A. Possibly. Most women are aware that the first sign of pregnancy is usually a late or missed period, particularly if you have been trying to conceive. If you normally have regular periods and suspect you are pregnant, have a pregnancy test as soon as possible to confirm it. If your periods are not regular, wait a few days to see whether it is a late period, if your period does not arrive within a week, have a pregnancy test then.

You can have a pregnancy test in four ways: -

a) Home kit, 99% accurate. Expensive-between £8-£10. Can be done 1 day after period is due.

b) Chemist, most chemists do pregnancy tests for a small charge. Just ask!

c) GP, your doctor will send a sample of urine away for testing, but results can take up to a week to get back.

d) Family Planning Clinic, may offer free testing. Pop along and find out!

A. These are many, so I will point out the main ones: -

a) Late or missed period.

b) Nausea or sickness felt mainly in the morning, hence "morning sickness".

 A. Take no notice! Every woman is different, some will show at 16 weeks, some

Will not. Your midwife can reassure you. She will measure your fundal

Height (the top of your womb), to assess the growth. For each week of

pregnancy, 1cm will be measured, so at 16 weeks you should measure around

16 cms although there is an allowance either side of this that is still normal.

A. Not necessarily. Most babies are extremely hard to hear at 12 weeks,

which only causes worry for the mother if we cannot pick it up. Most

midwives will listen at 16 weeks for the first time.

 A. Yes. A baby's heart needs to work hard in order for it to supply the growing baby with the oxygen and nutrients that it needs in order for it to grow. The heart will beat at between 110 - 150 beats per minute, roughly twice the speed of yours and it will also speed up when the baby is active.

 A. This is up to you and how you are feeling. The law has changed, in that you

Can now work up until the end of the 39th week of pregnancy, or the week

before your baby is due. Most women feel very tired in the final weeks

of pregnancy, and most give up by about 34 weeks. If your midwife feels

that all is well and you feel OK, finish when you want.

A. This is your confirmation to your employer of your final date of confinement

And it is this form that will secure your right to maternity pay. It is given

By your GP or midwife at 26 weeks of pregnancy. If you think you should

Have one then speak to your midwife.

 A. She does a number of routine examinations: -

a) Blood Pressure

b) Urine testing for Protein, a sign of blood pressure problems or

infection, or Glucose, a sign of diabetes.

c) Fundal Height (height of womb), palpation to find position of baby.

d) Fetal heart sounds.

e) Routine blood tests, such as: - blood group

Iron count (haemoglobin)

Screening tests such as the *AFP. *

*A F P* - alpha-fetoprotein. Test for Down syndrome and Spina Bifida risk

These are a common but uncomfortable problem of pregnancy. They are caused by a combination of increased pressure on the veins in the legs by the weight of the baby, and by the muscle relaxant effect of the hormones of pregnancy, mainly progesterone.

1) Wear support tights as soon as you get up in the morning, to support the veins.

2) Try to put your feet up above the level of your hips when sitting down, to allow the blood to drain away.

3) Avoid standing in one position for long periods.

4) If they become very painful, red or hot, see your GP to check that they are OK.

A very common pregnancy complaint, that causes a great deal of pain and distress. It is a condition whereby, the emptying of the bowel is slowed down or even stopped altogether, and causes stomach pains and shooting pains in the back passage. Again it is a result of the relaxing effect on the muscles of the hormones of pregnancy, but there are a number of things that you can do about it.

1) Eat a well balanced diet rich in fibre, with lots of fruit and vegetables, cereals and bread.

2) Drink plenty of water, as this helps to soften the stool and make it easier to pass.

3) Orange juice (fresh) is fibre rich and can help prevent constipation.

4) Avoid straining; try to relax your muscles- it may help to pass the stool.

5) Speak to your GP or Midwife if the above fail. There are certain things that can be

prescribed that will soften the stool and make it easier to pass.

These are very common and usually mild and irritating in nature. They can happen very frequently, but cause no lasting damage. If the headaches become severe and are focused over the front of your head or the forehead, see your midwife, as these can be a sign of a rise in the blood pressure.

1) Lie down in a darkened room and try to rest.

2) Increase your fluid intake, some headaches can be caused by dehydration due to an inadequate fluid intake.

3) Paracetamol without aspirin, is quite safe to take providing you follow the guidelines on the packet.

4) If nothing helps, see your GP or Midwife.

