Stages of pregnancy
Weeks 1-3:
The female hormone oestrogen will trigger a women’s uterus so it forms a thick blood-rich lining of tissue. The other female hormone progesterone will begin to prepare the uterus so it can support a fertilised egg and accommodate the growing baby over the next few months. During this time, the woman’s ovaries will also ripen the eggs in follicles (sacs filled with fluid).
Ovulation
This is a part of the menstrual cycle where the woman’s ovaries release an ovum (egg). The ovum will then travels down the fallopian tube. The ovum is usually released on the 14th day before the woman’s period.
Conception
When a man and woman have sexual intercourse around the time of ovulation, the sperm produced and released by the man will travel to meet the ovum. The sperm will then pene-trate the egg. Once the ovum is penetrated it hardens and becomes impermeable so no other sperm can enter.
Implantation …show more content…
The first stage con-sists of early labour, active labour and the transitional phase. In order for the baby to be born, the cervix needs to ripen and open. Whilst this is happening, the woman may experi-ence moderate and regular contractions, backaches or stomach aches. This phase is also known as pre-labour. As a result of these changes, the mucus plug in the cervix can come out. This is called a show. By the end of this stage, the woman’s cervix will be fully dilated and open to about 10 cm in diameter.
During early labour, the cervix starts to open and widen. Some people may experience gen-tle contractions at first so they may not notice it starting. This may feel like light menstrual cramps or a tedious ache or backache. However, some people notice progressively agoniz-ing and painful contractions. Early labour can be unpredictable. For some women, it may carry on at the same pace. For others, it may stop and start. For others, it can smoothly lead into active
Weeks 1-3:
The female hormone oestrogen will trigger a women’s uterus so it forms a thick blood-rich lining of tissue. The other female hormone progesterone will begin to prepare the uterus so it can support a fertilised egg and accommodate the growing baby over the next few months. During this time, the woman’s ovaries will also ripen the eggs in follicles (sacs filled with fluid).
Ovulation
This is a part of the menstrual cycle where the woman’s ovaries release an ovum (egg). The ovum will then travels down the fallopian tube. The ovum is usually released on the 14th day before the woman’s period.
Conception
When a man and woman have sexual intercourse around the time of ovulation, the sperm produced and released by the man will travel to meet the ovum. The sperm will then pene-trate the egg. Once the ovum is penetrated it hardens and becomes impermeable so no other sperm can enter.
Implantation …show more content…
The first stage con-sists of early labour, active labour and the transitional phase. In order for the baby to be born, the cervix needs to ripen and open. Whilst this is happening, the woman may experi-ence moderate and regular contractions, backaches or stomach aches. This phase is also known as pre-labour. As a result of these changes, the mucus plug in the cervix can come out. This is called a show. By the end of this stage, the woman’s cervix will be fully dilated and open to about 10 cm in diameter.
During early labour, the cervix starts to open and widen. Some people may experience gen-tle contractions at first so they may not notice it starting. This may feel like light menstrual cramps or a tedious ache or backache. However, some people notice progressively agoniz-ing and painful contractions. Early labour can be unpredictable. For some women, it may carry on at the same pace. For others, it may stop and start. For others, it can smoothly lead into active