Early Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms

[x]   Tags: signs of pregnancy, early signs of pregnancy, pregnancy signs, first signs of pregnancy, earliest signs of pregnancy, sign of pregnancy, pregnancy symptoms, symptoms of pregnancy, pregnancy test, am I pregnant, early pregnancy symptoms, pregnancy, pregnant, pregnancy calendar, hcg, missed period, implantation bleeding, tender breasts, bloating, morning sickness,

[x]   Transcript: Whether you're praying for a baby, or petrified that you might have made one, there are plenty of early signs to watch for. It is almost impossible to know for certain if you are pregnant until you take a pregnancy test – but a pregnancy test won't provide accurate results if you take it too soon. That's because a pregnancy test measures urine levels of human chorionic gonadatropin, or hCG, a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy, and... because levels of hCG are usually too minute to measure immediately after conception, a false negative result is possible at this point. In fact, a home pregnancy test will not provide reliable results until – at the absolute soonest – about four days before your next period is due. The later you take the test, the less likely a false negative becomes. Although you may need to wait a couple of weeks before taking a pregnancy test, that doesn't mean that there aren't other signs of pregnancy to look for in the meantime. While not every pregnant woman experiences symptoms during their first month, most do notice some changes – even before their first missed period. For example, as early as two days after you conceive, your breasts may suddenly feel extremely swollen and tender to the touch. Wait another five to ten days and you may notice a light to medium pink discharge on your underwear. This is called implantation bleeding, and occurs when the fertilized egg burrows into your uterine wall. In the following weeks, many women notice other symptoms, including fatigue, bloating, and an ever increasing need to urinate. Morning sickness, which hits 80% of women eventually, can also strike an unlucky few in their first several weeks of pregnancy. If you're pregnant, the second week after conception may also bring another change to your breasts: A darkening of your nipples' areolas. And of course, if your period is late, that's a clear sign that you may be pregnant. No matter what the symptoms might suggest, the only way to know for sure is to take a pregnancy test. If you do get a positive reading, it's 99-percent likely that you are indeed expecting, and should visit your Ob/Gyn as soon as possible. Your physician can do a blood test, urine analysis, or even an early ultrasound to confirm your pregnancy.

[x]   Bio:

Eden Gabrielle Fromberg, DO, FACOOG, DABHM is an osteopathic physician, Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology (1999) and Board Certified in Holistic Medicine (2003). Dr. Fromberg was born by natural childbirth in NYC, breastfed, weaned onto a naturopathic diet, and raised as a third generation vegetarian. She grew up with an awareness of the wholeness of all things and the goodness within people. In college, she began studying nutrition, yoga, massage, midwifery, natural family planning, and herbal medicine. She received a B.A. in Biology from Oberlin College in 1985, graduated from Southeastern University of the Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1991, and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1995. From 1995 - 1997, she was in private practice at Catskill Women's Health Center in the Hudson Valley. In 1997 and 1998, she volunteered in Bali, Indonesia with the renowned midwife and author, Robin Lim, providing culturally sensitive prenatal care, home birth, and health care in a traditional Balinese village. The project has built a birth center and a homeopathic apothecary, and Dr. Fromberg was an assistant researcher for "Obat Asli Bali: The Synthesis of Traditional Herbal Medicine and Modern Medicine in Bali, Indonesia." She also wrote the forward to "Eating Wisely: Recipes for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women," by Robin Lim, CPM. Dr. Fromberg continues to consult with Robin Lim and the project in Bali, now known as Yayasan Bumi Sehat - Healthy Mother Earth Foundation.

After returning from Bali, Dr. Fromberg established a private OB/GYN practice in New York City. From 1999 - 2004, she was on the faculty at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, where she supported midwifery practice and helped establish the hospital's Birth Center. She was appointed Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in 2000. After ten years in practice, working with midwives and delivering babies in the Hudson Valley, Bali, and Brooklyn, Dr. Fromberg now focuses exclusively on holistic gynecology for women throughout the life cycle and joined SoHo OB/GYN in 2005. She is a Fellow of the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. She incorporates natural remedies, vitamins, herbs, nutrition and lifestyle recommendations, and other alternative approaches in her medical practice. In addition to holistic gynecology practice, Dr. Fromberg is also the founder and director of Lila Yoga, Dharma & Wellness, a unique wellness center dedicated to the cultivation and celebration of the cycle of life. Lila hosts diverse programs including yoga, prenatal yoga, meditation, internal martial arts, birth and parenting services, and massage. Dr. Fromberg completed the Forrest Yoga Teacher Training and is a two-time Advanced Forrest Yoga teacher training graduate, and she teaches Fertile Yoga workshops and private yoga at Lila. Dr. Fromberg's husband, Edison Archer, a visual and martial artist, musician, and Nagkpa (Buddhist practitioner), manages Lila and teaches meditation and internal martial arts at the center and at Tibet House.