By nine months, a baby is able to identify small objects, pick them up with his or her fingers, and try to figure out what to do with them. He or she would be too young to respond to direction.

Since your baby's most critical development has taken place by month 3, your chance of miscarriage drops considerably after three months.

If you were at a normal weight before pregnancy, you should gain about 25 to 30 pounds. If you were underweight before pregnancy, you should gain between 28 and 40 pounds. If you were overweight before pregnancy, you should gain between 15 and 25 pounds. If you were obese before pregnancy, you should gain between 11 and 20 pounds.

Avoid exposure to toxic substances and chemicals, such as cleaning solvents, lead and mercury, some insecticides, and paint. Pregnant women should avoid exposure to paint fumes.

The risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy is about double for women over 35 compared with younger ones; hypertension affects about 10 to 20 percent of pregnant women in this age group. Gestational diabetes is two to three times more common in women over age 35 than in younger women, and recent studies show the risk is even higher if the woman has gained weight over the years. Age 35 to 39 is also when women are most likely to have twins.

Causes of male infertility may include enlarged veins in the testes can increase blood flow and heat, affecting the number and shape of sperm.