Your Pregnancy

Have you recently found out that you are pregnant? Whether you took a home pregnancy test or your doctor confirmed your pregnancy for you, you may be experiencing a wide array of emotions. Those emotions may include happiness, excitement, hope, as well as fear.

When it comes to the birth of a child, particularly a first child, there are many mothers who have a number of different issues or concerns that must be dealt with. Those issues and concerns may include money, additional living space, healthcare, and needed baby supplies, like baby formula and diapers. Although these are all issues and concerns that must be dealt with, something should come first. That is the health of you and your baby. The moment that you learn that you are pregnant, you should start taking steps to receive prenatal care.

Although it is important to hear that prenatal care is something that you should seek right away, there are many mothers, especially first time mothers, who wonder what is so important about doing so. If this is a question that you have asked yourself, you are not alone. A few of the many reasons why you should actively seek prenatal care, when pregnant, are outlined below.

What you need to know is that prenatal care is important to your baby’s health, as well as your health. Although a large focus will be placed on your baby and its development, prenatal care is also used to ensure that you are healthy as well. This often involves monitoring your weight, your blood pressure, as well as the expanding size of your stomach. That is one of the many reasons why you should attend all of your prenatal care appointments, as it is important to your health, as well as your baby’s.

Another reason why prenatal care appointments are important is because they can be used to determine if your baby will have any medical conditions or complications when they are born. While many parents do not want to know, ahead of time, there are many others who do. Knowing if your baby will have any medical conditions is important, as it can help you financially prepare for those complications and any life adjustments that need to be made.

The above mentioned reasons are just a few of the many reasons why it is important that you seek prenatal care when pregnant. In addition to monitoring your health and the healthy of your baby, you should also seek prenatal care as it is a fun, exciting, and an important experience. When attending your prenatal care appointments, whether you be seeing a family practice doctor, an OBGYN, or a midwife, you should be able to see a sonogram of your baby, as well as hear his or her heartbeat. These things are things that parents never forget.

Despite the importance of prenatal care, there are many pregnant women who do not seek it. This occurs for a number of different reasons; however, the most common reason is associated with money. If you are currently uninsured or if your health insurance doesn’t cover prenatal care, you may be concerned with the cost of it, as you should be. What you should know is that many healthcare professionals would be more than willing to work with, like with the creation of a payment plan. There are also health centers, which can be found all across the country, that are designed for low-income women or those without medical insurance. 

As outlined above, prenatal care is extremely important to your health and the health of your baby, when you are pregnant. Whether you are having your first child or your third, it is important that you seek the recommended amount of prenatal care. Pregnancy is one of the most important issues that you will have to deal with in your life and it is extremely important that it is dealt with in the proper matter.

Taking a pregnancy test does not always mean spending a hefty amount for hospital and doctor’s fees. Now, women can confirm pregnancy through home pregnancy kits. However, some women who cannot afford hospital fees and home pregnancy kits  are hoping that somehow a few homemade concoctions may be used as homemade pregnancy tests or as an alternative for pregnancy kits in confirming pregnancy. So far, no homemade pregnancy tests have been invented to date and the closest you can get to taking a private  and more affordable test is through a home pregnancy test kit.

Some of these kits are not only easy on the pocket. They are also very simple and easy to administer. The most common reason why women opt for the homemade kits is the privacy, convenience and quick results that it can offer. If you suspect that you can be pregnant and if you have been experiencing some early pregnancy signs, you can take the test on the day that your period is due. Some of the early pregnancy symptoms that you need to watch out for include a missed period, swelling of breasts, cramps, nausea or morning sickness, heat burns, headaches, constipation and frequent urination, just to name a few.

If; however, you do not have enough resources to buy a kit, you can check out free or cheap pregnancy tests from some institutions.

Free clinic – There are free clinics in every city which administer free pregnancy tests. Some of these clinics offer home pregnancy kits which you can administer yourself at home. Other clinics offer lab tests. They would take a sample of your blood to confirm pregnancy. If they give you the option as to which type of test to take, it is advised that you go for the blood tests. They are more accurate and they can tell you the stage of pregnancy. Customer information is kept confidential in these clinics.

