It’s estimated that every day a million women around the world find out they are pregnant. Half of these women get pregnant without meaning or wanting to. As a result, one quarter of all pregnancies end in abortion.
In England in 2003, there were 39,560 conceptions amongst young women aged under 18 and 46% of these conceptions led to legal abortion. Source: www.dfes.gov.uk/teenagepregnancy
In Brighton in 2002, there were 179 conceptions to under 18s and 48% of these conceptions led to legal abortion.
About 70% of women in the world use contraception. In some countries almost no one has access to reliable contraception; in others almost everyone does. Even in countries such as the UK, where contraception is easily obtainable, more than half of all pregnancies are unplanned.
What is conception?
When a man and a woman have sexual intercourse the man’s penis fits into the woman’s vagina.
Sperm are released through the penis (ejaculation) and into the vagina. They swim through the woman’s cervix, in to the womb, and then into the fallopian tubes. If there is an egg in the tube, hundreds of sperm swim up to reach it. This is conception.
When the man comes (ejaculates), the sperm travel from the balls through the sperm ducts to the penis. As they travel, fluids are added to them to produce a mixture called semen. He ejaculates about a teaspoonful of semen containing up to 300 million sperm. Just one drop, pinhead size, contains around 1,500 sperm!
Glands in the woman’s vagina and the man’s penis produce secretions which make it easier for the penis to enter the vagina. A woman can get pregnant even if the man withdraws before ejaculating. This is because the fluid which leaks out of the penis before he comes (pre-come) can contain sperm.
When is a woman fertile?
To get pregnant, a woman needs to have sex around the time that she ovulates. Her fertile time lasts for 8-9 days. But it’s not always easy to work out when this is – especially if her periods are not regular.
A woman ovulates 12-16 days before the start of her next period. Although the released egg will only live for 12-24 hours, sperm can live for up to 7 days. If sperm are already present before ovulation, they may meet the egg when it is released.
- Prevent sperm from meeting an egg
- Stop an egg being produced
- Identify the fertile and infertile times of a menstrual cycle, so that sex would be avoided during the fertile times.
Fertility in women begins to decline when they are in their 30s, until after the menopause, when periods usually stop. Men can be fertile for longer. Some men in their 70s have fathered babies.
Contraception
To prevent pregnancy - contra-ception - involves using methods that:
- Prevent sperm from meeting an egg
- Stop an egg being produced
- Identify the fertile and infertile times of a menstrual cycleand be avoid sex during the fertile times.
How do people prepare for pregnancy?
Smoking, drinking, taking drugs, a poor diet, and sexually transmitted infections can damage fertility in men and women, and may damage the health of the mother during pregnancy, or her baby when it is born.
Smoking: Men who smoke have weaker erections and less healthy sperm. Women who smoke, or whose partners smoke, or who are exposed to smoke at work, are less likely to conceive. If they become pregnant, they may have greater complications during labour and are more likely to have a premature birth or stillbirth. Stopping smoking may be the most important thing parents can do for the health of their baby.
Eating: A well-balanced diet for both men and women wanting to start a pregnancy includes: lots of fruit and vegetables, plenty of starchy carbohydrates such as bread, cereal, pasta and protein, such as beans, pulses, meat, fish, cheese and eggs.
Folic Acid: can reduce risks to the spine of the fetus. Women are recommended to take folic acid supplements three months before trying for a baby and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Drinking: Alcohol may increase the frequency of sex- a lot of pregnancies happen because people get carried away – but heavy drinking can reduce fertility and even make men impotent. Drinking too much during pregnancy can damage the fetus. Women trying to become pregnant, or who are pregnant, should avoid getting drunk and should probably drink no more than1 or 2 units, no more than once or twice a week. (A unit is a single pub measure of spirits, a small glass of wine, or half a pint of beer, lager or cider). A lot of women give up alcohol altogether during pregnancy.
Infections: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) can affect fertility in men and women and an untreated one can be passed on to the fetus. Some infections can’t be cured but treatment can be given to try and prevent the baby getting the infection.
Signs of Pregnancy:
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Feeling tired
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Swelling or tenderness in the breasts
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Missing a period
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A shorter, lighter period than usual
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Appetite changes (going off some foods)
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Nausea or vomiting (often called morning sickness, though it’s not always in the morning)
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Feeling bloated or period like cramps
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Frequent urination (weeing a lot)
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Digestion changes
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Mood changes
What happens in Pregnancy?
Pregnancy starts when the fertilised egg successfully implants into the lining of the uterus.
A normal pregnancy lasts from 37- 42 weeks (9 months) and is measured from the first day of the last period. Pregnancy is talked about in trimesters (3 month periods), because each trimester is very different. After 8 weeks, the developing embryo is called a fetus.
1st Trimester: At 6 weeks all the major organs (heart, lungs, liver etc) are forming; the spinal cord is there and the heart is beginning to beat. The embryo is just over 1cm long and weighs less than 1g.
At 12 weeks, the fetus has arms and legs, fingers and toes, a face and all 32 permanent tooth buds. The heart is working, pumping blood to all parts of the body. The fetus is about 76mm long and weighs 15g.
