Fear of miscarriage is the most common fear for most pregnant women. But most pregnancies result in healthy babies and less than 20 per cent end in miscarriage. Most miscarriages happen during the first few weeks of pregnancy when women don't even realise that they are pregnant.
One of the biggest fears about pregnancy is the fear of losing a pregnancy. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), up to 10% of clinically recognized pregnancies (confirmed on an ultrasound) end in miscarriage. 1 When you consider unconfirmed pregnancies, the rate is likely higher.
You may periodically have some of these worries:
Will my baby have birth defects? Will I have a miscarriage? Will my baby be stillborn? Will the drugs or alcohol I had (or ingested or took) before I was pregnant affect my baby?
What causes anxiety during pregnancy? Worries during pregnancy are universal. Hormonal changes of pregnancy, prior heartbreaking miscarriages, and sleep difficulties may all contribute to anxiety for mothers-to-be.
According to most findings, intermittent stress or stress your body gets used to has minimal impact on your unborn child. On the other hand, severe or acute stress may increase the risk of premature birth. Overall, if you tend to get very stressed, find ways to relax.
While excessive stress isn't good for your overall health, there's no evidence that stress results in miscarriage. About 10% to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. But the actual number is likely higher because many miscarriages occur before the pregnancy is recognized.
Key facts. Anxiety during pregnancy is also known as antenatal anxiety. Antenatal anxiety is common, and it can affect either parent. If you have antenatal anxiety, you may feel very anxious about your baby's welfare, and seek frequent reassurance that they are healthy and developing normally.
This pain can be felt as strong cramping in the abdomen, groin, and back, as well as an achy feeling. Some women experience pain in their sides or thighs as well. Other causes of pain during labor include pressure on the bladder and bowels by the baby's head and the stretching of the birth canal and vagina.
While a handful of things might hurt worse than labor, the significance of the pain caused by giving birth should not be minimized. And though labor can be a painful process, certain things can contribute to or increase the discomfort felt. Anxiety – fear or anxiety during childbirth can increase pain.
For most people, active labor is more painful than pushing because it lasts longer, gets more and more intense as it progresses, and involves many muscles, ligaments, organs, nerves, and skin surfaces.
While there is the potential for anything to happen, it's important to remember that most pregnancies and births go smoothly. In fact, the March of Dimes reports that nine out of ten babies are born healthy. Another common fear is that the baby will have a congenital disability.
Research has shown that, during pregnancy, your baby feels what you feel—and with the same intensity. That means if you're crying, your baby feels the same emotion, as if it's their own. During the gestational period, your baby is preparing themselves for life in the outside world.
Crying with a low frequency does not adversely affect the fetus. However, if you suffer from depression during pregnancy, your unborn baby can suffer many negative effects.
A woman experiencing five or more stressful events was nearly 2.5 times more likely to have a stillbirth than a woman who had experienced none.
While most people are in their reproductive prime in their 20s, that decade isn't always the best age to get pregnant when you consider those important variables beyond fertility. Some people simply aren't ready yet, while others are. That's why most experts and parents agree there is no perfect age to get pregnant.
Even though labor and vaginal birth can be hard work, they are generally easier on a woman's body than a cesarean. Recovery after vaginal birth is usually shorter and less painful than after a C-section, and allows the woman to spend more time with her baby.
Most women will feel increased pressure in their perineum, rectum, and low back at this stage. For many women, the rectal pressure feels the same as having a bowel movement. As the baby's head begins to appear, you may feel a stretching or burning sensation.
Lochia is the vaginal discharge you have after giving birth. It contains a mix of blood, mucus and uterine tissue. It has a stale, musty odor like menstrual period discharge and can last several weeks.
With an epidural, you might be able to feel contractions — they just won't hurt — and you'll be able to push effectively. There is some evidence that epidurals can speed the first stage of labor by allowing the mother to relax.
When you're in true labor, your contractions last about 30 to 70 seconds and come about 5 to 10 minutes apart. They're so strong that you can't walk or talk during them. They get stronger and closer together over time. You feel pain in your belly and lower back.