What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)? Understanding Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is an endocrine disorder and a common cause of infertility in women. In PCOS, hormones that affect the reproductive system are abnormal, leading to irregular or absent ovulation. PCOS is a common disorder, affecting up to 8% of women.

Women with PCOS often have polycystic ovaries. This means that the ovaries have many tiny, benign and painless cysts. During an ultrasound exam, the tiny cysts may resemble a string of pearls. However, polycystic ovaries do not always point to PCOS. Studies have found that some women have polycystic ovaries, normal ovulation, and no other signs of an endocrine disorder like PCOS.

A common finding with PCOS is abnormally high levels of androgen hormones. While androgens are found in both men and women, they are considered to be primarily male hormones. High androgen levels are associated with some of the more visibly distressing symptoms of PCOS, including acne and abnormal hair growth.

What Are the Symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

Symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome may include:

infertility
irregular or absent ovulation (anovulation)
amenorrhea (absence of monthly menstrual cycles) or oligomenorhhea (irregular monthly menstrual cycles)
recurrent miscarriage
abnormal hair growth, also known as hirsutism, found on the upper lip, chin, around the nipples, or on the abdomen
acne
especially oily skin and hair
male pattern balding
obesity
the presence of polycystic ovaries during ultrasound examination
insulin resistance
high levels of androgens, also known as hyperandrogenism
elevated levels of the hormone LH (making at-home ovulation tests difficult to use)

You do not need to have every symptom above to be diagnosed with PCOS, and PCOS does not present itself the same way for every woman. For example, many women with PCOS do not have abnormal hair growth and are at a healthy weight. Some women with PCOS may not have a menstrual cycle for months at a time, while other women with PCOS may only have slightly irregular cycles.

Because PCOS is diagnosed by looking at the greater picture, and by excluding other potential diseases that can cause similar symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

How Does Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Cause Infertility?

The abnormal hormone levels associated with PCOS lead to problems with ovulation. These irregularities in ovulation are the main cause of infertility.

PCOS is also associated with a higher risk of early miscarriage. Research on PCOS has shown that the miscarriage rate may be as high as 20% to 40%, which is twice as high as in the general population.

It’s not exactly clear why miscarriage is more common in women with PCOS, but some theories include the following:

poor egg quality, related to premature or late ovulation
insulin resistance
a less-than-favorable environment for an embryo to implant in the uterine lining (due to abnormal hormone levels associated with PCOS)
How Is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Diagnosed?

Not everyone agrees on the criteria for diagnosing PCOS, and its definition has been changed over the years.

That said, the most commonly used diagnostic criteria currently being used requires two out of three of the following to apply:

irregular or absent menstrual cycles, caused by chronic anovulation
either blood test confirmation or outward signs of high levels of androgens (abnormal hair growth, acne)
the presence of polycystic ovaries, as seen by ultrasound examination

In addition, other potential causes of anovulation or high androgen levels must be eliminated. This usually includes testing for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, androgen-secreting tumors, and hyperprolactinemia.

What Kind of Testing Is Involved for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

Blood work will be ordered to check hormone levels, blood sugar levels (for insulin resistance), and lipid levels. Transvaginal ultrasound may be ordered, in order to see if the ovaries appear polycystic.

Taking a detailed history is also an important part of PCOS diagnosis. Your doctor will want to know about how regular your menstrual cycles are, and ask about unwanted hair growth. You may be tempted not to mention unwanted hair growth because of embarrassment, but it’s important that you tell your doctor about this problem if you have it.

What Are the Potential Treatments for PCOS?

Treatment for PCOS will depend on whether or not you’re trying to get pregnant. If pregnancy is not a priority, birth control pills may be ordered to help regulate your cycles and help reduce acne and unwanted hair growth.

Some acne treatments are not safe to be used when you’re trying to get pregnant, so be sure to tell your doctor if you are.

