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Metabolic changes during pregnancy are among the many adjustments that the mother’s organs make to meet the requirements created by the increase in her own breast and genital tissues and the growth of the conceptus (the fetus and afterbirth). In addition, reserves must be established to meet the demands that will be put on her body during pregnancy, delivery, and the postdelivery period. The amount of oxygen consumed is an index of the pregnant woman’s metabolism when she is at rest—her basal metabolism. The rate begins to rise during the third month of pregnancy and may double the normal rate ...(100 of 19882 words)