Preconception
It's important to take care of yourself even before you become pregnant. Put an end to any unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol or caffeine, because these can contribute to a range of problems, from low birth weight to miscarriage.1-3
Make sure you're getting the right nutrition, and talk to your doctor about starting prenatal vitamins to support your baby's healthy development from the moment of conception.
Conception
Getting pregnant isn't easy for everyone, and it's no wonder — conception is a complex biological process. In simple terms, here's how it happens:
Ovulation
Most women have a menstrual cycle of approximately 28 to 32 days.4 Typically, one of your ovaries will release an egg sometime between the 11th and 21st day of your cycle (counting the first day of your period as day 1). The egg can be fertilized for 12 to 24 hours after being released.4
Fertilization
The limited existence of each egg means that you have a short window of fertility each month. Research shows that there are approximately 6 days during which you can become pregnant, with the most fertile day immediately prior to ovulation.5
Following intercourse, millions of sperm move through the vagina and cervix, and then across the length of the uterus to the fallopian tube. If one of these sperm encounters an egg, fertilization may occur, after which the combined group of cells will begin to divide and travel down the fallopian tube toward the uterus.
Implantation
When the fertilized egg reaches your uterus, it is implanted in the uterine lining, which it uses for nourishment. This typically occurs 6 to 12 days after ovulation, and once it is complete, your pregnancy test will be positive.4 And, even though the process has just begun, you're already considered close to 4 weeks pregnant, because the pregnancy clock started counting on the first day of your last period.
If you think you may be pregnant, make an appointment with your doctor or health care provider immediately.
Next, learn more about your first trimester.
Important Safety Information
WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. KEEP THIS PRODUCT OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
Warnings
Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and INR. Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients on anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired bleeding diathesis.
Folic acid alone is improper therapy in the treatment of pernicious anemia and other megaloblastic anemias where vitamin B12 is deficient.
Precautions
Folic acid in doses above 0.1 mg daily may obscure pernicious anemia in that hematologic remission can occur while neurological manifestations progress.
This material is intended to provide basic information. Patients should discuss all medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment with their healthcare provider.
Please see full Prescribing Information
- Bech BH, Nohr EA, Vaeth M, Henriksen TB, Olsen J. Coffee and fetal death: a cohort study with prospective data. Am J Epidemiol. 2005 Nov 15;162(10):983-90. Epub 2005 Oct 5.
- Tolstrup JS, Kjaer SK, Munk C, Madsen LB, Ottesen B, Bergholt T, Grønbaek M. Does caffeine and alcohol intake before pregnancy predict the occurrence of spontaneous abortion? Hum Reprod. 2003 Dec;18(12):2704-10.
- Vielwerth SE, Jensen RB, Larsen T, Greisen G. The impact of maternal smoking on fetal and infant growth. Early Hum Dev. 2007 Aug;83(8):491-5. Epub 2006 Oct 31.
- Understanding Ovulation [Internet]. American Pregnancy Association. Accessed 31 Oct 2008. Available from: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/gettingpregnant/understandingovulation.html
- Dunson DB, Baird DD, Wilcox AJ, Weinberg CR. Day-specific probabilities of clinical pregnancy based on two studies with imperfect measures of ovulation. Hum Reprod. 1999 Jul;14(7):1835-9.
Expecting? Estimate your due date with this online pregnancy wheel.
Click here for an interactive guide to a baby's growth and development during a typical pregnancy.
More than 500,000 babies are born too soon each year. Some are so small they struggle to survive. This year, Mission Pharmacal is joining forces with the March of Dimes* as a National Corporate Sponsor to help raise awareness about the growing crisis of premature birth. To learn more and help us fight prematurity, click on the links below. For more than 60 years, Mission Pharmacal has been committed to providing products for healthy women and healthy babies.
