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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


The Fastest Way To Get Pregnant Naturally 
Christopher D. Williams M.D.
Paperback (2001-02-21)
$15.95

Changing Bodies, Changing Lives: Expanded Third Edition: A Book for Teens on Sex and Relationships 
Ruth Bell
Paperback (1998-09-08)
$24.95

It's So Amazing! A Book About Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families 
Robie H. Harris
Hardcover (1999-03-03)
$21.99

Heart & Hands: A Midwife's Guide to Pregnancy & Birth 
Elizabeth Davis
Paperback (2004-11)
$29.95

Supernatural Childbirth 
Jackie Mize
Paperback (1993-07)
$7.99

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year (Wise Woman Herbal Series, Book 1) (Wise Woman Herbal Series: No. 1) 
Susun S. Weed
Paperback (1985-06)
$9.95

Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally, Revised Edition 
Janet Balaskas
Paperback (1992-03-25)
$14.95

Days in Waiting:  A Guide to Surviving Pregnancy Bedrest 
Mary Ann McCann
Paperback (1999-02-01)
$15.93

The Underground Guide to Teenage Sexuality, 2nd Edition 
Michael J. Basso
Paperback (2003-07-25)
$16.95

Before Your Pregnancy: A 90 Day Guide for Couples on How to Prepare for a Healthy Conception 
Amy Ogle, Lisa Mazzullo
Paperback (2002-09)
$19.95

Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way 
Susan McCutcheon
Paperback (1996-07)
$19.00

Spiritual Midwifery 
Ina May Gaskin
Paperback (2002-03)
$19.95

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth 
Henci Goer, Henci Goer, Rhonda Wheeler
Paperback (1999-10-01)
$15.95

Countdown to a Miracle: The Making of Me 
Julie B. Carr
Spiral-bound (2003-04)
$14.95

When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads, Revised Edition: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy 
Barbara Luke, Tamara Eberlein
Paperback (2004-06-01)
$19.95

Someone Like You 
Sarah Dessen
Paperback (2004-05)
$7.99
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© 2006 by Dave Taylor: Content from Amazon and Wikipedia

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