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210 Results for search "Women's Problems: Misc.".

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Urine tests provide your doctor or midwife with important information about diseases or conditions that could potentially affect you or your growing baby. That's why at each prenatal visit, you'll be asked to give a urine sample as part of your regular exam. This sample is used to help determine if you have diabetes, kidney disease, or a bladder infection by measuring the levels of sugar, protei...

Your pregnancy may not even have been confirmed yet, but while you wait to find out, a miracle is occurring inside your body. One single sperm out of millions of competitors has joined together with an egg. Under normal circumstances, fertilization occurs in one of the Fallopian tubes, then the fertilized egg begins to make its way to the uterus. By about the fifth day after conception, the e...

During the 5th and 6th weeks, a lot is going on for that tiny package developing inside your body. During this early period of life, the embryo is going through an extraordinary explosion of growth and development -- changes that are among the most dramatic in the course of a human life. During this two-week period, the embryo will grow from about the size of a lowercase "o" to the size of a grain...

In week 7, your baby will grow to one-half an inch in size -- about the size of a small lima bean. Given the embryo's tiny size, it is astonishing to think of the sophisticated processes that are occurring inside. All the elements of life are contained in that compact little unit, which is working tirelessly to grow and develop and make itself into a person. At this point in pregnancy, your baby'...

Now in her eighth week, your fetus is still very small. Measured from "crown to rump" -- that is, from the top of her head to her bottom, which is how the fetus is measured during ultrasound examinations -- she is about three-quarters of an inch long. She is tiny, but growing fast, making minute and breathtaking leaps in development every day. Still curled in a C-shape with her head bent forward t...

With each passing week, your baby is looking less like a sea creature and more like a baby. By week nine, his "tail" is almost completely gone. If you could see your baby, you would notice that his tiny legs now have distinctive knees and his arms distinctive elbows. His head still appears quite large, but he has a recognizable neck and is holding it up a little straighter. His body is not curled ...

Your baby is still miniscule, weighing in at just one-third of an ounce, but each day brings new milestones in her growth and development. By the end of the 10th week, your child has moved out of the embryonic stage and is now a fetus, which means "offspring" in Latin. The brain is developing at the astonishing rate of almost 250,000 neurons each minute. At this stage, the baby's head still appear...

Your baby continues to grow at a breathtaking rate: By the end of the 11th week, he'll be about the size of a lime. His head is still very large, almost half the length of his body. This week, he will begin to straighten out even more as his chin rises from his chest and his neck grows longer and stronger. The sex organs are becoming more distinctly male or female. The webbing that has connected...

At 12 weeks, all your baby's major organs are all in place and from now on will just keep growing larger. The area on the skull that is commonly referred to as the "soft spot" (fontanel) on a newborn is very large at this point, allowing for a great deal of brain growth. The baby's profile is well formed, with a distinctive nose and chin. External genitals are beginning to be recognizable as male ...

Your baby continues to grow rapidly now, and his organs and systems are becoming more efficient and complex. His brain is growing larger and more sophisticated every day, enabling him to perform more functions. His skeleton is becoming harder, as calcium replaces cartilage in his bones. He is now capable of a range of movements and activities -- and he is likely to be practicing them all. Inside y...

Your baby is now about the size of your fist -- from 3 1/2 inches to 4 inches from crown to rump -- and weighs about one ounce. She is gradually uncurling from her C shape: at this point her chin is no longer resting on her chest, and her neck is longer and more clearly defined. Meanwhile, her fingernails and toenails continue to develop, and in this, her 14th week, she may also grow hair on her h...

Each day the little person inside of you is looking more like -- well, a little person. The fine, downy hair that covers the entire body -- known as lanugo -- will also appear around this time. Lanugo provides a protective covering for the baby's sensitive skin. If you could see your child's hands, you would be astonished by how perfect they look compared to just a few weeks ago. At eight weeks, t...

You may feel your baby move this week -- but don't worry if you do not. Fetal movement -- known as "quickening" -- is normally detectable by the mother any time between the 16th and the 20th week of pregnancy. So if you can't feel your baby yet, you will very soon. Quickening feels like tiny, butterfly-like fluttering -- movement that is so subtle you may not realize what it is at first. Later on,...

