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About This Quiz
Everyone knows how pregnancy happens, but do you know what happens when you're pregnant? Throughout this quiz, your gestational knowledge is going to be put to the test! Do you know as much about as someone who has given birth, or are you trying to impress the mother of your child? Either way, you'll have a blast answering some of the most commonly asked questions about the miracle of life!Â
During pregnancy, a few of the organs and the feet can grow in size. There are scientific reasons for these changes and the dozens of other changes the female body undergoes. How much do you really know about the 40 weeks it takes to develop a small human being, though? Put your baby smarts to the test, and see how you do!Â
Do you know when the first trimester starts? How about the name for the disorder that makes pregnant women want to eat things like soap? Read each question carefully before you respond, and do your best to choose the correct answer. When you've answered enough questions to prove you're ready for the obstetrics department, we'll let you know where your pregnancy knowledge stands! How well will you do?Â
Changing hormones cause the queasiness and vomiting some women experience during pregnancy. What's it called?
Braxton Hicks
Morning sickness
Not all women experience morning sickness, but it's the most common pregnancy-related ailment. Although it usually disappears by the 14th week, some women like Kate Middleton experience hyperemesis gravidarum, severe morning sickness, that can be debilitating.
Vernix caseosa
Kinetosis
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Which of the senses can become more sensitive when you are pregnant?
Umami
Smell
The heightened sense of smell experienced during pregnancy has a lot more evolutionary science behind it than can be attributed to morning sickness. Researchers believe that it is a natural way for mothers to avoid eating things that may harm their developing babies.
Taste
Sight
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How many weeks make up the average length of a normal pregnancy?
40
Although pregnancy is split into three-month-long sections called trimesters, the average pregnancy lasts for 40 weeks. Babies born before 36 weeks are considered premature, and labor will rarely be induced before 38 weeks of gestation.
32
44
38
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What name is given to the dark line that sometimes appears on a pregnant woman's abdomen?
Linea nigra
In 75% of pregnancies, a linea nigra, or dark line, appears below the belly button and runs toward the pubic bone. Some women will see the line disappearing after delivery, but others will keep the line permanently.
Linea roja
Linea blanca
Linea azul
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Melasma causes dark patches to appear on which part of some pregnant women's bodies?
Face
Similar in appearance to age spots, 50% of all pregnant women experience melasma, or dark spots, on their faces. Thankfully, they usually disappear a few weeks after delivery.
Feet
Thighs
Elbows
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If a pregnant woman has overwhelming cravings for red meat, what might be missing from her diet?
Iron
Along the same lines of pica, a pregnant woman's cravings can go a long way in determining what might be missing from her diet. Physicians advise that intense cravings for foods like broccoli and red meat could indicate a lack of iron.
Calcium
Magnesium
Folic acid
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When a pregnant women's partner is also experiencing pregnancy symptoms, what is it called?
Sympathetic pregnancy
It's not all that uncommon! In fact, there's a medical name for it. Couvade syndrome or sympathetic pregnancy can cause your partner to have pregnancy symptoms like nausea and heartburn. In some cases, it causes weight gain!
Phantom pregnancy
Companion pregnancy
Baby fever
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During pregnancy, the uterus stretches up to the size of what summer fruit?
Orange
Honeydew melon
Watermelon
Before becoming pregnant, the uterus is normally about the size of a large apple. Over the course of 40 weeks, it stretches and expands to accommodate a growing baby, the placenta and the amniotic sack, making it about the size of a watermelon.
Jackfruit
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Can you correctly name the type of doctor who specializes in pregnancy?
Immunologist
Cardiologist
Obstetrician
Gynecologists are doctors who specialize in women's care, but obstetricians are what some call the "baby doctor." Many times a doctor will be both a gynecologist and an obstetrician, but both types of care can be practiced separately.
Oncologist
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Which type of test is performed by extracting some of the fluid surrounding a fetus?
Appendectomy
Amniocentesis
If there's a reason to suspect a fetal infection or a genetic problem, doctors will perform an amniocentesis. By removing a little of the amniotic fluid and testing the fetal cells found in it, many diseases can be detected.
