The First Trimester of Your Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time of major change. From the very beginning of your pregnancy, your baby alters your body and the way you live. During the first three months of your pregnancy, called the first trimester, you won't see most of the physical changes your body is going through. However, there's no doubt that you will feel the changes.

What You May Feel

Your first trimester occurs from the time of conception to approximately the 13th week of your pregnancy. During this time, your body undergoes many changes as your baby begins to grow and develop.

Although the symptoms of early pregnancy vary tremendously from woman to woman-and even from pregnancy to pregnancy-most women can expect to experience one or more of these signs of early pregnancy:

• No period.
• Breasts may become larger and more tender.
• Nipples may stick out more.
• Need to urinate more often.
• Feeling very tired.
• Nauseated and even vomiting.
If you have any questions or concerns about the changes your body is going through, talk with your doctor.
• Craving certain foods or loss of appetite.
• Heartburn or indigestion.
• Constipation.
• Feeling bloated or heavy.
• Gain or loss of a few pounds.

When To Call The Doctor

While most women have few problems during their first trimester, you should call your doctor if you experience any of the following:

• Heavy vaginal bleeding or clotting
You can eliminate many of the most common complaints of early pregnancy by eating properly, keeping your stress level down, and getting enough rest.
• Lighter bleeding that lasts for more than one day
• The passage of grayish or pinkish tissue
• Any amount of bleeding that is accompanied by cramps, fever, chills, or dizziness
• Severe pain in abdomen or in your shoulder area
• Dehydration
• A fever of more than 101°F
• Painful urination
• A watery discharge from the vagina.

How Your Baby Grows

The first trimester of your pregnancy is a time of rapid development for your baby. During the first month of your pregnancy, your baby (officially called a fetus at this point) is 1/2 inch long and weighs less than one ounce. However, by the 14th week of your pregnancy, all of your baby's major organs are developed.

Here's what your baby is doing during the first month you are pregnant:

• Arms and legs begin to form.
• Brain and spinal chord begin to form.
• Heart and lungs begin to develop.
• The baby's heart begins to beat during the end of the first month.

At the end of the second month, your baby is one inch long and still weighs less than one ounce. Other developments include:

• Eyelids form, but remain closed.
• Inner ear begins to develop.
• Bones appear.
• Ankles, wrists, and toes form.
• Genitals begin to develop.

The third month is a time of rapid growth for your baby, who is most likely now 3 1/2 inches long and weighs just over an ounce. Other changes occurring during the third month include:

• Twenty buds for future teeth appear.
• All internal parts are formed, but not fully developed.
• Fingers and toes continue to grow and soft nails begin to form.
• Intestines begin to form.
• Backbone is soft and can flex.
• Skin is almost transparent.
• Hands are more developed than feet.
• Arms are longer than legs.