10 Amazing Pregnancy Facts

Once you become pregnant your body starts to go through some amazing changes, in just nine months your body will become ready for the arrival of your little one – can you believe that at the end of your pregnancy the placenta alone will weigh around 1.5lb? You already know some of the things which lie ahead such as weird cravings at random times of the day, but here are 10 pregnancy facts you may not have heard before.

1 – Did you know pregnant women have a heightened sense of smell? As one of the first signs of pregnancy it is often most noticeable during the first trimester when your baby is at its most vulnerable, some think that it is meant to help them steer clear of foods that could be dangerous for their growing baby

2 – Your blood volume alone increases 40-50% during pregnancy. Due to the increased volume your heart has to work harder and pumps more blood around your body for your growing baby

3 – Women who suffer from severe heartburn during pregnancy are more likely to have babies born with lots of hair

4 – Your body starts to produce more of the hormone relaxin, this reduces the cartilage and ligament density meaning that parts of your body become more stretchy than usual, getting you ready for labour

5 – The uterus expands more than 500 times its normal size over the course of a pregnancy

6 – An unborn baby can taste what their mother is eating through the amniotic fluid. Children have also displayed preferences to certain foods which they were exposed to during pregnancy

7 – Morning sickness doesn’t often happen in the morning, most women get it all day and in lots of cases you may not be physically sick, instead you may just feel nauseous. Don’t worry, for most women this passes between 12 and 14 weeks

8 – Most pregnant women need about 300 extra calories a day during the last five to six months of pregnancy, this ensures that both mother and baby are getting all of the nutrients they need

9 – Your brain changes, scientists have confirmed that during pregnancy a women’s brain changes becoming more powerful, able to detect threats more easily and ready to interpret their new baby’s body language and cries

10 – Fewer than 10% of babies are born on their due date. 50 % are born within one week and 90% are born within two weeks of their due date