Pregnant what to expect

Pregnancy Week By Week | First Month Symptoms and Signs

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Month by Month
What happens in the second month?
What happens in the third month?
What happens in the fourth month?
What happens in the fifth month?

What happens in the sixth month?
What happens in the seventh month?
What happens in the eighth month?
What happens in the ninth month?
What happens in the tenth month?

What happens in the first month of pregnancy?

Pregnancy is divided into 3 trimesters. Each trimester is a little longer than 13 weeks. The first month marks the beginning of the first trimester.

What’s gestational age?

Pregnancy timing is measured using “gestational age.” Gestational age starts on the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP).

Gestational age can be confusing. Most people think of pregnancy as lasting 9 months. And it’s true that you’re pregnant for about 9 months. But because pregnancy is measured from the first day of your last menstrual period — about 3-4 weeks before you’re actually pregnant — a full-term pregnancy usually totals about 40 weeks from LMP — roughly 10 months.

Many people don’t remember exactly when they started their last menstrual period — that’s OK. The surest way to find out gestational age early in pregnancy is with an ultrasound.

What happens during week 1 - 2?

These are the first 2 weeks of your menstrual cycle. You have your period. About 2 weeks later, the egg that’s most mature is released from your ovary — this is called ovulation. Ovulation may happen earlier or later, depending on the length of your menstrual cycle. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days.

After it’s released, your egg travels down your fallopian tube toward your uterus. If the egg meets up with a sperm, they combine. This is called fertilization. Fertilization is most likely to occur when you have unprotected vaginal sex during the 6 days leading up to — and including the day of — ovulation.

What happens during week 3 - 4?

The fertilized egg moves down your fallopian tube and divides into more and more cells. It reaches your uterus about 3–4 days after fertilization. The dividing cells then form a ball that floats around in the uterus for about 2–3 days.

Pregnancy begins when the ball of cells attaches to the lining of your uterus. This is called implantation. It usually starts about 6 days after fertilization and takes about 3–4 days to be complete.

Pregnancy doesn’t always happen, even if an egg is fertilized by a sperm. Up to half of all fertilized eggs pass out of your body when you get your period, before implantation is complete.

What are the signs of pregnancy?

For a lot of people, the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Most pregnancy tests will be positive by the time you’ve missed your period. Other early pregnancy symptoms include feeling tired, feeling bloated, peeing more than usual, mood swings, nausea, and tender or swollen breasts. Not everyone has all of these symptoms, but it’s common to have at least 1 of them.

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What to Expect Each Trimester

Pregnancy Chart: What to Expect Each Trimester

Medically reviewed by Carolyn Kay, M.D. — By Rena Goldman — Updated on December 8, 2020

Pregnancy is an exciting time of big life changes, new experiences, and the glow of new life. It’s also a time when your body goes through lots of transformations.

Here is an outline of what changes you can expect to experience as your pregnancy progresses, as well as guidance on when to schedule doctor appointments and tests.

Share on PinterestIllustration by Alyssa Kiefer | Infographic by Maya Chastain

Your pregnancy due date (expected day of delivery) is calculated by adding 280 days (40 weeks) to the first day of your last menstrual period.

The fetus begins developing at the time of conception, and your body begins producing pregnancy hormones.

As soon as you find out you’re pregnant, it’s time to cut out any unhealthy habits and start taking prenatal vitamins. You may also want to take folic acid supplements, which are important for fetal brain development.

Before the end of your first trimester, select a doctor or midwife who you’ll see throughout your pregnancy.

Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect. Note that every pregnancy is different and your experience may vary.

