Lifestyle choices. Smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs can put a pregnancy at risk. Maternal health problems. High blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, epilepsy, thyroid disease, heart or blood disorders, poorly controlled asthma, and infections can increase pregnancy risks.
Most miscarriages - 8 out of 10 (80 percent) - happen in the first trimester before the 12th week of pregnancy. Miscarriage in the second trimester (between 13 and 19 weeks) happens in 1 to 5 in 100 (1 to 5 percent) pregnancies. Pregnancy loss that happens after 20 weeks is called stillbirth.
Most miscarriages happen between 6 and 8 weeks gestation. We know that most of these occur due to a major genetic abnormality in the fetus. The sperm and the egg (which are known as gametes) each contain half the genetic material necessary for a complete person.
Your nausea and vomiting may be worse than ever: Morning sickness peaks around 9 or 10 weeks of pregnancy for many women. That's when levels of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are highest (morning sickness is thought to be linked to rises in hCG and estrogen).
Don t be surprised if you develop a bit of a 6 weeks pregnant belly. Although your 6 week embryo is still well down in your pelvis, some women, especially those who've been pregnant before, seem to show much earlier. General abdominal distention is usually the cause.
The chemicals in permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes are not highly toxic. Most research, although limited, shows it's safe to colour your hair while pregnant.
To prevent a miscarriage, you need to ensure you are meeting your daily macronutrient needs – think complex carbohydrates (brown rice, sweet potato, quinoa), protein (poultry, meat, fish), healthy fats (avocado, oils, nuts, seeds) and fibre (green leafy vegetables).
Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and albacore tuna. Mercury can harm your baby's nervous system. Dry cleaning solvents, pesticides, and paint remover. Fumes from these chemicals can harm your baby.
Sage tea: It's OK to use sage in cooking, but you should avoid sage in concentrated forms during pregnancy such as in teas. It's been linked to miscarriage and high blood pressure.
Doctors generally recommend waiting to announce a pregnancy until the end of the first trimester, says Whitney Casares, M.D., a pediatrician and author of The Working Mom Blueprint: Winning at Parenting Without Losing Yourself.
Even though it's called morning sickness, it can last all day and happen any time of day. At least 7 in 10 pregnant women have morning sickness in the first trimester (first 3 months) of pregnancy. It usually starts at about 6 weeks of pregnancy and is at its worst at about 9 weeks.
Is 6 weeks too early to tell family you're pregnant?
Many women choose to delay announcing a pregnancy at least until the end of the first trimester (12 weeks into their pregnancy). This is usually because of concerns about the risk of miscarriage (pregnancy loss) during this time.
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.
