To know if you're still pregnant, look for consistent early signs like a missed period, nausea, fatigue, tender breasts, and frequent urination, but the most definitive ways are taking a reliable pregnancy test (urine or blood) or having a doctor confirm with an ultrasound, especially if you're concerned about complications like bleeding. Consistent pregnancy symptoms, like feeling nauseous or tired, often signal ongoing pregnancy, but they can also be caused by other factors.
Healthy Fetal Movement
As your pregnancy progresses, you'll begin to feel the baby move, typically around the 18th-25th week. Consistent movement is a sign that your baby is developing well. If you notice a decrease or change in movement patterns, it's important to contact anOBGYN for advice.
The most common sign of miscarriage is vaginal bleeding.
Five key warning signs during pregnancy needing immediate medical attention include vaginal bleeding, severe headaches with vision changes, decreased baby movement, severe abdominal pain/cramping, and signs of preterm labor like regular contractions or fluid leakage, as these can signal serious issues like miscarriage, preeclampsia, placental problems, or infection. Always contact your healthcare provider or seek emergency care for these symptoms.
For pregnancies observed at 5 weeks, 20% of the pregnancies miscarried. As pregnancy goes on, miscarriage rates go down — they are down to 1% to 2% by the end of the first trimester. Although second-trimester miscarriages do happen, they are much less common.
Your risk of miscarriage is greatest between weeks 0 and 10. In the early days of pregnancy, you likely don't yet know you're pregnant.
Try these tips to help with your anxiety:
The "3-2-1 Rule" in pregnancy is a guideline for first-time mothers to know when to call their midwife or doctor for active labor: consistent contractions that are 3 minutes apart, lasting 2 minutes each, for 1 hour (or sometimes cited as 3-1-1, meaning 3 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour). For subsequent pregnancies, the 5-1-1 Rule (5 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour) is often used, indicating labor is progressing more quickly.
Top 5 Conditions of Abnormal Pregnancy
There's no perfect time to share your pregnancy—do what feels right for you. Many wait until after the first trimester. Miscarriage risk drops after 13 weeks, but it's also OK to tell trusted loved ones earlier for support.
While many miscarriages begin with symptoms of pain and bleeding, there are often no such signs with a missed miscarriage. Pregnancy hormones may continue to be high for some time after the baby has died, so you may continue to feel pregnant and a pregnancy test may well still show positive.
A pregnancy may also be more likely to end in miscarriage if you:
Once the bleeding stops, your hormones should gradually return to normal. You may be asked to do a pregnancy test after 3 weeks to make sure this is happening. If it is still positive you may have an incomplete miscarriage. Your other pregnancy symptoms, such as feeling sick or tender breasts, will also fade away.
A gestational sac with a yolk sac is observed in a scan but 11 or more days later, there is no embryo with a heartbeat. A gestational sac without a yolk sac is observed in a scan but two or more weeks later, there is no embryo with a heartbeat (this means the pregnancy has stopped progressing)
There's no single "hardest" month, as challenges vary, but many find the first trimester tough due to nausea, fatigue, and hormonal shifts, while the third trimester (months 7-9) often brings the most physical discomfort from the baby's size, affecting sleep, mobility, and causing aches, heartburn, and frequent urination. The difficulty often shifts as pregnancy progresses, with the first months focused on adjustment and the later months on physical strain and preparation for birth.
Main symptoms
The most common signs of fetal growth restriction are small fetal size and low fetal weight. Sometimes, the mother's uterus will measure smaller than expected. Providers can find these signs during pregnancy with ultrasound.
A fever is especially worrisome if you also have:
Diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Severe belly pain. Severe back pain. Trouble urinating or changes in your urination.
Try to remember that your fears are normal, but that this phase will pass. Take time to practice mindfulness, meditation, and take some time for yourself. This could include any stress-reducing activities you enjoy like yoga or going for a walk.
Most miscarriages - 8 out of 10 (80 percent) - happen in the first trimester before the 12th week of pregnancy. Many people who miscarry are able to go on to have a healthy pregnancy later. Miscarriages can happen in different ways, that's why it's important to know the different signs and symptoms.
Maintaining a healthy pregnancy is not hard when you know how to do it! The three golden rules are to always listen to your doctor's advice, eat healthy, and stay active. Remember, don't focus only on your baby's growth because ultimately keeping yourself healthy is the first step to keeping your baby healthy!
The 5-5-5 rule is a guideline for what kind of help a postpartum mom needs: five days in bed, five days round the bed — meaning minimal walking around — the next five days around the home. This practice will help you prioritize rest and recovery while gradually increasing activity.
Sports and activities to avoid while pregnant
Any competitive sports where you have to move your body in a way that may not be safe. Activities with unsafe environments — such as spas, hydrotherapy pools or 'hot' yoga. Activities that involve heavy equipment — such as weightlifting, skiing and scuba diving.
When you shout at a pregnant woman: ⚠️ Her stress levels go up ⚠️ Her blood pressure can rise ⚠️ It can affect the baby's growth and brain development ⚠️ In some cases, it may even lead to early labor 💬 Kindness, calm, and support are not just good for her - they're good for the baby too. 👩⚕️ Speak gently.
Eat breakfast every day. Eat foods high in fiber, and drink fluids (particularly water) to avoid constipation. Avoid alcohol, raw or undercooked fish, fish high in mercury, undercooked meat and poultry, and soft cheeses. Do moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least 150 minutes a week during your pregnancy.