How does a pregnancy develop?
Fast facts about pregnancy:
- Women are most fertile during the 14 days before their menstrual cycle is supposed to start.
- Changes in the cervical mucus can determine ovulation – mucus is thin, and there is a marked increase.
- Implantation of the blastocyst (fertilised egg) into the endometrium can cause cramping and spotting (bleeding). Implantation happens 5-6 days is fertilisation.
- After implantation, HCG is released, which is the hormone home pregnancy tests recognise. HCG is human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced during pregnancy.
- Pregnancies last 40 weeks or about ten months, not nine months.
- A scan can determine the gender of the foetus after 16 – 17 weeks of pregnancy.
- Weight gain is attributed to foetal weight, uterine weight, extra blood volume, placental weight and amniotic fluid.
- The foetus cannot “feel” the penis during sex.
- Most women can have sex throughout pregnancy, changing to a more comfortable position as the tummy grows.
- Female orgasms do not hurt the foetus.
- Spotting may occur after sex due to increased blood supply to the vagina and cervix.
- It is possible to become pregnant immediately after birth.
- Breastfeeding does not prevent pregnancy.
- Baby blues are standard; depression should be reported.
Pregnancy symptoms
- A missed period
- Abdominal bloating
- Fatigue
- Food aversions/ dislikes
- Frequent urination
- Mood swings
- Nausea
- Tender, swollen breasts
How does pregnancy happen?
Pregnancy happens when the semen gets into the vagina or in contact with the vulva. Oral sex, anal sex, masturbation, body rubbing and kissing does not cause pregnancy – unless sperm gets in contact with the vagina.
Can Pre-ejaculate Cause Pregnancy?
Pre-ejaculate is the liquid oozes out of the penis during sexual excitement before ejaculation when semen spurts out. It’s also called “pre-cum.” Pre-ejaculate usually does not contain sperm, but in some men, a minimal amount of sperm may be found in their pre-ejaculate. So the chance of getting pregnant from pre-ejaculate is much less than the chance of getting pregnant from semen, but there’s still a minimal chance.
How long does it take to get pregnant after sex?
Pregnancy does not start immediately after sex. It can take the sperm up to 6 days to reach the female egg (ovum) and fertilise it. Then it can take another 6-10 days for the fertilised egg to travel to the uterus and implant in the lining of the uterus wall. The fertilised egg then start secreting human chorionic gonadotropin to keep the pregnancy intact. This hormone is detected by urine and blood tests and usually confirms pregnancy.
Can I Get Pregnant if His Penis Gets Near My Vagina but Not in It?
Pregnancy can happen when sperm gets in the vagina or on the vulva. The most likely way to become pregnant is through unprotected vaginal intercourse.
However, suppose partners engage in body rubbing with their clothes off. In that case, there is a chance that sperm may come into contact with the vulva or vagina — which can cause pregnancy, even if partners don’t have vaginal intercourse.
If partners are concerned about the risk of pregnancy from body rubbing, they may want to consider using condoms or another birth control method. Condoms also reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections that can be spread in ejaculate and pre-ejaculate.
If partners have reached the point where they may start having vaginal intercourse, they should talk about what kind of birth control they want to prepare themselves before they start having intercourse.
What time of the month can I fall pregnant?
You can get pregnant if you have sex up to 5 days before you ovulate or up to 24 hours after you ovulate. However, not everyone ovulates on day 14, so it’s tough to tell when you ovulate unless you use ovulation predictors and chart your temperature to confirm that you did ovulate.
Following ovulation, your temperature can increase by 0.4 to 1.0 degrees. You won’t feel the shift, but you can detect it using a basal body temperature (BBT) thermometer. This temperature spike indicates that you’ve ovulated because releasing an egg stimulates the hormone progesterone production, which raises body temperature. You have to chart your body temperature every day to be able to notice the spike in temperature. Note: a basal thermometer differs from an ordinary thermometer, and it is available to chemists.
Self help: Emergency Contraception
If you had unprotected sex and fear pregnancy, you could take the ”morning after pill”. The morning after pill is effective if started within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse. If started within 72 hours, EC can reduce pregnancy risk by 75 to 89 per cent. EC triggers menstruation and removes the uterus’ lining so that the fertilised can’t plant into it. So, the sooner it’s taken, the better.
