Written by Indrani Sil Saha
The moment you find out you are positive on a pregnancy test will be one of the most memorable days of your life. Being a mother, no matter whether or not it’s your first, second or third pregnancy, looking at the strip showing the positive result for your pregnancy test will always be a significant moment for you. “When is the right time to announce pregnancy?” is one of the doubts many couples have.
Many women choose to keep their pregnancy a secret until the end of the first trimester (12 weeks into their pregnancy). This is usually due to fears about miscarriage (pregnancy loss) during this time. This article will shed some light on this topic.
In This Article
If this is your first pregnancy, your mother (never doubt to reveal your pregnancy to her) might have warned you against revealing the news to your dear ones so soon. There is no wonder that sharing the news with everyone may seem a good idea to you. But owing to the long run ahead think before you opt for it.
If this is your first pregnancy and the most awaited moment of your life, you would like to scream out the news to the world as soon as you find out about those two outstanding pink lines in your strip. Of course, there is no doubt that you should announce the astounding news to the father-to-be as soon as possible. Your partner should be the first person with whom you should share your secret.
Then comes the time to take the first decision of your parenthood -when to announce the good news to the world. The privilege of decision-making entirely depends upon you. In this article, we help you to clarify various doubts and thoughts regarding the announcement of your pregnancy.
Two reasons many women decide to keep their pregnancy a secret are:
The chances of complications resulting in miscarriage are very high during the first trimester of pregnancy. Suppose you announce your big news to all your family and friends as soon as you know about it and if you undergo an unfortunate miscarriage, in addition to the sorrow of losing your baby, you have to deal with breaking the dejected news to everyone. Also, you have to answer the arising queries and explain the reasons that caused the abortion. This will increase your effort to get away from the mental trauma which you are undergoing.
Not only the elders of your family, but also every friend and relative with whom you share the news may come up with different suggestions and advice regarding your pregnancy, even if you don’t want to hear them. It is good to get some suggestions if you have any doubts. But the difference in opinions and inflation of advice and implanting fear factors regarding miscarriage and the health of the baby sometimes lead to intolerable anxiety.
If you have a history of miscarriage or if your doctor asks you to take complete rest during the first trimester owing to your health conditions, it is better to wait till you reach your 12th week of pregnancy before announcing it. This is because you will almost drop the risk of miscarriage when you hit the end of the first trimester.
So your doctor has told you all is well. A safe pregnancy is confirmed after your first scan towards the end of the first trimester, but still, you and your partner don’t want to disclose the news to family and friends and prefer to enjoy your little secret yourself for some reason. Keeping your secret a little longer is no harm, but it is not advised to hold the news for too long.
There are some benefits of announcing your pregnancy once your doctor confirms that you have a safe pregnancy:
You can announce your pregnancy, even before the 12-week mark if you are not under any medical risks.
If you are going to work, we presume that your pregnancy is pretty much going great. However, the tiredness from pregnancy and morning sickness that drain out your energy affecting the quantity and quality of your work is quite natural.
Considering the following advantages you can decide whether you or whether you do not reveal your pregnancy in your workplace,
Some of the occupational exposures are:
If your working atmosphere doesn’t favor your pregnancy, you must disclose that you are pregnant to your boss and co-workers. This will help them to bring about changes in your work pattern or to take special precautions.
Spilling the beans of pregnancy on your social media after disclosing it to your dear and near family and friends is a good idea. This will help you to be in touch with other expecting friends and even create a group and share all your anxieties regarding pregnancy. If one of your friends crossed the stream of risk that is bothering you, it will give you the emotional strength to face your problem. It is also important to make sure that unnecessary discussions don’t get into your head.
If you had difficulty conceiving in the first place, or had a had a previous pregnancy loss like stillbirth or miscarriage, then its best to wait for the initial 12 weeks before announcing your pregnancy to your friends and family members. Couples sometimes worry about mishaps so its best to take your own time before sharing the good news. However, chances of miscarriage significantly drops after the end of first trimester. While you wait to share the good news you can have an ultrasound to check the sex of the fetus, listen to your baby’s heartbeat and see the healthy womb wriggling in your tummy. Below we have listed some of the pros and cons of waiting before announcing your pregnancy.
Pregnancy is an exciting yet stressful journey. So try to relax and enjoy your pregnancy days as it passes. The right time to announce your pregnancy is not same for everyone. So weigh your pros and cons before coming to a conclusion. Many women plan to announce it after their 12 weeks has passed and the fetus is stable. Often its difficult to hide the baby bump after that time. Make sure your healthcare provider is well informed and you are taking your medicines on time and is enjoying a healthy and active pregnancy.
Though some people wait till the end of first trimester, there is nothing, too early or late to announce the pregnancy news.
It is widely believed that after the first trimester the chances of miscarriage greatly reduces. Thus after that time it is generally considered safe to announce your pregnancy.
Yes, absolutely if you have a loving a supportive family to take care of you and your pregnancy needs you can definitely share the good news at 4 weeks pregnant.
Have a healthy, safe, and happy pregnancy.
She has over 8 years of experience as an Academic Coordinator in reputed international schools. She has first-hand experience in curating content for children of different age groups. Being a proud mother of a toddler she brings her unique perspective in curating informative content for the pregnancy and parenting corner.Read more.
Get regular updates, great recommendations and other right stuff at the right time.