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Pregnancy is perhaps the most dramatic change your body will ever go through. You may gain 25 to 35 pounds, much of it in the span of just a few months. The uterus and its lining will enlarge some 500 times its normal size by the end of pregnancy.

Your body also produces hormones that help make the joints, ligaments, tendons and muscle fibers more pliable. The blood vessels expand and the amount of blood pumping through them increases by as much as 50%.

Then, there's a baby. And often, a surprise: Even after the baby is born, women may still look about six months pregnant. For many, the first question is: How do I get my body back?

Mayo Clinic experts tackle some of the most common questions: