You’re schooled firsthand at morning sickness, swollen ankles and fatigue, but how studied are you on the facts and stats of pregnancy? (Answers at the bottom.)
1. How long does a typical gestation period last?
a. 9 months exactly
b. between 36 and 40 weeks
c. 38 weeks
2. Studies show that relaxin, the hormone responsible for allowing your pelvis to open for delivery, is also to blame for the permanent elongating and widening of the feet.
a. true
b. false
c. not necessarily
3. What hormone shows up on a home pregnancy test?
a. progesterone
b. human chorionic gonadotropin
c. pepsin
4. Research shows that an infant prefers the sound of his mother’s voice to any other sound.
a. true
b. false
c. not necessarily
5. Which of the below exercises is highly recommended during pregnancy?
a. horseback riding
b. walking
c. bicycling
6. An expectant woman in her second trimester should up her calorie intake by 800 calories per day.
a. true
b. false, by only 650.
c. false, by only 300.
7. When pregnant, it’s important to take in plenty of folic acid—which food contains this essential nutrient?
a. raisins
b. nuts
c. tofu
8. According to statistics, women most likely to naturally conceive multiples are over 35, related to multiples, of African descent, and already mom to two or more children.
a. true
b. false
c. not necessarily
9. How long should you plan on staying in the hospital if you have a normal vaginal delivery without complications?
a. released the same day
b. 2 days
c. 7 days
10. A baby’s heartbeat can be heard as early as 3 weeks after conception.
a. true
b. false
c. not necessarily
11. A woman’s cervix must stretch from 3 centimeters to how many centimeters for delivery?
a. 8
b. 10
c. 12
12. Cravings have not been proven to actually exist during pregnancy; they’re simply an excuse to try pickles and ice cream.
a. true
b. false
c. not necessarily
Answers: (1) B, (2) A, (3) B, (4) A, (5) B, (6) C, (7) B, (8) A, (9) B, (10) A, (11) B, (12) B