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Emergency contraceptive pills often referred to as the “morning-after pill, ” are commonly used to prevent pregnancy after sexual intercourse and can be effective up to 72 hours after intercourse. It helps to prevent 3 out of 4 pregnancies that would have happened.
Emergency contraceptive pills (high dose hormone pills) are available at most South African pharmacies and is available over-the-counter without a prescription if you are over 16 years old. If you are under the age of 16, you will require a prescription from a doctor to purchase the morning after pill at your pharmacy.
Emergency contraceptives work by delaying or inhibiting the release of an egg (ovulation), altering the luteal phase length, and possibly inhibiting a fertilised egg implantation. In the unlikely event that implantation does occur, EC does not interrupt the pregnancy or put the foetus at risk. It is not an abortion pill.
Side-effects can be quite severe, but it usually only lasts 24-72 hours. It can include nausea, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, fatigue and breast tenderness. If vomiting occurs within the first 2 hours of taking the pill, it might be necessary to take another dose. Consult with your health care provider. Using the morning-after tablet has no long term or serious side-effects, and there is no limit on how many times you can use it per year. Do not use it as a family planning method, though – there are better products available for long term contraception.
Pregnancy tests
Pregnancy tests look for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) in the urine or blood. HCG, sometimes called the pregnancy hormone, is only there when a woman is pregnant. There are two kinds of pregnancy tests: urine and blood.
URINE TEST: 4-6 WEEKS COST: + R30.
Women and girls whose menstrual periods are one or more weeks late are advised to have a pregnancy test. These tests are free at primary health clinics and other health facilities. However, they are not always available. You can buy pregnancy testing kits at a pharmacy. The best tests notice minuscule amounts of HCG, so look for one in the 15 to 30 HCG level.
Home pregnancy test kits claim to be 97 to 99 % accurate if they are used correctly. That’s why following the directions are so important. Also, check the package’s expiration date—an old kit won’t give you accurate results.
At a clinic, tests are free. The nurse will ask for a urine sample, which will be tested. Results are available immediately.
Once pregnancy has been confirmed, there are several options. If the client wants to keep the pregnancy, she will be referred to health facilities called Midwife Obstetric Units (MOUs). These are birthing units run by midwives in the community for primary health care patients. If the mother does not want her pregnancy, she is entitled to ask about other options, including Termination of Pregnancy. Take note: you have to get a referral letter from your clinic to your nearest hospital if you want an abortion.
If you are a first-time visitor to a health facility, you will be asked to fill out a form, and the sister will open a folder. Bring your ID book, any medication you are taking, and a clinic or hospital card if previously registered at the facility.
BLOOD TEST: 6-7 WEEKS. COST: R150
- Go to your nearest clinic or a professional medical practitioner.
- Fill in the pregnancy test form.
- Blood test: your doctor will draw a blood sample and send it to a laboratory for analysis
- Blood test results – a few hours or days
SONAR
Sonar can be done by eight weeks of pregnancy to determine the fetal heartbeat or 16-17 weeks of pregnancy to assess gender & fetal health.
This is a sonar of early pregnancy: 6-8 weeks.
How to determine gestation (how many weeks are you pregnant?)
Last Menstrual Period: Using the first day of your last menstrual cycle, you can determine how many weeks you are pregnant (plus or minus two weeks). The doctor adds 280 days to the first day of your last menstrual cycle to determine a due date. Based on that number and today’s date, gestational age is estimated. This number is not always accurate, but it is a good indication of foetal size.
Get help
To plan or not to plan?
Should we plan for a baby or take it as it comes? A baby needs both mother and father to thrive. A child is a very costly, lifelong responsibility. Plan to have a baby – don’t’ have them.
If you’re pregnant, you can help yourself and your baby by:
- Visit your clinic for check-ups every month.
- Take prenatal vitamins for your health and to prevent some congenital disabilities, for example, Folic Acid &, Multivitamin
- Avoiding smoking, alcohol and drugs
- Using a condom, if you are still having sex, prevents sexually transmitted diseases that could hurt your baby.
Helpline
If you have more questions, can text chat with an online facilitator on Live Chat.
The chat is a text-based service and you may remain anonymous.
If you have more questions, can text chat with an online facilitator on Quiz
If you suspect you might be pregnant, you can do a self-test: