Pregnancy: definition, signs, fertilization and development of the fetus

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Definition

What is pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a process that occurs from conception to birth. This process starts from an egg that is fertilized by sperm, then implants in the lining of the uterus, and then becomes a fetus.

Pregnancy occurs for 40 weeks, which is divided into three trimesters, namely:

• First trimester (0-13 weeks): the body structure and organ systems of the baby develop. Most miscarriages and birth defects occur during this period.
• Second trimester (14-26 weeks): the baby's body continues to develop and you can feel the baby's first movements.
• Third trimester (27-40 weeks): the baby is fully developed.

In some cases, the baby can stay in the womb until the 42nd week. However, the fetus must be removed immediately because it can cause health problems, such as the baby swallowing amniotic fluid (meconium aspiration).

How common is this condition?

This is a relatively common condition, occurring only in women of reproductive age.

Some people may have medical conditions that can result in infertility or infertility (the inability to get pregnant), or choose to be sterile so as not to become pregnant.

Talk to your doctor for more information.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of pregnancy?

The timing of pregnancy can vary between prospective pregnant women. Symptoms of pregnancy can be felt immediately or may appear within a few weeks of having sex last time.

Every woman can experience different signs of pregnancy from others.

But generally, after having sex shows pregnant characteristics, such as:

• Late menstruation
• Nausea and vomiting (morning sickness)
• Painful breasts and darkened nipples
• Stomach cramps
• Bloated
• More emotional
• Cravings
• Spotting blood from the vagina (implantation bleeding)
• Feel tired quickly
• Urinating frequently

Frequent urination is the most consistent sign of pregnancy throughout the gestational age.

This is caused by the development of the uterus from the first to the third trimester which will put pressure on the bladder.

That is the reason why pregnant women are often seen going back and forth to the bathroom, even though they have just peed or have just had a little drink.

When should I check for pregnancy?

There are many signs that you can use as a benchmark for gestational age, but guessing from them is not enough.

Moreover, not all pregnant women will experience uniform symptoms. There are also pregnant women who have never experienced any symptoms so that they do not realize that they are pregnant.

Therefore, if you suspect that you are pregnant, it is better if you have a pregnancy screening test.

A new pregnancy can be detected accurately by the toolat least 10 days after late menstruation.

This is because during that time, your body has started releasing the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).

hCG is a special hormone in the urine or blood that is only present during pregnancy. Because HCG is only produced after a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall.

Furthermore, the amount of HCG will increase every day throughout pregnancy.

There are two ways to do a pregnancy test that pregnant women can do, namely:

• Test pack
• Ultrasound
• Blood test to see the hCG hormone in the blood of pregnant women.

However, blood tests are rarely performed and if you have any questions, consult your doctor.

The process of occurrence

How does pregnancy occur?

Pregnancy occurs when an egg is fertilized by sperm and implants in the lining of the uterus and becomes a fetus. The fetus develops for about 40 weeks.

Pregnancy starts from the meeting between the sperm and egg when a man and woman have sex. Here are the stages of the various fertilization processes until you become a pregnant woman, such as:

1. Sex

During intercourse, a man who ejaculates will release semen containing sperm in the vagina.

After entering, the sperm begin to swim down the woman's cervix to the uterus in search of an egg that is ready to be fertilized so that pregnancy or fertilization occurs.

Female eggs are produced by the ovaries, aka ovaries. When they are mature enough, the egg will come out of the ovary and travel down the uterus through the fallopian tubes. This is part of the ovulation process.

If the sperm manages to meet the egg on the way, fertilization can occur.

2. Conception

Sperm that can swim very fast can meet with an egg in 45 minutes to 12 hours.

However, at this stage pregnancy does not necessarily exist because the pregnancy process has not fully occurred.

One egg cell can be approached by hundreds to thousands of sperm at a time, but only the strongest sperm can penetrate the outer wall of the egg.

If the sperm has made it to the nucleus of the egg, then the egg will make a fort to prevent other sperm from entering.

Meanwhile, the "winning" sperm and egg cells then merge into one. This process is known as conception or conception.

3. Implantation

After the sperm and egg are united, this material will move from the fallopian tube to the uterus while dividing into a lot.

During its journey, the material will form a small ball called a blastocyst which contains approximately 100 different cells.

Generally, the blastocyst will arrive in the uterus about 3-4 days after conception. However, blastocysts can also float in the uterus for 2-3 days before finally finding the uterine wall to attach to.

When the blastocyst is attached to the uterine wall, this process is known as implantation.

This is where the pregnancy process officially begins. However, you cannot officially be called a pregnant woman at this stage.

4. Embryo formation

Once firmly attached to the uterus, the blastocyst will begin to develop into the embryo and placenta. The embryo is a fetus in the uterus.

Meanwhile, the placenta, aka the placenta, is a pocket-shaped organ that will become a "home" for the embryo to grow and develop for the next 9 months.

At this stage, you can be declared a pregnant woman even though the signs are not clear.

Fetal development and opportunities

What is the development of the fetus based on gestational age?

Generally pregnancy lasts for 40 weeks or 280 days or 9 months until delivery. The development of 40 weeks of gestation is then divided into 3 trimesters, namely:

1. First trimester (1-3 months)

In the first months, aka the 1st trimester of pregnancy, pregnant women are usually able to show general signs such as morning sickness, fatigue, and weight gain.