2nd Trimester: By 20 weeks the bones are starting to harden and the pregnant woman may feel the occasional kick. The eyes are still closed but the fetus can hear sounds – the mother’s voice, heartbeat, and digestive system rumbling. By 24 weeks the eyes are open. The fetus’ heart is beating at twice the adult rate (120-160 beats per minute). In order to develop its digestive system the fetus is swallowing and peeing in the fluid that surrounds it (amniotic fluid). A baby born now may survive with help, though often with major problems.
3rd Trimester: For the rest of the pregnancy the fetus is growing, putting on weight and the organs (particularly the lungs) are still developing. Most settle down into a head-down position by around 36 weeks. Any time after 37 weeks the baby is ready to be born. The average weight at 40 weeks (term) is 3-4kg and the length from the top of its head to its bottom is 35-37cm. A few of the cells from the fertilised egg develop into the placenta. This forms and attaches to the inside lining of the womb. The umbilical cord connects the placenta to the fetus (it’s attached to what becomes the tummy button). By 12 weeks it supplies the fetus with all the nutrients it needs for the rest of the pregnancy. It can filter out bacteria but smaller molecules (such as viruses or drugs) will reach the fetus, eg. rubella, alcohol, nicotine, colds.
Miscarriage – (when a pregnancy is lost) – can occur for a number of reasons due to problems with the pregnancy. It happens to over one in five pregnancies, 90% of them in the first 12 weeks. An early miscarriage can be like a very heavy period with bleeding and cramps. A GP can advise if any treatment is needed.
An Ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilised egg (sometimes 2 eggs) implant outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. Usually, the developing egg(s) die, causing severe bleeding and pain. An emergency operation may be needed.
Later miscarriage and stillbirth:
Only 3 in 100 miscarriages take place in the second trimester. If the fetus dies after 24 weeks, when normally it would be possible for the fetus to survive (with medial help), the death is called a stillbirth. If the fetus dies in the womb after 20 weeks but does not miscarry, the mother will have to deliver it with help from medical staff. This obviously can be very upsetting but she will be offered support.
How does pregnancy feel?
In terms of additional weight – it can be tried: Recipe: Take one pair of tights and tie knots at the top of the legs. Put into the tights a 3kg bag of potatoes (to represent the fetus); a 1kg bag of sugar (placenta) and a 1 litre bottle of water (amniotic fluid). That’s what women carry around during their pregnancy.
Pregnancy alters a woman’s body completely. Her skin, breasts, hair, teeth, digestion and hormone levels all change. Her body retains more water and she has over a litre more blood. In fact, all the major organs undergo changes at this time in order to support both the woman and her baby. As well as physical changes women can feel strong emotional changes – most find they laugh and cry more easily than before.
Pregnancy can be a big change for men too. Concern for his partner, the baby and for himself, and hopes and fears for the birth and his future as a parent, are all important issues to deal with.
Q: Can a woman have sex while she is pregnant?
A: Yes, with a normal pregnancy, she can have sex right up to the time her waters break. It will not harm the baby. The fetus is protected by the thick mucus plug that seals the cervix, the amniotic sac, and the strong womb muscles.
Preparing for the birth
In most pregnancies a woman is looked after by a midwife. The midwife is a healthcare professional trained to work with a pregnant woman and her family throughout her pregnancy, birth and the early days with a new baby. The midwife checks the health and progress of the woman and fetus through the pregnancy. The midwife can advise about: involving both partners in the pregnancy, local classes to help parents prepare for the birth and after, local services, meeting other pregnant women and their partners and where to give birth – in hospital or at home.
Labour can be affected by how long the labour lasts and what support the mother has. It usually lasts for 12-24 hours; sometimes less, sometimes more.
Contractions are the clenching and relaxing of the womb muscle. They stretch and open the cervix, and push the baby down, so that the baby can pass through the vagina.
Most women find birth painful. This is normal when a muscle is working so hard! Women may choose to use pain relief drugs, such as epidural anaesthesia, or therapies such as hypnosis. Some women choose to use nothing.
In Britain about 1 in 5 babies born by caesarean – major surgery which involves cutting through the abdomen and womb to get the baby out. There are several reasons that a caesarean might be performed, these include, problems in labour, a pro-longed birth, or it may simply be a woman’s choice.
After the birth
Women and men may experience a wide variety of emotions when first meeting their baby, from joy and happiness through to simple relief or even a feeling of anti-climax.
Cuddling and touching with the baby as soon as possible helps a woman bond with her baby, and makes breast feeding easier. It also encourages the release of hormones that help expel the placenta (now the ‘afterbirth’) from her body.
Postnatal depression: One in ten women get depressed within weeks (or sometimes months) of their baby’s birth. Postnatal depression can result in anxiety, sleeplessness and extreme tiredness, leaving a woman feeling very stressed and unable to cope. It is important that she seeks help from her health visitor or GP.
"We had no idea it would change our lives so much. I feel old compared to all my friends who are going out every weekend without a care in the world" Young Parent.
Having a baby isn’t just about a woman physically giving birth – it’s probably the biggest responsibility a man or woman can have. "I thought giving birth was the hard part over with, but being a mother you’re on call 24 hours a day."
Adjusting to being a parent can be hard for anybody but it can be particularly difficult for young people. Talking and meeting other parents can make a woman or her partner feel less alone.
There are also organisations which can offer support and help. Check out the young parent's section of the site.
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