pregnant

Australia's #1 for Law
Join 150,000 Australians every month. Ask a question, respond to a question and better understand the law today!
FREE - Join Now
Pregnancy, also known as gravidity or gestation, is the time during which one or more offspring develops inside a woman. A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy can occur by sexual intercourse or assisted reproductive technology. Childbirth typically occurs around 40 weeks from the last menstrual period (LMP). This is just over nine lunar months, where each month is about 29½ days. When measured from conception it is about 38 weeks. An embryo is the developing offspring during the first eight weeks following conception, after which, the term fetus is used until birth. Symptoms of early pregnancy may include missed periods, tender breasts, nausea and vomiting, hunger, and frequent urination. Pregnancy may be confirmed with a pregnancy test.
Pregnancy is typically divided into three trimesters. The first trimester is from week one through 12 and includes conception. Conception is when the sperm fertilizes the egg. The fertilized egg then travels down the fallopian tube and attaches to the inside of the uterus, where it begins to form the fetus and placenta. The first trimester carries the highest risk of miscarriage (natural death of embryo or fetus). The second trimester is from week 13 through 28. Around the middle of the second trimester, movement of the fetus may be felt. At 28 weeks, more than 90% of babies can survive outside of the uterus if provided high-quality medical care. The third trimester is from 29 weeks through 40 weeks.
Prenatal care improves pregnancy outcomes. Prenatal care may include taking extra folic acid, avoiding drugs and alcohol, regular exercise, blood tests, and regular physical examinations. Complications of pregnancy may include high blood pressure of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, iron-deficiency anemia, and severe nausea and vomiting among others. Term pregnancy is 37 to 41 weeks, with early term being 37 and 38 weeks, full term 39 and 40 weeks, and late term 41 weeks. After 41 weeks, it is known as post term. Babies born before 37 weeks are preterm and are at higher risk of health problems such as cerebral palsy. Delivery before 39 weeks by labor induction or caesarean section is not recommended unless required for other medical reasons.
About 213 million pregnancies occurred in 2012, of which, 190 million were in the developing world and 23 million were in the developed world. The number of pregnancies in women ages 15 to 44 is 133 per 1,000 women. About 10% to 15% of recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage. In 2013, complications of pregnancy resulted in 293,000 deaths, down from 377,000 deaths in 1990. Common causes include maternal bleeding, complications of abortion, high blood pressure of pregnancy, maternal sepsis, and obstructed labor. Globally, 40% of pregnancies are unplanned. Half of unplanned pregnancies are aborted. Among unintended pregnancies in the United States, 60% of the women used birth control to some extent during the month pregnancy occurred.

View More On Wikipedia.org
  1. J

    VIC Separated for 14 years and I'm pregnant now

    Hi everyone, I was married to a man 16 years ago, and we spent 2 years together and raised a little boy. For some reasons, I had to make a hard decision to leave this man and his parents. They blocked me to see my boy, and I have no idea where they are/were. I was totally lost and suffered...
  2. A

    Separated when pregnant

    My ex partner broke up with me when I was 22 weeks pregnant. He is a recovering IV drug user and has an addiction to alcohol which led to a volatile environment for myself and our baby. After he broke up with me I moved home to NSW to be with my maternal family. I contacted him the day our baby...
  3. K

    VIC Selling Son's Abandoned Property - How Long to Wait?

    My son and his girlfriend needed a place to stay for a short time. No board was discussed but they brought food, they damaged my house, assaulted me (AVO now in place), run up electricity, internet etc. They offered to help with the bill never did, stole my laptop, damaged a spa and left on the...
  4. C

    VIC Wife is Pregnant While I am on Student Visa - Help?

    I have applied to study in Australia for 3 years but due to some of the subjects that I have studied so I apply for credits transfer then I finished my Bachelor course earlier. During my study, I met my wife who is a new Australian citizen and we just got married 31 of August 2019 and now my...
  5. M

    NSW Parenteral leave paid or not

    Hi, I have been living in Australia since 2014, working full time, paying tax etc. So I live here. We applied for PR, I got pregnant. We are expecting to get PR before I deliver the child. There is 2 years waiting period to get parenteral leave paid, however it says FOR NEWLY ARRIVED MIGRANTS...
  6. S

    QLD Bridging Visa and Pregnant

    In early 2018 my best friend met and started a relationship with a South American girl aged 42 who at the time was in Australia on a student visa. The relationship developed and she is now on a bridging visa while awaiting a decision on her permanent residency thru partner prospective...
  7. MumToMany

    TAS Ex Wants to Adopt My Son - Is It Possible?

    My ex-partner (father of 2 of my children) wants to adopt my other son who has had nothing to do with his biological father since he was born almost 9 years ago. His bio father is on the birth certificate but aside from me taking my son for five visits as a newborn and once when he was 3 to see...
  8. K

    WA AVO Breech ?? And now pregnant

    Hi, im in a mess trying to help my daughter. She has a current AVO out on her ex until November this year. He served time for abusing her and since his release from prison has made contact with her using a fake I.D on FB. This was a few months ago and during that time my daughter has become...
  9. E

    VIC Parental Leave Entitlements After a Period of Unpaid Leave?

    Hello all. I am looking to find out if I am entitled to parental leave with my employer. I started in a permanent full-time position in October 2014 and worked continuously till July 2018. At this time, I was granted 6 months leave without pay to work for a different employer (in a relevant...
  10. M

    VIC Child Support Increase When Ex is Pregnant?

    Hiya guys, I am in a relationship with a man who has a 3-year-old with his ex. Currently he has an agreed 27% care on paper, however, he frequently has nearly 50% care but remains at 27% care payments. She started a new relationship and is now pregnant. My question is, will his child support...