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.
|
|
Can you guess what all these chapter titles are about? Give you a hint: everything you ever wanted to know about (but were afraid to ask)... You got it, boys and puberty! Author Lynda Madaras and her daughter Area Madaras have expanded and updated their sensitive, detailed, often witty guide for boys on the cusp of adolescence. To help boys realize they are not alone in their concerns about masturbation, body hair, growth spurts (or lack thereof), female puberty, voice changes, perspiration, shaving, and sexuality, this classic guide is written in a down-to-earth, nonjudgmental style and filled with answers to the many questions boys have as their bodies begin the transformation into adulthood. As a result of thousands of reader letters over the years, as well as the ever growing body of information about puberty in boys, the third edition has been revised to include more detailed discussion of penis size (the authors get more questions about penis size than all other topics combined), updated information on acne treatment, expanded sections on eating right, exercise, steroid abuse, and weight training, and important facts about STDs, AIDS, and birth control. Filled with anecdotes, illustrations, and diagrams, the guide is designed with the understanding that some boys and parents will want to read it together, while others will want to pore over it on their own. Either way, this resource will prove to be incredibly useful for boys and their parents over these strange, exciting years. The companion volume for girls, What's Happening to My Body? Book for Girls is a must-read as well. (Ages 8 to 15) --Emilie Coulter