At 17 weeks, your baby is close to 5 inches long and weighs 3.5 ounces. Her head no longer appears so large in proportion to her body. Her eyes are larger, although they will remain closed for a few more weeks. Her hair, fingernails and toenails are all growing longer. The skin has developed, but is still very thin: If you could see her, her veins might be visible through the translucent skin. Thi...

Your baby has a lot more growing to do before birth, but he is getting bigger every day. He is now 5 to 5 and a half inches from crown to rump, and weighs about 5 ounces. By week 18, your baby's bones are beginning to ossify, as cartilage hardens into bone. If you could see a picture of your baby now, he would look more like an infant -- and less like the alien of just a few weeks ago. By this poi...

Your baby is now close to 6 inches from crown to rump, but only weighs about 7 ounces. She still has a lot of growing ahead of her: by the time she is born, her weight will have increased 15 times over. But even though she is still small, your baby is growing more complex with each passing week. Her digestive system is becoming increasingly capable: it is now producing gastric juices, which aid in...

Your baby is now probably between 5 and a half and 6 and a half inches long from head to rump and weighs about 9 ounces. She may be halfway home, but at week 20, she has a lot of growing to do. By the time she's actually born, she'll be about 13 times heavier than she is now. (Luckily, your own weight gain will be a bit more modest.) Her features are starting to take shape. She now has eyebrows, f...

At week 21, your baby is now about 7 and a quarter inches long from the top of her head to the tip of her rump -- roughly the length of a plump bratwurst -- and weighs about 10 and a half ounces. Her head is more than 2 inches long, or about one-third of her total length. She's still thin, wrinkly, and transparent. If you could take a peek, you'd see her bones and organs right through her skin. He...

Your baby is now about 7 and a half inches long from crown to rump and weighs a little more than 12 ounces. By now, he already has his dad's nose or your chin. He looks less like every other baby in the world and more like himself. His skin is becoming a little less transparent, but he's still thin, wrinkly, and covered with soft hairs (lanugo). He has sweat glands and fingernails. At week 22, y...

Your baby is now about 8 inches long from crown to rump and weighs about a pound. He looks like a grown baby but for the see-through skin. Tiny tooth buds are starting to form in his gums, and the hair (lanugo) that covers his body may start to turn dark. His eyes are well-developed, but the irises still don't have pigment. You'll have to wait till he's born -- and perhaps several months beyond --...

Your baby is now about 8 and a half inches long from his head to his bottom and weighs about 1 and a quarter pounds. Believe it or not, at week 24, he is now old enough to live outside of the womb -- but only with heroic medical help. His lungs are still immature, and he will be much better off if he can stay put for a few more months. For one thing, he needs time to plump up. He's just starting t...

Your baby is now 8 and three quarters inches long and weighs about 1 and a half pounds. From her face to her feet, she truly looks like a fully formed child. She's still small and thin, but her body is well-proportioned. Although her lungs are still weak and immature, all of her other vital organs are ready for prime time. Her heart is strong, and her brain is buzzing. She can curl her fingers int...

Your baby is now a bit more than 9 inches long and weighs almost 2 pounds. She's doubled her weight in just three weeks! To differing degrees, your baby has developed all five of her senses by week 26, but she's especially attuned to sound. Whenever she's awake, she's listening to the world around her. She hears your heart beating and your stomach rumbling. She hears your voice, too. When you talk...

Your baby is now 9 and a half inches long from the top of her head to her bottom, and she weighs a little more than 2 pounds. If she could stretch out her legs, she'd be about 15 inches long. Her lungs are still weak and her immune system is a work in progress. But if she were born today, at week 27, she would have a great shot at surviving with the help of a neonatal intensive care unit. She can ...

Your baby is now about 10 inches long from head to rump (just over 15 inches long with his legs stretched out) and weighs about 2 and a half pounds. That makes him 10 times heavier than he was just 11 weeks ago. He's really starting to fatten up from head to toe. His belly is getting round, and his cheeks look ready to pinch. He continues to pass important milestones. At week 28, he's growing actu...

At week 29, your baby is about 10 and a half inches long from head to rump (nearly 17 inches with her legs stretched out) and weighs about 2 and three quarter pounds. The womb is crowded, but, as you know, she still has enough room to squirm and kick. If you pay attention, you'll probably feel her kick about 10 times this morning. All of her senses are becoming sharper. She still loves to touch he...

Your baby is now nearly 11 inches long from head to rump (17 inches from head to toe) and weighs about three pounds. In addition to laying down body fat, she's starting to horde vital nutrients such as phosphorus, iron, and calcium to prepare for the future. Calcium is especially important, because, in her 30th week, her bones are starting to harden. Your body will do whatever it takes to give her...

Your baby is now about 11 and a half inches long from the top of his head to his bottom (about 18 inches from head to toe) and weighs about 3 and a half pounds. In week 31, his sleep patterns are becoming more regular. He's fully awake about 10 percent of the time. This is when he does his best kicking. It's also his time for yawning, blinking, sucking, and all of his other basic hobbies. He spend...

Your baby is now 11 and three quarters inches long from head to rump (nearly 19 inches from head to toe) and weighs almost 4 pounds. She looks like a slightly scaled-down version of a healthy full-term baby. The rest of her body is catching up with her large head, making her better proportioned. Even the smallest details are just about finished in week 32. Her toenails and fingernails are complete...

In week 33, your baby is now about 12 inches long from head to rump (19 and a half inches from head to toe) and weighs about 4and a half pounds. His body weight has increased by more than 10 percent in just one week. He looks more and more like a full-term baby, but his lungs still aren't fully mature. He also acts differently from a newborn. For one thing, he often sticks out his tongue, somethin...

Your baby is now nearly 13 inches long from head to rump (almost 20 inches from head to toes) and weighs about 5 pounds. He is just about complete. He has sharp fingernails that reach to the end of his tiny fingers. He's losing wrinkles and gaining fat. He now has all of the tools he needs to survive in the outside world (although if he were born today, he would need to stay in the hospital for a ...

Your baby is now slightly more than 13 inches long from head to rump (about 20 inches from head to toe) and weighs about 5 and a half pounds. Numbers like these wouldn't look out of place on a birth announcement. If she were born in week 35, she would most likely have the size and the strength to thrive. She still has some growing to do, though. If she can stay where she is, she'll start putting o...

At week 37, your baby is now about 14 inches long from crown to rump (21 inches from head to toe) and weighs about 6 and a half pounds. Congratulations for getting this far! Your baby is ready to enter the real world. If he were born today, he wouldn't be considered premature or at high risk for complications. Still, if everything is going well with your pregnancy, you might as well hold onto hi...

Your baby is still about 14 inches long from head to bottom (21 inches from head to toe) and probably weighs a bit less than 7 pounds. She's completely ready for life on the outside at week 38. Her lungs are strong (as you'll soon hear for yourself) and her digestive system is fully mature. She's essentially ready to be born! She's even collecting the material to fill her first diaper. Her intest...

At week 39, your baby is likely to be a bit over 14 inches long from head to rump (a little more than 21 inches from head to toe) and probably now weighs slightly more than 7 pounds. He's a fully developed baby just waiting for the right moment to come out. He's already lost most of his fetal trademarks, including the vernix (waxy coating) and lanugo (fine hairs) that once covered his body. And e...

Motherhood requires muscle, and according to the latest American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' exercise guidelines, there is no reason that a healthy woman can't strength train in moderation during pregnancy. But for a variety of reasons, pregnant women must be certain to use good form when lifting weights. Pregnancy increases the level of a joint-loosening hormone called relaxin, ...

Can a mammogram save my life? Mammograms -- X-ray pictures of the breasts -- are a valuable but imperfect tool for detecting breast cancer. The death rate from breast cancer has dropped dramatically in the last 20 or 30 years, but most of that progress is due to better treatments, not mammograms. While a mammogram can definitely uncover hidden cancers, recent research suggests that the X-rays don'...

What is bulimia nervosa? Although this eating disorder is less well-known than anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa is actually more common among American teenage and young women -- and just as serious. Bulimia nervosa, or simply "bulimia," is often referred to as "bingeing and purging." In other words, people with this eating disorder go on wild eating binges, consuming between 1,000 and 20,000 cal...

These days, more mothers-to-be are working right up until a few days, or even a few hours, before they go into labor. The fact that fewer than 40 percent of working women in the United States get paid pregnancy leave may have something to do with this trend. That's the bad news. The good news is that most women, depending on a few key factors, can actually work through their pregnancies without je...

Cesarean surgeries have saved the lives of many babies and their mothers, usually as a last resort in difficult birthing situations. In recent years, the number of children delivered by c-section has risen dramatically -- in 2005, about one in three children were delivered through c-section, the highest rate in the United States ever -- and the reasons for this increase remain controversial. A c-...

What is chorionic villus sampling? Chorionic villus sampling, more commonly called CVS, is a prenatal test used to identify birth defects and disorders. CVS is usually performed 10 to 12 weeks after your last menstrual period. Chorionic villi are microscopic, finger-like wisps of placental tissue formed from your fertilized egg. Because villi cells normally have the same genetic material as your...

One of the first calls you'll make when you suspect you're pregnant is to your family doctor or obstetrician. If you had a positive pregnancy test shortly after a possible conception, some doctors may ask you to hold off on scheduling your first prenatal visit for a few weeks until your pregnancy is well established. Others may want to see you right away. Meanwhile, you can begin thinking of all ...

While no one would say it's all downhill from here (there's labor after all, as well as the aches and pains of late pregnancy), for many women the second trimester feels like the "easy" part of pregnancy. Fear of miscarriage subsides, nausea abates, and energy surges -- all in all, there's less to be worried about. Of course, prenatal visits are still essential, and for most moms, prenatal exams ...

After eight months of pregnancy, you're already well acquainted with your doctor. You've been poked, prodded, scanned, and then poked again. If your pregnancy has been progressing normally, you've probably been seeing your doctor once or twice each month. But now that you're in the home stretch, you'll be spending even more time in the doctor's office. Starting at about week 36, your doctor will p...

If you've ever thought about adopting a child, you've probably already asked yourself some very important questions: Are you ready to devote your life to another person? What kind of parent will you be? Once you decide to make the commitment, many more questions are bound to follow. The process for adopting infants in America can be bewildering (you can expect the paperwork to weigh more than th...

In the Jazz Age, flappers wielded foot-long cigarette holders as emblems of panache and independence. During World War II, monthly ads with Chesterfield cigarette girls featured such stars as Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth. Twenty years later, the U.S. Surgeon General linked smoking and death, but images of cigarettes as symbols of feminine freedom, mystery, and sex appeal were by no means extingu...

Elena Manzana* was all too familiar with the consequences of high blood pressure. When she was in high school, her 64-year-old father suffered a debilitating stroke, brought on largely by high blood pressure. The stroke paralyzed his left side, and he never fully recovered. Because of her family history, Manzana suspected her blood pressure might climb when she became pregnant with her first chil...

If you're caught in an abusive relationship, your top priority should be safety. You may not be able to control the abuse, but with some planning and determination, you can take steps to protect yourself and your family if it persists. Even if you plan to continue the relationship, you should have a plan in place for dealing with the next possible attack. And if you intend to leave, you should do...

Ask any woman, especially one with children and a mortgage, and you're likely to get an earful on stress. In fact, studies show consistently that women score higher on the stress-o-meter than do men. In a survey conducted in 2006 by the American Psychological Association (APA) fully 51 percent of women -- compared to 43 percent of men -- reported that stress had an impact on their lives. Other ...

Many people equate "domestic violence" with an angry husband hitting his wife. In reality, that's only one possible scene. Although women are much more likely to be victims of domestic violence, it's not so uncommon for wives to hit husbands, boyfriends to hit or verbally abuse girlfriends, girlfriends to hit or abuse boyfriends. There's more than one way for a relationship to turn violent or abus...