Episiotomy
Tubal ligation
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Is it normal for a woman to experience bleeding gums and foul breath during pregnancy?
It's not associated with pregnancy.
It's normal if she was experiencing it before pregnancy.
It's a reason to immediately call the obstetrician.
It's completely normal.
Because of elevated blow flow and estrogen levels, bleeding gums and bad breath are a normal part of pregnancy. However, it's still important to visit your dentist because pregnant women are more susceptible to plaque and gingivitis.
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On average, how many women experience "pregnancy brain?"
20%
100%
50%
80%
There are many reasons researchers suspect that 80% of all pregnant women experience "pregnancy brain," but there's not one particular thing that causes it. From uncomfortable sleeping to reduced blood flow to the brain, there are many factors involved.
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Around 18 weeks of gestation, what exciting thing begins to happen?
Braxton Hicks contractions begin.
The mucus plug begins to dislodge.
The baby moves to a lower position.
The mother can feel the baby's movements.
Expectant mothers can expect to start feeling their baby's movements between the 14th and the 18th week of their pregnancy. The average is 18 weeks, but many women feel the movement a few weeks earlier or later. Both are completely normal.
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At how many weeks gestation can a baby hear its mother's voice?
36 weeks
40 weeks
18 weeks
At four and a half months, the fetus can hear its mother's voice. Flash forward only seven or eight weeks, and the little one can react to noises. Loud noises may cause the baby to jump or react in a startled manner.
12 weeks
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Out of these things, which one increases your likelihood of having twins?
Being over 35
In a 2006 study, it was determined that aging increases the likelihood of having twins. Amongst those monitored, there were more 20% instances of twin pregnancies in women over 45 when compared to women of the same age.
Eating certain foods
Getting too little exercise
Being short
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How long does an expectant mother have to wait to hear her baby's heartbeat?
12 weeks
20 weeks
3 weeks
6 to 8 weeks
With the aid of vaginal ultrasound, the heartbeat can be heard as early as six to eight weeks into the pregnancy. After eight weeks, it can be heard with a special stethoscope or an external ultrasound procedure.
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Around 28 weeks, doctors will perform a test for a gestational type of what common disease?
Asthma
Coronary artery disease
Stroke
Diabetes
Testing positive for gestational diabetes does not mean that a woman will remain diabetic after her pregnancy. It does, however, indicate that she may develop the disease later in life. Before testing, pregnant women should report any dizziness, excessive thirst or blurry vision to their doctors.
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Is it true or false that heartburn during pregnancy means that the baby will have a lot of hair?
There could be some truth to it.
There's no real way to say whether this pregnancy myth is true or false. But a small study has linked certain pregnancy hormones to the relaxation of the esophagus that causes heartburn. These women gave birth to children with hair, but more extensive research is needed to prove its accuracy.
It's totally false.
It's completely true.
I've never heard anyone say that.
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On average, how many medical appointments will a woman have during her pregnancy?
20
From month one to month seven, a pregnant woman will visit her doctor one time per month. As the due date draws near, the frequency of appointment increases. On average, she will visit her obstetrician 20 times during her pregnancy.
Nine
40
15
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The organ that supplies a fetus with oxygen and nutrients is known by which name?
Cervix
Uterus
Umbilical cord
Placenta
The placenta grows right alongside your baby. It is responsible for delivering essential nutrition and oxygen through the umbilical cord. You can also attribute 1 1/2 pounds of your pregnancy weight to the vital organ.
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It's sometimes associated with typing too much, but a lot of pregnant women experience the condition, too. What is it called?
Arthritis
Nerve degeneration
Carpal tunnel syndrome
The extra fluids a woman carries during pregnancy can settle near the joints. In addition to swollen ankles, many women also experience a temporary bout of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Dropped finger syndrome
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O, A, AB or B? Which blood type is considered the most fertile?
O
A
Fertility doctors have noticed a pattern that involves blood types. Those with type O blood may have a harder time becoming pregnant than those with other blood types. Those with type A blood are known to be the most likely to conceive.
B
AB
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When babies are born, they are sometimes coated in a waxy substance called what?
