Health Topics

Pregnancy

Early Pregnancy Symptoms
Pregnancy symptoms differ from woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy; however, one of the most significant pregnancy symptoms is a delayed or missed menstrual cycle.

Remember if you think you are pregnant please call us at (630) 261-9221 for a free pregnancy test at any one of our centers.

Understanding the signs and symptoms of pregnancy is important because each symptom may be related to something other than pregnancy. Some women experience signs or symptoms of pregnancy within a week of conception. For other women, pregnancy symptoms may develop over a few weeks or may not be present at all.

Below is a listing of some of the most common pregnancy signs symptoms. If you have been sexually active and experiencing any of the following symptoms it is important to take a pregnancy test.

Implantation Bleeding:
Implantation bleeding can be one of the earliest pregnancy symptoms. About 6-12 days after conception, the embryo implants itself into the uterine wall. Some women will experience spotting as well as some cramping.

Delay/Difference in Menstruation:
A delayed or missed menstruation is the most common pregnancy symptom leading a woman to test for pregnancy. When you become pregnant, your next period should be missed. Many women can bleed while they are pregnant, but typically the bleeding will be shorter or lighter than a normal period.

Swollen/Tender Breasts:
Swollen or tender breasts are a pregnancy symptom which may begin as early as 1-2 weeks after conception. Women may notice changes in their breasts; they may be tender to the touch, sore, or swollen.

Fatigue/Tiredness:
Feeling fatigued or more tired is a pregnancy symptom which can also start as early as the first week after conception.

Nausea/Morning Sickness:
This well-known pregnancy symptom will often show up between 2-8 weeks after conception. Some women are fortunate to not deal with morning sickness at all, while others will feel nauseous throughout most of their pregnancy.

Backaches:
Lower backaches may be a symptom that occurs early in pregnancy; however, it is common to experience a dull backache throughout an entire pregnancy.

Headaches:
The sudden rise of hormones in your body can cause you to have headaches early in pregnancy.

Frequent Urination:
Around 6-8 weeks after conception, you may find yourself making a few extra trips to the bathroom.

Darkening of Areolas:
If you are pregnant, the skin around your nipples may get darker.

Food Cravings:
While you may not have a strong desire to eat pickles and ice cream, many women will feel cravings for certain foods when they are pregnant. This can last throughout your entire pregnancy.

Call us (630) 261-9221 or walk into any of our centers for a free pregnancy test.

Fetal Development
Week 1 & 2 - Gestational Age:
Your menstrual period has just ended, and your body is getting ready for ovulation. For most women, ovulation takes place about 11 - 21 days from the first day of the last period. During intercourse, several hundred million sperm are released in the vagina. Sperm will travel through the cervix and into the fallopian tube. If conception takes place, the sperm penetrates an egg and creates a single set of 46 chromosomes called a zygote, which is the basis for a new human being. The fertilized egg spends a couple days traveling through the fallopian tube toward the uterus, dividing into cells; it is called a morula. The morula becomes a blastocyst and will eventually end up in the uterus. Anywhere from day 6-12 after conception, the blastocyst will imbed into the uterine lining and begin the embryonic stage.

Week 3 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Week 1):
The embryo is going through lots of basic growth at this time, with the beginning development of the brain, spinal cord, heart, and gastrointestinal tract.

Week 4 & 5 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Weeks 2 & 3):
Arm and leg buds are visible, but not clearly distinguishable. The heart is now beating at a steady rhythm. The placenta has begun to form and is producing some important hormones including HCG. There is movement of rudimentary blood through the main vessels. The early structures that will become the eyes and ears are forming. The embryo is ¼ inch long by the end of these weeks.

Week 6 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Week 4):
The formation of the lungs, jaw, nose, and palate begin now. The hand and feet buds have webbed structures that will become the fingers and toes. The brain is continuing to form into its complex parts. A vaginal ultrasound could possibly detect an audible heartbeat at this time. The embryo is about a ½ inch in length.

Week 7 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Week 5):
At 7 weeks gestation, every essential organ has begun to form in the embryo’s tiny body even though it still weighs less than an aspirin. The hair and nipple follicles are forming, and the eyelids and tongue have begun formation. The elbows and toes are more visible as the trunk begins to straighten out.

