A preliminary study suggests that the sex of a woman’s unborn child may be determined by her blood pressure six months before conception.
A team of Canadian and Chinese researchers found that high blood pressure before pregnancy may increase the likelihood of having a boy. Conversely, low blood pressure may be associated with a girl. The researchers found only an association between pre-pregnancy blood pressure and the baby’s sex, but they could not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
“How can you predict the sex of your baby from a mother’s blood pressure? The answer is not entirely clear. When a woman becomes pregnant, the sex of the fetus depends on whether the father’s sperm contributes an X or a Y chromosome,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Ravi Ratnakaran, an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Lunenberg-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto.
“These findings suggest that lower maternal blood pressure shortly before pregnancy increases the likelihood of having a girl, and higher blood pressure before pregnancy increases the likelihood of having a boy,” Ratnakaran said. The researchers have previously suggested that major social events, such as natural disasters or economic downturns, can lead to changes in the ratio of boys to girls. “We hypothesized that there are likely physiological factors in a woman that are associated with the likelihood of having a girl or a boy,” Ratnakaran added. The new study assessed more than 1,400 newlyweds in Liuyang, China, in 2009. All of the women said they planned to become pregnant within six months. All of them were tested for blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar. The study authors found that women who gave birth to boys had higher blood pressure before pregnancy than women who gave birth to girls.

According to Salamat News, citing Khorasan Newspaper, firsts are always more exciting! Experiences that happen for the first time in each of our lives have their own special feeling, excitement, stress, hopes, laughter, crying… From the first day of school and the first school exam to the first job interview, the first day of university, the first courtship session, and… One of the purest firsts is the expectation of the birth of the first child.
The experience of the first pregnancy for both women and men is accompanied by excitement and trepidation, but at the same time, its special sweets. This pure and special experience is accompanied by feelings that can stay with the couple for the rest of their lives; therefore, it is very important that the pregnancy period is accompanied by good and pleasant memories, and young men and women who are expecting the birth of their first child must observe many subtleties and precise points.
In this article, we asked 5 psychologists and counselors to each tell us 3 pieces of advice that they believe are the most important to give to couples expecting a child. Below, we will read these 15 pieces of advice together:

Say no to Conflicts

Sara Hejri; Graduate of Clinical Psychology from Ferdowsi University
Understanding the physical and mental conditions of the spouse during this period is very important. Due to hormonal and physical changes, sometimes the wife experiences depression, anxiety, sadness, etc. The couple should initially try to increase their awareness and information about the pregnancy period. In this regard, three points are recommended:
1- Physical and mental care of the spouse
2- Reducing tensions and conflicts during this sensitive period
3- Expressing positive feelings about becoming a parent

The child’s well-being is at stake

Sepideh Soltan Mohammadloo; PhD student in clinical psychology at the University of Medical Sciences
1- The impact of events during pregnancy on the child’s health and well-being in later years is very significant, so providing the spouses with peace of mind during this period is very important.
2- Smoking and tobacco use are harmful to those around them at any time, but the harmfulness of these things increases several times during pregnancy; therefore, it should be seriously avoided.
3- Supporting your spouse during pregnancy is not just about physical support; providing emotional space and taking time to talk to your spouse is much more important.

Put your wife at ease!

Gholam Mohammadi, PhD student in counseling at Ahvaz University
1- Conversation: Talk to your wife about various issues during pregnancy and after birth, and your plans and wishes, and enjoy it.
2- Companionship: Accompany her at different stages; for example, accompanying her to a doctor’s appointment or accompanying her in reading pregnancy books, etc.
3- It is quite obvious that women have negative thoughts about their appearance during pregnancy due to hormonal changes and changes in appearance, and it is obvious that they are upset and feel that their husband does not pay attention to them. Expressing your love and attention will put her at ease that she is still lovable under all circumstances.

Keep your wife in quarantine!

