To check if your pregnancy is going well, you rely on regular doctor visits, prenatal tests (blood, urine, ultrasound) to monitor baby's growth and heartbeat, and by tracking your own symptoms like movement, while also watching for red flag signs like severe pain, bleeding, or vision changes that need immediate medical attention. Feeling some nausea, fatigue, and cravings are normal early signs, but consistent monitoring by healthcare providers confirms your baby's development.
The size and shape vary between pregnancies, but consistent growth is a good sign. Fewer early symptoms: Nausea and fatigue usually ease up, allowing you to feel more like yourself. Increased appetite: Your body needs more calories and nutrients to support your growing baby, and feeling hungrier is common.
How to stop worrying about having a miscarriage in the first trimester
First Trimester Health & Nutrition
If you suspect something might be wrong with your uterus, here are some symptoms to look for: Painful periods or cramping. Bleeding between periods. Frequent urination or urinary tract infections (UTIs)
If any of the following signs occur, the woman should be taken immediately to the hospital or health centre.
The most conclusive way of finding out is to have an ultrasound done by your doctor or midwife to see baby's heartbeat. I say "most" conclusive, because even with an ultrasound, if you are early in your pregnancy, it can be difficult to see or detect a heartbeat with 100% accuracy.
However, there are ways to lower your risk of miscarriage, including:
The "worst" week of the first trimester often centers around weeks 8 or 9, when pregnancy hormones (especially hCG) peak, making symptoms like severe fatigue and intense morning sickness (nausea/vomiting) most pronounced, though this varies, with fatigue sometimes hitting earlier (weeks 6-8) and symptoms generally easing as you enter the second trimester around weeks 12-14.
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.
There is no evidence of reduction in the risk of miscarriage in women prescribed bed rest. HCG administration as an alternative care for threatened miscarriage was more effective than bed rest in the Harrison study but this benefit is not confirmed when compared with placebo.
Most miscarriages happen in the first trimester, especially between weeks 6 and 8, with the risk decreasing significantly as the pregnancy progresses, particularly after a heartbeat is detected. About 80% of losses occur before 12 weeks, and the rate drops sharply after week 12, with a very low risk after 16 weeks.
A: It is possible to experience a miscarriage without bleeding or spotting. Other signs that a person may be experiencing a miscarriage include cramps, pain, loss of pregnancy symptoms and passing discharge, which may be stringy and/or whitish-pink in colour. Any, all or none of these symptoms may be present.
This week, your baby is starting to look more like, well, a baby — your little one's head is taking shape, while the cheeks, chin, and jaws are also beginning to form. In week 6 of pregnancy, you may be feeling well and truly pregnant too, thanks to symptoms like heartburn, nausea, and frequent urination.
“Early on in your pregnancy, it's natural to feel some mild cramping in your lower abdomen at infrequent times as your body prepares for your growing baby,” Bylow said. As your belly grows, so does your uterus. This may cause you to feel some slight pulling, tugging or stretching similar to period or menstrual cramps.
For example, women who have chronic health problems, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, who become pregnant may be considered to have high-risk pregnancies—even if the condition is well controlled. Other factors, such as infections, injuries, and disorders of pregnancy, can also put a pregnancy at high risk.
Don't eat undercooked meat, poultry or eggs
Feeling super tired, don't have the energy to do much of anything, and craving your bed? For many people, the extreme tiredness (fatigue) of the first trimester is quite a surprise. And it's an especially hard transition for those who are normally go-getters with lots of energy.
Contrary to popular belief, the baby isn't always positioned on the right or left side of the womb. In fact, during most of the pregnancy, the baby is centrally positioned in the midline pelvic region within the uterus.
Folic acid supplements can help your baby's brain, skull and spinal cord develop properly and prevent developmental conditions such as spina bifida from occurring. Taking folic acid a day three months before conception and until your 12th week of pregnancy could reduce your chances of miscarriage.
Most miscarriages happen because the unborn baby doesn't develop properly. About half to two-thirds of miscarriages in the first trimester are linked with extra or missing chromosomes. Chromosomes are structures in each cell that contain genes, the instructions for how people look and function.
Keep up your normal daily physical activity or exercise (sport, running, yoga, dancing, or even walking to the shops and back) for as long as you feel comfortable. Exercise is not dangerous for your baby. There is evidence that active women are less likely to experience problems in later pregnancy and labour.
For some people, the loss of pregnancy symptoms can be a sign of miscarriage, especially in early pregnancy. However, there are usually other symptoms, such as bleeding and cramping. If you experience these, contact your GP or midwife straight away.