For those trying to get pregnant, the treatment for PCOS is similar to the treatments used for treating anovulation. The first line of treatment is usually Clomid, which is used to help stimulate ovulation.

Metformin (also known as Glucophage), a drug usually used to treat insulin resistance, is sometimes used for treatment, even if you do not have insulin resistance.

If these medications do not help, then gonadotropins (fertility drugs that are taken by injection) may be tried. If drugs alone do not work, or if there are multiple factors leading to infertility, IVF treatment may be recommended.

Some studies have shown that women who are overweight with PCOS may be able to restart ovulation naturally by losing just 10% of their current weight. A healthy diet and regular exercise may also help bring back regular ovulation in some, but not all, women with PCOS.

For infertility Patients:

There are several methods of reversing infertility in couples. The first resort I always give to my patients and has worked wonderfully for nearly 80% of them is the Pregnancy Miracle System. Pregnancy Miracle is an all natural holistic solution for infertility patients. Read more about it here.

Early Pregnancy – Importance Of Communication Between Couples At This Crucial Stage

pregnancy. Although your partner cannot experience the same but woman always want her partner to assist her in every process. It is very beneficial if couples try to learn maximum during the early phase of pregnancy. What would happed during the first stages of pregnancy? What would stay the same and what would change during pregnancy? Do women like to have sex during pregnancy?

Many such issues concern couples and they should honestly discuss all these issues with each other that concerns them the most. It would be very easy to research and find information on the issues that they have identified. One of the best method would be to seek advice from woman’s physician together so that both of you can easily understand what is wrong or right. Physician is the best way to gain any knowledge regarding pregnancy. It is very important that both of you should feel comfortable to discuss every issue with the doctor.

An extra effort is required between the couple to communicate with each other during early phase of pregnancy. Most important is that the couple should feel happy about the pregnancy. They should be comfortable to talk to each other on every issue. The progress of pregnancy suffers if any one of them does not understand the issue or feels uncomfortable in discussing it with their partner. Last stages of pregnancy would be more smoother if the couple learns to share issues and refines their communication skills during the early phase.

Child care issues should be discussed during the early stages of pregnancy. Some people think that this to be idiotic but if a couple observes the behavior of other children, then they can easily figure out how they would raise their children. Even if a couple disagrees on each others viewpoint, still it would teach them an art of managing disagreements.

Time always slips out of hands. A couple should not wait for each other to talk on an issue related to child rearing or pregnancy. If a couple do not take interest in sharing their views during an early phase then they might not even be able to discuss it later. Therefore, it is very important for a couple to discuss or start sharing since an early stage of pregnancy.

More Stages Of Pregnancy Articles

Getting Pregnant Bible – How To Get Pregnant Fast Naturally

Have you been depressed and frustrated for the longest time now because you have really wanted to have a baby? Are you jealous with other women who seem to find it so much easier to conceive and give birth to beautiful children? Having a baby can be a great fulfillment of a woman. However, you shouldn’t worry too much because there are still possible and guaranteed ways that you can still get pregnant and give birth to beautiful babies. Here are some tips on how to get pregnant fast and naturally so that you won’t have to waste a lot of money with hospital procedures at all:

Click Here For Getting Pregnant Bible Instant Access Now!

Tip # 1: Find A Partner

If you’re single, then it’s really a must that you find a partner. Of course you couldn’t get pregnant if you wouldn’t have a partner to agree and have babies with you. This tip might be one of the hardest things to do, but remember that this is the first step that you need to do in order to conceive a child.

Tip # 2: Stop Taking Birth Control Pills

If you want to know how to get pregnant fast and naturally, then you better stop taking birth control pills. If you’re married or currently in a relationship and you want to have babies, then it’s really a must that you stop taking birth control pills so that you can get pregnant anytime soon.

Tip # 3: Stop Taking Prenatal Vitamins

You can get pregnant easily if you will stop taking prenatal vitamins before you would get yourself pregnant. Research shows that these types of vitamins reduce the risk of neural tube defects in babies by up to 70 percent which means you will find it hard to get pregnant. So it would be really better if you would stop taking these types of vitamins so that you can conceive a child soon.

Follow these tips if you want to know how to get pregnant fast and naturally. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on other procedures because by following these tips you can definitely conceive a child one of these days. I wish you all the best and good luck!

Click Here For Getting Pregnant Bible Instant Access Now!

Symptoms of Ovulation – Learn About Common Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation

For how long have you been trying to get pregnant but somehow you feel overwhelmed by the whole experience?

Today, most of ovulation tests are based on expensive mechanical gadgets that can reveal ovulation time. There are, however, other more natural tests which can precisely locate fertile days. Many women have used natural easy methods to determine common signs and symptoms of ovulation to conceive a healthy baby.

Menstrual cycle, for the sake of convenience, is divided on menstrual cycle 1 and 2. The first cycle consists of slight rise of an estrogen level which stimulates the egg to mature.

In the same time, the uterine lining is getting thicker and the egg is released from ovaries. This is known as the ovulation process and marks the beginning of menstrual cycle2.

Once the egg is released, it travels through fallopian tube and this is the time when woman can get pregnant.

Female body, however, informs us about forthcoming ovulation phase through 2 channels, namely body temperature and vaginal fluids.

BBT- represents body temperature at rest. The idea, here, is to measure temperature at the same time, for instance in the morning, starting from the first day of your period. When the temperature is increased by around 4 degrees, the ovulation period is about to start.

Cervical fluid – represents egg white, slightly clear, wet and stretchy fluid that is released prior to ovulation. This is the best indicator of prime fertility and the best time to try to get pregnant.

Determining, signs of ovulation, is only half way to getting pregnant. Improving your general health represents the other half. To obtain safe pregnancy, your body must be in tip-top conception shape. This, however, can be easily done by adopting few techniques like acupuncture/acupressure, healthy diet and herbal remedies.

IF you have an open mind and are willing to accept that you can do so much more for you and your baby, an alternative approach in determining Common Signs Symptoms of Ovulation may be the right step for you.

Do you face a problem getting pregnant? Do you have fertility problems or do you just want to ensure that it’s safe for you to become pregnant?

If you are looking for more tips and straightforward answers on how to conceive naturally within 2 – 4 months also visit – http://www.NaturallyPregnant.info

What Does Ovulation Feel Like-Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation

When you ask yourself: “What Does Ovulation Feel Like”, it’s amazing, although evident, how much you don’t know about your body.

There are many methods to recognize Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation: natural methods and the ones you spend your money on.

Getting pregnant is a serious task which requires preparation and discipline. But, however hard you try, you can’t escape media influence end endless advice. It seems as if there are thousands of experts around us with strong opinions on just about any pregnancy issues – and I didn’t even touch the subject of expensive ovulation kits.

It’s an endless circle and the more you get sucked in the weaker you’ll become.

Simply, it’s in us to strive for a more natural approach. Don’t you think that pharmaceutical corporations have had their fair share of our hard earned cash?

The truth is, the best time to get pregnant is when you are ovulating. But signs and symptoms of ovulation are sometimes not that obvious. You have to learn to read your body signs – needless to say, “Timing is everything”!

It usually takes about 10-14 days for your body to mature an egg and release it. Ovulation for most women usually takes place between the tenth and 14th day after the last period starts.

Understanding the importance of consistent ovulation is an important factor in determining why you may be having trouble getting pregnant. For instance, if you are getting your period 12 days or less after you ovulate, you may not be making enough progesterone to support a pregnancy. In contrast, if your cycles are very long, or even irregular, you may not be producing eggs often – or even at all!

Did you ever think of that one?

Remember, when it comes to getting pregnant, timing is everything, which is why is imperative to understand your menstrual cycle. The biggest mistake many women make is to assume that she is “normal”, and so is her ovulation. Most of us have been taught that ovulation occurs around the 14th day so we should be having lots of sex between days 12 and 15. While this may be true for most women, it isn’t true for all women.

Ovulation usually occurs 14 days before your period begins. So, if you have a 28 day cycle, then you can expect to ovulate on day 14 like the average woman. But, if your periods are only 25 days apart, you are going to ovulate around day 11, so having sex on days 13 and 14 will be too late.

On the other hand, if you have longer periods (say 34 days), you won’t even ovulate until day 20, so all that semen from day 14 and 15 will be long gone by the time it’s needed!

To increase your chances of getting pregnant and to ensure healthy conception, be sure to study your periods; figure out when you actually do ovulate and then make sure that you get “busy” during the right time of the month.

The idea here is straightforward: Take a good care of yourself and learn about “you”. The easiest thing to do is to go over the counter, dish out some cash and get those pills and pregnancy kits.

What Does Ovulation Feel Like? Stop wondering and start implementing those essential methods of reading your body signals and signs – NATURALLY.

Remember, predicting Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation and surviving the two week wait, is achievable with persistence and good will which can lead to a healthy conception and a bright happy future.

Do you face a problem getting pregnant? Do you have fertility problems or do you just want to ensure that it’s safe for you to become pregnant?

Ovulation Prediction Myths ? And Facts

Women and couples seeking information about ovulation prediction will unfortunately find a lot of conflicting information.  Much of this advice is based on discredited theories about how a woman can identify when she’s ovulating. For a woman to accurately pinpoint ovulation requires that she know exactly how long her cycle is and what changes in her body predict when she is entering her fertile phase.  This article will expose the most detrimental ovulation prediction myth and explain one method for predicting ovulation that has been scientifically proven to display over 96% accuracy.

Possibly the most common myth about ovulation prediction is that a woman ovulates on day #14 of her cycle.  First, let’s explain what we mean by “day #14.”  The first day of a woman’s menstruation – when she begins true bleeding – is considered “day #1.”  Some authors and articles proclaim that all a woman has to do is count 14 days from the first day of her period and that is when she will be ovulating.

However, this is dangerous misinformation!  It is based on the mathematically incorrect assumption that most women have a 28-day cycle.  This is simply not true.  As many women know, some cycles can be as short as 18 days or as long as 50+ days.  The error arises from the mistaken belief that because the number of days in the human cycle averages out to be 28 days, that most women have a menstrual cycle that lasts 28 days.

For comparison, let’s assume that you know 10 people who each have one pet and 10 other people who each have three pets.  This averages out to two pets per person.  But of those 20 people, actually NONE of them have two pets!  This is not to say that there are no women who have cycles that are 28 days long – but many women do not have 28-day cycles.
Most ovulation predictor kits tell a woman to begin testing on day 11 of her cycle (counting forward from the first day of menstruation).  Many women following these instructions will ovulate well before or after Day 11, and miss their fertile phase altogether – literally “flushing” their money down the toilet! 

One simple solution to the “how do I know when I’m ovulating” problem is to track and view one’s saliva.  Saliva fertility test kits are available for this purpose.  The best are licensed medical devices accountable to regulatory bodies such as Health Canada or the United States Food and Drug Administration.  These kits are durable and reusable, and are often more cost-effective than many disposable urine-examination kits because they require no refills or replacement test strips.  Also, many women prefer to track saliva than urine for hygienic or aesthetic reasons.  The saliva tracking method for calculating fertility is approximately 96% accurate.

Tracking saliva works because, when a woman enters her fertile phase, high estrogen levels cause her mucus membranes to secrete more bio-salts in cervical fluid, nasal fluid, tears and saliva.  These fluids, when dried and viewed through a microscope, appear crystallized or “ferned” during a woman’s fertile phase. 

Colleen Biggs, president and founder of the ovulation prediction kit manufacturer OvumOptics, Inc., struggled for years to obtain accurate, reliable information about even basic fertility issues.  Her personal experience with ovulation prediction myths was part of what led her to develop the Ovu-Trac® Ovulation Predictor Kit in 1996. 

Ovulation Causes, Home Remedies for Ovulation Pain

Ovulation is the release of a mature egg (ovum) from the ovarian follicle. Each menstrual cycle, several ovarian follicles begin to mature and develop under the influence of pituitary hormones. Usually only one follicle develops fully.

While the other follicles recede, this dominant follicle produces an egg which will be released and which can be fertilized. The growing follicle secretes increasing amounts of the hormone estrogen. Following peak estrogen production, there is a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH). The LH surge triggers the release of the mature egg from its follicle.

Ovulation Causes

Ovulation problems can be caused by a number of things. In most cases, they’re hormonal in one way or another. In fact, that’s how birth control pills work. They regulate the specific reproductive hormones in a woman’s body so that she won’t ovulate, and therefore can’t get pregnant.

There are many different factors – from your weight to your diet to your exercise habits – that can cause ovulation problems. There are other factors that may be more out of your control, such as glandular issues.

Home Remedies

Take a homeopathic remedy called Calcarea phos 6c 5 pills once at bed time daily for 1 month.

Consume a nutritious diet with lots of proteins in the form of pulses, Soya beans, meat etc.

Consume lots of black raisins. Take at least 21 raisins per day early in the morning on an empty stomach.

A good remedy is Yoga pranayam. Do 7 pranayams daily after the end of menses till the begining of the next period. Do Bhastrika, kapalbhaati, bhaayye, agnisaar, anulom-vilom, bhaamri, udgeet. You should specifically avoid kapalbhaati and agnisaar during menses. The remaining five yoga asanas are safe even during menstruation

Exercise

Depression

During exercises, our body produces more of the hormone called Endorphins which is a hormone that makes us to feel good, thereby suppressing depression and keeping us in good mood all the time. Exercise benefits us by secreting a good quantity of this hormone.

Breast cancer

There are two hormones that are linked to breast cancer, namely, progesterone and Estradiol. They are secreted in-between the period of ovulation and menstruation and through exercise, the period between ovulation and menstruation can be reduced thereby reducing the time frame a woman will have to live with this secretion in a cycle.

Self esteem

Through exercise, we lose those stubborn fats and burn out the extra calories; we can realize the very body size and weight we ever desired and we look better, getting the admiration of all around us, yes this can make one to be confident in all he does.

Strength and stamina building

It makes you stronger and capable of doing many of your daily activities without much stress and weakness.

Energy

Having good meals and good exercise creates a hormonal balance in our body which causes the body to be at peak performance level, creating a good ground for muscular strength, weight or fat loss and high energy level.

Stress level

A good exercise after the daily troubles faced at home and in our daily activities can bring us back to very good mood and this in effect eliminates the lingering stress and also giving us a guaranteed good sleep.

The Top 6 FAQs about Pregnancy Nutrition

There are a lot of questions that arise about pregnancy nutrition, and most of them center around what types of foods are safe for consumption and in what amounts. Following are the six most frequently asked questions about pregnancy nutrition.

During the next few trimesters, remember to implement these changes as you can without adding too much stress to your lifestyle. Remember that every step towards better health is a step in the right direction for you and your baby.

Q. How much caffeine can I have during pregnancy?

A. Contrary to popular belief, you can have caffeine in very limited amounts during your pregnancy. Experts agree that you can have as much as 150mg per day, which is the equivalent of one cup of coffee, or two cups of black tea.

If you have a heavy caffeine habit, try tapering off your use rather than quitting cold turkey. Detoxing can make you quite sick, and you don’t need that added stress during pregnancy.

Q. Is it OK to eat sweets during pregnancy? What about artificial sweeteners?

A. Remember, everything in moderation. Will the occasional sweet treat cause harm? No. But eating sugar every day can cause weight gain and can make your baby grow larger, making for a difficult delivery.

Artificial sweeteners, made of questionable chemicals, should be avoided completely during pregnancy. Instead, try satisfying your sweet tooth with all-natural sweeteners such as stevia, raw honey, xylitol, and agave syrup, which don’t pack the caloric punch of sugar.

Q. Can I eat shrimp while pregnant?

A. Yes, but again, moderation is key. Shrimp and other types of seafood low in mercury (such as salmon, sardines, anchovies, crab and lobster) may be enjoyed in limited amounts. Opt for two six ounce servings per week and you should be fine.

Q. What’s the best way to combat morning sickness?

A. Morning sickness is caused by the hormonal shift your body is making to accommodate your new baby, and it can be quite debilitating. Ginger is one of the best remedies for the nausea associated with morning sickness, but don’t choose ginger ale, which is full of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Instead, slice ginger and boil it to make a tea, and sweeten with the all-natural sweetener of your choice. Sip slowly throughout the day to ease your queasiness.

Q. How much weight is it OK to gain?

A. Most experts agree that you should gain weight during pregnancy, but you should limit the gain to maintain the best health for yourself and your baby. Limiting your weight gain will also make it easier for you to return to your pre-baby weight.

You should limit your gain to between 20 and 30 pounds during your entire pregnancy. Most women gain at least 10 pounds during the second trimester, when the baby grows rapidly.

Q. What forms of exercise are safe during pregnancy?

A. Regular exercise is essential to combating many of the common complaints of pregnancy, such as water retention, aches and pains, and excessive weight gain.

Exercise will also help keep you toned and in shape for labor. But you should opt for gentler forms of exercise rather than high-impact aerobics.

In fact, steer clear of any exercise that can cause you to fall easily, such as tennis, jogging, or horseback riding. Try yoga, water aerobics, swimming, and walking for the safest, gentlest forms of exercise during pregnancy.

Post-pregnancy Exercise Secrets

The first question you will ask yourself as a new mom is, “Will I be a good mother?”

The second biggest question you will ask yourself as a new mom is, “Will I be able to get back into shape after I give birth?” The truth is, yes, you can get back into pre-pregnancy shape and, if you desire, you can get yourself into even better shape than you were in before your pregnancy.

One of the biggest myths you must get past is the classic, “The doctor said I have to wait six weeks before I do any kind of exercise.” Under certain circumstances this is a valid rule. For instance, your pregnancy may have occurred later in life or you experienced complications during your pregnancy and/or the actual birth of your baby.

If you fall into this category you should communicate with you doctor regarding your desire to exercise and abide by her recommendations.

But, if you had an uncomplicated, normal pregnancy there should be no reason why you can’t start working out twenty four hours after you give birth. So as not to mislead you, let’s define working out as it applies to you at this stage of the game.

You are clearly not ready to jump into a full scale fitness program one day after giving birth. But you can and should begin doing gentle isometrics (contract a muscle, hold it for a few seconds & then release it) and Kegels. Of course, you should consult with your doctor before starting just so she is aware of what you are doing. She may also have some valuable input.

Before you leave the hospital ask the doctor about the condition of your rectus abdominus. These are the two muscles that run parallel to each other from the pubic area up to the diaphragm. During some pregnancies the connective tissue between these two muscles tears and separates. If this is your case ask your doctor how you can help them reconnect and heal faster. This will be necessary in order for you to add the next few exercises to your routine.

If your ab muscles did not separate, which should be confirmed by your OBGYN, then you can add the pelvic tilt to your new exercise routine. This is one of the most basic exercises for the “core”. It should also be safe to add a modified abdominal exercise. Starting with a pelvic tilt and then lifting the head and top of the shoulder blades by curling forward slightly as you breathe out. Then return to neutral as you breathe in – repeat with same form.

It is generally safe to add several lower body exercises at this point. I always advise clients to run these by their OBGYN before trying them out.

Lying on your back, on a soft, comfortable surface, keep one leg bent with your foot on the floor while the other leg is flat on the ground. Bring the knee of the leg that is flat toward you by bending it and then lift that same foot off the ground and toward the sky. Then bring it back down by retracing the moves in reverse so you end up at the start position.

The second exercise is known as “the square”. Starting in the same position as the first exercise, lift the straight leg off the ground by about twelve inches or so. Then slowly trace the shape a square in the air with your toes. Keep the square small at first and as you get stronger, you can increase the size of the square. Move slowly and focus on form.

You should be able to start a power-walking program several weeks, if not sooner, after you give birth. There is usually no good reason (unless you had a complicated pregnancy) to wait six weeks post delivery to start a walking program. Of course, you should discuss this with your OGYN before getting started.

At six weeks after delivery you can start to push your fitness program to a higher level by incorporating aerobic work, such as light jogging, and some resistance training with a combination of body-weight and light dumbbell exercises. Also, remember to include stretching exercises for optimal flexibility and range of motion.

The aim of this article is to help you understand that most OBGYNs are conservative when it comes to answering a new mother’s questions about workoing out. It is easy for the doctor to “play it safe”, and advise you to wait six weeks before starting your fitness routine. However, if you show your OBGYN the exact exercise program that you wish to follow, he will most likely realize that you have done your homework and should give you the clearance to the start of your post pregnancy exercise program.

Regarding the first question you asked your self, “Will I be a good mother?” Exercising after delivery will automatically make you a better mother for two big reasons:

1) You’ll be setting a priceless example for your baby that is highly likely to rub off on him and have a powerful impact on how he chooses to live his life.

2) You’ll be stronger, healthier and more energetic. These are three priceless elements for any new mother.

Don’t allow your new baby to become an excuse for not exercising. Rather, let your baby help motivate you to take better care of yourself by following a simple and gradual post-pregnancy fitness plan. The example you set will be a true gift that cannot be delivered any other way.

Double the Trouble – Twin Pregnancies

Double the Trouble. No one in my family had twins, so as you can image it was a big shock when I found out I had two babies growing in me at the same time. Remembering the day the doctor told us always brings a smile to my face. As he was doing the usual ultrasound during my 3rd month, he says in a calm voice. “Here is the baby’s heart”, then moving to another location, “and here is the other baby’s heart.” Just as I did then, I still stop breathing for a minute. Although extremely excited I was also very scared. I didn’t know what to expect of the pregnancy, delivery, and oh my gosh how was I going to take care of two babies?

No one can truly prepare you for twins but I am going to try to help some.

Double the Symptoms.

You are probably wondering what pregnancy symptoms you will have. The majority of twin moms had the same symptoms as a normal pregnancy, just multiplied.

Double the Nausea. As I, many women experience increased nausea and vomiting, referred to as morning sickness. If you have severe vomiting and can’t keep any liquids down for over 48 hours you should contact your doctor. They may want to hook you up to an IV to keep you hydrated. Lack of hydration can lead to pre-term labor.

Double the Size. Maybe not exactly double but definitely bigger. One sure symptom for a twin pregnancy is a bigger belly. Expect to gain is about 1 pound per week, or about 40 pounds for a full twin pregnancy. Weight gain for a single pregnancy is normally 25 pounds. You may want to eat especially healthy when carrying twins. You don’t want to get too big. Too much weight can push you into pre-term labor. Many women complain that the sleepless nights were multiplied to what at the time felt like a million times. Since your stomach will grow significantly larger than a normal pregnancy you can expect to be pretty uncomfortable.

