Pregnancy Symptoms Not to Ignore in Early Pregnancy Contact your healthcare provider if the spotting is heavy and is accompanied by other symptoms like abdominal or pelvic pain, extreme lightheadedness, or shoulder pain. Persistent or severe vomiting.
changes to your vision, flashing lights or blurry eyesight, which are signs of pre-eclampsia. sudden, severe swelling in your hands, feet or face. an extreme itchiness of your skin, including hands and feet. a large amount of swelling in your legs (which is also painful)
The fetus is most vulnerable during the first 12 weeks. During this period of time, all of the major organs and body systems are forming and can be damaged if the fetus is exposed to drugs, infectious agents, radiation, certain medications, tobacco and toxic substances.
Don't eat raw meat
Raw and undercooked meat and eggs carry the risk of foodborne illness, such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis. Food poisoning is also a possibility. These conditions can cause serious, life-threatening illnesses that could lead to severe birth defects and even miscarriage.
First Trimester (0 to 13 Weeks)
The first trimester is the most crucial to your baby's development. During this period, your baby's body structure and organ systems develop. Most miscarriages and birth defects occur during this period.
Morning sickness, nausea, and vomiting during early pregnancy. Nausea and morning sickness usually develop around weeks 4 to 6 and peak around week 9. Although it's called morning sickness, it can occur anytime during the day or night.
Once a pregnancy makes it to 6 weeks and has confirmed viability with a heartbeat, the risk of having a miscarriage drops to 10 percent . According to a 2008 study , the risk for miscarriage falls quickly with further gestational age.
Early pregnancy loss is defined as a nonviable, intrauterine pregnancy with either an empty gestational sac or a gestational sac containing an embryo or fetus without fetal heart activity within the first 12 6/7 weeks of gestation 1.
Women who usually need only 6 hours of sleep at night often find they need nearly double that during these first weeks of pregnancy. And for others, daytime tiredness is paired with trouble sleeping deeply or for more than a few hours at night. Nausea and vomiting can also be a big drain on your energy.
Your body is working overtime to make extra blood to support your baby. This can cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Hunger, weakness, or stress can cause these symptoms as well. Heartburn.
You may experience symptoms every day, a few days a week, throughout the day, or at seemingly random times. And while most women have morning sickness only during the first trimester and into the second, other women have morning sickness throughout their pregnancies.
Factors Considered for High Risk Pregnancy
Age – less than 15 or more than 38 years. Weight – weight under 100 lb before pregnancy or overweight. Height – under five feet. Difficult pregnancies in the past.
However, from the current medical evidence, most medical authorities do state that if multiple C-sections are planned, the expert recommendation is to adhere to the maximum number of three.”
Most healthy women receive two ultrasound scans during pregnancy. "The first is, ideally, in the first trimester to confirm the due date, and the second is at 18-22 weeks to confirm normal anatomy and the sex of the baby," explains Mendiola.
The second trimester is the most physically enjoyable for most women. Morning sickness usually lessens by this time, and the extreme tiredness and breast tenderness usually ease up. Your fetus has now developed all its organs and systems and will now begin to grow in length and weight.
Although most foods and beverages are perfectly safe to enjoy, some, like raw fish, unpasteurized dairy, alcohol, and high mercury fish, should be avoided. Plus, some foods and beverages like coffee and foods high in added sugar, should be limited in order to promote a healthy pregnancy.
Women are often more emotionally up and down during pregnancy and less able to cope with normal stresses than usual. In some respects, this is hardly surprising - there's a huge amount of change going on in a very short period. When pregnant, you may find you become upset and anxious more easily.
You and Your Baby's Emotional Connection
Research has shown that, during pregnancy, your baby feels what you feel—and with the same intensity. That means if you're crying, your baby feels the same emotion, as if it's their own.
Many people experience what seem to be pregnancy symptoms shortly before their period arrives. This happens because the hormone progesterone rises both during early pregnancy and in the premenstrual period. 1 In short, PMS symptoms and early pregnancy symptoms can sometimes be exactly the same.