Small town resources – You may also want to check out institutions which offer free pregnancy testing services. Most cities usually have extension or satellite offices to reach out to the surrounding far-flung communities. These satellite offices offer the same services that the city office offers. You can check with your local Red Cross and they can help you locate community resources which could help you.

Churches – While churches may not necessarily be able to offer you direct help, they can help you locate possible resources which you can check out. Churches are usually in contact with a wide range of affordable or free health services, including pregnancy testing. Your local church may be able to give you a referral which can help you avail of affordable pregnancy services.

If you think you could be pregnant, take note that pregnancy expenses do not end after you take you pregnancy test. Expecting a baby would mean regular medical check-ups. Apart from that, you also need to change your eating lifestyle and take supplements which can keep you and your baby healthy for the entire pregnancy period. As early as now, you may want to start thinking of and preparing for the possible resources which could offer you financial assistance.

If you have long been trying to conceive, even the unconfirmed “feeling pregnant” illusions can make you very ecstatic. Why prolong the “hoping period?” One quick and easy way to confirm your pregnancy is through a pregnancy test. Pregnancy tests confirm whether or not you’re bound to become a mom soon. If you have been experiencing some signs of pregnancy, it is advised that you get a confirmation by taking a pregnancy test as soon as you can.

There are two ways to conduct pregnancy tests. One is by urine sampling and the other is through blood test. Pregnancy tests which use blood sample are more accurate than the urine test. It is administered by your physician in order to obtain an early diagnosis of pregnancy. It can detect pregnancy as early as the second week of conception. Other women use this type of test to confirm prior urine tests which they have done on their own.

If you want an instant confirmation, you may conduct a home pregnancy test in the mean time. All you need to do is test a sample of your urine by the time your period is due. In the past decade, home pregnancy tests have proved to be between 97 to 99% accurate as long as it is taken correctly. To ensure proper administration of a home pregnancy test, take a look at the tips below.

Always read instructions carefully. Pregnancy tests are very simple and easy to use. However, some women still end up doing the wrong process. You can immediately lose the value and accuracy of the test if you fail to follow instructions properly. If you have questions, do not hesitate to call your kit manufacturer’s customer service number.

Collect your urine specimen. If you are planning on conducting a home pregnancy test, use your first morning urine (FMU). FMU’s contain a big amount of hormones which can help detect your pregnancy. For a more accurate result, some pregnancy kits indicate that you wait until the day that your period is due before testing. When collecting your urine, you can use a small specimen cup.

Read the test. So you have just finished conducting the test. How do you know if it’s positive or negative? Most pregnancy kits come with two windows. One is the control window which tells you whether or not the kit is working correctly. The other window is the testing window which gives you the result. If you see a line in the testing window, you are pregnant. Note that pregnancy kits use different ways to show results. Some use lines. Others use a plus. To prevent confusion, always read the instructions. Make sure as well to follow the time requirement indicated in your kit.

If the test if positive, be cautious about everything that you eat and do. Avoid things that can do harm to your baby. If it is negative and yet you have been experiencing some signs of pregnancy, check with your doctor right away to get a second and more accurate result.

Reproductive health is a crucial part of general health and a central feature of human development. Among women of reproductive age (15-49 years), the burden of reproductive ill-health is far greater than the disease burden from tuberculosis, respiratory infections, motor vehicle injuries, homicide and violence. Women run the risks of pregnancy, childbirth and unsafe abortion, take most of the responsibility for fertility regulation and are socially and biologically more vulnerable to reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases. The National Population Policy (India), 2000, affirms the commitment of government towards voluntary and informed choice and consent of citizens while availing of reproductive health care services, and continuation of the target free approach in providing family planning services.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Government of India, through its National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has introduced the rapid home pregnancy test kits (Nishchay). The Nishchay program is not a program for the promotion of the pregnancy test kit alone, but is an entry point to RCH and family planning services for women seeking quality and assured RCH and FP services.

Important key issues addressed by Nishchay are:

1. Low percent of women starting ANC in first trimester due to late detection

2. Contraceptive Provisioning (IUD/Pill) not started after ruling out pregnancy

3. High unsafe abortions due to late detection of pregnancy

The key strategies of the program are community awareness, especially among eligible couples, on Home Based Pregnancy Test Card and RCH services, increased utilization of RCH and FP services, following the test results. Important activities include capacity building of ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activist) through resource persons with field and NGO experience, brand and logo visibility using mass media campaign, community outreach activities using mid –media campaign, and integrating the card into the monitoring system of NRHM/RCH-II.

Implementation of the program is in all Indian States and UT’s. The states have been classified into high, medium and low priority groups based on the NFHS-3 data on birthrate and institutional deliveries. In the first phase, the program is launched in the following 11high priority states – Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland.

The implementation team was formulated at the central office of Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust, comprising of a Senior Program Manager (Atul Bahl), Training Managers, Training Officers and a Communication Officer. State level consultants were hired in the states for additional support in monitoring of NGOs and on ground activities. The Senior Program Manager is assigned the responsibility of the national roll out of the program and the linked activities.

As planned, the service delivery strategy is being addressed through building capacities of ASHAs on understanding the pregnancy test card, making it easily available to all Eligible Couples in the community and tracking the outcome. Relevant training materials were conceptualized and designed for training of ASHAs. These were shared with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and have been printed after the approval. NGOs at district level were contacted in all the states, meetings held and the Master trainers identified by them were trained by the project implementation team. Special training materials were designed for them as well.

Demand generation is through using mass media and mid media campaign using local folk, edu – entertainment modality through mobile vans. The program has been very well received by the public and early detection of pregnancy offers many advantages for the mother and the fetus. Many medical benefits depend on early detection, including social and emotional well-being and the avoidance of medications, irradiation, and other teratogenics.

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First response home pregnancy tests (HPTs) are designed to detect hCG, a hormone released by the placenta right after the embryo begins implanting into the uterine lining: the hormone is released in a pregnant woman’s urine. HCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin. Home pregnancy tests (HPTs) are designed to detect it. Detetcting hCG in the blood is how home pregnancy tests work.

How accurate are first response home pregnancy tests? The highest possible screening sensitivity for an hCG-based pregnancy test conducted on the first day of a missed period is 90 percent, as 10 percent of women may not have implanted yet in the uterus. The authors estimate that the highest possible screening sensitivity of a home pregnancy test by one week after the first day of the missed period is 97 percent, thus their accuracy is usually not doubted so long as the test instructions are correctly followed.

Companies Manufacturing Test Kits

Because implantation usually happens 6-12 days after ovulation, it is possible that you are testing too early, too soon. Various home pregnancy test manufacturers advertise their product as being foolproof. Clearblue Easy publishes on its website that Clearblue Easy can be used as early at 4 days before you expect your period, about 5 days sooner than waiting until you miss your period to test. With their digital test, they say 55% get a positive result 3 days before a woman’s period is due, 87% 2 days before, and 92% one day before her pregnant period is due. Then there is the company First Response and Answer, which says that “Answer Quick & Simple® Early Result Pregnancy Test can detect the pregnancy hormone as early as 4 days before you expect your period. In clinical testing, Answer® detected the hormone levels in 69% of women 4 days before their expected period, in 83% of women 3 days before their expected period, in 93% of women 2 days before their expected period, and in 93% of women 1 day before their expected period.” The companies publish their statistics to tell the possible kit user the level of accuracy with which the tests can be conducted.

