Mother and Baby
Pregnancy and childbirth are considered to be an important, if not the most important, milestones in a woman’s life. Carrying human life in your womb for nine months and bringing that baby into this world are challenging feats that depict the true essence of womanhood.
Pregnancy begins with fertilization. Fertilization is defined as the union of a mature ovum and a sperm cell in the distal third of the fallopian tube. Immediately after this union, the resulting fertilized zygote stays in the fallopian tube for three to four days where it undergoes cell division. It then travels to the uterus where it implants itself and stays during the whole nine months of pregnancy.
The signs of pregnancy are characterized into three categories: the presumptive, the probable, and the positive. Presumptive signs are defined as the sensations and symptoms exhibited by a woman that possibly suggest pregnancy, but may also be due to some other underlying conditions. Presumptive signs during the first trimester of pregnancy include the cessation of menstruation, breast changes, morning sickness, increased frequency in urination, increasing fatigability, and an enlarging uterus. Increased skin pigmentation on the cheek and across the nose, more popularly known as the mask of pregnancy, is considered a presumptive sign commonly observed during the second trimester.
Contrary to popular knowledge, a positive pregnancy test result is only considered a probable sign of pregnancy. The hormone detected during the pregnancy test is called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG). However, this hormone is also secreted during a condition known as Hydatidiform mole or H-mole. By definition, probable signs indicate a definite or increased likelihood of pregnancy. Signs included under this category are: increase in the basal body temperature, purple discoloration of the vagina due to increased blood supply (known as Chadwick’s sign), softening of the lower segment of the uterus (called the Hegar’s sign), the increase in the vascularity and earlobe consistency of the cervix (also known as the Goodell’s sign), and the enlargement of the abdomen. These signs are usually observed during the first three months of pregnancy. Regular but painless contractions (known as Braxton-Hick’s contractions) commonly felt during the fourth to sixth month of pregnancy is also considered a probable sign.
Positive signs of pregnancy are absolute evidences of pregnancy that cannot be mistaken for any other health condition. Ultrasound evidence, fetal heart tones, fetal movement felt by the examiner and the fetal outline upon x-ray are categorized as positive signs of pregnancy.
