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Early signs of pregnancy include missed periods, breast tenderness, change in appetite, taste perception, nausea, vomiting and mood swings.

A urine pregnancy test can be taken at home or at the laboratory to confirm a pregancy.An ultrasound can also confirm the presence of a baby growing inside. Doctors also recommend to do a blood test that detects the presence of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) as a sign of pregnancy.

After the pregnancy test is positive, an antenatal visit to the obstetrician should be done around eight weeks. The obstetrician will check the progress of baby's growth and guide the woman on medications for symptoms associated with the growing baby. She will also tell you about how often you should do follow-ups, vaccines to be taken and supplements for the baby and you.

The unborn fetus lives for 38 weeks in a woman's uterus, but the average length of gestation is around 40 weeks.

Pregnant women should take iron, folic acid, calcium and vitamin supplements during this period to avoid any developmental defects in the baby and allow for normal and healthy growth.