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Health Books on pregnancy


What is pregnancy?

Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. In a pregnancy there can be multiple gestations (for example, in the case of twins, or triplets). Human pregnancy is the most studied of all mammalian pregnancies.

Human pregnancy lasts approximately 40 weeks between the time of the last menstrual cycle and birth (38 weeks from fertilisation). The medical term for a pregnant woman is "genetalian," just as the medical term for the unborn human is an embryo (early weeks) and then "foetus" (until birth). A woman who is pregnant for the first time is known as a primigravida or gravida 1: a woman who has never been pregnant is known as a gravida 0; similarly, the terms para 0, para 1 and so on are used for the number of times a woman has given birth.

In many societies' medical and legal definitions, human pregnancy is arbitrarily divided into three trimester periods, as a means to simplify reference to the different stages of fetal development. The first trimester period carries the highest risk of miscarriage (natural death of embryo or fetus), while during the second trimester the development of the fetus can start to be monitored and diagnosed. The third trimester marks the beginning of viability, which means the fetus can survive if an early natural or induced birth occurs. Because of the possible viability of developed fetus, cultural and legal definitions of life often consider a fetus in the third trimester to be a distinct living person.

See also Pregnancy terms and definitions

More books about pregnancy


Ina May's Guide to Childbirth 
Ina May Gaskin
Paperback (2003-03-04)
$16.00

What to Expect When You're Expecting Pregnancy Organizer 
Arlene Eisenberg
Spiral-bound (1995-01-06)
$12.95

Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies 

Hardcover (2001-08)
$145.00

Where Did I Come from 
Peter Mayle
Paperback (2000-08)
$9.95

From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds 
Alexander Tsiaras
Hardcover (2002-10-29)
$35.00

Blueprints Obstetrics and Gynecology (Blueprints) 
Aaron B. Caughey, Tamara L. Callahan, Linda Heffner
Paperback (2003-08)
$35.95

Yoga for Pregnancy: Ninety-Two Safe, Gentle Stretches Appropriate for Pregnant Women & New Mothers 
Sandra Jordan
Plastic Comb (1988-10-15)
$15.95

Contemporary Maternal-Newborn Nursing Care (6th Edition) 
Patricia A. Ladewig, Marcia L. London, Michele R. Davidson
Paperback (2005-02-17)
$72.95

What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys: A Growing Up Guide for Parents and Sons 
Lynda Madaras, Martin Anderson
Paperback (2000-12-04)
$12.95

What To Expect When Your Wife Is Expanding 
Thomas Hill
Paperback (1993-05-01)
$10.95

The Mother of All Pregnancy Books: The Ultimate Guide to Conception, Birth, and Everything In Between (U.S. Edition) 
Ann Douglas
Paperback (2002-01-01)
$15.99

A Child Is Born 
Lennart Nilsson
Hardcover (2003-08-26)
$35.00

Mayo Clinic Complete Book of Pregnancy & Baby's First Year 
Mayo Clinic
Hardcover (1994-12-08)
$33.00

The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth (Sears Parenting Library) 
Martha Sears, William Sears
Paperback (1994-02-01)
$14.95

The Pregnancy Book: Month-by-Month, Everything You Need to Know From America's Baby Experts 
Martha Sears, William, Linda Hughey Holt
Paperback (1997-06-01)
$16.95

Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation 
Pam England, Rob Horowitz
Paperback (1998-07)
$19.95
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© 2006 by Dave Taylor: Content from Amazon and Wikipedia

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