PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH
Name:___________________________
Pregnancy: ______________________________________________________________________
Conception: _____________________________________________________________________
Question: If there are so many sperm cells, why isn’t the egg unified with more than
one sperm? What prevents that from happening?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THE FERTILIZATION PROCESS
1. Sperm pass through the ________________ and move up fallopian tube
2. The egg is ready for discharge from the ________________
3. The _____________ enters the fallopian tube
4. A sperm penetrates and _________________ the egg
5. The zygote _________________ into two cell
6.
7.
The zygote has _________ cells by the time it enters the uterus
8.
9. The zygote becomes a ____________________. Multicelled.
10.
The blastocyst ___________________ in the uterine wall. This happens approximately
a week after fertilization
SIGNS OF PREGANCY
1. Period is ___________, or missed
2. Abnormal period, lighter or shorter than usual
3. Breast ______________________ or fullness
4. Nausea or sometimes vomiting
5. ___________________ in appetite
6. Frequent urination
7. __________________ or tired
PREGANCY TESTS
Urine test: to detect the hormone ________, which is produced when a woman is pregnant
Pelvic Exam: to measure the __________ of the uterus
Blood Test: which ______________ the pregnancy
DEVELOPMENT OF THE EMBRYO AND FETUS
3-4 weeks: Called an _____________. ________________, lungs and brain forming. 1/4th inch long
6 weeks: Arms, hands, fingers, toes __________________.
8 weeks: Now called a _____________. ½ - 1 inch long. 1/30th of an ounce. Skin forming
12 weeks: Mother can now feel the fetus moving. 3 inches long. Sign of sex appears
9 months: Full term pregnancy. 19-21 inches long. 7-9 pounds. Organs can ______________
on their own
Question: How does the baby receive nourishment?
Placenta: the organ that ________________ the egg to the inner wall of the ________________
Umbilical cord: a rope like structure through which the mother and the developing baby
exchange ___________________, ____________________, and ________________
Amniotic sac: A thin membrane filled with fluid in which the developing baby floats.
Serves as a ___________________ to help _______________ the baby.
PROBLEMS DURING PREGANCY
Ectopic pregnancy: zygote ___________________ in the fallopian tube
surgery is sometimes necessary to remove zygote
Miscarriage: the embryo or fetus is ________________ from the uterus __________________
caused by many possible reasons: genetic defect, illness of the mother, drugs the
mother has taken. Miscarriages usually happen within the first 3 months of pregnancy
Toxemia: pregnant woman has ___________ blood pressure, swelling and protein in the
urine. Usually treated in the hospital. If left untreated could result in __________ or death in
the mother.
Premature birth: baby is born before it is fully developed. A baby may be considered
premature if it is born before 37th week of pregnancy. Premature babies are placed in
incubators, which are special containers that protect the baby while developing
Still birth: fully ______________________ baby is born dead. Causes may include: injuries,
placenta or umbilical cord problems, stopping of the heartbeat
In about ____________% of still births, no explanation can be found
Cesarean Section: If delivery through the birth canal is considered dangerous for any
reason, an operation called a cesarean section is performed. An ________________ is made
through the abdomen & ________________, & the baby is taken from the mother’s body.
Breech Birth: A birth in which the _____________ or the buttocks coming out _____________.
Baby is supposed to come out head first
CHILDBIRTH
Definition: is the process ___________________________________________________________________________
What happens during childbirth?
 The mother may experience severe cramps.
 Discharge of blood will come from _______________
 The _______________________ sac will break & cause water to flow out. (“my water
broke!”)
Labor: Is a series of 3 stages that result in the birth of the baby
STAGES OF LABOR
1. ______________________ and ____________________________
Effacement is the thinning & shortening of the cervix. _______________________ of the
uterus cause the cervix & cervical opening to dilate & ___________________. This allows
the baby’s head to enter the vagina.(This can last from an 1 hour to 15 hours or
more).
2. ___________________________
The baby moves out the uterus & into the birth canal. The mother pushes during
uterine contractions to move the baby through the birth canal. When the baby’s
head is seen at the opening of the vagina, the baby will soon be delivered. Lasts
about 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours.
3. _________________ of the _______________________
The ____________________________ is expelled during this stage. The afterbirth is the
placenta & other membranes that support the fetus. This lasts about 10 to 30
minutes