In earlier times, when a woman is suspected to be pregnant, she often needs to have a doctor, a midwife, or a medical practitioner check on her if she is with child. Nowadays, a woman can check if she is pregnant by simply performing a home pregnancy test.

A modern pregnancy test determines if a woman is pregnant or not. These tests look to markers like urine and blood samples to determine pregnancy. The test determines a hormone called hCG or human chorionic gonadotropin, the pregnancy hormone. This particular hormone is made when the fertilized eggs adheres to the uterus.

There are two kinds of pregnancy tests: the blood test and the urine test.  The urine test determines the hCG hormone. This test can be performed with a home pregnancy test (HPT) or at the doctor’s office. The blood test, which also determines hCG, must be done at the doctor’s office. Nowadays, women use the HPT, which are private, inexpensive, and very easy to use. If the HPT results come out negative, there is no need for you to go to the doctor. Therefore, there is no need to pay extra charges. There are also two kinds of blood tests: the quantitative and the qualitative. The quantitative test accurately measures the amount of hCG in the blood. The qualitative blood test determines if hCG is present in the blood or not.

There are a lot of HPTs out in the market and are sold at most pharmacies over-the-counter. The choice is entirely yours. Most HPTs work the same way. Common instructions call for the user to dip the stick into the urine. Other HPTs call for collecting urine and then dipping the stick in it. After that, the woman should wait for a few minutes. One a few minutes have elapsed, the user must check the “result window.” A woman is pregnant if a plus symbol or line appears. Whether faint or bold, a line means you are pregnant. There are also new digital tests that flash the words “not pregnant” or “pregnant.”

A lot of HPTs claim 99 percent accuracy on the first day of the missed period. However, research shows that most HPTs do not readily detect pregnancy that early. When these HPTs do, results are so faint, they are often misunderstood. Perhaps, if you wait for a week after the missed period, most HPTs give a more accurate answer. If you want to know results earlier, just check with your doctor.

Most HPTs have a “control indicator” in the result window, with the symbol or line showing if the test is working properly. If no control indicator appears, then the test is not properly working. The bottom line is you should not always rely on the results of an HPT.

If an HPT shows a positive result, you should consult with your doctor immediately. The doctor can employ a more sensitive test with a pelvic exam to really determine that you are pregnant. Remember, that the foundation for a healthy pregnancy begins with the right visit to the doctor. Your doctor will guide you for the next nine months, ensuring a healthy pregnancy.

A pregnancy takes around nine months. Thus, it is only fitting that there are nine stages for pregnancy, one stage for every month a woman is pregnant. A pregnancy is also one of the most demanding periods of a woman’s life, as it is one of her best. In this period, you will experience a lot of changes ranging from the physical, to the emotional, and to the psychological. During pregnancy, you get to experience concerns like fatigue, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, back pain, indigestion, cramps, and blood pressure issues.

In the first month, you start adjusting to you circumstances. You may experience dizziness, weakness, and morning sickness. This stage sees the fertilized egg grows into a group of cells, adheres to the uterus, and keeps growing. This is the time when you experience breast tenderness and enlargement and darkening of the areolas. This month sees the development of the brain and spinal cord.

In the second month/stage, it is recommended that you stop drinking and smoking as this is a crucial stage in the pregnancy. The embryo keeps on growing and the vital organs start to develop. The head begins to take shape and the limbs develop. A tiny human shape takes place during this time.

The embryo, in the third month, is now called the fetus. All the important organs, fingers, toes, and sex organs are now developed. The teeth also start forming in the gums. The fetus weighs 14 grams and develops certain immunity to infections.

A woman’s pregnancy stabilizes during the fourth month. The fetus is now 6 inches long. This is a period of relief to the pregnant woman as she no longer experiences the initial discomfort and hormonal levels are now stable.

During the fifth month, features like eyebrows and eyelashes appear. As the baby grows in size, so does the baby’s senses. A pregnant woman should start wearing comfortable and loose clothes as this is a time when the baby rapidly grows.

The sixth month sees the development of the immune system, digestive system, and the pulmonary system. The seventh month sees the completion of the baby’s vital systems. Except for the lungs, the fetus starts using these organs. This is the time when the baby is nearly ready for delivery.

In the eighth month, you may get to experience the same levels of discomfort that you experienced in the first trimester. The pregnant women may again have to deal with fatigue, dizziness, heartburn, and back pain. The baby is also fully developed. During this time, the woman must also maintain a healthy lifestyle and proper eating habits.

The ninth month is, of course, the final stage in a woman’s pregnancy. This is a time when would-be mothers experience Braxton-Hicks contractions or false labor pains. The baby is now ready in position. Indeed, this is a very exciting time for the mother as she would soon meet her baby for the first time.

During these nine months, it is important for the pregnant woman to be healthy and maintain a positive frame of mind. What lies ahead after nine months would surely be one of the most gratifying years of her life.

It is a given that a woman should gain weight during her pregnancy. Correctly gaining the right weight means having a balance diet with all the proper nutrients in place. You do not have to eat for two during this stage in your life. However, you need to add about an extra 300 calories so that you will meet your unborn child’s dietary needs.

Normally a woman with average must gain an average of 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. Overweight women need to gain about 15 to 25 pounds during pregnancy and underweight women must gain 28 to 40 pounds during pregnancy. Depending on what your doctor or nutritionist suggests, you may need to gain less weight or more.

During her first three months of being pregnant, a woman must gain about two to four pounds. Then she may gain one pound a week for the rest of the pregnancy. If twins are expected, the woman should add a healthy weight of 35 to 45 pounds during the pregnancy.

One might ask where the extra weight would go during the pregnancy. The unborn baby gets to take 8 pounds, the placenta gets 2 to 3 pounds, the amniotic fluid weighs about two to three pounds, breast tissue weighs two to three pounds, the blood supply weighs 4 pounds, and fat stores are give five to nine pounds. The uterus gets heavy by two to five pounds. In all, there is a grand total of 25 to 35 pounds.

To keep your pregnancy weight in check, exercise is an essential part of your routine. Moderate exercise is acceptable. Pregnant women may engage in swimming or walking. But first, you must consult with your doctor before starting a pregnancy exercise regimen.

You could also gain a lot of weight during pregnancy, more than the recommended 25 to 35 pounds. Your doctor could suggest that you lose the weight safely but under his or her supervision. There are also women who gain only a little weight during pregnancy. The doctor might suggest to these women dietary modifications to ensure that they gain the proper weight.

Your doctor may suggest that you eat five to six small and frequent meals daily. The doctor may also suggest that your snacks include nuts, raisins, crackers, cheese, ice cream/yogurt and dried fruit. You could also spread peanut butter on crackers, toast, bananas, apples, or celery. To safely add weight, non-fat powdered milk may be added to foods like scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, and cereal. To add flavor to your meals and gain a healthy pregnancy weight, you may add condiments like margarine, butter, gravy, cream cheese, cheese, and sour cream to you meals.

It is really important that you attain the correct pregnancy weight gain. If you gain too much weight, you might find it hard to lose that excess weight when you have given birth. If you gain only a little weight, the health of the baby may be compromised. Don’t gamble with your weight. Gain the right weight to ensure a healthy pregnancy.