15 surprising things you may not know about pregnancy

It goes without saying that pregnancy alters the human body. When a woman is pregnant, her body must undergo several changes in order for her and the baby to survive the next nine months (or thereabouts).

Her organs will have to transfer to make room for the infant, but there will be a slew of other adjustments that aren't immediately apparent. Meghan Markle kept it a secret for a long time.

When growing in the womb, the foetus undergoes incredible changes and may be more conscious of what is going on outside than you realize.

Here are 15 fascinating facts about pregnancy, as well as some theories for why the human body changes so dramatically during this time.

1. The uterus gets a lot bigger

A woman's uterus is normally the size of an orange until she gets pregnant. It may grow to be the size of a watermelon by the third trimester. During pregnancy, it can grow up to 500 times its original size.

2. The world's longest pregnancy was 375 days long.

Someone has been pregnant for the longest time on record, which is 375 days. Penny Diana Hunter's baby was nearly a hundred days overdue in 1945, as pregnancy normally lasts about 280 days.

Pregnancies that last longer than expected are more common than you would think. Many women claim they were pregnant for ten or eleven months instead of the normal nine.

3. The shortest was twenty-one weeks and four days.

The youngest premature baby to survive was just 21 weeks and four days in the womb. As a result of being born early, the boy, who started preschool last year, appears to have no health or developmental issues.

4. The blood volume of a pregnant woman rises by 40-50 percent.

Blood volume rises by up to 50% during pregnancy to ensure that the foetus receives sufficiently oxygenated blood.

5. When you're pregnant, the heart expands.

The heart needs to grow in size to help pump all the extra blood throughout the body.

6. The feet are the same way.

Many women even say that their feet grew larger when pregnant, often by a whole amount. Swelling of the ankles and feet is also possible.

7. During pregnancy, your voice will shift.

It's understandable that there will be some changes with all the hormones coursing through a pregnant woman's body. Another point to consider is that the voice will shift. The increase in oestrogen and progesterone can cause swelling of the vocal folds, resulting in the loss of certain higher notes and the appearance of lower ones.

8. From within the womb, babies can hear their mother's voice.

A foetus can detect sounds about the age of 18 weeks. It is more open to sounds and reacts in the womb by 25-26 weeks.

9. Diabetes develops in some pregnant women.

When a pregnant woman's blood sugar levels are too high and the pancreas can't keep up with providing enough insulin, she is diagnosed with gestational diabetes. After giving birth, it normally vanishes.

10. During pregnancy, the joints loosen.

Relaxin, a hormone produced by the body during pregnancy, softens ligaments, the tissues that bind the joints. This is to assist in the flexibility of the pelvis during childbirth.

11. Changes in the sense of smell are possible.

In the first trimester, pregnant women normally have a heightened sense of smell, which may be an indication that you're pregnant in the first place. It may be an evolutionary tactic for assisting pregnant women in avoiding unhealthy foods.

12. You can experience color changes in certain areas of your body.

Stretch marks, which are normally paler than normal skin, may grow when a pregnant woman's body changes. Melasma is a skin disease that causes dark splotchy spots to appear on the face of both men and women. The linea nigra, which runs down the center of the stomach, darkens as well.

The color of the vaginal canal can also change. Chadwick Sign is when it turns purple or blueish, as stated by some women. Blue varicose veins occur in about ten percent of women after birth, but they should go away within a few weeks.

13. Certain genes mean you can't get pregnant

A couple is technically infertile after a year of trying to conceive, but that doesn't mean they'll never have a child. Genetics, on the other hand, can also mean that a couple will never have a child of their own.

Turner syndrome is a chromosomal condition that affects certain women. Since they only have one X chromosome instead of two, she is unable to replicate.

A mutation of the CFTR gene, which causes Congenital Bilateral Absence of the Vas Deferens, is a common cause of male infertility (CBAVD). This means that sperm cannot leave the testes on their own, but therapies will assist men in becoming fathers.

14. Your blood type can also play a role.

According to a 2010 study, women with type O blood could have a harder time conceiving than women with other blood types. Form A blooded people tended to be more fertile.

15. Blood may be harmful to an infant.

Pregnant women are given blood tests as part of the testing process. They decide if they are "rhesus positive" or "rhesus negative" by one of them. Positive people have a particular antigen on the surface of their blood cells, which may cause complications during pregnancy.

Even if a woman is rhesus negative, her child may have rhesus positive blood if she has a child with a rhesus positive man. The woman may produce antibodies against the rhesus antigens in this case. This isn't generally a problem in the first pregnancy, but it can be in subsequent ones.

Are these facts interesting? Mother's Day is nearly coming! If you’re looking for a great gift to show your mom how important she is, consider Mom Brain Shirt Remember Song Lyrics From High School. 

Read next:   20 Mother's Day Facts to Share With Your Mom