Generally, women and their partners should remain understanding of each other and their actions due to the dramatic hormone fluctuation that occurs during pregnancy. Your hormones are working away at creating another human life inside your womb, after all. However, the unexpected crying sessions over your favorite flavor of ice cream aren't the only weird change that your hormones will bring while you're with child.
Estrogen and Progesterone
Here are some surprising effects of the hormonal fluctuations that you will experience while pregnant. It is important to remember that not all women will experience all of these symptoms and that they infrequently last past giving birth. Keep reading to find out about these 6 surprising changes.
Vaginal discharge
All of the extra estrogen your body is producing will cause your vagina and cervix to emit more moisture. It usually looks like a clear or milky fluid, and it's called leucorrhea.
Sex drive
Your belly's getting bigger, and so is your appetite for sex. All the changes going on inside your body, plus any healthy eating habits that you've picked up, will improve your skin and make your tresses look fuller and more brilliant. Your improved self-image and raging hormones may also make you have a significantly increased sexual drive.
First trimester blues
Increased amounts of estrogen will slow your digestion, making you prone to nausea. Sky-high amounts of progesterone and increased blood volume will make you feel sluggish and sleepy. Luckily, these symptoms only last for a few months for most women.
Constipation
To make sure that you don't go into early labor, progesterone will prevent smooth muscle, such as the kind found in your uterus, from contracting too intensely. Unfortunately, your intestinal walls are also made of smooth muscle, so going to the bathroom may be a bit of a challenge.
The pregnancy mask
The pregnancy mask is known medically as chloasma or melasma; it is common in pregnant women due to increased production of estrogen and progesterone, which stimulate pigmentation. The mask is usually just darkened patches of skin on the cheeks and forehead that fade after pregnancy.
Hot, hot flashes!
These sweaty episodes aren't just a symptom of menopause. While your hormones are constantly changing, you will most likely experience moments when you feel as though your body is overheating. Hot flashes occur most often during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.
More Information
During pregnancy, estrogen stimulates hormones for lactation so that you can breastfeed after birth. Progesterone sustains the growth of uterine tissue to support the fetus. Click on the following link to find out more about how to control hormonal imbalance.