Instructions To Follow

The test can be conducted at home with you using the midstream urine — meaning you should urinate a little first and then either hold the test stick in your urine stream or use a collection cup to collect. If, inspite of having bought a stick test, you would like to collect urine in a cup, you need to hold the absorbant tip of the stick in the cup of urine for 5-10 seconds. Otherwise the directions with the test need to be followed. There are online pregnancy test instructions which provide all the information needed to use the tests. If used incorrectly, the tests will not be accurate, so it is essential to read the entire set of instructions before beginning to test. The tests describe a step-by-step method by which to conduct the first response home pregnancy test.

How do I know? A common question any average woman would ask. To avoid hap-hazardous steps taken in confusion, here is some information on signs and symptoms of pregnancy to let you know ‘this is it’.

What happens right away?

Its there on your first pregnancy test you tried, but few things may happen even before you experience the visible early signs of pregnancy. Skipping periods may not always happen because of conception. Similarly, pregnancy symptoms such as abdominal cramps during early days of pregnancy may be mistaken to be common menstrual cramps. Thus to avoid any such misleading due to lack of information lets look at the various early signs of pregnancy and stages of pregnancy symptoms.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Early signs of pregnancy can be anything from fatigue, slight bleeding cramps, nausea and food cravings to rise in basal body temperature. Signs and symptoms of pregnancy like mood swings, headaches, constipation and appetite aversions are not unique to pregnancy and might just indicate that you are sick. Similarly, one may become pregnant without experiencing any of the above early pregnancy symptoms. However, if you miss a period or it differs widely from one month to another you might to confirm it through a home pregnancy test.

Tender And Swollen Breasts

Have you ever imagined why breast tenderness, a major pregnancy symptom is a major indicator of pregnancy? The reason why breasts become tender and sore during early pregnancy is that they undergo hormonal changes to prepare for lactation i.e. breast-feeding. This kind of change in the breast size occurs generally in the first eight weeks.

Frequent Urination

During the first trimester of pregnancy i.e. roughly the first 13 weeks, you may experience an early sign of pregnancy wherein you will find yourself rushing to the restroom more often which happens because the uterus starts growing and causes frequent urination.

The Second Trimester

The second trimester of pregnancy is often considered to be the “Golden Period” as the physically demanding early signs and symptoms of pregnancy are all over by now. You get relief from pregnancy symptoms and related inconveniences such as constant nausea. Moreover, better sleep patterns are major signs of advancement in the process of healthy pregnancy.

The most joyful moment is experienced during this time as you might get to hear the first heartbeat of your baby. An ultrasound conducted in around 19 weeks may make you feel the diverse movements of your baby inside your body.

The Final Trimester

The final trimester is the final stage of pregnancy. This is the time when the fetus becomes too big to move in the uterus. Due to difficulty in finding right positions while sleeping or sitting, you may have recurrence of pregnancy symptoms such as back pain. The ankles might swell due to excess weight on the legs. At the end of the third trimester, a fetus usually settles into a head-down position in the uterus. Now you should get ready to welcome your baby in this world.

Now the fact is clear that apart from few acute pregnancy symptoms, others might just happen because of other kinds of illness. However, the safest bet is not to rely just on early signs of pregnancy but to go for home pregnancy test and confirm. If the result is negative though you experience various signs and symptoms of pregnancy, visit your doctor to know the reason behind these symptoms if you are not pregnant.

Be well prepared and aware so that your child is the only pleasant surprise you get.

Most of the women who think they are pregnant, but are not sure, use home pregnancy tests. But how many of them know how these tests work and if the result is true or not? Well, first of all a woman should know when the test must be taken and which are the best home pregnancy tests.

So, the first think to know is that these tests detect the pregnancy by measuring the presence of a hormone in the urine. The hormone is called chorionic gonadotropin, and is a telltale hormone. But how can this hormone tell you if you are pregnant or not? Well, this hormone is produced by the placenta. When the egg is fertilized and finds it’ s place in the uterus, this hormone is released into the bloodstream.

