pregnancy
Having a baby is one of the most exciting events in your life. A miracle is in progress inside you taking up the genetic characteristics from both of you and even your ancestors. Ideally, a couple should start planning for pregnancy several months in advance to have a healthy baby.Learn what you need to know about getting pregnant, prenatal care, maximizing your chances of conception by learning about ovulation, menstrual cycles, care during pregnancy - diet, exercise etc, Also know how your baby grows during pregnancy and some common problems that can occur with pregnancy.Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, inside the uterus of a female. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets. Human pregnancy is the most studied of all mammalian pregnancies. Obstetrics is the surgical field that studies and cares for high risk pregnancy. Midwifery is the non-surgical field that cares for pregnancy and pregnant women.
Female reproductive system :-
Uterus is a pear shaped muscular organ about the size of a fist. It is designed to nourish and support the developing fetus. It can stretch to many times its size during pregnancy as the baby grows and contract its powerful muscles to begin the birth process.The inner lining of the uterus, Endometrium is composed of blood enriched tissue which drops off or sheds each month during a menstrual period.Uterus opens into two Fallopian tubes on the upper side as shown in figure. Fallopian tubes serve as the path way of egg from the ovary into the uterus as well as it is in the upper portion of one of these fallopian tubes that fertilization takes place.The two Ovaries on either side of the uterus store eggs and produce the female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone which make reproduction possible. The process of ovulation, the release of a matured egg start from the ovaries.The Cervix is the entrance to the uterus, also known as the womb. The Vagina is a soft, moist, elastic organ which connect cervix to the outside of the body. Sperm is released into the vagina during intercourse.

Menstruation cycle and Ovulation :-
The menstrual cycle - the periodic uterine bleeding is one of the key physiological functions of the female body. Ovulation is release of a matured egg from the ovary. During ovulation if the egg does not get fertilized , it disintegrates and is released along with the inner lining of the uterus, causing bleeding. This process is known as menses or menstrual period. Menstrual cycle usually averages 28 days in length with normal variation ranging from 21 to 35 days. The day a period starts is counted as day 1 of the menstrual cycle. When the two -seven days of your period are over, the ovary begins ripening another egg ready for release during the next ovulation. Meanwhile the uterus begins to build up another inner lining ready to receive the fertilized egg.
Planning :-
Some experts believe three months to be a perfectly adequate length of time to prepare for a pregnancy, others advise waiting six months or a year especially if you are recovering from any serious illness and have been prescribed drugs to treat it. Three months would be ideal normally as it takes at least eight weeks for eggs and sperm to develop to the stage of being ready to be released. Both partners should take care to be healthy to ensure that both the eggs and sperm developed are healthy. Keep fit, eat wisely, avoid things that could be harmful, and visit your doctor during this period. This way you can prepare for a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby.