloration of the vaginal tissue, caused by venous congestion in the area.

Abdominal striae, affectionately known as “stretch marks.”

Increased pigmentation. The “linea nigra,” or black line, runs up the center of the woman’s abdomen and usually fades after pregnancy.

Nausea.

Increase in urination, due to the pressure of the growing uterus on the bladder.

Fatigue.

“Quickening”, an elegant and old-fashioned term associated with the thrilling perception of movement between 16 and 20 weeks.

2. Probable Evidence of Pregnancy
An examiner determines that the patient is likely pregnant based on these symptoms:

Enlargement of the abdomen, presumably due to increase in size of the uterus. The uterus can usually be felt through the abdomen after 12 weeks. This sign is more obvious in the abdomens that have been “pre-stretched” with a previous pregnancy.

Changes in the size, shape, and consistency of the uterus. “Hegar’s Sign” is when the uterus becomes so soft, usually at 6 weeks that it is felt separately from the firmer cervix. Softening of the cervix usually occurs at about the same time. This occurrence is called “Goodell’s Sign.”

Braxton Hicks’Contractions. These are irregular and unorganized contractions of the uterus.

Ballottement. This is a mid-pregnancy sign in which the fetus can be pushed from the mother’s abdomen and felt to bounce back.

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Pregnancy rates unchanged with Plan B on hand

This article may be interesting if you are TTC and/or preventing pregnancy….

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – In a proactive program where women can keep on hand at all times at least two free packages of emergency contraceptives — also known as the morning-after pill or Plan B — the pregnancy rates are no lower than when women have normal access to emergency contraception, study results suggest.

Continue to full article here

11 Embarrassing Fertility Questions Answered

If you are TTC and if you have some fertility questions here are 11 questions I found along with answers….

1. Does having an orgasm help you to get pregnant?
In theory, an orgasm could help you get pregnant, but experts agree it’s definitely not necessary. During an orgasm, the uterus contracts, causing a vacuum effect which could theoretically move sperm up into the uterus. But Sandra Gahn, co-author of The Infertility Companion, points out, “There’s a certain logic in this theory, yet while studies have shown such a vacuum effect exists, whether it actually brings about a higher pregnancy rate is unproven.”

CLICK here to find out the rest of the questions and answers