About Pregnancy
Whenever you have sex, there is always a chance of pregnancy. If you think you may be pregnant, please go to a pregnancy clinic and take a free and confidential pregnancy test. Some clinics you may walk in without an appointment.
During pregnancy, your body goes through many changes. Some common symptoms of early pregnancy include: a missed period, nausea, breast tenderness, frequent urination, tiredness, and mood swings. If you think you might be pregnant, the only way to know for sure is to take a pregnancy test.
Pregnancy tests check for a hormone called HCG that is produced by the embryo during pregnancy. The longer you wait to take the test, the more accurate it becomes. It is best to wait until your first missed period before taking a pregnancy test. You can test sooner, but you may need to take a confirming pregnancy test later.
Am I Pregnant?
Pregnancy symptoms include: nausea, swollen/sore breasts, fatigue, dizziness, appetite changes, frequent urination, weight gain or loss. If you answer "yes" to two or more statements below, you could be pregnant, and it would be important for you to actually take a pregnancy test.
1) I have missed a period or am late. Yes or No?
2) I had unprotected sex since my last period. Yes or No?
3) My periods are usually regular, but haven’t been lately. Yes or No?
4) I have not been using any birth control method. Yes or No?
5) I am having nausea. Yes or No?
6) I have been vomiting. Yes or No?
7) I have breast tenderness. Yes or No?
8) I need to urinate often. Yes or No?
9) I have gained weight recently. Yes or No?
10) I have noticed appetite changes. Yes or No?
11) I have been unusually tired lately. Yes or No?
12) I seem really emotional. Yes or No?
Learn more about how a fetus grows and changes in the initial weeks of pregnancy.
6 WEEKS
Brain is developing well; lenses of the eyes appear and nostrils are formed. Arms and legs continue to develop; internal organs also begin to develop. Heartbeat may appear on ultrasound as a regular flutter.
7 WEEKS
Fingers start to develop. Feet start to appear with tiny notches for the toes. Ears, eyes, and nose start to appear. Intestines start to form in the umbilical cord. Teeth begin to develop under the gums. Normal heartbeat would be 90 to 110 beats per minute. Elbows are forming.
8 WEEKS
The baby’s eyelids and palms of the hands are sensitive to touch. Baby swims and moves gracefully inside the amniotic sac. Every organ that is present in an adult human is now present in the baby. Stomach produces digestive juices and the liver makes blood cell. Heartbeat is sturdy around 140 to 170 beats per minute. Kidneys are beginning to function and taste buds are forming. Brain waves can be measured.
9 WEEKS
Hands now bend at the wrist and fingerprints and fingernails are just beginning to show. Elbows are formed. Nerves begin to function. Bones begin to harden. Thumb sucking occurs. The male or female organs appear. The baby will move away if touched through the uterine wall and can move spontaneously.
10 WEEKS
Baby is sensitive to touch. The baby will stretch out and show breathing-like movements. Tiny baby teeth are forming in the gums. Heart almost completely formed. Voice box is forming. Baby squints, swallows, frowns and puckers up the brow.
11 WEEKS
Blood vessels in the placenta are increasing in both size and number to provide the baby more nutrients. Baby now practices breathing. Baby now urinates. Stomach muscles can now contract. Baby can make complex facial expressions and even smile. Ears move toward their final position on the sides of the head.
12 WEEKS
Intestines will make their way into the abdomen since there is room now. Vocal cords are formed. Brain continues to develop. Tiny fingernails and toenails start to form. Fine hair begins to grow on the upper lip and eyebrows. Baby responds to skin stimulation. Baby swallows.