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Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more offspring(s), known as a fetus of embryo, inside the uterus of a female human. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets. Human pregnancy is the most sudied of all mammalian pregnencies. Obstetrics is the medical field that studies and treats pregnant patients. Childbirth usually occurs about 38 weeks from fertilization, i.e., approximately 40 weeks from the start of the last menstruation. Thus, pregnancy lasts about nine month, although the exact definition of the English word "pregnancy" is a subject of controversy.
Dr. Kenneth S. McLean:
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