Abdul Hassan Torabian – Psychologist
1- One of the most important and vital duties of a man is to provide security. In order to ensure the safety of his pregnant wife, he must pay more attention, love, and practical respect to his wife than in the past, because it is said that the desire of a pregnant woman has more psychological roots and in this way she wants to be understood and seen and test the level of attention of those around her.
2- The man should spend more time with his wife and reduce his expectations of his wife’s services and play more roles at home.
3- Express his satisfaction and happiness with his wife’s pregnancy verbally and practically and try to keep the wife in a news quarantine and not bring up bad news to his wife and have the same expectation from those around her that they consider the woman’s psychological safety their first priority.

These sensitive women!

Abbas Keyvanlou – Graduate of Clinical Psychology from the University of Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences
1- Women become very emotionally sensitive due to hormonal changes during pregnancy. Any behavior or interaction that they previously ignored becomes noticeable during this period and is interpreted. This issue highlights the need for more care and attention from the husband.
2- A kind of hypersensitivity occurs in all of the woman’s senses, which also has an evolutionary function and supposedly helps the woman take care of the fetus in the womb. This issue also highlights the need for the husband to pay more attention to their personal hygiene during this period.
3- Due to hormonal changes and the physical condition of women during pregnancy, their sexual desire usually decreases. This makes them pay more attention to their partner’s physical caresses and need them more. If these caresses continue, it is also a way to prevent men from becoming cold-tempered after childbirth. In addition, paying attention to this issue also provides a better emotional environment for the mother and child.

 In the following article, we will talk to you about 10 strange symptoms of pregnancy that not all women may be aware of. These symptoms are usually not common, but their occurrence may cause concern for women. So, if you have the following symptoms, do not worry. Most likely, you are becoming a mother.
The most important strange symptoms of pregnancy:
Suspicious discharge
While many women experience vaginal discharge throughout their lives, it is not uncommon for it to occur during pregnancy. What makes pregnancy discharge strange is its unusual form. Most pregnant women experience sticky, yellow, white, or pale mucus early in the first trimester and throughout pregnancy.
The increase in hormones and increased blood flow to the vagina causes this discharge. The vagina increases its secretions during pregnancy to prevent the spread of infection to the cervix and soft tissue of the vaginal walls. However, if the discharge is foul-smelling, yellow-green, excessively watery or thick, or if there is itching in the vagina, you should discuss the matter with your doctor. These are signs of infection.

Increased body temperature

The morning after ovulation, after waking up, your body temperature will rise slightly. But this increase in body temperature does not remain in the body until the next ovulation period. If your basal body temperature is high for more than two weeks without feeling cold, it indicates that you are pregnant.
Feeling of head injury, body cramps and the need to urinate
Hormonal changes and increased blood volume during pregnancy can lead to headaches. Some women also experience cramps similar to pre-period pains. This pain is felt more on both sides of the lower abdomen. Most women feel the need to urinate more than before during pregnancy. The reason for this problem is that the uterus is growing, and this enlargement of the uterus puts pressure on the bladder.
Feeling like the room is spinning
It is not uncommon to feel faint or dizzy during the first trimester of pregnancy. Pregnancy causes blood pressure to increase and the blood vessels to dilate, which can cause dizziness. However, this level of dizziness should not be excessive. Severe dizziness along with vaginal bleeding and severe abdominal pain can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus.

Feeling like you need to have a bowel movement

A feeling of bloating due to excess gas in the abdomen can make you feel like you need to have a bowel movement. This is because hormonal changes during pregnancy can lead to constipation. Constipation can also cause your bowels to not empty completely, making you feel like you need to go to the bathroom all the time. In addition, your digestive system slows down during pregnancy. Adding more fiber to your diet, drinking plenty of fluids, and exercising regularly can help. If the problems are serious, ask your doctor to prescribe a safe laxative.
Bleeding and Incomplete Menstruation
About 25 to 30 percent of pregnant women experience spotting in early pregnancy. Light bleeding can occur when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. This bleeding is also known as implantation bleeding. It occurs about two weeks after fertilization.
Bleeding can also be caused by cervical inflammation, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage. Heavy bleeding that is accompanied by abdominal cramps and back pain should be checked by a specialist.

Increased risk of illness

Pregnancy lowers your immune system. This means you are more susceptible to coughs, colds and flu. It is not uncommon for pregnant women to experience colds and flu in early pregnancy. But if you do catch a cold during this time, be sure to see your doctor to recommend the best treatment option. Pregnant women are more vulnerable to severe illnesses like the flu. This severity can be dangerous for your baby.
Heartburn
Hormones change everything during pregnancy. These changes also affect the valve between the stomach and esophagus. Damage to this area during pregnancy can allow stomach acid to flow back up into the esophagus, causing heartburn. To treat this condition, it’s best to eat smaller meals and avoid fried foods, carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, fruit juices, and spicy foods.
Sensitivity
The sudden change in hormones during pregnancy doesn’t stop your emotions either. These hormones can make you more sensitive and cry at the slightest problem. Mood swings are also common in early pregnancy.
Metallic taste in the mouth
The increase in estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy can lead to changes in the sense of taste in many pregnant women. To get rid of this taste, it is better to use sugar-free gum. Drinking cold liquids with food can also reduce the metallic taste.

Quitting smoking can improve fertility in both men and women. Smoking in either parent increases the risk of miscarriage and birth defects. It is never too late to quit smoking, and its damaging effects can be reversed within three months. If you and your partner both smoke, quit with your support. This can save you even more money. Alcohol can also affect fertility. Even drinking two glasses of alcohol can reduce fertility in both men and women and increase the risk of miscarriage.

Pregnancy Weight

Being overweight or underweight can affect a person’s fertility. For optimal fertility, a woman with an average build who is not an athlete should have a BMI (body mass index) of less than 25. A BMI below 19.8 indicates underweight, and a BMI above 29 indicates obesity. The ideal BMI range for these individuals is 19.8-26.
Avoid chemicals that are harmful to the fetus
Every person’s body contains 300 to 500 synthetic chemicals derived from substances such as pesticides. The most harmful of these are polychlorinated chemicals such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) – now banned in the United States – and dioxins. These chemicals, which act like estrogen in the body, dissolve in body fat and reach the baby through the placenta or breast milk. Because the liver cannot break down these substances, the body has difficulty excreting them. Although PCBs can be absorbed through the skin and lungs, they enter the body primarily through the consumption of fatty fish and readily cross the placenta and breast milk. Therefore, pregnant and lactating women and women of childbearing age should avoid eating fish from waters contaminated with PCBs.

According to Salamat News, Khorasan newspaper wrote: “Hosseini” is one of the mothers who gave birth to her first child at the age of 31. She says about this: “I became pregnant for the first time at the age of 29, but unfortunately, I had a miscarriage at 7 months due to gestational diabetes, while I had no history of diabetes before pregnancy.” She continues: “During this time, I was under the supervision of a doctor to control my diabetes, and after 2 years, at the age of 31, I tried for a second pregnancy and with special care, I was able to have a successful delivery.”
She states: “With this history, the probability of successful pregnancy in the next few times is very low, considering the increase in age, while my personal interest is to have more than one child.” Another mother also states: “I became pregnant for the first time at the age of 35, and since then I have had high blood pressure, and according to the doctor, the reason for my high blood pressure is pregnancy at an advanced age.” “Malashahi” is also one of the women who became pregnant for the first time at the age of 35, but due to the diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, she had an abortion on the doctor’s order.

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She says in this regard: “I was 30 when I got married and from that time I tried to have a child, but it was unsuccessful until the age of 35.” By taking medical measures, I was able to get pregnant at this age. After 14 weeks, the doctor diagnosed the fetus with chromosomal abnormalities through an NT ultrasound. After performing an amniocentesis test, the presence of Down syndrome was confirmed and an abortion was ordered. However, the conditions for pregnancy at an advanced age are not the same for everyone, and some people have been able to experience successful pregnancy and childbirth at this age.”
“Ghiasi” is one of these mothers who says: “Since I was planning to get pregnant at the age of 32 and was aware of the risks of pregnancy at an older age, I was under the care of a gynecologist a year before pregnancy and from that time on I started exercising regularly. Therefore, I became pregnant at the age of 33 with sufficient physical fitness and by following a diet, I was able to go through the pregnancy without any possible complications.”

Pregnancy complications after 35 years are more likely

A gynecologist says: “There are many beliefs about women getting pregnant after the age of 35, yet many women have become pregnant after the age of 35. In fact, one in every 10 children is born to a mother over the age of 35 and has no problems, and of course the mother is also in perfect health.” However, doctors and midwives have some advice for pregnant women over the age of 35 so that despite all the sensitivities and health problems after this age, such as the possibility of gestational diabetes, miscarriage, or even abnormalities in babies such as Down syndrome, they can safely go through their pregnancy and give birth to a healthy child.
Dr. Leila Kalantari continues: “Women who become pregnant after the age of 35 are usually more likely to face some pregnancy complications. Gestational diabetes and high blood pressure are among the most common complications at this age.”
Therefore, it is necessary to regularly visit a doctor to control such problems and carefully implement the recommendations. She considers a healthy and balanced diet to be necessary for all pregnant women, regardless of their age, and clarifies: “Women who become pregnant at an older age are more likely to gain weight related to pregnancy, which in itself contributes to the occurrence of side effects and loss of energy during pregnancy.” However, having a healthy and balanced diet along with taking nutritional supplements prescribed by a doctor, which places more emphasis on consuming natural foods and high-quality protein, plays an important role in preventing excess weight and ensures that the mother and fetus have good nutrition.

Risk of chromosomal abnormalities

This specialist states: “Women who become pregnant after the age of 35 need to undergo a series of genetic tests to check for chromosomal abnormalities under the supervision of a specialist.” Unfortunately, the likelihood of these abnormalities increases with age. For example, by performing a placental villi sampling between the 9th and 11th weeks of pregnancy, the presence of Down syndrome and Turner syndrome can be determined with 99% accuracy. Regarding the increased risk of miscarriage in old age, he says: “Miscarriage can occur at any age, but the risk of its occurrence is higher in pregnancies over the age of 35.”
According to experts, the risk of miscarriage is 20% higher in women over the age of 35 and 35% higher in women over the age of 45. She points out: “Women who become pregnant at the age of 35 or older are more likely to have an unwanted cesarean section. This is due to the high incidence of complications during childbirth at this age, such as excessive bleeding and prolonged labor, etc.”

Possibility of mental problems

She states: “Hormonal changes are the main reason for the occurrence of mental disorders which are seen in abundance in pregnant women.” However, the older the age of women is when they get pregnant, the more stress they will have and the possibility of mental problems increases. Therefore, mothers and especially those around the mother should be careful to avoid negative thoughts during this period. She clarifies: “Decline in egg quality is another problem that occurs in old age because as women get older, their fertility rate also decreases. This means that ovulation does not occur regularly.”
In general, egg quality also decreases between the ages of 30 and 40, and as a result, the risk of genetic complications increases, which is why a longer period of time is needed for fertility. She continues: “In addition to the fact that fertility decreases after the age of 35, women at this age face more fertility problems. So that an older couple is forced to wait many more years to have a child compared to a 20-year-old couple. Usually, young couples conceive within a few months, but this happens more slowly with age.”

Not everyone will have problems

Dr. Kalantari believes: “Despite all these possibilities regarding pregnancy at an older age, nothing is absolute. There are many women who take good care of their health and hygiene and thus remain younger and more vibrant than their actual age.” Regarding reproductive age, it cannot be said that all women will necessarily experience the problems mentioned after the age of 35. She continues: “Today, biological age is more important than birth certificate age. Some women are genetically able to get pregnant easily even at the age of 40, while others face more problems with fertility due to family history.” According to her, several factors, from healthy nutrition to balanced and regular physical activity, also play a role in this issue. Therefore, any woman who plans to become pregnant at an older age should take more care of her health than others and prepare herself to have a healthy child.