
Written by Dr. Varsha Sharma Kapila
Big congratulations on becoming pregnant! This is one of the happiest moments in a female’s life and from this point onwards, your life changes completely – for the better. This happiest moment has arrived in your life. A normal pregnancy lasts about 9 months, i.e. 40 weeks from the date of your last menstrual cycle. Once the pregnancy is confirmed, you need to take proper care and precautions during these nine months of pregnancy.
The entire period of pregnancy is divided into three phases, as below:
First three months i.e. 1st, 2nd and 3rd months of pregnancy are known as the First Trimester of pregnancy.
Next three months i.e. 4th, 5th and 6th months of pregnancy are known as the Second Trimester of pregnancy.
Last three months i.e. 7th, 8th and 9th months of pregnancy are known as the Third Trimester of pregnancy.
In this article, we will be taking up the First Trimester – Symptoms, Physical Changes, Development of the Baby, Diet, Cautions to be observed and some tips for a happy, exciting first trimester.
Being pregnant calls for a lot of changes in you. While you will be all excited and emotional to know about your pregnancy, it may also be stated
First Trimester of Pregnancy is essentially considered the toughest and most crucial
here that chances of a miscarriage are also high during the first trimester. It is during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy that major development of your foetus occurs and you may experience profound physical and emotional changes. During this phase of pregnancy, your body starts getting adjusted to the new life inside you, and it is important to take certain precautions to prevent miscarriage. This phase is a sensitive one, as the foetus is in its early developmental stage, hence, adequate care and caution has to be exerted.
Symptoms
During your first trimester you may not be supporting a bump, thus not looking anything like pregnant, but there are various changes going on within the body. Pregnancy brings with it several changes at both the mental and physical levels. There are numerous symptoms that you shall experience during the first trimester. As every woman is different; the symptoms experienced during pregnancy too, shall differ from person to person. With pregnancy evolving, most of the symptoms lessen or disappear. Few of the symptoms that you may experience during pregnancy are as follows:-
Morning Sickness
Physical Changes:
There are several physical changes that take place within the body.
Baby’s Development
Development of the baby that takes place during this trimester are –
Medical Tests
During your first visit to the gynaecologist, details regarding your medical history shall be noted and a comprehensive physical examination
Antenatal Appointments are a must
shall be done. You shall be asked to undergo a series of investigations such as – Urine analysis; blood test to determine the group, Rh status, haemoglobin levels, hCG levels, screening for chromosomal defects like congenital heart disorders or Down’s syndrome; Pap smear; Routine ultrasound to confirm the progress of development; etc.
Caution
One needs to be extremely cautious during this stage of pregnancy as several early foetal developmental changes take place. You need to be cautious when –
Using any medicines, it may be harmful to the baby.
Using cleaning products or household chemicals.
Diet
The little one inside you is also gearing up for life. He will be absorbing all his needs from his mother. Thus, diet plays an important role in maintaining and sustaining pregnancy. Adequate diet shall help maintain the health of child and mother.
Some of the dietary regime to be followed is:-
Tips
Tips for an uncomplicated pregnancy are as follows:-
You need to follow the above mentioned guidelines for a successful first trimester. Wish you a very happy first trimester, ladies!
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