Changes in the body during pregnancy
by Perry Smith
One of the most striking changes during pregnancy is a gain in
weight. Twenty-four pounds is the average additional weight that
the mother-to-be puts on. Of this amount, only a small fraction,
about two pounds, should be gained in the first three months;
about eleven pounds are gained in each of the other three-month
periods. This gain in weight is accounted for not only by the
child you are carrying but by other factors as well. The average
weight of the infant at birth is 7 1/2 pounds; the placenta (the
organ which provides oxygen and food essential for the life of
the fetus and for the elimination of its waste products) weighs
1 pound; and the fluid in the sac in which the baby lives is 1
1/2 pounds. At the end of pregnancy the uterus weighs about 2
1/2 pounds and the breasts 3 pounds. Most expectant mothers are
afraid that childbearing will leave them with an ungainly figure
and that they will develop a stomach that will stick out even
after the birth of the baby, but there is no reason why they
should have this fear. The extreme prominence of the lower
abdomen is most often caused by weakness of the abdominal
muscles, a weakness that happily can be substantially overcome
by proper exercise. An additional benefit, in the eyes of some
physicians, is that by strengthening the muscles of the abdomen
and increasing their elasticity one makes the actual birth much
easier. Abdominal streaking, or stretch marks on the stomach, is
a situation which occurs frequently because of the stretching of
the skin over the abdomen during the last months of the
pregnancy. Another readily apparent change is that your breasts
will become larger, firmer, and more tender. Because there is an
increased blood supply to the breasts as pregnancy advances, the
nipples and the elevated pigmented area immediately around them
become darker in color. These breast changes are, of course, in
preparation for the nursing of the baby. The veins beneath the
skin throughout your body may become more prominent because of
the increased blood supply. With some women this condition is
particularly noticeable in the legs and can lead to permanent
varicose veins or broken capillaries. Proper exercise,
especially of the legs, may reduce the likelihood of this
happening. Another change affects the coloring of your skin.
Pigment, deposited on the forehead, cheeks, and nose, gives the
expectant mother a rosy, healthy appearance. About two-thirds of
pregnant women have still another, change in their skin texture
and coloration. Sometimes, early in pregnancy, small red
elevations will appear over the face, neck, and arms. These skin
changes disappear following delivery and will have no lasting
effect on your complexion. The uterus undergoes a remarkable
change during pregnancy. It is converted from an almost solid
organ about the size of a woman's closed fist into a large,
thin-walled, muscular sac capable of containing the baby, the
placenta, and a large quantity of fluid as well.
About the author:
Perry Smith is a freelance writer writing for Women's Health
Magazines and related topics. He has written many related books,
he occasionally writes for websites - samples of his writings
can be found at website <a
href=http://www.medicalquestionsanswers.com>
medicalquestionsanswers.com </a>