This usually happens about six days after the egg has been fertilized. From that point the amount of this hormone in the body is doubled every two days. So in about fifteen days after the fertilization took place, the home pregnancy test should be able to indicate if your are pregnant or not. But it all depends on the test. It is said that most of them are not sensitive enough to detect a pregnancy even at that stage. For better and certain results

it is indicated you should take the test a week after your the day that you were expecting your period.

It was believed that home pregnancy test were very accurate, almost 100 percent, even taken the day when a woman misses her period. Later studies have shown that this belief was misleading. The amount of the telltale hormone in the urine can differ from a woman to another very much. It can be different in any given days after the implantation had taken place. Studies have been made on different groups of women, and reaschers discovered that the home pregnancy tests are not sensitive enough to detect a pregnancy

in the first day that the woman missed her period. It worked for almost 15 % of the tested woman. But the the same home pregnancy tests showed to be very precise when taken seven days after the menstrual period was expected.

Of course when reading this, one would wonder why these tests claim to be so accurate, if they are not? Well the fact is that the ninetynine percent accuracy that this tests pretend to be is because the sensibility of the tests can detect a pregnancy, but not in it’s first days or in the first day of the missed period. The home pregnancy tests can determine a pregnancy, but it matters when this test is taken. To find out how to choose a pregnancy test and use it, be sure to read part two.

For more inforamtion about pregnancy calculator please visit pregnancy test or http://www.pregnancy-1st-guide.com/

Home pregnancy tests measure the presence of a telltale hormone in your urine called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). HCG is a hormone found only in pregnant women. It is produced by cells in the uterus and is responsible for signaling the ovaries to produce estrogen and progesterone to help your fetus grow. Many home pregnancy tests claim to be 99 percent accurate on the day you miss your period. It most home pregnancy tests don’t consistently spot pregnancy this early, the tests are considered reliable when used according to package instructions one week after a missed period. The hormone is released in a pregnant woman’s urine.

There are two main types of pregnancy tests. Both are commonly used to detect pregnancy.

Home pregnancy tests are available at your local drugstore or pharmacy and at some large department stores. Blood pregnancy tests are performed by health care professionals in an office or a clinic. Home pregnancy tests are usually about 97% accurate, but this varies from brand to brand. The amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your body then increases rapidly over the next few weeks, doubling in amount about every two days. HCG can also be detected in your blood, around 10 days after you conceive, and your GP may advise you to have a blood test.Pregnancy blood tests are performed health clinic. They detect pregnancy by measuring hCG levels in your blood. The most sensitive test of pregnancy is best performed by a laboratory using a sample of your blood.

Blood tests performed at your clinic have a 99% accuracy rate and can detect pregnancy earlier than most urine tests. Blood tests can be performed 7 days after you ovulate and still provide accurate results. Some urine tests can be used on the first day that your period is due, however, it is unlikely that you will achieve that 97% accuracy rate if you test so early. The quantitative blood test detects pregnancy by measuring the exact amount of hCG in your bloodstream. It can also be used to detect how far along you are in your pregnancy. It does not measure your hCG levels, and only provides a yes or no answer as to whether or not you are pregnant. Home pregnancy tests only check hCG levels, not progesterone. They are completely different hormones.

Pregnancy is an entirely differing experience for every woman and so they are signs and symptoms. The Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms vary from woman to woman. But, the most common symptom in all is delayed or missed period. Some may experience the Pregnancy symptoms as early as within a week of conception, some may experience it later and few may not experience any, at all. Even before you missed period or you do home pregnancy test you may suspect the pregnancy by considering these early symptoms which might appearing soon after conception.

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness can begin as early as 2 to 4 weeks after conception. The term morning sickness is something of a misnomer, as you can experience the nausea and vomiting throughout the day. Morning sickness typically is worst during the first trimester, and most pregnant women will have their morning sickness symptoms lessen or subside completely during the second or third trimester.

Breast Changes

Breast tenderness usually begins around 3 to 4 weeks after conception. This can also be a sign of your impending period. Usually the degree of breast tenderness is much stronger with pregnancy than with your period. You may also notice a slight tingling sensation.

