A – Childbirth
All the phenomena (loss of water, uterine contractions, etc.) which lead to the birth of the baby. Childbirth has three phases: labor, expulsion and delivery. It takes place by vaginal or cesarean section.
Folic acid
Group B vitamin, administered during pregnancy, to prevent certain malformations of the fetus (cleft lip and palate, spina bifida, etc.). A mother-to-be needs approximately twice as much folic acid as a woman who is not pregnant. In addition to the supplementation prescribed by the doctor, she can find this vitamin in many foods: liver, milk, green vegetables, etc.
Acne
A pregnant woman is, like a teenager, prone to acne breakouts, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Pimples usually appear on the face, chest and back. To limit their occurrence, it is necessary to adopt strict hygiene rules. A doctor can also prescribe zinc, the only possible treatment for the mother-to-be.
Amenorrhea
We talk about amenorrhea when a woman has stopped having her period, especially when she is pregnant. Moreover, the age of pregnancy is often expressed in “weeks of amenorrhea”, in other words in the number of weeks elapsed since the last menstruation. Not to be confused with the number of “weeks of pregnancy” which takes into account the number of weeks that have elapsed since fertilization.
Amniocentesis
Examination generally carried out in the second trimester of pregnancy, in case of suspicion of Down’s syndrome or other diseases in the child. Amniocentesis involves taking a little amniotic fluid and then analyzing it. It is recommended for expectant mothers aged 21 or over, as well as in cases of a history of genetic or chromosomal diseases.
Anemia
Iron deficiency, common in pregnant women, especially when pregnancies are close together. Symptoms: fatigue, pallor.
B – Mucous plug
Made up of mucous secretions, the mucous plug clogs the cervix and thus protects the fetus from any infection. The expulsion of the mucous plug usually occurs a few hours or days before birth. Be careful not to confuse it with the loss of water (very clear liquid).
C – Cerclage
Technique consisting in tightening the cervix of the uterus, using a thread or a band, in the event of threat of late miscarriage or premature delivery.
Find out more: Cerclage of the cervix.
- Cesarean
Surgery that involves removing the baby from the mother’s womb through a horizontal incision above the pubis. The decision to perform a cesarean section can be taken for various reasons: presentation of the baby in breech, fetal suffering, herpes, twins … The expectant mother can benefit from a spinal anesthesia or an epidural to be aware of the arrival in the world of her child.
- Nuchal translucency
It is a small space, more or less thick, located under the skin of the neck of the embryo. The doctor checks its thickness during the first trimester ultrasound. Nuchal hyperclarity (too thick space) may be a sign of Down’s syndrome or other chromosomal abnormality. The measurement of nuchal translucency is often associated with the assay of serum markers.
Open / closed collar
The cervix is a sort of cone 3 or 4 cm long, located at the entrance to the uterus. It remains closed throughout pregnancy. During the third trimester, it may start to shorten and open up.
On the day of childbirth, under the effect of uterine contractions and the baby’s descent, the cervix loses length until it completely disappears. Its internal orifice expands by about 10 cm to allow the head to pass through.
Constipation
Very common during pregnancy, constipation is due to the relaxation of the muscles of digestion. A few tips to avoid this type of inconvenience: exercise (swimming, walking, etc.), drink plenty of water, avoid starchy foods, favor foods rich in fiber (fruits, vegetables, cereals, wholemeal bread) and think of prunes!
Contractions
Muscle stiffening of the uterus during childbirth. The contractions come closer and intensify as you go into labor. They first cause the erasure and dilation of the cervix. They then “push” the baby out and also help push out the placenta. Painful for the mother-to-be, they are relieved by the epidural.
Other contractions, called Braxton – Hicks, can appear as early as the 4th month of pregnancy. They are characterized by a brief and painless hardening of the belly of the mother-to-be. If they become painful, see a doctor.
Umbilical cord
It connects the placenta of the mother to the fetus and brings food and oxygen to the baby, while evacuating its waste. During childbirth, the cord (approximately 50 cm long) is “clamped” to stop the blood flow between the placenta and the baby – then cut. This is the end of the baby’s biological dependence on his mother.
D – Expected date of delivery
The date of delivery can be calculated by adding 41 weeks to the date of the last period or 39 weeks to the date of conception of the child (if we know it!). It will nevertheless remain approximate, because it is rare for a baby to come into the world on the exact day of the pregnancy term!
Declaration of pregnancy
During the first prenatal visit to your gynecologist, your gynecologist will give you a three-part document. One must be sent to your health insurance fund, the other two to your family allowance fund, before the end of the third month of pregnancy. This declaration of pregnancy makes it possible to be reimbursed for care related to pregnancy and above all, to benefit from family benefits.
Exceeding the term
It happens that some babies are wanted. When the due date is passed, the fetal heart rate and the amount of amniotic fluid in the womb are then closely monitored. In some cases, childbirth must be initiated.