 A distressing and unpleasant problem in pregnancy. Very common, and can be experienced in varying degrees, from mild nausea, to extreme vomiting requiring hospitalisation for fluid and drug therapy.

1) Avoid fatty or spicy foods, as these irritate the lining of the stomach.

2) Avoid overfilling the stomach on big meals, try eating little and often, i.e.: - small meals eaten 4 - 6 times a day.

3) Eat something dry, such as a digestive biscuit or piece of toast before getting out of bed. As it is known that a low blood sugar can make you feel sick in the morning.

4) Drink plenty of water to prevent you becoming dehydrated.

5) If heartburn is the culprit, try some of the available remedies. Gaviscon, is the most widely used and effective, although there are many others available. Your GP or Midwife can arrange for you to have a prescription so that you don't have to pay.

6) If you cannot keep anything down at all and find you are losing weight, see your doctor who may refer you to the hospital for treatment?

This is a condition that affects the hands and lower arms. Although not so common, it is

Uncomfortable and worth a mention. The thumb and first two fingers of the hand are affected the most, with tingling and numbness, or even quite severe pain, felt sometimes up to the elbow. It is caused by a slight swelling of excess fluid within the joints, which subsequently put pressure onto the nerves running into the hand.

Very little! Unfortunately. If the condition becomes severe and you find that the normal everyday tasks that require the fine use of fingers i.e.-fastening buttons, are difficult, your GP can refer you to a physiotherapist who will give you exercises for your hands.

Good luck!

 Most problems experienced in pregnancy are minor. Some however can become major complications that left unchecked, can become potentially life threatening, and require close observation.

 Your blood pressure will first be recorded at your initial or booking appointment. The doctor or midwife records this as 2 readings, the highest being the "systolic" and the lowest, the "diastolic". The systolic reading, is the maximum pressure in your artery, which happens when your heartbeats and pumps blood around your body? The diastolic is the reading that we are most interested in. It is the pressure within the artery when the heart is at rest, or between beats. A normal systolic reading is usually between, 100 - 140(mmhg - millimetres of mercury), and the diastolic, between, 50 - 90mmhg.

If your diastolic pressure rises more than 15mmhg, you may be showing signs of blood pressure problems associated with pregnancy. There are other signs that you can look for as well, although you may not develop all of them.

1) Raised blood pressure

2) Excessive swelling to hands, feet and legs.

3) Severe and persistent frontal headache not relieved by paracetamol.

4) Photophobia (a dislike of light)

5) "Muzzy" or light-headedness.

6) Nausea, and or vomiting.

7) Severe abdominal pain situated centrally, just below your ribs.

This is a condition most likely to occur in women who are over 28 weeks into their first pregnancy. It can occasionally happen sooner and to women in subsequent pregnancies.

This condition is known as PET, or Pre-eclamptic Toxaemia.

This depends on how severe and when it occurs. The midwife usually manages milder cases at home, with rest and regular blood pressure recordings.

In more severe cases, hospitalisation is usually required, with regular medication with blood pressure reducing tablets, and monitoring of the babies heart beat. Blood tests will be performed as the well being of both mother and baby can be assessed in this way. If your blood pressure stabilises with medication, you may be allowed home. If it does not or becomes worse, the doctor may decide to deliver your baby early.

A very high blood pressure is harmful for both of you. It affects the placenta, preventing the baby from receiving enough oxygen and nutrients, so the baby does not grow, and it also may result in a very dangerous condition known as Eclampsia, where you may have severe fits. This is rare however, as most cases of PET are detected early.

A condition where the placenta or afterbirth, attaches itself to the wrong place in the womb. In this case, over the entrance to the cervix, blocking the baby's exit.

No one knows for sure, but the presence of Fibroids (Benign growths of muscle tissue within the womb) is one known cause.

Most preavias will move upwards and out of the way as the womb grows, thus causing no problems. A handful remains. These are graded according to severity, from grade 1, which means that the placenta is low, but not in the way, to Grade 4, which means that, the placenta completely covers the cervix.

Unfortunately, the only real symptom is bleeding. You should not get this normally, but it is a risk with this condition. If you lose blood, even minute amounts, go straight to your local labour ward and get checked out.

It can and will save your baby's life, and possibly your own!

1) Hospitalisation

2) Bedrest

3) Emergency Caesarean section in severe cases

4) A planned caesarean section may be the chosen method of delivery