To answer the question how mandy days need it for a woman starts with knowing various concepts in pregnancy. Pregnancy, which also goes by the scientific nomenclature of gravidity and its Latin derivative word is ‘Gravid’ meaning heavy and ‘gravida’ with reference to a pregnant woman, is the development and fertilization of a child, called a fetus or embryo inside the uterus of a woman. So how long usuaaly is it for any woman? The following terms are important in answering the question:
• Gestation
• Conception
• Fertilization
Gestation
Gestation in humans is the carriage of the fetus inside a woman’s viviparous (from the word vivipary, meaning the development of the embryo in the body of a female mother leading to childbirth).
Fertilization
Fertilization, the dynamics of which was first discovered during the 19th century, is the meeting of the egg and sperm forming a union. This happens after coitus between a man and a woman. The egg and sperm union gives rise to the formation of what is called a ‘zygote’. Zygote is the term used for the fertilized egg formation. This formation and union is the first stage of the development of the pre-natal. This procedure of fertilization involves the fusion of ovum and sperm occurring right after ejaculation by a male individual during coitus.
In-vitro fertilization, also known as artificial insemination, is fertilization that does not go through the natural process of fertilization. IVF, short for in vitro fertilization, is the procedure whereby an egg cell by the female undergoes fertilization by a sperm cell outside the female womb; hence the word in-vitro.
Conception
Conception is also another term that is worth considering in answering the question, Conception is also another term for fertilization and is the fusing of gametes thereby producing a new organism. This process of developing of a new organism or individual is referred to as reproduction.
So how long exactly?
Answear for this question “: It takes thirty eight (38) weeks after conception for childbirth to occur; but in pregnant women having a cycle of menstruation lasting up to four weeks, childbirth could occur forty weeks after conception and this is to be counted from the last normal menstruation period or what is called as the LNMP.
Interestingly, in the medical community these terms exist as far as the number of pregnancy a woman has had:
• Nuligravida – This refers to a woman that has not been pregnant in her lifetime.
• Primigravida – This refers to a woman who is rpegnant for the first time.
• Multigravida – This is the term used to identify a woman who has had several pregnancies.
There are three periods in a pregnancy condition, which forms part to answering this question, they are:
1. First trimester period
2. Second trimester period
3. Third trimester period
Since it is normal that a female pregnancy lasts for a period of nine months; hence the division of the nine months led to the origin of the usage of the word ‘trimester’.
The First trimester
The first trimester is the time-period where cell differentiation happens. It is during this period where the term “morning-sickness” happens. This is a condition characterized by a nauseating feeling of a pregnant woman and can occur not only in the morning, but in the afternoon and evenings as well or throughout the day. It is at this period where the pregnant woman’s nipples and areolas start to darken in color on account of the hormonal increase due to the pregnancy and will continue to do so during the entire pregnancy condition.
This in part answers the query “how many month take it” for a woman. The 1st twelve weeks in a pregnancy condition forms part of the first trimester. The two weeks preceding conception with the inclusion of the woman’s last menstrual period are counted to form part of the pregnancy even if pregnancy has yet to take form. On the third week of the first trimester,, fertilization happens. The fourth week is when implantation happens. It is where the fertilized egg gets uterine bound and attaches itself to the uterine wall to gather the nutrients it needs for its development. The first trimester period is the phase when pregnancy tests can detect pregnancy conditions.
It is in the first trimester where the face contour develops for the fetus and formation of dark circles for the eyes can be seen. Development of mouth, jaw as well as throat begins to manifest in this period. At the end of the 1st month period of pregnancy, the baby takes the size resembling that of a rice grain and could measure from 6 to 7 millimeter or a fourth of an inch long; these are all part of answering the query how long is it for any woman.
At the end of the third month, the baby is already formed fully. The arms, fingers, hand, toes and feet are already well-formed with the fists capable of doing a close-open activity. The weight of the baby at this time should be at one ounce or 28 kilograms and a size of three to four inches long.
The Second Trimester
The second trimester period is part of the answer to the query to any woman. This period is referred to as the trimester for planning as this is the period where the expectant mother starts to shop for a nursery and still has the strength to do such chores and others.
Physical manifestations:
4th month: second trimester, the query exhibits physical manifestations in the baby at this stage as continual development of face and bud formation that will lead to the ears is apparent. Disappearance of the tail and with the head formation to half the body size of the baby is already visible. Movement in the womb at this stage becomes more glaring and the pregnant mom can readily feel such movements. Measurement of the baby is between eight to ten inches long with a weight of six ounces.
5th month: it is at this stage where the question attains considerable gains in terms of baby growth. Maturity of internal organs, fat and muscle develops in the baby; body hair-growth with a size of ten to twelve inches long and a pound weight are the manifestations in this period.
6th month: brain development is attained at this stage with the baby’s size at inches 11 to 14 and weight of one to one and a half pound.
The Third Trimester
The third trimester should readily show clear signs of answering, , as this is already the period from the 28th week leading to childbirth.
At this stage the expectant mother will likely experience the following physical changes:
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty in sleeping
• Leaking urine
• Changes in skin (varicose veins start to appear in the legs muscles)
To avoid them here are some tips:
-avoid crossing legs while seated
- avoid standing for prolonged period of times
-Elevate legs whenever possible
- do exercises that are allowed by the doctor
• Stretch marks
• Skin itchiness
Overall, the query is not answerable with the exact nine months period leading to childbirth as the medical field has provided for pregnancy such as pre natal care and post natal care, which are still considered by many to be part of a woman’s pregnancy.
Nevertheless, prior to childbirth, the following course of action should still be addressed;
- Labour preparation: preparation of a labour kit and a hospital bag is a necessity.
- Home preparation for the baby: an additional member to the family requires that the baby’s needs are already in place when he or she arrives home.