Nausea

Another classic early pregnancy symptom is the nausea and in some cases, vomiting associated with morning sickness. A woman suffering with morning sickness may suddenly experience severe nausea and aversion to foods and smells that previously had no effect on her. Morning sickness, which can occur at any time of the night or day, typically affects women approximately 2-8 weeks after conception. A bout of severe nausea or vomiting can also be attributed to food poisoning as well, so if there is a sudden onset of nausea which resolves within a couple of days, it was likely a simple stomach bug rather than an early pregnancy symptom.

Frequent Urination

Can begin six weeks after conception. During pregnancy, the amount of blood and other fluids in your body will increase. Once the extra fluid is processed, it ends up in your bladder and the next thing you know, you’re running for the bathroom every 10 minutes. The bad news is, as the baby continues to grow, it will start to push on your bladder and that will mean more frequent trips to the washroom for the rest of your pregnancy.

Later Signs of Teen Pregnancy

As a pregnancy progresses, the signs and symptoms become more pronounced and harder for teens to miss. Some of these pregnancy signs include:

an enlargement of the abdomen

weight gain or loss

aches such as backaches or headaches

During the second trimester, most of these early symptoms of pregnancy will disappear or at least lessen. Many women enjoy this second pregnancy stage immensely, as energy levels return and that early nausea usually disappears. There are a few new symptoms that can pop up at this point that are very common. Emotionally, you may experience many ups and downs, and go from happy and excited to overwhelmed and in tears in a matter of seconds. You may begin having Braxton-Hicks contractions, preparing your body for labor. Dizziness, leg cramps, and heartburn are also common occurrences in the middle of pregnancy. While these symptoms are not generally cause for concern, always keep your doctor informed as to what has been happening with you to prevent major issues.

Read this and all doubts about pregnancy and pregnancy tests will be cleared.

The fertilized egg plants itself on the wall of the uterus and placenta forms. This then starts secreting a unique hormone called the HCG or Human Chronic Gonadotropin.

This hormone is secreted 4-6 days after the first missed period. The number of days taken may vary. Each pregnancy test detects this hormone.

First of all let me tell you about these tests. There are two types of pregnancy tests

1) Urine Pregnancy Test.

2) Pregnancy Blood Test

What is Home/Urine Pregnancy Test?

The home/urine pregnancy test kits are available in any retail store or a medical outlet. You can say this is the easiest way to find out whether you are pregnant. This home pregnancy test also guarantees you privacy just in case you do not want to let anyone know about your pregnancy. This test is also clean and hygienic.

What are Pregnancy Test Kits?

The pregnancy test kit has strips on which there is a chemical which detects the hormone HCG. Some kits have two lines some have a positive or negative sign on them.

However, before buying a home pregnancy test kit make sure that it is within its validity date. Ditto, with the ones which have been lying in your home for a long time. Checking validity date of pregnancy test kit is important. A pregnancy test kit past its validity date will not give you the correct results. Buying bulk urine pregnancy test kits works out to be lot cheaper than the retail kits.

How does a Urine Pregnancy Test Work?

Each manufacturer gives different instructions about how to use the kit. Following instructions is the important part of this test. Any deviation from instructions can yield incorrect results. Some might ask you to pee directly on the test strip whereas others will ask you to first take some urine in a clean cup or bowl and use a dropper to put a few drops or urine on the strip.

If you are pregnant, both lines on the strip will change color, after urine has been put on it. Incase of strips with positive or negative signs, if the positive sign shows, that means you are pregnant and if the negative sign shows that means you are not pregnant.

Which Urine sample is the best for test?

Urine at any time cannot be used as a sample for the urine pregnancy test. It is very important to know which urine should be taken as sample. First morning urine should be used ideally as the sample urine for the test.

HCG takes time to accumulate in urine. Therefore, this test required concentrated urine sample. If the test requires to be done in day time, see to it that you do not urinate for 4-5 hours before using this urine as sample.