Gestational Diabetes
Hyperglycemia due to a deficiency in insulin, a hormone that regulates the level of sugar in the blood, but this only during the period of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is detected by a blood test between the 5th and 6th month of pregnancy. He disappears after the birth of Baby. Not to be confused with type 1 or 2 diabetes, which a woman may have before pregnancy.
Learn more: Gestational diabetes
Prenatal diagnosis
Examination to detect a congenital anomaly before the birth of the baby. It is only offered in certain circumstances: family history of genetic disease, late pregnancy or suspected abnormality during an ultrasound. Different techniques can be used: amniocentesis, fetal blood test, placental biopsy, etc.
Doppler
Ultrasound device for calculating the speed of blood circulation of the fetus. With the Doppler, the doctor checks the good vascularization of the baby’s heart, of the uterus of the mother-to-be… This examination can be performed in addition to ultrasounds, but is not systematic.
Find out more: A fetal doppler at home?
E – Ultrasound
Medical imaging technique allowing to visualize the fetus in the womb of the future mother. In France, three ultrasounds, one per quarter, are recommended.
Find out more: Ultrasounds
Embryo
The unborn baby is called an “embryo” during the first two months of pregnancy, before all of its organs are formed and its limbs developed. We then speak of a fetus.
F — Fatigue
You feel it especially during the first months, when your hormones are on the boil and give you these little hits in the middle of the day. As you approach the end of your pregnancy, your sleep is usually difficult and your nights are rather restless.
But beware, permanent fatigue can be a sign of a vitamin deficiency or anemia: talk to your doctor and keep a healthy and balanced diet.
Miscarriage
Spontaneous termination of pregnancy usually occurring during the first trimester (15 to 20% of pregnancies). The mother-to-be’s body evacuates a non-viable embryo, following an anomaly during fertilization.
Learn more: Miscarriage
Fertilization
It is the meeting of a sperm and an egg, resulting in the formation of a single cell: the egg. This cell then divides and becomes the embryo, then the fetus …
Find out more: Fertilization
Fetus
This is how the future baby is called from the 3rd month of pregnancy until birth. Until the 2nd month of pregnancy, we speak of an embryo.
Find out more: Fetus or baby?
Urinary leaks
Urinary leaks are frequent in expectant mothers, especially at the end of pregnancy. They can occur during physical exertion, a simple sneeze or a burst of laughter.
Exercises to strengthen the perineum can remedy the problem. They are sometimes discussed during childbirth preparation classes. After childbirth, you will be prescribed perineal rehabilitation sessions to help you strengthen your perineum.
G – Ectopic pregnancy
A pregnancy is said to be “ectopic” when the egg has failed to reach the uterus and develops into a fallopian tube, ovaries or abdominal cavity. Presenting a risk to the mother, an ectopic pregnancy, when diagnosed, should be terminated immediately.
Find out more: An ectopic pregnancy?
H — Haptonomie
Method allowing future parents to communicate with their child during pregnancy. In emotional contact with the baby, haptonomy also allows the mother to better understand the pain of childbirth. The sessions generally begin in the 4th month of pregnancy.
Find out more: Haptonomy: meeting Baby …
Uterine height
The measurement of the uterine height, from the pubis to the top of the uterus, makes it possible to estimate the size of the baby according to the age of the pregnancy and the amount of fluid in which it bathes. Gynecologist or midwife measure it from the 4th month of pregnancy, using a simple seamstress ruler.
Hemorrhoids
Itching, irritation, bleeding during or after bowel movements… A priori, these are hemorrhoids! One or more veins in the rectum or anus dilates, forming small internal or external balls. This phenomenon often occurs as a result of prolonged constipation, common in pregnant women.
Without consequences for the fetus and benign for the mother-to-be, hemorrhoids are especially very unpleasant and often painful.
To limit the occurrence of hemorrhoidal crises: eliminate spicy cooking and, for personal hygiene, prefer soap-free products to antiseptic solutions, which are too irritating. Also adopt a healthy lifestyle that will prevent constipation.
Hormone HCG
Gonadotropin, better known as the hormone HCG, is secreted in women only when they are pregnant. This is the hormone that pregnancy tests detect.
Hypertension
High blood pressure affects one in ten pregnant women and can cause fetal growth failure. The normal blood pressure of a future mother is lower than that which she had before pregnancy. Hypertension should be monitored because it can degenerate into preeclampsia, a dangerous complication of pregnancy.
And – Insomnies
Pregnancy is a good time for insomnia and strange dreams. The explanation of the pros? The hypervigilance of the mother-to-be towards her child would disrupt her sleep.
Medical termination of pregnancy
Voluntary termination of pregnancy in the event of danger to the mother’s life or certainty that the unborn baby has a serious malformation or pathology. Medical termination of pregnancy can be performed at any stage of pregnancy in France.
Abortion
Voluntary termination of pregnancy, without medical reason. Voluntary termination of pregnancy or abortion is authorized up to the 12th week of pregnancy or 14th week of amenorrhea, in France.
More: The abortion
K – Kilos
Doctors recommend that expectant mothers gain between 8 and 12 kilograms during the nine months of pregnancy. It is not uncommon not to gain weight during the 1st trimester. On the other hand, then, the more the pregnancy advances, the more the weight gain is fast (approximately 450-500 grams per week the last two months).
Note: thinner women tend to gain more weight, but have, on average, babies with a lower birth weight than slightly rounder mothers.
L – Amniotic fluid
It is the liquid – 95% rich in mineral salts – which makes up the amniotic pouch (water pouch), in which the fetus is immersed. Protected from shocks, noise and infections, Baby is kept there at room temperature. Checking the state of the fluid allows you to check the progress of the pregnancy (amnioscopy).
listeriosis
Listeriosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria found in certain foods. It is particularly dangerous in pregnant women. To avoid: raw products (meat, fish, milk, cheese, etc.).
Learn more: Listeriosis in pregnant women
M – Serum markers
The serum marker assay is a blood test performed between the 14th and 18th week of amenorrhea, as part of the screening for trisomy 21 in the fetus. If the results show a possible risk, the mother-to-be will be advised to perform an amniocentesis.
Pregnancy mask
Brownish spots can sometimes appear on the face of a pregnant woman after exposure to the sun, due to hormonal impregnation. To protect yourself, invest in a cream with a high protection factor. If you are already affected, rest assured: they gradually disappear after childbirth.
Medicine
Many drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy because they may cross the placental barrier and reach the baby. This is why a pregnant woman should always seek the advice of her doctor before taking any treatment, even to treat a minor cold.
Learn more: Medicines and pregnancy
Monitoring
Device for monitoring the baby’s heartbeat and the quality of contractions during labor. Two sensors are placed on the mother’s stomach and linked to a control screen.
N – Nausea
Relatively frequent until the 3rd month of pregnancy, nausea generally occurs when you are on an empty stomach, especially when you wake up. Tips:
– in the morning, avoid any physical effort and try to have breakfast served in bed!
– try to go from three large meals to five lighter meals a day (in order to stay less fasting).
O – Obstetrician
Doctor specializing in the monitoring and management of pregnancy and childbirth, in particular pathologies.
Clear egg
We speak of a clear egg when the sperm has met the egg but has not fertilized it. The cell formed is therefore incapable of dividing. This necessarily results in a miscarriage.
P — Pelvimetrie
Radiological measurement of the diameter of the pregnant woman’s pelvis. This examination is carried out when the baby presents in breech, to determine if a vaginal birth may be possible.
Perineum
It is a set of muscles that forms the floor of the abdomen, crossed by the urethra, vagina and anus. During pregnancy, it tends to weaken with the weight of the baby. It is also put to the test during childbirth. This is why, perineal rehabilitation will be almost essential after birth for most women.
Placenta
Connected to the Baby by the umbilical cord, it is essentially thanks to him that the fetus can live and develop. It provides food and oxygen, and evacuates waste such as urea. With its 20 cm diameter, 3 cm thickness and its weight of 500g, the placenta is expelled (during delivery) a few minutes after birth.
Water pocket
Space filled with amniotic fluid in which Baby bathes. The water sac usually ruptures during labor, sometimes before the first contractions. Some babies are born capped with the bag of water, when it has not broken.
Preeclampsia
Complication of pregnancy associating arterial hypertension and proteinuria (presence of protein in the urine). There is also a water retention, leading to edema and therefore a strong weight gain.
Preeclampsia (or toxemia of pregnancy) appears in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and resolves spontaneously after birth. The risk factors are: obesity, diabetes, first pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, early or late pregnancy.
It requires increased monitoring of the mother-to-be until childbirth.
Prematurity
A child is said to be premature if it is born before the 9th month of pregnancy (37 weeks of amenorrhea). He is said to be very premature when he is born before the 32nd week of amenorrhea.
Preparation for childbirth
Even if on D-Day, you will have to partly trust your instincts, it is better to prepare a minimum for the birth with a midwife. Preparation courses are offered in maternity wards. You will also learn some relaxation and breathing exercises.
These sessions are finally an opportunity for future parents to ask all their questions!
R — Radios
X-rays during pregnancy present a risk of malformation for the baby, especially during the 1st trimester. This is why it is necessary to tell your doctor that you are pregnant, even for a dental x-ray! They will then be performed with a lead apron to prevent radiation from reaching the fetus. On the other hand, pelvimetry, sometimes carried out in the 9th month of pregnancy to measure the size of the pelvis, is completely harmless.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Acid rise from the stomach to the esophagus and throat, very common in pregnant women, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, also called “heartburn”, occurs most often after meals and can be accompanied by an acid taste in the mouth. Some tips to prevent it: avoid large meals, acidic or spicy foods, coffee, tea and carbonated drinks.
