PREGNANCY

          The average duration of pregnancy is forty weeks which is ten lunar months or two
hundred and eighty days or approximately nine calendar months and one week. The
date on the baby is due to be born is called the expected date of delivery (EDD). This is
calculated as being forty weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period. When the
pregnant woman reaches her EDC, she is said to be at term. After conception, the
fertilized ovum is implanted into the inner lining of the womb, and the site of implantation
the “afterbirth” or placenta develops. The placenta is essential for the survival of the
unborn baby because the baby is being incubated inside a sac of fluid within the
mother’s womb and therefore it can breathe in the normal way , nor can it forage for
food. The baby is isolated in the fluid contained in the bag of membranes. The baby’s
blood flows along the umbilical cord from the baby to the placenta, and then back to
baby. Likewise the mother’s blood flows through cavities in the wall of the womb next to
the placenta. In this way, oxygen and foodstuff pass from the mother’s blood to the
baby’s blood through the placenta, and carbon dioxide and other excretory products
pass from the baby’s blood to the mother’s blood. The baby is entirely dependent upon
the mother and the placenta for survival.

          The womb grows in size as pregnancy continues and at term. It is large, powerful
muscular organ, ready to expel from the baby during labour. During the last twelve
weeks of pregnancy, the mother feels the womb contract from time to time, but these are
not painful contraction. They are known as Braxton – Hick contractions, and they
indicate that the womb is toning itself up in preparation for the hard work it has to do
during labour.

          If the baby is born before the thirty-fifth week of pregnancy its chances of survival
are rather poor. From the thirty-fifth week up to thirty-eight week is a sharp improvement
in the survival rate.

          Abortion or miscarriage is defined as “the expulsion of the products of conception

(i.e: the baby and the placenta) before the end of twenty eight week of pregnancy”.
Abortion is the correct medical term for miscarriage.

          Premature labour is defined as “expulsion of the products of conception after the
end or the twenty-eight week pregnancy and before term.

I.   ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1.    Does the baby breathe within the womb?

2.    How does it receive its food and oxygen?

3.    What is placenta?

4.    What is the difference between abortion and premature labour?

5.    How long is the average duration of pregnancy?

6.    When is it said to be at term?

My Answers is

1.       Yes baby breathe in the womb,because there is a placenta so the baby can
breathe in the womb.

2.       by way of from the mother's blood to the baby's blood through the placenta, and
carbon dioxide and other excretory products pass from the baby's blood to the mother's
blood.

3.       The placenta is essential for the survival of the unborn baby because the baby is
being incubated inside a sac of fluid within the mother’s womb and therefore it can
breathe in the normal way , nor can it forage for food.

4.       Abortion or miscarriage is defined as “the expulsion of the products of conception

(i.e: the baby and the placenta) before the end of twenty eight week of pregnancy”.

Premature labour is defined as “expulsion of the products of conception after the end or
the twenty-eight week pregnancy and before term.

5.       The average duration of pregnancy is forty weeks which is ten lunar months or two
hundred and eighty days or approximately nine calendar months and one week.

6.       When the pregnant woman reaches her EDC, she is said to be at term.

II.  VOCABULARY

USE THE CLUES TO FILL THE MISSING LETTERS IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS
BELOW

  uterus      menopause       vagina       testes      breast     ovulation      penis

      puberty      lactation       fertilization       nipples    pregnancy     menstruation

   ovary       embryo           uterine tube        prostate gland          vas deverens 

 

1.   After birth, secretion from this feed the baby ( BREAST)

2.   A tiny mass of cell which grows in the wall of the uterus ( EMBRYO)….

3.   This produces the greater part of the semen (PROSTATE GLAND)

4.   One of pair where female germ cell are produced (OVARY).

5.   The expulsion of mature oocyte into the peritoneal cavity ( OVULATION)
6.   one of pairs of tubes which carry sperm …(VAS DEVERENS)

7.   The chamber where a new individual develops (UTERUS)

8.   The production of milk  (LACTATION)

9.   Lying in the scrotum, they produce sperm (TESTES)

10. The result of this is zygote (FERTILIZATION)

11. The channel through which a baby is born (..VAGINA)

12. It lies at the center of the areola (NIPPLES)

13. It is erectile during copulation ( PENIS)

14. The time when the teenagers become sexually mature ( PUBERTY)

15. The breakdown and expulsion of the lining once a month …(MENSTRUATION)

16. Fertilization takes place here (UTERINE TUBE)

17. The period of nine months during which a new individual develops (PREGNANCY)

18. When the menstrual cycle ceases in women of 45-55 years of age  (MENOPAUSE)