Your Baby: Transition Time
At nine weeks after conception, your embryo has developed enough to be called a fetus, and the most important part of its development is over. The baby will grow a great deal at this time -- from about 1 inch long at the beginning of the week, to about 2 inches by the end (with its head measuring about half its length). The eyelids will fuse shut, and the irises will begin to form. At some point this week or next, blood will circulate between the baby and uterus, and the placenta will begin to function, providing oxygen and nutrients.
Your Body: Weight Watching Guidelines
Most women wonder what the ideal amount of weight gain is during pregnancy. The recommended weight gain during pregnancy is generally somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds, but it will depend on your weight before pregnancy and other factors that your health care provider will discuss with you. Wherever your starting weight stands, you should not go on a diet, nor should you eat for two or more during your pregnancy. Too little and too much weight gain can lead to problems for both you and the baby in the months ahead.
Most physicians will recommend that you gain anywhere from 3-5 pounds in the first three months of your pregnancy. For the remainder of your pregnancy, most recommend gaining 1-2 pounds per week. Of course this may vary for each individual.
Keep in mind that most of the weight that you gain during pregnancy is baby-related (not fat) between the baby, the placenta, amniotic fluid, and the fluid that accumulates in your body tissues.
On A Different Note: Genetics 101
Sometimes things don't always go as planned. And for whatever reason, you may be at an increased risk of having a baby with a birth defect. If that's the case, you should see a genetic counselor to help you better understand the consequences of a particular diagnosis, explain the risks, the options regarding treatment, and the possibilities of the condition recurring in future pregnancies. Read on to learn more about what genetic counseling is all about.
Genetic Counseling Couples who are thinking about having a child may consider genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis before conception to predict any possible abnormalities in their child. Others may use the tests after they conceive to evaluate the condition of the fetus. People who are at increased risk of passing genetic abnormalities on to their children include:
Prenatal testing for genetic problems may be done before or after conception. Testing for spina bifida or Down syndrome is done after a pregnancy is established. Besides the couples listed above, counseling and diagnosis are also recommended for mothers over the age of 35, and those who have received abnormal alpha-fetoprotein test results. For those who may be at risk, genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis are used to help answer some important questions, such as:
It is important to remember that preconception testing can only give you the odds of having a child with a certain birth defect; a genetic counselor maps out the specific numbers. You may learn, for example, that you have a one in four chance of having a child with a certain disorder. If you decide to conceive, the fetus may be able to undergo prenatal testing to show whether or not the baby has inherited the disorder. |
Weekly Tip
Keep up with your kegels -- one of the simplest and most important exercises you can do from the get-go. By contracting the muscles of the pelvic floor, which support the pelvic organs (the uterus, bladder, and bowel), you may alleviate problems that can begin during pregnancy and last long afterward (like leakage of urine and hemorrhoids). The best part about kegels is that you can do them at any time, any place - while you're driving in the car, sitting at the computer, or eating dinner. To begin, tighten the muscles as if you're stopping a stream of urine. Hold for ten seconds at a time, then repeat, four or five times in a row. If remembering things isn't your strong suit at the moment, put up a post-it on your fridge, in your briefcase, or on your TV.
Reviewed By: Victoria Kennedy, RN, A.D.A.M. editorial.
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