A woman's first period after childbirth is one of the many changes her body will endure in the postpartum months. The timing of this first period varies from woman to woman by many months and is affected mostly by breast-feeding and bottle-feeding...
One side effect of lactation on a new mother's body is that it affects aspects of her reproductive or fertility cycles. For example, a woman's menstrual period is acutally suppressed in order to facilitate the production of milk. This temporary...
After conception, the hCG hormone starts soon after a fertilized egg embeds itself in your uterine wall. The presence of hCG, also known as the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, is detected through a urine or blood test to confirm your...
The experience of pregnancy is different for every woman, and even in the same woman symptoms can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. After a missed period, if there is a chance of pregnancy, it is important that a woman get tested for pregnancy so...
Staying healthy is vital during pregnancy. Vitamin C is touted as one of the keys to good health because of its immune-boosting reputation. While some vitamin C is essential to a healthy pregnancy, too much may lead to problems in both you and...
One of the benefits that mothers get from breastfeeding is a delay in the return of menstruation. Mothers who do not breastfeed their babies may get their first postpartum period within weeks, but breastfeeding mothers can usually look forward to...
Imagine how distressing it would be if you started prenatal care late because you didn't realize you were pregnant. According to the American Pregnancy Association, some women don't experience symptoms, but for those who do, signs may be subtle or...
A pregnancy test can often detect pregnancy in its early stages, sometimes a few days before a first missed period. For some women, pregnancy signs are noticeable shortly after conception, a week or more before their period is due. For others,...
Bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy is relatively common and doesn't necessarily indicate a problem with the pregnancy. A 2003 study of 221 pregnant women published in the September issue of the "Human Reproduction" journal...
One of the many changes your body will make after childbirth is reestablishing the normal routine of your menstrual periods. The way you are nursing your newborn will affect the time, duration and flow of your first postnatal period. Although it...
Normally, non-pregnant adults have no hCG in their bloodstream. HCG, short for human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone secreted by a developing embryo, starting early in pregnancy. If you're pregnant, you'll have hCG in your bloodstream...