1st Trimester of Pregnancy

From WikiParenting

Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters – the first, second and third. The first trimester of pregnancy lasts from conception to twelve weeks (three months of gestation)

[edit] Your Baby – Early Development

Your pregnancy begins at the time of conception (when fertilisation occurs). During the week that follows, a woman’s egg, evolves into a little ball of cells (called a blastocyst), which is so tiny, it’s microscopic. This egg then implants itself into the wall of the uterus.

Between the third and eighth week of gestation, the baby (now referred to as an ‘embryo’) develops the majority of important body organs. Whilst this is occurring, the expectant mother must be very careful with her health and lifestyle choices, as the development of the embryo may be impacted upon by alcohol, illegal substances, medications and radiation.

After the ninth week of gestation, your baby is now commonly referred to as a ‘fetus’. The uterus has grown significantly, and is now approximately the size of a grapefruit.

[edit] Symptoms and Indicators of Pregnancy

Often the first indication that a woman is pregnant, is the absence of her menstrual period. Other symptoms, caused mainly by the hormonal changes occurring, include

• Tiredness or fatigue
• Breast tenderness
• Nausea (commonly referred to as morning sickness, but can occur at any time of the day)
• Vomiting
• Feeling an increased need to urinate

[edit] General Information

Throughout the duration of your pregnancy, you may notice a variety of changes happen to your body. Some reported side effects of pregnancy in the first trimester are.

• Constipation – This is due to the fact that your metabolism is slowing down due to hormonal changes. The iron present in prenatal vitamins may also contribute towards this.

• You may notice an increase in vaginal discharge, called leukorrhea.

• If you experience any vaginal bleeding, with or without cramping, you should always consult your health care professional. In many cases this goes away, and may be a result of ‘implantation bleeding’, however sometimes you may need medical advice.