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From Conception to Birth
Featured HealthJournal

From Conception to Birth

As a child grows and develops inside its mother's womb, parents constantly ask each other "What's happening with the baby now?" Discover the development of a baby from the moment of conception, through the explosively complex and amazing stages of growth as the baby is nurtured by the mother in the womb.

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The First Trimester of Pregnancy: What to Expect Week-by-Week
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The First Trimester of Pregnancy: What to Expect Week-by-Week

So, you just found out that you’re pregnant. Congratulations! Of course, you’re excited and over the moon, but you’re probably also thinking: “now what?” Read on to learn what you can expect during your first trimester – week-by-week!

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The Second Trimester of Pregnancy: What to Expect Week-by-Week
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The Second Trimester of Pregnancy: What to Expect Week-by-Week

Welcome to your second trimester of pregnancy, where you can say goodbye to morning sickness, bask in that pregnancy glow, and celebrate with your family and friends! Here’s what you can expect in your second trimester, week-by-week.

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The Third Trimester of Pregnancy: What to Expect Week-by-Week
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The Third Trimester of Pregnancy: What to Expect Week-by-Week

Hang in there, mama – you’re in your third trimester – the end is near! Things are going to get wild, but relax and relish these last few weeks of pregnancy because you may miss it. Read on for what you can expect in your third trimester, week-by-week.

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Contraception

Contraception, or birth control, is any method used to prevent pregnancy. Methods range from oral contraceptives and male and female condoms to emergency contraception, breastfeeding as birth control and permanent options such as tubal ligation and vasectomy.

Fertility and infertility

Fertility depends on ovulation, sperm and the menstrual cycle, and it changes with age, weight and lifestyle. Infertility can start in women or men, from endometriosis, uterine fibroids and primary ovarian insufficiency to male infertility, with fertility preservation for people facing cancer treatment.

Assisted reproductive technology

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) refers to treatments and procedures, such as IVF, used to treat infertility. Learn about the types of ART, and treating infertility with these various technologies.

Marvel of conception to birth

You're going to have a baby! It's an exciting time, but it can also feel a bit overwhelming. You may have a lot of questions, including what you can do to give your baby a healthy start.

Fetal development

How do intricately complex organs like the eyes form? What does the embryonic heart look like when it starts beating, only about 21 days after conception? How much does your baby’s brain grow in the space of a month? The beauty and mystery of unfolding life—revealed.

Pregnancy and wellness

Wellness in pregnancy begins with preconception care and folic acid, then prenatal care: checkups, ultrasound and prenatal testing. Nutrition, exercise, vaccination and oral health are covered too, along with the risks of alcohol, smoking and marijuana and a mother's mental health.

Changes to a mother during pregnancy

Everyone expects pregnancy to bring an expanding waistline. But many women are surprised by the other body changes that pop up. Get the low-down on stretch marks, weight gain, heartburn, and other "joys" of pregnancy. Find out what you can do to feel better.

Pregnancy complications

Pregnancy complications are health problems that affect the mother, the baby or both. They range from gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome to ectopic pregnancy, placenta previa and placental abruption, infections such as Zika and group B strep, and miscarriage and stillbirth.

Labor and childbirth

Labor and childbirth bring a baby into the world, by vaginal birth or cesarean section. Topics include inducing labor, natural childbirth, breech delivery, preterm labor, vaginal birth after cesarean, doula care, umbilical cord clamping and cord blood banking, and recovering from birth.

Newborn baby care

Newborn care starts before the baby arrives and continues through the first weeks at home. It covers preparing for baby, swaddling, newborn and hearing screening, and common newborn problems such as jaundice, low blood sugar, breathing conditions and pink eye.

Premature babies and the NICU

A premature birth is when a baby is born too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature babies may have health problems and need special medical care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Learn more about how to look after premature babies.

Infant health

Infant health takes in a baby's growth, care and safety through the first years. It covers baby checkups, developmental milestones, hygiene and diapering, safe infant sleep, infant oral health, car seat safety and toilet training, along with child care and positive parenting.

Infant and toddler nutrition

Good nutrition during the first 2 years of life is vital for healthy growth and development. Starting good nutrition practices early can help children develop healthy dietary patterns.

Healthy Eating for Growing Bodies

Infant Formula

Food Allergies

Infant and toddler health concerns and disorders

Infants and toddlers catch many common illnesses and go through problems of their own, from colic and spitting up to teething. Others include reflux, colds and ear infections, croup, roseola, hand, foot and mouth disease, Kawasaki disease, febrile seizures, measles and whooping cough.

Birth defects and congenital anomalies

Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body (e.g., heart, brain, foot). They may affect how the body looks, works, or both. Birth defects can vary from mild to severe.

Genetic screening and testing

Genetic screening and testing look for inherited conditions before pregnancy, during it and after birth. They range from preimplantation genetic testing in IVF and prenatal testing to newborn screening for metabolic and genetic disorders, family health history, genetic counseling and cascade testing.

Prenatal and Newborn Screening

Genetic Testing and Family Health History

Postpartum health

Postpartum health is a mother's health in the weeks and months after giving birth. It covers postpartum care and recovering from birth, postpartum depression and a mother's mental health, postpartum thyroiditis, Sheehan syndrome and losing weight after pregnancy.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding feeds a baby with breast milk, which the mammary glands first make as colostrum. It covers how breast milk is made, latch and breastfeeding positions, pumping and storing milk, breastfeeding at work and in public, mastitis and pain, nutrition while breastfeeding and weaning.

How Breast Milk is Made

Breastfeeding 101

Childhood vaccines

Childhood vaccines, or immunizations, protect your children from many serious or even deadly diseases. On-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases.

Doula and midwife

Doulas and midwives both support a mother through childbirth, in different ways. A doula is a trained companion who gives emotional and physical comfort, but not medical care, during labor and after the birth, to the mother and her partner. A midwife is a health professional who cares for women through pregnancy, labor, birth and the weeks after.

Maternal health disparities

Maternal health disparities are differences in pregnancy and birth outcomes between groups of women, and health equity is the work of closing them. Topics include maternal morbidity and mortality, the social determinants of health behind these gaps and breast cancer in Black women.

Maternal newborn nursing

Maternal-newborn and women's health nursing, a course for nursing students, follows a family from fertility and family planning through pregnancy, birth and the newborn's first days. Its chapters cover prenatal care and testing, labor and birth, fetal monitoring, postpartum complications and newborn assessment.

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HealthJournals are visually immersive guides to a wide range of health and wellness topics, from diseases and conditions to treatments, procedures, anatomy, nutrition and more. Each is a carefully curated selection of videos, images, interactives and authoritative information that makes its topic easier to understand.

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