Double the Movements. Yes, you can expect more movement. Many women pregnant with twins experience more movement than normal. You may feel a kick at the top of your stomach and at the same time as one in your back. My four year old and I used to love to lay on my back and just watch them move. “It’s an earthquake in your tummy” he would say. It is normal for the movement to slow down later in your pregnancy since there won’t be much room for them to move. I highly suggest watching a movie on twin development in the womb. It is truly amazing to watch them interact. Also consider getting a 3d ultrasound video done.

Double the Ultrasounds. One of my personal favorites. Ultrasounds are used more often in twin pregnancy to watch out for potential problems. An early ultrasound with twins is needed to establish the due date and to see if they are developing in separate amniotic sacs. If they share the same sac there are more risk and complications. Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence with twins, only about 1% of all twins. Ultrasound is an excellent way to comparing the sizes of the twins. One baby may be slightly larger but hopeful not too much. Sometimes one baby will steal from the other.

Double the Complications. Twin pregnancies are at a much higher risk of premature labor. They are also at risk for low birth weight, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, toxemia of pregnancy, and complications of delivery.

Premature Labor. Premature is anything less than 37 weeks completed. Over 60% of all twins will deliver prematurely. Most of these premature deliveries occur after 34 weeks, in which case the overall long-term risks to the babies are quite rare. Deliveries before 34 weeks, especially those before 32 weeks, can result in low birth weight, and increased risks of permanent disabilities such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, hearing or vision problems. The best timing for delivery of twins is earlier than the actual due date. Keeping them in until the due date may result in larger babies, but also further increases the risks of placental complications, labor-related complications, and delivery –related complications. The ideal timing for delivery of twins is from 37 1/2 to 38 weeks pregnancy.

Signs of premature labor include: cramps, contractions, and menstrual pains, increasing pelvic or vaginal pressure, increasing low back pain, heavy vaginal discharge, vaginal spotting or bleeding, rectal pressure. If you experience any of these signs you should contact your doctor. Better safe than sorry.

Double the Delivery. The likelihood of you having a vaginal delivery with your twins is about 50%. In order for your doctor to consider a vaginal delivery both babies need to be head down; both should weigh more than 4-5 pounds and be more than 35-36 weeks gestation. They should be similar in size with no evidence of growth problems. No other pregnancy complications should be present such as high blood pressure or low placenta. Twin deliveries usually occur in an operating room with personnel standing by prepared at any moment for an emergency cesarean section. Twins born from cesarean section are usually both about 1 minute apart. Many consider cesarean section to be a better option for twin births since if complication arrives they are better prepared. This is however something you should talk about with your doctor.

I experienced toxemia, often referred to as preeclampsia, which led me to an emergency cesarean section. I was scared out of my mind but when all was said and done they wheeled me down to the operating room at 34 weeks. 5 minutes after the epidural was given, my baby boys were born. Everyone’s experience is different. Just be sure to find a doctor you trust and who will keep you as informed as possible.

Double the Questions. Get prepared now. Everyone is going to want to know are they?

Fraternal Twins. Fraternal twins occur when a women ovulates more than one egg a month. Two babies are born of the same pregnancy that was fertilized by two separate eggs and two separate sperm. Fraternal twins may be of the same or opposite sex and will differ genetically as well as in appearance. Fraternal twins resemble each other the same as any other sibling. Two-thirds of twins are fraternal.

Identical Twins. Identical twins medically occur when an ovum splits during early embryonic development, resulting in two offspring of the same pregnancy. Identical twins are always of the same sex, have the same genetic makeup, possess identical blood groups and will resemble each other physically. Only one-third of all twins are identical.

Do twins run in your families? When having twins, parents often find themselves subject to questions regarding genetics and the birth of their twins. The twins that run in families are fraternal twins. Since releasing more than one egg during ovulation is a trait that tends to run in families. Identical twins come from the same egg and do not run in families. There is no concrete link between a genetic inheritance and identical twins, as no one knows when or why certain eggs will split to cause twins while others do not.

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