Thinking about becoming pregnant

The answer is 6. 

When it comes to getting pregnant, timing is important. In order to figure out when you’re most fertile, chart your menstrual cycle for a few months and record how long it lasts. Next, subtract 18 days from the length of your shortest cycle, which will provide for you a date when you’re most fertile. Next, subtract 11 days from the length of your longest cycle, to calculate the last day you’re likely to be fertile. Having sex within that time period will give you the best shot at conception. 

The answer is false.

Women over the age of 35 are considered of “advanced maternal age.” And while the chances of conception decrease with age, and the risk of miscarriage increases, it is not impossible. In fact, females over 40 are the fastest growing segment of pregnant women. 

The answer is C.

An unborn baby spends around 38 weeks in utero, but the average length of a pregnancy is actually 40 weeks. Pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last normal period, not the date of conception (which generally occurs two weeks later). The weeks are grouped into three trimesters. 

The answer is false.

Keeping your skin well-moisturized with cocoa butter or other lotions can help with the itching that tends to accompany stretch marks, but will not prevent them.

The answer is false.

Folklore says if a mom carries her baby low, she’s having a boy, and if she carries the baby wide, she’s having a girl. In reality, the way you carry a baby has nothing to do with the sex. Instead, it is simply how the baby positions himself/herself. 

The answer is true, but you need to monitor the amount of caffeine you’re consuming and limit to no more than 200 mg/day. Studies have shown that consuming more than that increases your risk of miscarriage. 

The answer is false.

Pregnant women do need to increase their calories, but not as much as you think. During the first trimester, no increase is needed; during the second semester calories should be increased by approximately 300/day; during the third trimester, you need to increase calories by 450.