Pregnancy

Having a baby is a wonderful and joyous experience. Learn about the science of pregnancy: how to get pregnant, the stages of pregnancy, what happens to the mother-to-be's body and how the fetus develops.

Related Topics: Babies, Medicine, Science of Sex, DNA and Genes

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photo of a smiling, white woman with curly hair sitting down and holding two babies swaddled in pink blankets. A tan man with black hair, her husband, is sitting next to them, smiling and reaching over to peer at the children

In rare case, mother delivers two sets of identical twins, back to back

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A mother in Alabama gave birth to rare "MoMo" twins after a previous twin pregnancy.

A new study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to show dramatic changes in the brain during pregnancy. Pregnancy increased gray matter loss and reshaped the default mode network, which is responsible for the mind wandering and a sense of identity.

Pregnancy causes dramatic changes in the brain, study confirms

By Rachel Rettner published

Pregnancy caused women to lose gray matter, and reshaped the brain’s "default mode network," a set of brain regions that are most active when the mind is wandering.

A tank holding frozen human embryos in liquid nitrogen

Embryos frozen for 30 years produce healthy twin newborns

By Nicoletta Lanese published

Newborn twins grew from embryos that had been frozen for 30 years.

close-up photo of a small, clear, microfluidic device with multicolored chambers visible within

'Organ-on-chip' shows how uterus coaxes embryo to implant in early pregnancy

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A tiny device replicates the interface between uterine tissue and the cells of the placenta in early pregnancy.

Pregnant woman eating salad

What are the best foods to eat while pregnant?

By Louise Bond last updated

Reference Discover the best foods to eat while pregnant to keep you and your baby healthy

Pregnant woman standing behind row of food

10 foods to avoid during pregnancy

By Louise Bond last updated

Reference From raw fish to caffeine, here are the foods to avoid during pregnancy so that you can protect yourself and your baby

man and woman comforting each other besides a river

Miscarriage: Signs, symptoms & causes

By Maddy Biddulph last updated

Reference A miscarriage is the loss of pregnancy before the 20-week mark in the pregnancy. Here's what you need to know about the signs and symptoms

A heavily pregnant, African-American woman wearing and orange dress is sat on her couch holding her bump. She is grimacing as if she is starting labor

Signs of labor: 6 clues baby is on the way

By Cari Nierenberg, Ashley P. Taylor, Ailsa Harvey, Yasmine S. Ali, MD published

Reference Find out how to spot the common signs of labor and discover some things you can do to promote labor

Four babies sitting on floor playing with colorful number and letter blocks.

In which month are the most babies born?

By Charles Q. Choi published

Which of the 12 months has the most births? And why do babies tend to be born at certain times of the year?

couple holding hands to comfort one another

6 myths about miscarriage

By Maddy Biddulph last updated

While miscarriage is common, secrecy about pregnancy loss has lent itself to pervasive myths. Our experts debunk the most common myths about miscarriage here

hand holding an ultrasound scan of twins in a womb; in the background, two infants can be seen sitting

Texas woman gives birth to rare set of twins conceived one week apart. How is this possible?

By Nicoletta Lanese published

This phenomenon is called "superfetation."

C-section

C-Section: Procedure & recovery

By Cari Nierenberg published

Reference A Caesarean section is a type of surgery used to deliver a baby through an incision in the mother's abdomen.

Three weeks into being pregnant, some women may experience mild cramping

Three weeks pregnant: What to expect

By Elaine J. Hom, Ben Biggs published

Reference In the third week of pregnancy, there won't be any major outward changes in a woman's body, but some pregnancy symptoms may have started.

Mother and baby after birth

Body after birth: 18 post-pregnancy changes to look out for

By Laura Geggel, Ailsa Harvey published

Reference Pregnancy transforms the body, and some of these changes remain after birth.

Male fertility: Man and baby

Male fertility: 10 tips for men trying to conceive

By Cari Nierenberg, Ailsa Harvey published

Reference There are several things a man can do to increase the chances that he will get a woman pregnant.

Can you run while pregnant? Image shows pregnant runner

Can you run while pregnant?

By Sam Hopes last updated

REFERENCE Can you run while pregnant? We spoke to our trusted experts to find out

How should you sleep during pregnancy? Image shows pregnant woman sleeping on her side

How should you sleep during pregnancy?

By Patricia Carswell published

REFERENCE How should you sleep during pregnancy? Here’s the low-down on keeping your nights healthy and safe.

Is insomnia a sign of pregnancy? Image shows pregnant woman in bed

Is insomnia a sign of pregnancy?

By Patricia Carswell published

Reference Is insomnia a sign of pregnancy? We asked the experts for their advice.

An ultrasound of an embryo at 6 weeks.

Is a 'fetal heartbeat' really a heartbeat at 6 weeks?

By Rachael Rettner last updated

What exactly do we mean when we talk about a "fetal heartbeat" at six weeks of pregnancy?

A young Asian woman holds her sleeping newborn baby as she rests her head behind her, looking sad.

What is postpartum depression?

By Ashley P. Taylor published

Many parents experience postpartum depression. Here's what it looks like and how it can be treated.