Pregnancy Guide for Men

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The First Three Months

Having some knowledge about pregnancy and what happens to the woman's body and her mind helps men cope. To begin with it's important to appreciate that women go through many changes during the different stages of the pregnancy. It can be a confusing and difficult time for men as they have to adjust too. This article gives you some of the facts about the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, the so-called first trimester

Physical and Emotional Changes
The size of the uterus grows from the size of a tangerine, to the size of a small melon in 14 weeks. During that time the fetus has gone from one fertilized cell, invisible to the naked eye, to something that has a rounded head with a fully formed neck that moves freely on the trunk. The face is formed with a properly developed face, mouth, nose and eyes. You can see the outer ears. The internal organs are fully formed but the lungs, liver, kidney and intestine need to continue to grow and mature. By the 14th week it is obvious what sex the infant is and the external genital organs grow and mature. The baby weights in at about 30 g and is about 7.5 cm long.

The mother is beginning to find her stomach larger and clothes difficult to do up! Hormones are pumping. Although a woman's basic personality does not change during pregnancy she is subject to major physical and emotional upheaval that does affect her. It can make for a bit of emotional instability. Be prepared!

Morning Sickness
Morning sickness affects quite a lot of women. It can be triggered by smells or food. All the physical and emotional changes can be exhausting. The first trimester is often the most difficult. Keep cool, be supportive and most of all talk. Good communication between you both will get you through. Having a close friend or family member to talk to about any concerns or worries you may have is another good idea.

Antenatal Care, Doctors Visits and Tests
Pregnancy is a time for doctor's visits, intimate examinations, tests and waiting for results from them. Pregnancy is also expensive. It can be a happy time but waiting for test results is stressful, and working out your new budgetary requirements does mean you have to re-think aspects of the way you live.

Tests
Some tests are great, like the ultrasound scans that enable you to see the baby's development. It is an amazing moment to see the tiny fetus for the first time. This and other tests are available to help find out if the baby is normal or if it has an abnormality. Other tests include:
AFP/Triple Screen- This test is done to help provide a screening for Neural Tube Defects like spina bifida.
Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)-Tests for genetic disorder as early as at 8 weeks of pregnancy.
Amniocentesis- This test can be done to help provide a screening for genetic abnormalities or for fetal lung maturity.
Glucose Tolerance Testing- This simple blood test tests to see if the woman has developed a form of diabetes during the pregnancy.

Sex in the First Trimester
Sex in the first 14 weeks should not present any problems unless your partner has a history of miscarriage. It can stimulate increased sexual activity because you do not have to worry about birth control. You should avoid vigorous penetration, be gentle and remember that her breasts may be tender or painful.

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