Fast approaching the second trimester which means, I am in “the clear”.  At least that is the marker by which we decide when to spread the news far and wide.

So, here we are, internet, I am pregnant.

I am a pregnant scientist.

Field of research, generally? – Physiology.

Specifically?  Stress and reproduction.

How appropriate, right?  The stress of doing research, looking for a new job, moving, buying a house, LIFE, nearly got in the way of my own reproduction (more on this later?).  And, unfortunately, I know all too well why.  Ok, so I know, potentially why.  If I knew why, I wouldn’t have funding to ask the questions I am asking.

As a physiologist, my first instinct whenever I have all those nagging pregnancy questions is to ignore those pregnancy sites that treat you like a human who has no idea how the human body works and dive right into the scientific literature.

Really? I would ask.  But what does the actual research show!?

Hopefully I’ll find some answers, clues, interesting factoids.  And I plan to share them here. In no way do I intend this site to be a place to look for advice, so take my “findings” with a grain of salt.  I am not a medical doctor, just a curious PhD.

And in the end, I will probably realize that there might be a reason we don’t go off exploring on our own.