Week 8 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Week 6):
The ears are continuing to form externally and internally. Everything that is present in an adult human is now present in the small embryo. The bones are beginning to form, and the muscles can contract. The facial features continue to mature, and the eyelids are now more developed. The embryo is at the end of the embryonic period and begins the fetal period. The embryo is about 1 inch long and is the size of a bean.

Weeks 9 thru 13 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Weeks 7 thru 11):
The fetus has grown to about 3 inches in length and weighs about an ounce. The genitalia have clearly formed into male or female, but still could not be seen clearly on an ultrasound. The eyelids close and will not reopen until the 28th week of pregnancy. The fetus can make a fist, and the buds for baby teeth appear. The head is nearly half the size of the entire fetus.

Weeks 14 thru 16 - Gestational Age (Fetal age - Weeks 12 thru 14):
The fetus’s skin is transparent and a fine hair called lanugo begins to form on the head. The fetus begins sucking and swallows bits of amniotic fluid. Fingerprints which individualize each human being have now developed on the tiny fingers of the fetus. Meconium is made in the intestinal tract and will build up to be the baby's first bowel movement. Flutters may be felt in the mom’s growing abdomen as the fetus begins to move around more. Sweat glands have developed, and the liver and pancreas produce fluid secretions. The fetus has reached 6 inches in length and weighs about 4 ounces.

Weeks 17 thru 20 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Weeks 15 thru 18):
The baby has reached a point where movements are being felt more often by the mom. The eyebrows and eyelashes grow in, and tiny nails have begun to grow on the fingers and toes. The skin of the fetus is going through many changes and begins to produce vernix at the twentieth week. Vernix is a white pasty substance that covers the fetus’s skin to protect it from amniotic fluid. A fetal heartbeat could be heard by a stethoscope now. The fetus has reached a length of 8 inches and weighs about 12 ounces.

Weeks 21 thru 23 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Weeks 19 thru 21):
Lanugo now covers the fetus’s entire body. The fetus is beginning to have the look of a newborn infant as the skin becomes less transparent while fat begins to develop. All the components of the eyes are developed. The liver and pancreas are working hard to develop completely. The fetus has reached about 10-11 inches in length and weighs about 1 - 1 ¼ pounds.

Weeks 24 thru 26 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Weeks 22 thru 24) - Beginning the third trimester:
If your baby was delivered now, it could survive with the assistance of medical technology. The fetus has developed sleeping and waking cycles and mom will begin to notice when each of these takes place. The fetus has a startle reflex, and the air sacs in the lungs have begun formation. The brain will be developing rapidly over the next few weeks. The nervous system has developed enough to control some functions. The fetus has reached about 14 inches in length and weighs about 2 ¼ pounds.

Weeks 27 thru 32 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Weeks 25 thru 30):
The fetus really fills out over these next few weeks, storing fat on the body, reaching about 15-17 inches long and weighing about 4-4 ½ lbs by the 32nd week. The lungs are not fully mature yet, but some rhythmic breathing movements are occurring. The bones are fully developed but are still soft and pliable. The fetus is storing its own calcium, iron and phosphorus. The eyelids open after being closed since the end of the first trimester.

Weeks 33 thru 36 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Weeks 31 thru 34):
This is about the time that the fetus will descend into the head down position preparing for birth. The fetus is beginning to gain weight more rapidly. The lanugo hair will disappear from the skin, and it is becoming less red and wrinkled. The fetus is now 16-19 inches and weighs anywhere from 5 ¾ lbs to 6 ¾ lbs.

Weeks 37 thru 40 - Gestational Age (Fetal Age - Weeks 35 thru 38):
At 38 weeks the fetus is considered full term and will be ready to make its appearance at any time. Mom may notice a decline in fetal movement as the fetus is now filling the uterus with little room to move. The fingernails have grown long and will need to be cut soon after birth. Small breast buds are present on both sexes. The mother is supplying the fetus with antibodies that will help protect against disease. All organs are developed, with the lungs maturing all the way until the day of delivery. The fetus is about 19 - 21 inches in length and weighs anywhere from 6¾ lbs to 10 lbs.

Abortion

Physical Risks
Surgical -

• Heavy Bleeding - Some bleeding after abortion is normal. However, if the cervix is torn or the uterus is punctured, there is a risk of severe bleeding known as hemorrhaging. When this happens, a blood transfusion may be required.
• Infection – Infection can develop from the insertion of medical instruments into the uterus, or from fetal parts that are mistakenly left inside (known as an incomplete abortion).  A pelvic infection may lead to persistent fever over several days and extended hospitalization.  It can also cause scarring of the pelvic organs.
• Incomplete Abortion - Some fetal parts may be mistakenly left inside after the abortion. Bleeding and infection may result.
• Anesthesia – Complications from general anesthesia used during abortion surgery may result in convulsions, heart attack, and in extreme cases, death.  It also increases the risk of other serious complications by two and a half times.
• Damage to the Cervix - The cervix may be cut, torn, or damaged by abortion instruments.  This can cause excessive bleeding that requires surgical repair.
• Scarring of the Uterine Lining and Fallopian Tubes – Suction tubing, curettes, and other abortion instruments may cause permanent scarring of the uterine lining and fallopian tube(s). 
• Perforation of the Uterus - The uterus may be punctured or torn by abortion instruments. The risk of this complication increases with the length of the pregnancy. If this occurs, major surgery may be required, including removal of the uterus (known as a hysterectomy).
• Damage to Internal Organs - When the uterus is punctured or torn, there is also a risk that damage will occur to nearby organs such as the bowel and bladder.
• Embolism - An embolism is an obstruction of a blood vessel by a foreign substance such as air, fat, tissue, or blood clot. Childbirth is a normal process, and the body is well prepared for the birth of the child and the separation and expulsion of the placenta. Surgical abortion is an abnormal process and slices the unripe placenta from the wall of the uterus into which its roots have grown. This sometimes causes the fluid around the baby, or other pieces of tissue or blood clots, to be forced into the mother's circulation. These then travel to her lungs, causing damage and occasionally death. (W. Cates et al., American Journal OB/GYN, vol. 132, p. 16.  Usually, such a blockage is minor and goes unnoticed and is eventually dissolved. But if the block occurs in the brain or heart, it may result in a stroke or heart attack. This condition may occur anywhere from 2-50 days after an abortion and is a relatively frequent major complication
• Ectopic Pregnancies - If the scar tissue covers the openings from the fallopian tube to the uterus only partially, then the sperm will be able to reach the egg in the tube. Conception occurs and fertilized egg (baby) begins to grow and move toward the uterus. The fertilized egg is too large to get from the fallopian tube to the uterus opening because of the scar tissue blocking part of the opening. The baby continues to grow inside the tube, eventually causing the tube to burst. If surgery is not done to remove the baby, then the mother will die. There has been a 300% increase in ectopic pregnancies since abortion was legalized. (US Dept. H.H.S., Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, no. 33, no. 15, April 20, 1984--quoted in Willke's book p. 108). Among women who aborted their first pregnancy there was a 500% increase in subsequent ectopic pregnancies. (Chung et al. "Effects of Induced Abortion Complications on Subsequent Reproductive Function" U. of Hawaii, Honolulu, 1981--Wilke p. 109) This is not to say that every woman who experiences tubal pregnancy has had an abortion.
• Future miscarriages and/or premature births - After infection, damage to the cervix is the next leading cause of post-abortion reproductive problems. Normally the cervix is rigid and tightly closed during pregnancy. However, during abortion the cervix undergoes tremendous stress and is often torn, resulting in permanent weakening. In a later "wanted" pregnancy, this may result in the cervix opening prematurely, resulting in miscarriage or premature birth. For this reason, the chance that a later "wanted" child will die during pregnancy or labor is at least twice as high for previously aborted women. One study shows the risk of premature delivery and second trimester miscarriage increases 10 times for women who have had abortions. Normally 5% of babies are born premature. This rate jumps to 40% on aborted women.
• Sterility - Infertility and sterility mean that a woman cannot get pregnant. Abortion causes sterility in 2-5% of the women who have an abortion.
• Death - In extreme cases, other physical complications from abortion including excessive bleeding, infection, organ damage from a perforated uterus, and adverse reactions to anesthesia may lead to death. This complication is rare, but is real.

Chemical -

• The morning-after pill - Combined doses of certain birth-control pills, taken up to 72 hours after intercourse blocks the fertilized egg from implanting into the uterus. Morning-after pill complications include severe nausea and vomiting.  
• RU 486 (Mifepristone or the "abortion pill") - Can only be used during the first 7-9 weeks of pregnancy. RU 486 prevents the uptake of progesterone, a hormone that helps to create and maintain the uterine lining which provides nourishment and oxygen for the developing child. The uterine lining begins to break down and slough off, cutting the child off from her basic supply of food, fluids and oxygen. The child shrivels and finally suffocates or starves to death. A prostaglandin given about two days later stimulates uterine contractions to expel the unborn baby. A third visit approximately two weeks later confirms the completion of the abortion. RU486 complications:
• Severe pain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, low heart and blood pressure and prolonged and heavy bleeding. It has been described as "painful, messy and protracted" with "golf ball size clots, steady streams of blood like faucets." (Time Dec. 1994 quoted in NRLN Feb. 23, 1996) During the 2100 patient trial in the US at least one woman lost half of her blood volume and required surgery to save her life. (NRLN, August 21, 1996 p.26) The procedure is so grueling that only 20 percent of women seeking abortions in France get a chemical one even though RU 486 has been available there since 1988 and the price is comparable to surgical abortion. Those who fail to return for their 2-week check up may eventually give birth to children with severe disabilities.
• Methotrexate - Can only be used during the first 6-8 weeks of pregnancy. An anti-cancer drug injected into the mother it works very similar to RU486 by destroying the child's protective environment and depriving the baby of the food, oxygen, and fluids she needs to survive. Usually the child is dead in a matter of days. About a week later, a prostaglandin is given to the mother to expel the dead baby. Methotrexate complications:
• Even at the smaller doses used for abortions Methotrexate can produce severe anemia, ulcers and bone marrow depressions that can be fatal. New York abortionist Don Sloan wrote in an April 8, 1996, letter to the New York Times that "many of us in the 'abortion trade,' as I am, are recoiling at the stark irresponsibility of those who are parading this medication in such cavalier fashion." (NRLN, April 12, 1996, p. 10.)

Psychological Risks
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a term that has been used to describe the emotional and psychological consequences of abortion. Whenever we go through a traumatic experience, without the opportunity to process the experience emotionally, we can expect a delayed negative reaction. We live in a society that ignores the painful consequences of abortion. Men and women who have experienced it are urged into denial, so they do not talk about and process the normal feelings of anxiety, fear, shame, guilt and grief which often follow the abortion. When such emotions are denied and buried, they will often resurface having been magnified by time.

To cope with the emotional pain that accompanies abortion, the woman may develop a set of defense mechanisms to justify her decision. They may include:

Rationalization - These are reasons a woman gives for having an abortion that explain what she is doing or did is good.

Repression - The woman is not aware of any negative feelings that she may have had about the abortion.

Suppression - This occurs when a woman erases any negative feelings about abortion from her mind and will not allow herself to contemplate her personal feelings.

Compensation - This occurs when the woman becomes pregnant soon after her abortion to make up for the aborted child. She may abort this one also to reinforce her belief that abortion is right or carry the baby to term to serve as a substitute for the aborted baby.

Symptoms of PAS
The following symptoms may not appear at the same time, nor is any woman likely to experience the entire list. Some may occur immediately after an abortion, and others may take months or even years to surface.

Guilt - Feelings of guilt are among the most common immediate as well as delayed reactions to abortion. Guilt is a normal reaction that usually surfaces after the woman recognizes that abortion is wrong and that she is responsible for committing her own abortion. Guilt is what we feel when we have violated our own moral code. One study found that fully 70% of aborting women expressed general disapproval of abortion, yet tended to rationalize themselves as "exceptions" to the rules. 

Anger - The woman will often express her guilt and shame through anger at herself and others involved in the abortion decision such as her parents, friends, doctor, the baby's father and men in general. She may also be angry with her children or future children, which often results in abuse. In the first 10 years after legalization of abortion, child abuse increased over 500%. (US Dept. of HHS 1991). One study showed 91% of abused children are from planned pregnancies. (University of Southern California Professor Edward Lenoski, Heartbeat, vol.3, no. 4, Dec. 1980.) Studies indicate that child abuse is more frequent among mothers who previously had an abortion. This is due to the guilt and depression hindering the mother's ability to bond with her children. (Dr. Philip G. Ney, "A Consideration of Abortion Survivors," Child Psychiatry and Human Development (Vol. 13-3, Spring 1983), p.172, cited Alcorn p. 111-113 and Michels p.75-87).

Anxiety - Anxiety is defined as an unpleasant emotional and physical state of apprehension. Post-abortive women with anxiety may experience any of the following: tension (inability to relax, irritability, etc.), physical responses (dizziness, pounding heart, upset stomach, headache, etc.), worry about the future, disturbed sleep.

The conflict between a woman's moral standards and her decision to abort generates much of this anxiety. Very often, she will not relate her anxiety to a past abortion, and yet she will unconsciously begin to avoid anything having to do with babies. She may make excuses for not attending a baby shower, skip the baby aisle at the grocery store and so forth.

Broken relationships - Abortions performed with the hope of saving a relationship seldom succeed.  Most relationships break up right before or after the abortion takes place.

Depression and sense of loss - These "post-abortion blues" generally fade within a few months, but prolonged, deep depression is not uncommon. Depression is a mood filled with sadness, guilt and feelings of hopelessness. Some women report feeling completely immobilized by their emotional state and unable to get interested in anyone or anything since the abortion. Uncontrollable crying which can be daily and may continue for years: sometimes lasting for hours or days at a time. Those who report a sense of loss describe a number of related reactions such as the inability to look at other babies, or pregnant mothers, or a jealousy of mothers. Many consciously seek a replacement pregnancy.

Psychological "numbing" - A person who has experienced a highly painful loss will sometimes develop an instinct to avoid future situations that might lead them into serious pain. Many post-abortive women maintain a secret vow that they will never again allow themselves to be put in such a vulnerable position. As a result, without consciously thinking about what they are doing, they may work hard to keep their emotions on a flat level, experiencing neither highs nor lows. Not only does this flatness of emotional experience affect their own outlook, but it greatly hampers their ability to form and maintain close relationships.

Suicide - Feelings of rejection, low self-esteem, guilt and depression are all ingredients for suicide. According to one study, women who have had abortions are nine times more likely to attempt suicide than women in the general population.

Other psychological problems which may develop include:

• Re-experiencing the abortion
• Survival guilt
• Development of eating disorders
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Insomnia or sleep problems include nightmares concerning the abortion, often involving the "return" of the aborted child.
• It is not uncommon for a woman to become obsessed with the "would have been" birth date and imagining the child as old as she would have been if born.
• Regret
• Shame
• Loneliness or isolation
• Impaired self confidence/Low self-esteem
• Eating disorders
• Promiscuity
• Sexual dysfunction

Teenagers who have abortions are especially vulnerable to PAS because they are at a critical developmental period of their life. Even though teens are likely to be most deeply affected by abortions, they are also likely to be the least expressive about their doubts and pains. Instead of being encouraged to accept the consequences of her choices, and to mature through the responsibilities of parenthood, she is encouraged to "mature" through termination of her pregnancy.

Before making any medical decision, it is important for you to have information about the possible consequences. Abortion is a medical procedure. Like any medical procedure, there are risks. You have the right to be fully informed about those risks.

Gathering information on the types of abortion procedures and their risks will help you make an informed decision. Remember, the choice is yours and you must live with the consequences. No one can force you to have an abortion!

Remember, you are not alone we’re here to help you find the information you need to make the right decision for you.

Birth Control Risks

	Possible Minor or Short-Term Side Effects	Possible Major or Long-Term Side Effects
The Pill	Dizziness, Nausea/vomiting, Breast tenderness, Weight gain, Fluid retention, Headaches, Depression, Spotting or bleeding between periods, Missed menstrual periods, Spotty darkening of skin	Blood clots (which can cause heart attacks, strokes and death), Cancer risks: breast, cervix, liver, High blood pressure, Gallbladder disease, Impaired vision
Ortho Evra (the "patch")	Breast tenderness, Headaches, Nausea, Cramps, Bloating, Skin irritation at application site, Menstrual changes, Upper respiratory infection, Vaginal discharge	Blood clots, Heart attack, Stroke, Death Since 2002, at least 18 women and teens have died after using Ortho Evra, including 14 year old Alycia Brown of La Crosse, WI. Those who use Ortho Evra are exposed to about 60% more estrogen than if they were taking a typical birth control pill containing 35mg of estrogen. In general, increased estrogen exposure may increase the risk of blood clots, heart attacks, stroke and death.
Depo-Provera (the "shot" - one injection every three months)	Irregular menstrual bleeding: heavy and unpredictable bleeding or no menstrual bleeding at all, Weight gain, Breast swelling or tenderness, Fluid retention, Headaches, Dizziness, Depression (sometimes severe), Delay in fertility after discontinuance. Women are usually unable to get pregnant for six months to two years after they stop taking "the shot." Remember, if side effects do occur, they will last three months even if only one shot was taken.	Problems with future pregnancies, Blood clots, Stroke, Heart attack, Appears to increase risk (by approximately three-fold) of acquiring Chlamydia and gonorrhea, both of which can cause sterility, Significant loss of bone density. Bone loss is greater with increasing duration of use and may not be completely reversible.
NuvaRing (once-a-month vaginal insert)	Accidental expulsion of the vaginal ring, Headaches, Vaginal infections and irritations, Vaginal discharge, Weight gain, Changes in menstrual cycle, Nausea, Cough/sore throat, Pain during sexual intercourse, Irregular bleeding patterns, Fever	Blood clots, Heart attack, Stroke, Gall bladder disease, Liver tumors
Mirena (uterine implant)	Irregular bleeding, Headaches, Abdominal pain, Weight gain, Acne, Nausea, Vaginal infections	Tubal (ectopic) pregnancy, Perforated uterus, Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), Embedment of the device’s arms into the wall of the uterus
Plan B® (the "morning-after pill" or "emergency contraception")	Nausea/vomiting, Menstrual irregularities, Headaches, Breast tenderness, Abdominal pain/cramps, Dizziness	Warning – Progestin birth control pills used for routine daily birth control can increase your risk for a tubal (ectopic) pregnancy.  Plan B®contains progestin.  It is unknown if Plan B® would increase the risk of tubal pregnancy.

 

Zakiya Kennedy of New York was an aspiring model when she died on April 2, 2004 at age 18. Just three weeks after going on Ortho Evra (the “patch”), she formed blood clots and one of them moved into her lungs and killed her. Zakiya’s death was almost attributed to her boyfriend pushing her down a flight of subway steps until the medical examiner discovered the truth. How many other deaths have occurred due to birth control that we simply don’t know about? The artificial hormones used in birth control are very similar to each other – don’t think you’re safe if you only avoid the patch!

(New York Post Online Edition, April 6, 2004) 

How does hormonal birth control work?

• Attempts to block an egg from being released from the ovary (ovulation).
• May thicken a woman’s vaginal secretions, making it difficult for sperm to travel up the reproductive tract.
• Changes the lining of the uterus so that if breakthrough ovulation and fertilization (conception) do occur, the embryo cannot attach to the uterine lining and therefore he or she dies. This is an early abortion.

All of the birth control methods listed work in all three of the above ways. Warning – None of these drugs protect you against AIDS or any other sexually transmitted diseases.

This information was condensed from a series of brochures written by Joan Appleton, RN. For more information on other forms of birth control risks, failure rates and alternatives contact One More Soul at www.omsoul.com or (800) 307-7685.