Physical Changes In Pregnant Women

Why are pregnant women always complaining? The simple answer is that a pregnant woman’s body is always changing. When this is said, many think of the physical changes that one can see or feel. However, even though these physical changes are important, the true question is what causes these physical changes? Physical changes to a pregnant women’s body are the result of physiological changes. What is a physiological change? To understand what this kind of change is, the term physiology must be understood. Physiology is “the branch of biology dealing with the functions and activities of living organisms and their parts, including all physical and chemical processes” (Dictionary). Because the human body has a set of ways in which its processes
These hormones especially affect the brain. It can take a very long time for a mother to get used to the higher level of hormones in the system. As a result, mood swings can be very common. The vast majority of pregnant women will experience “morning sickness.” Morning sickness can be defined as “a feeling of nausea, at any time of day, which may lead to vomiting” (Brewer). Doctors do not know the exact cause of it, but it is likely to be caused by the rapid increase in estrogen and progesterone, human chorionic gonadotrophin, or a closely related thyroid hormone called thyroid stimulating hormone which decreases during early pregnancy. However, every pregnancy is different. This sickness is probably caused by a combination of all these hormonal changes. Morning sickness usually starts around the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy and should diminish by weeks twelve to sixteen of pregnancy. In some cases, the women suffer throughout the entire pregnancy with morning sickness, whereas; other women may not experience any nausea. Relaxin is a hormone that starts to be produced by seventh week of pregnancy and is produced throughout the rest of pregnancy. Around the seventh week is normally when women tend to experience pain and discomfort in the pelvis and lower back during the first trimester. This experience is due to the production of relaxin. The hormone relaxes the mother’s muscles, joints, and ligaments in order to make room for the growing baby. This expansion is what causes the great discomfort. The effects of relaxin are manly in the pelvic region; softening the joints of the pelvis can often lead to pain in the area. The softening of the joints can also decrease stability, and some women may notice it is harder to balance. There is also an increase in constipation