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What determines the sex
of my baby?
How do I know if I am pregnant?
If the test is positive does it mean that I am pregnant?
How does a home pregnancy test work?
If it is Negative does it mean I'm not pregnant?
I had a positive test result, but then my period
started a week later. What happened? Bleeding During
Pregnancy
Miscarriage Causes of Miscarriage
 
What determines the sex
of my baby?
Your baby's identity as male or female is determined at
fertilization by the type of male sperm that fertilizes the egg.
Males have two types of sperm:
y-chromosome sperm (male)
x-chromosome sperm (female)
If a y-chromosome sperm fertilizes the egg, you are carrying a
girl. If an x-chromosome sperm fertilizes the egg, you are
carrying a boy!
How do I know if I am pregnant?
The most common way to determine pregnancy today is to purchase
an over the counter home pregnancy test. They range in price from
about $5.00-$15.00, and they all claim to be over 99%
accurate. The pregnancy tests on the market today can detect
a pregnancy as early as the 1st day of your missed period (the day
after your period was due). Many women's cycles are not consistent
from month to month. For this reason, some women purchase a
two test kit so that they may retake the test 3-7 days later if
the results are negative or uncertain.
If the test is positive does it mean that I am pregnant?
Unfortunately, the only 100% guarantee that you are pregnant is
to have the results confirmed by your doctor. There are a
few situations that can create a positive result in the absence of
pregnancy (such as an ovarian cyst), although the likelihood
(about 99%) is that you are.
How does a home pregnancy test work?
This common home pregnancy test is very simple to use and can
provide results in about 5 minutes. Many tests simply
require urinating on a test stick and then waiting for the
results. Some other (usually less expensive) tests still require
urinating into a cup and then using a dropper to place a small
amount of urine into the "test well". Both tests
claim to be about 99% reliable in determining pregnancy.
When you are pregnant, your urine will contain a hormone called
HcG (human chorionic gonadotropin). The amount of this hormone
increases in concentration as pregnancy progresses. If HcG
is detected, it will trigger a + or -r line, whichever is
used to indicate a positive result. If no HcG is detected,
the result is negative (not pregnant).
If it is Negative does it mean I'm not pregnant?
Not necessarily. It means that either no HcG was
present, or that the concentration was too low to be detected.
This can occur if you take the pregnancy test too soon, or even if
you drink too much water in very early pregnancy (which can dilute
the concentration of HcG). If you really think you are
pregnant, and have not started your period within the week, it is
probably a good idea to retest. Meanwhile, avoiding alcohol
and other drugs that may be harmful to pregnancy remain a good
idea. I had a positive test result, but then my period
started a week later. What happened? Make an
appointment as soon as possible to see your doctor, who may be
able to determine what has happened. In some cases, women
who are pregnant may continue to have light periods for several
months. One theory is that the hormone levels are too low to
prevent menstruation. The doctor will need to assess whether
any hormone treatment is indicated. Unfortunately,
early miscarriage may be another possibility. Most
miscarriages occur in the 1st trimester, and most of these occur
within the first few weeks of pregnancy before many women even
suspect they are pregnant. (In fact, a late, very heavy period may
be a very early miscarriage), Early pregnancy tests enable
us to detect pregnancy sooner, but also makes us more aware of the
very real loss of early pregnancy. It is also possible
that there is another medical condition causing your bleeding, so
see your doctor right away. Bleeding During
Pregnancy During pregnancy, any sign of bleeding
can be frightening. The first trimester of pregnancy is when
most miscarriages occur. While bleeding in the 1st trimester
is a symptom of miscarriage, it does not mean a miscarriage will
occur. One out of every 5 women will experience 1st
trimester bleeding (about 20%). Of these women, about half
(50%) will go on to deliver healthy babies. Often, the cause of
bleeding remains unknown. If you are experiencing bleeding,
your doctor will need to see you immediately. He may also
want to schedule and ultrasound to see if any reason for the
bleeding can be determined and to examine the fetus. Many doctors
recommend bed rest or no exercise if a woman is experiencing
spotting or bleeding. While activity will not cause a
miscarriage, resting as much as possible is always a good idea.
Miscarriage Having a miscarriage at any time
during pregnancy is devastating. Approximately 10-25%
of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Usually, no specific reason can
be found for its cause. The majority of miscarriages occur within
the first trimester. There is only about a 2-3% of
miscarriage after this time. Causes of Miscarriage *
Abnormalities of chromosomes in the embryo or fetus (most
common) *abnormally shaped uterus (accounts for a small
number of miscarriages) * fibroids or scar tissue on
uterus (interfering with the fertilized eggs ability to implant).
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