Pregnancy

Very low urgency
Very common-

Pregnancy refers to the physiological processes that a woman’s body experiences during the growth and development of the fetus inside the uterus.

It lasts for approximately 40 weeks from the day of the last menstruation (approximately 9 months). It can naturally occur after sexual intercourse or artificially through assisted reproduction techniques.

It manifests with lack of menstruation, hypersensitive nipples, dizziness, morning sickness, drowsiness and changes in the perception of smells and cravings.

Diagnosis is clinical and is confirmed by pregnancy tests in blood and urine. Besides diagnosis, a genital ultrasound locates the place of the embryo implantation.

As this is not a disease, the only treatment administered is for controlling associated symptoms, such as nausea.

Bibliographic references
  1. Lori A Bastian, Haywood L Brown. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of early pregnancy. UpToDate. Jan 04, 2016.
  2. Sayle AE, Wilcox AJ, Weinberg CR, Baird DD. A prospective study of the onset of symptoms of pregnancy. J Clin Epidemiol 2002; 55:676.
  3. Foxcroft KF, Callaway LK, Byrne NM, Webster J. Development and validation of a pregnancy symptoms inventory. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2013; 13:3.
  4. Robert L. Barbieri, John T. Repke. Trastornos médicos durante el embarazo. Harrison. Principios de Medicina Interna. Volumen 1. 19ª Edición. 45:50.
  5. Maria Luisa cañete Palomo, Ana Piñas Carrillo, Noelia Gómez Martínez. Dolor abdominal y embarazo. Embarazo ectópico. Manual de protocolos y actuación en urgencias. Tercera edición. 2010.1343:1346.
Author
Dr. Oscar Garcia-Esquirol
Copyright
© TeckelMedical 2026

Symptoms

    Tighter breasts


    Absence of menstruation


    Darkening of the line between the navel and the pubis


    Nipples are darker than usual


    Altered sense of taste

Symptoms to watch out for

Fever (temperature higher than 100.4 ºF)
Bleeding
Elimination of fluid through the vagina
Severe belly pain
Decreased fetal activity

Self-care

Eat a balanced diet: increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, and white meats, and reduce consumption of fatty and fried foods.
Get regular physical activity at least 3 times a week that is appropriate for your age and physical condition.
Maintain a fluid intake of 6 - 8 cups per day.