Pregnancy – all about getting pregnant

What is getting pregnant

Pregnancy, i.e. the initiation of pregnancy, is an act conditioned by fertilization. It marks the beginning of the development of a new organism in the mother’s body. Sometimes becoming pregnant is seen as the beginning of human life.

How to become pregnant

In natural sexual intercourse, the man’s semen falls into the woman’s vagina. The environment in the vagina is deadly for sperm, therefore within two hours after ejaculation most of them die. The rest, which are motile, penetrate the cervix and subsequently the uterus itself.

In order for fusion with the egg to take place, the sperm must overcome two sheaths. The process of bridging and subsequent fusion is itself called ‘penetration’.

The first spermatozoon to reach the second sheath is the most likely to accomplish fertilization.

After penetration of the sperm into the egg, a zygote is formed. From it, an embryo develops. In humans, the zygote stage lasts for the first 26-30 hours of development.

Ovulation and pregnancy

Every month the body of a mature woman releases an egg. This happens on a particular day of the monthly cycle. The process is called ovulation and occurs when one of the follicles bursts. Thus, the egg comes out of the ovary and is fit for fertilization. It moves down the fallopian tubes and can be fertilized over the next day or two. If this happens, an embryo begins to develop from the fertilized egg.

After how long does a pregnancy test

To correctly determine whether you are pregnant, it is advisable to take a pregnancy test the day after your period is overdue. Women who have irregular periods should wait for some time to pass after the planned first day of menstruation. It depends on how long their menstruation usually lasts. Thus, if the cycle lasts 30 to 35 days, you can hope for a reliable result if you take the test on the 36th day at the earliest.

Pregnancy and menstruation

The menstrual cycle in every woman is individual. A ‘normal cycle’ is defined as several periods at the same time. It usually ranges from 22 to 30 days.

On the basis of the duration of the menstrual cycle, you can determine the day of ovulation – either by a test or with the help of a calculator.

Getting pregnant after a period

Getting pregnant after a period is not impossible. Practice shows that immediately after the end of the monthly cycle a woman can get pregnant, although the chances are minimal.

In order to get pregnant the day after the cycle, a woman must meet one condition: she must have a long period and a short cycle.

Getting pregnant during a cycle

The chances of getting pregnant during a period are minimal but they are still there. Many people claim that it is impossible to get pregnant during a period but this is not the case. History remembers many cases in which women got pregnant right during menstruation. If this happens, it is due to early ovulation.

Getting pregnant before a period

Yes, you can get pregnant before your period. We are talking about those up to 48 hours after the egg is released from the ovary during which it is fit for fertilization.

In rare cases, it is possible to ovulate 3-4 days before a cycle. This means that a day or two before menstruation occurs you may become pregnant. There are a number of reasons that cause ovulation to shift in time. Among these are most often hormonal changes (for example, taking anti-pregnancy pills).

Herbs for getting pregnant

Sometimes couples who are planning a baby look for ways to stimulate getting pregnant. In folk medicine, a number of herbs have established themselves as an effective means of normalizing the hormonal background in both women and men.

Among them are: maca root, pomegranate juice, olive oil, dates, apple cider vinegar, vitamin D, avram tree, nettle, ginseng, red clover, damiana, licorice, raspberry leaves, granny’s teeth, ashwagandha, fuchsia, honeysuckle, mursal tea, yarrow, royal jelly, etc.

Sometimes the drug Dufaston is prescribed, which is advisable to take after ovulation occurs.

Pregnancy after abortion

Whether the abortion is voluntary or spontaneous (also known as miscarriage), it does not constitute an obstacle to becoming pregnant again. However, research suggests that as the number of abortions increases, the likelihood of a new pregnancy decreases.

When the miscarriage occurred in the first 8 weeks and no curettage was performed, the woman may become pregnant as soon as her menstrual cycle returns to normal. At a later stage and after a curettage, a consultation with a doctor is required. He may recommend waiting until the next 2 regular menstrual cycles have passed.

Some specialists recommend delaying getting pregnant for 6 months. This period is necessary for the woman’s physical, emotional and mental recovery.

Statistics show that over 80%-90% of women who have experienced a single miscarriage subsequently become pregnant the very next time.

How to prevent yourself from getting pregnant

Nowadays, there are several ways to effectively prevent unwanted pregnancy: condom, taking birth control pills, having a contraceptive injection, contraceptive ring, contraceptive patch or spiral, and also calculating ovulation or following the “Oginu-Knaus” method.

Use condoms

This is the most used and safest method by which you can protect yourself from unwanted pregnancy and also from sexually transmitted diseases. To be on the safe side, do not use the cheapest condoms, but buy expensive or mid-range ones.

Anti-pregnancy spiral

The anti-pregnancy spiral is an effective tool when we want to avoid unwanted pregnancy. It is inserted into the uterus and thus prevents fertilisation of the ripe egg.

Different models and types of spirals are available, which range from 3 to 5 years. The insertion of a spiral is done by an obstetrician-gynaecologist up to 7 days after the start of the monthly cycle. Then the opening of the cervix allows it to be easily inserted.

If you decide to use an anti-pregnancy spiral, you should familiarize yourself with the conditions for its insertion and contraindications.

Anti-pregnancy pills
A popular means of preventing unwanted pregnancy is the anti-pregnancy pill. Some of them are taken as planned and others in an emergency.