FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PREGNANCY
- Is cramping during pregnancy normal?
- Will douching help to prevent pregnancy after coitus interruptus?
- Why do pregnant women feel tired?
- What are the early signs of pregnancy?
- How can I prevent stretch marks during pregnancy?
- Can I get pregnant while breastfeeding / nursing?
- I have been taking the pill but did not get my period this month. Am I pregnant?
- When will the uterus return to normal size?
- Does pregnancy place women at increased risk of becoming infected with HIV?
- When to take a pregnancy test?
Early in pregnancy, uterine cramping can indicate normal changes of pregnancy initiated by hormonal changes; later in pregnancy, it can indicate a growing uterus. Cramping that is different from previous pregnancies, worsening cramping, or cramping associated with any vaginal bleeding may be a sign of ectopic pregnancy, threatened abortion, or missed abortion.
Other physical effects that are normal during pregnancy, and not necessarily signs of disease, include nausea, vomiting, increase in abdominal girth, changes in bowel habits, increased urinary frequency, palpitations or more rapid heartbeat, upheaving of the chest (particularly with breathing), heart murmurs, swelling of the ankles, and shortness of breath.