Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be both a thrilling and a nerve-racking time, especially if this is your first baby. One of the most exciting moments in your pregnancy is when you feel those first little flutters of your baby kicking. These tiny movements reassure you...

Taking Medicine (Pregnancy )

While some medications are considered safe to take during pregnancy, the effects of other medications on your unborn baby are unknown. Therefore, it is very important to pay special attention to medications you take while you are pregnant, especially...

Cosmetic Surgery: Before-and-After Pictures

Cosmetic Surgery: Before and AfterCosmetic surgery may once have been the domain of the rich and famous, but its popularity continues to grow. Every year, more than a million Americans seek a surgeon's hand in achieving a flatter tummy, a larger bust...

Stretch Marks (Pregnancy )

Smoother Skin Doesn't Have to Be a Stretch, Doctors Say, Because Treatment Options Abound By Annabelle Robertson Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD When Adrienne Nugent of San Antonio gave birth to her thi...

See Your Doctor First (Pregnancy )

Caring for your health before you become pregnant -- called preconception care -- will help you identify any factors that may put you or your baby at risk during pregnancy and allow time to treat any medical problems that you may have before you beco...

Planning for a Healthy Pregnancy (Pregnancy )

The first test you may have is the one you take at home to see if you're pregnant. After you know you're pregnant, you will have a series of tests throughout your pregnancy to make sure you and your baby are healthy. At-home pregnancy test ...

Why Prenatal Vitamins Are Important (Pregnancy )

What are prenatal vitamins? For a mother's health, and the health of her baby, she is advised to take so-called ‘prenatal vitamins’ during pregnancy. These are specially formulated multivitamins that make up for any nutritional deficiencie...

Preparing for Pregnancy Emotionally (Pregnancy )

Are you really prepared? Here are a few points to think about before making a baby. By Denise Mann Feature Reviewed by Robert S. Phillips, MD Ask anyone with a newborn, and they will tell you t...

Your Prepregnancy To-Do List (Pregnancy )

Trying to conceive? Print this to-do list for a healthy pregnancy. By Denise Mann Feature Reviewed by Robert S. Phillips, MD Take a folic acid supplement every day. This reduces the cha...

Can You Time Your Pregnancy? (Pregnancy )

You can try for a certain month or season to deliver. But it's not that easy to schedule a pregnancy. By Denise Mann Feature Reviewed by Robert S. Phillips, MD Susan, a 31-year-old special educ...

Getting Pregnant After Birth Control (Pregnancy )

How soon can you get pregnant after stopping birth control? By Denise Mann Feature Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD Women tend to spend half their lives trying NOT to get pregnant and then wh...

Understanding Conception (Pregnancy )

Most doctors calculate the start of pregnancy from the first day of your last menstrual period. This is called the "menstrual age" and is about two weeks ahead of when conception actually occurs. Here's a primer on conception: ...

Getting Started on Getting Pregnant (Pregnancy )

You've decided to have a baby! Now you're probably wondering: how long will it take to get pregnant, when should we have sex, and how often? Find out here. The Odds of Getting Pregnant It's a common question: what are the odds that I'll get...

8 Ways to Boost Your Fertility (Pregnancy )

Trying to get pregnant? Pay attention to simple things -- diet, timing of sex, even your lubricant -- and you may conceive faster. By Kathleen Doheny Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD If yo...

See How Conception Happens From Egg to Embryo

Conception: From Egg to EmbryoAt the moment when a lone sperm penetrates a mature egg, conception or fertilization takes place. To better understand the incredible process of conception, take a journey with us from tiny egg to growing embryo.Ovulati...

7 Tips for Getting Pregnant Faster (Pregnancy )

Dos and don'ts of increasing your chances of getting pregnant. By Denise Mann Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD You are ready to get pregnant. Now. Of course, you want to attack this task w...

Slideshow: Fetal Development Month by Month

Fetal Growth: Conception to BirthYou're pregnant. Congratulations! Are you curious how big your developing baby is, what your baby looks like as it grows inside you, and when you'll feel it move? Take a peek inside the womb to see how a fetus devel...

Early Pregnancy Symptoms (Pregnancy )

The only way to know for sure you're pregnant is with a pregnancy test. But there are early symptoms of pregnancy that can alert you to the fact that you may be pregnant and should have a test. Some women are so attuned to their body and the cha...

False Pregnancy (Pseudocyesis) (Pregnancy )

Pregnancy can be an exciting time for the expectant parents-to-be. Sometimes, though, pregnancy doesn't end as anticipated -- with a baby. In rare cases, a woman (or even a man) believes she is pregnant, only to find out that her symptoms were caused...

Home Pregnancy Tests (Pregnancy )

Some women approach the prospect of pregnancy with excitement, others with worry. No matter how you feel about the idea of being pregnant, a pregnancy test may let you know, one way or the other, if you are pregnant. If you have symptoms of preg...

Choosing Your Pregnancy Health Care Provider (Pregnancy )

Choosing who will help care for you during your pregnancy, labor, and delivery is very important. There are several types of health care providers who can care for your needs during pregnancy and childbirth. Be sure to explore your options and eva...

Healthy Pregnancy Diet (Pregnancy )

Good nutrition during pregnancy, and enough of it, is very important for your baby to grow and develop. You should consume about 300 more calories per day than you did before you became pregnant. Although nausea and vomiting during the first f...

Separating Myths vs. Facts (Pregnancy )

Overwhelmed by conflicting information on keeping your unborn baby healthy? Experts set the record straight. By Colette Bouchez Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD If you're hoping to do ever...

Pregnancy and Exercise (Pregnancy )

Maintaining a regular exercise routine throughout your pregnancy can help you stay healthy and feel your best. Regular exercise during pregnancy can improve your posture and decrease some common discomforts such as backaches and fatigue. There is e...

Pregnancy Weight Gain Guidelines Explained (Pregnancy )

By Elizabeth M. Ward, MS, RD Expert Column Every woman who is expecting a child ponders pregnancy weight gain. Some take pregnancy as license to eat as much as they want. Others regard pregnancy pounds with di...

Pregnancy Weight Gain: How Much Is Healthy? (Pregnancy )

Gaining the right amount of weight during pregnancy by eating a healthy, balanced diet is a good sign that your baby is getting all the nutrients he or she needs and is growing at a healthy rate. It is not necessary to "eat for two" during pregn...

Exercises for Pregnant Women (Pregnancy )

Here are some exercises that will help you stay fit during your pregnancy. Remember: Before you start any exercise program, consult with your health care provider. Your health care provider can give you personal exercise guidelines, based on ...

First Trimester of Pregnancy (Pregnancy )

No matter how well you prepare for your pregnancy, you may not be able to fully anticipate all of the different changes that are about to take place in your body. During the first trimester (the first three months after your last menstrual period)...

Pregnancy Week by Week: The First Month (Pregnancy )

If you are newly pregnant, or trying to conceive, you have many questions about what to expect. How will your body change? What's happening inside you? can guide you, week by week, through the nine months of pregnancy. Each week offers infor...

The Second Month of Pregnancy (Pregnancy )

Week 5 Baby: Your embryo still hasn't grown much. It's about 0.05 inches long. Heart, brain, spinal cord, muscle and bones are beginning to develop. The placenta, which will nourish your baby, and the amniotic sac, which provides a wa...