Okay, I have a report for my AP Biology class due, and I'm a little lost. The teachers wife is about 2 1/2 months pregnant with there 3rd child. She’s a healthy 28 year old and there wasn't a single complication throughout her other two pregnancies, nor were there any problems with there births. This time though, he says she’s experiencing extreme fatigue, increased irritability, loss of appetite, and when she doesn't eat the fatigue hits the hardest. He stressed that when he said fatigue he didn't just mean weakness, that it was extreme fatigue, and latter during the class he said the fatigue was the most important clue. He said there was something wrong, that he already knew what it was, and that our assignment was to find the answer, explain it, and defend it through an essay. Does anyone know what the cause could be? Any help it deeply appreciated!
2006-08-15 12:20:34 · 4 answers · asked by iwillremeberiwill 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
This is just a thought, but it sounds like it might be a form of Diabetes. When a woman becomes pregnant, there is a slight possibility of becoming diabetic during the term of the pregnancy. The other possibility is anemia. Those are the only two things that I can think of. I hope it helps.
2006-08-15 12:30:31 · answer #1 · answered by Darryl E 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he said that there was something wrong, then I would go first to gestational diabetes, but extreme fatigue is also common in second, third and beyond pregnancies. The diabetes would cause fatigue if her body wasn't able to keep her blood sugar up. Irritability is a side effect of hunger, fatigue and illness in general. The loss of appetite may just be coincidental morning sickness but making her worse.
Before going there, check out anemia. Morning sickness and pregnancy can cause anemia too.
Think back to what you have been discussing, there will be more clues in the class discussions of the last few days than you might think.
You can also try, ivillage.com. babytobee.com, webmd.com, pregnancy.com etc to look at some of the symptoms and causes to help. Pregnancy symptoms can be complex but I would wager that the answer will be rather simple and somewhat related to recent class topics.
Good luck.
2006-08-15 15:36:24 · answer #2 · answered by Huggles-the-wise 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dibetes of pregnancy is a good answer; farther out in the probabilities might be pre-eclampsia of pregnancy or some backwards form of blood group incompatability where the fetal blood cells colonize the mother as host and attack the antigens she has that the baby lacks.
2006-08-19 10:49:15 · answer #3 · answered by Lorelei 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ya sounds like hypoglycemia/or gestational diabetes. Look it up.
2006-08-15 15:17:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