Vernix
In the womb, special cells adhere to a baby's skin to protect it like a high-powered moisturizer. Together, the cells create a substance called vernix. Many believe that vernix also serves as a lubricant that helps with the birthing process.
Cervix
Lanugo
Cilia
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What are the false contractions that occur near the end of pregnancy called?
False labor pains
Gas contractions
Preparatory contractions
Braxton Hicks contractions
Although there's no known reason for Braxton Hicks contractions to occur, they are quite common. They are not as strong as the contractions felt during labor, and they do not cause the cervix to thin. However, it's always a good idea to get them checked out.
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When does the first of the three trimesters technically begin?
The last day of your last period
The first day of your last period
The first trimester is the part of pregnancy that starts on the first day of your last period and lasts until the first date of the 12th week. Fertilization may have taken place after that date, but it is accurate within two weeks.
The date of your first missed period
The date of the first bout of morning sickness
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Besides the uterus, which organ also increases in size during pregnancy?
Heart
Throughout pregnancy, a woman's blood supply will increase between 40% and 50%! To compensate for all the oxygen-rich blood that needs pumping, the heart also slightly increases in size.
Liver
Small intestine
Pancreas
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If a pregnant woman starts craving things other than food, what's the scientific name for the condition?
Mica
Formica
Pica
Many pregnant women are alarmed when they start wanting to eat things like grass or laundry detergent, but it's a normal condition. Pica can indicate that her body is missing essential nutrients. An obstetrician can help her identify the issue.
Malnutrition
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Which one of these hormones is responsible for relaxing the tendons in the pelvic area before birth?
Oxytocin
Relaxin
When pregnant women say they feel like they are waddling, it's actually a natural process. The hormone relaxin causes tendons in the pelvic region to relax. It helps prepare the body for the stretching it will need to do during childbirth.
Estradiol
Estrone
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In order for a pregnancy test to show a positive result, what hormone must be detected?
Relaxin
Progesterone
Human chorionic gonadotropin
During the beginning of pregnancy, the body produces a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG. The hormone is responsible for encouraging the corpus luteum to make the extra estrogen and testosterone needed as the body changes. The placenta eventually takes over the duty.
Estrogen
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When labor begins, which female reproductive organ begins to thin and to dilate?
Uterus
Ovary
Cervix
Located between the vaginal canal and the uterus, the cervix is the organ that thins and dilates during labor. Doctors check progress by measuring the size of the opening in centimeters.
Vulva
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In utero, babies are covered in a special kind of hair. What is it called?
Alopecia
Cilia
Cilium
Lanugo
As a fetus grows, a fine, soft coat of hair appears all over their bodies. Called lanugo, it usually disappears by the 36th week of pregnancy. Some babies keep it until they are four months old, though.
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According to the C.D.C., what is the most popular time to give birth?
Midnight to 5 a.m.
7 p.m. to midnight
8 a.m. to noon
The Centers for Disease Control reports that the majority of births take place in the morning hours between 8 a.m. and noon. Less than 5% of babies make their appearance during the night shift hours.
6 a.m. to 8 a.m.
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What can a pregnant woman experience when she hears a baby cry?
A heightened sense of hearing
Braxton Hicks contractions
Lactation
The fact that a pregnant woman can begin lactating when she hears a baby cry is another evolutionary response. The phenomenon begins around 17 weeks, but not all women experience it.
Constipation
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Do you know how many weeks pregnant a woman must be before a baby's sex can be determined?
Around 20 weeks
If you're hosting a reveal party, you'll have to wait until at least the 18 to 20-week marker. At that point, a standard ultrasound can usually determine the baby's sex. It is considered to be between 45 and 95% accurate.
12 weeks
Eight weeks
28 weeks
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Which one of these names is the correct name for the fluid-filled bag that surrounds a baby in the womb?
Water bag
Amniotic sac
Until around 20 weeks gestation, the amniotic sac is made from water produced by a woman's body. After that point, it's largely comprised of the baby's urine. However, amniotic fluid is full of the nutrients and hormones that help a baby grow.
Cellular enclosure
Fluid sac
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You Got:
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