Water retention
Poor elimination of water by the body. Fluid retention is common in pregnant women, in whom it causes edema. The solution: reduce your salt intake and drink large amounts of water (yes, yes!).
Running cold water on the legs can relieve swelling.
Rubella
Risk disease in pregnant women because it can cause serious malformations in the fetus. At the start of pregnancy, the doctor immediately checks whether the mother-to-be is immune or not. If not, she should avoid contact with someone with the disease. The only way to prevent contamination is vaccination, recommended for children.
Learn more: Rubella in pregnancy
S – Midwife
Its field of competence concerns pregnant women and childbirth. The midwife provides medical monitoring of the pregnancy (clinical examination, ultrasound, monitoring of the fetus, screening for risk factors or pathologies), psychological support for the expectant mother and childbirth preparation sessions.
Then, she is responsible for the course of normal childbirth, from the diagnosis of onset of labor until delivery.
After birth, she provides care for the newborn and, if necessary, the first resuscitation procedures while waiting for the doctor. In the days following childbirth, she monitors the mother’s health and advises her on hygiene and feeding the baby.
Find out more: Midwives: who are they?
bleeding
Bleeding during pregnancy is common, especially during the 1st trimester, but not necessarily alarming! It may be a mild detachment of the egg, or an ectropion (the cervix is weakened and may bleed after a vaginal examination or sexual intercourse), in which case the discharge will subside. spontaneously. But bleeding can also signal a miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy or an anomaly of the placenta with risk of hemorrhage.
In all cases, it is necessary to consult your doctor.
Tits
This is one of the advantages of pregnancy: your breasts have never looked so good! The breasts, or rather the mammary glands, increase in size from the 1st trimester and it is also during this period that they are most sensitive. The nipples will also “take” in relief and darken.
Some expectant mothers may see a yellow liquid flow a few weeks before giving birth: this is the colostrum that will feed your baby for the first three days, if you choose to breastfeed.
Baby’s gender
It is determined… by the father! The woman’s egg contains the X chromosome. It is fertilized by a sperm carrying either an X or a Y. The combination of XX will give a girl, XY a boy.
Know or not? The future parents must inform the gynecologist about their desire to know the sex of the Baby before his birth, from the first ultrasound. Hey yes, at this point it is already possible to guess if it is a girl or a boy. However, the external genitalia are not yet completely distinct, the mistake is easy! In general, you have to wait for the second ultrasound to decide on the color of the baby’s room …
Sexuality
There is no contraindication to making love while pregnant, except, perhaps, in the event of a threat of premature labor.
Expecting a baby does not prevent having a fulfilling sexuality, but it is true that the psychic and physical upheavals of pregnancy often turn the intimate life of future parents upside down. Fatigue, breast tenderness, prominence of the belly… can be a barrier to cuddling.
Future mothers, take stock of your libido and consult our pregnancy Kama Sutra!
Head office
In 4 to 5% of cases, the baby presents by the buttocks, in a breech position. Cesarean section is then common, even if some practitioners sometimes agree to perform a vaginal birth.
Sport
Physical activity is not contraindicated during pregnancy, as long as it is gentle! Yoga, swimming or walking, for example, are perfect for mothers-to-be.
LEARN MORE : Pregnant, sport still?
T – Pregnancy test
There are two kinds of pregnancy tests: urine or blood. The first can be bought in pharmacies or supermarkets, without a prescription, is done at home and guarantees a 99% reliable result, in about three minutes. The second should, whatever happens, be performed to confirm the pregnancy. The blood test makes it possible to evaluate the level of the hormone HCG present in the mother-to-be and thus to estimate the age of the pregnancy.
LEARN MORE : Pregnancy tests
Toxoplasmosis
Risk disease in pregnant women because it can cause serious malformations in the fetus. Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite found in the intestines of cats. Moms-to-be have a good excuse not to take care of Minou’s litter box anymore!
LEARN MORE : Beware of toxoplasmosis!
U – Uterus
Hollow and muscular organ, in which the embryo develops, then the fetus with its appendages (placenta, umbilical cord and membranes).
Many women have a retroverted uterus, that is, tilted backward rather than forward. This malposition does not in any way prevent you from getting pregnant!
V – Stretch marks
They can appear on the stomach, breasts, buttocks and thighs, that is to say on the areas where the skin is most used during pregnancy. First purplish, these streaks will then fade over time, taking on a pearly hue. Two tips to avoid them: try not to gain weight too suddenly and moisturize your skin regularly (there are very effective preventive creams).
Discover our anti-stretch mark tips!