However, the belly of pregnant women has not looked so enlarged in this early trimester. Because, at this time there is still a fertilized zygote in the uterus of a pregnant woman.

The zygote turns into an embryo which will stick to the uterine wall and develop into a fetus.

In the first 3 months, the fetus in the belly of the pregnant woman will begin to form various organs.

The organs that develop include:

• Brain
• Spinal cord
• Other body organs (head, eyes, mouth, nose, fingers and toes, and genitals)
• The baby's heart has also started beating since the beginning of the first trimester of pregnancy.

According to Women's Health, the length of the fetus in the stomach of pregnant women should ideally reach 7.5 cm and weigh about 30 grams.

This development occurs at the end of the first trimester (12th week of pregnancy).

2. Second trimester (3-6 months)

In the second trimester of pregnancy, symptoms morning sickness what pregnant women feel has started to subside. However, there are some pregnant women who experience symptoms, such as:

• The stomach starts to look bigger
• Dizziness due to low blood pressure
• Begins to feel the baby moving
• Body aches
• Increased appetite
• Start appearing stretch marks on the stomach, breasts, thighs, or buttocks
• Some parts of the skin are darkened, such as on the nipple

Meanwhile, for the fetus in the belly of a pregnant woman, almost all of her vital organs are fully developed.

The fetus can also begin to hear and ingest nutrients from the food that pregnant women eat.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, at the end of the second trimester the weight of the fetus in the stomach of pregnant women should ideally reach 1 kilogram more and about 35 cm in length.

3. Third trimester (7-9 months)

In the third trimester of pregnancy, especially at 32 weeks of gestation, the bones in the fetus are fully formed.

The fetus in the belly of the pregnant woman can open and close her eyes and feel the light from outside the skin.

At this gestational age, the weight of the fetus in the belly of a pregnant woman is around 3-4 kilograms and can reach 50 cm in length.

Meanwhile, at 36 weeks of pregnancy, generally the position of the fetus's head is facing downwards to be ready for birth.

If you haven't faced down for more than 37 weeks, the doctor will advise pregnant women to deliver the baby in their stomach by caesarean section.

Some of the other things that can happen during the last trimester are:

• The fetus starts to move a lot in the stomach
• Experienced several false contractions
• Feeling heartburn
• Breast leaking milk
• Hard to sleep

In the final trimester of pregnancy, pregnant women experience a lot of pain, swelling in several parts of the body (legs for example), and even begin to feel anxious about the upcoming labor.

What increases my chances of getting pregnant?

There are many things that can increase your chances of getting pregnant, namely:

• Not using contraception
• Having sex in the fertile period without protective equipment
• Inconsistent or incorrect use of effective contraceptive methods

Some people say that certain foods can increase the chance of pregnancy, but there is no scientific evidence.

Diagnosis & treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How to diagnose pregnancy?

Pregnancy can be diagnosed by:

• Home pregnancy test: a urine test detects the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
• Hospital pregnancy test to ensure accuracy of home pregnancy test results.
• Blood tests are used to determine pregnancy when the earliest pregnancy diagnosis is required within 9-12 days after conception.
• An ultrasound examination performed by an obstetrician to confirm your pregnancy

In addition, there are a series of other prenatal pregnancy tests that are carried out regularly, namely:

• PAP test
• Test screening gestational diabetes at weeks 24-28
• Sexually transmitted disease test
• Urinalysis
• Blood test for anemia or blood group
• Immune screening against various diseases, such as German measles

There are many useful screening tests for finding birth defects, such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and triple marker tests, amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or ultrasound.

What are the treatments that should be done during pregnancy?

Women who are undergoing pregnancy need to do the following:

• Eat a nutritionally balanced diet often in small amounts
• Take 400 mcg of folic acid for a few months before becoming pregnant
• Do not take medication unless under medical supervision

The doctor will adjust the treatment to your health condition.

Things to Watch Out for

What are the complications of pregnancy that need to be watched out for?

All women want their pregnancy to run smoothly until the time of birth.

However, various body changes during pregnancy in pregnant women can also increase the risk of complications.

There are several common pregnancy complications to watch out for, namely:

• Gestational diabetes
• Preeclampsia
• Miscarriage
• Hyperemesis gravidarum (severe nausea and vomiting)
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb)
• Anemia
• Cervical incompetence
• Premature rupture of membranes (PROM)
• Placenta previa

Pregnant women need to be aware of the above conditions.

What foods should you avoid while pregnant?

Pregnant women really need to increase their food intake. However, not all foods can be consumed by pregnant women.

Here are some foods that women should avoid during pregnancy, including:

• Fish high in mercury (mackerel and tuna)
• Raw foods (such as sushi and sashimi)
• Undercooked meat
• Raw or soft-boiled eggs
• Unwashed raw fruit or vegetables
• Caffeine and alcohol
• Fast food and packaged food
• Meat offal

These foods to avoid are known to carry more risks than their good effects.

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be made during pregnancy?

The following affects pregnancy, both positively and negatively:

• Negative: smoking, alcohol, drugs, large amounts of caffeine, artificial sweeteners, high calorie, high fat and high sugar foods.
• Positive: follow a healthy diet, increase the amount of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the diet.

If you have questions about pregnancy, consult your doctor.