What to expect in the first trimester

If you haven’t already, it’s time to start a healthy eating plan, taking prenatal vitamins, and stopping any unhealthy habits, such as smoking.
Early on, your egg is fertilized and implanting in your uterus. You may experience mild cramping and extra vaginal discharge.
You might begin experiencing symptoms like breast tenderness, tiredness, and nausea.
Eventually, morning sickness may be in full swing.
Schedule your first prenatal doctor visit — usually during weeks 8 to 12. Your doctor may do several tests. They’ll also talk to you about lifestyle habits and genetic testing.
Between weeks 8 and 10, your uterus will start growing, your breasts are tender, and your body is producing more blood.
You’ll eventually begin to gain a few pounds.
Dark patches on your face and neck, called chloasma or the mask of pregnancy, might also start to appear later in the trimester.
Your breasts will start getting larger later in the trimester as the first stages of breast milk, called colostrum, begin to fill them.

Your body changes a lot throughout your second trimester. Going from feeling excited to overwhelmed is not unusual.

Your doctor or midwife will see you once every 4 weeks to measure the baby’s growth, check the heartbeat, and perform blood or urine tests to make sure that you and the baby are healthy.

By the end of your second trimester, your belly has grown significantly, and people have started to notice that you’re pregnant.

What to expect in the second trimester

It’s time to break out those maternity clothes (if you haven’t already).
Your doctor may suggest a blood test for genetic disorders, called a maternal serum screen or quad screen.
If you have a family history of genetic defects, like Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, or spina bifida, your doctor may recommend additional testing.
By this time you’ve probably gone up a bra size or two.
You may start to feel like your allergies are acting up a bit midway through the trimester.
About halfway through, an ultrasound can tell you the baby’s sex.
For many people, these weeks are enjoyable, with only small discomforts. You may notice some acne.
You may want to look into birthing classes.
Some trouble sleeping at night may happen due to normal pregnancy discomforts like urinating often, heartburn, and leg cramps.
Your doctor will likely schedule a blood sugar test between weeks 24 and 28 to see if you have gestational diabetes.
By the later weeks in the trimester, your baby may be about 13 inches long and weigh 2 pounds.
In the final weeks of your second trimester, you may have gained about 16 to 22 pounds.

You’re almost there! You’ll begin to gain significant weight during your third trimester as your baby continues to grow.

As you begin to approach labor, your doctor or midwife may also do a physical exam to see if your cervix is thinning or beginning to open.

Your healthcare provider may recommend a nonstress test to check on the baby if you don’t go into labor by your due date.

If you or the baby are at risk, labor may be induced using medication, or in an emergency situation doctors may perform a cesarean delivery.

What to expect in the third trimester

Welcome to your third trimester! You’re feeling the baby move a lot now and you might be asked by the doctor to keep track of your baby’s activity levels.
Doctor visits become more frequent now — about twice a month.
You may start to notice discomforts like constipation and hemorrhoids.
The hormones your body is making at this stage cause your joints to loosen. In some women, this means your feet can grow a whole shoe size larger!
Midway through the trimester, you might experience some leaking. As your body prepares for labor, you may start having Braxton-Hicks (false) contractions.
Near the end of the trimester, your body has about 40 to 50 percent more blood!
You may be feeling very tired at this point, from trouble sleeping and other normal pregnancy aches and pains.
Your belly button may eventually be tender or have turned into an “outie.” You might also feel short of breath as your uterus presses against your rib cage.
As you reach the home stretch, you’ll have weekly visits to your healthcare provider until you deliver.
Around week 37 or so, you may pass your mucus plug, which blocks your cervix to keep out unwanted bacteria. Losing the plug means you’re one step closer to labor.
Tell your doctor if you notice extreme swelling in your hands, feet, or ankles, because this could be a sign of pregnancy-caused high blood pressure.
By the end of the trimester, your cervix should be getting ready for birth by thinning and opening. Braxton-Hicks contractions may get more intense as labor gets closer.
As the trimester comes to an end, you’ll have made it! If you haven’t had your baby yet, they’ll likely arrive around week 40.

Avoid smoking. Quitting smoking is the single most preventable cause of illness and death among mothers and infants.
Avoid alcohol consumption. When you drink alcohol, so does your developing baby. There is no known safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant.
Avoid marijuana. The chemicals in marijuana pass through your system to your baby and can harm their development.
Learn the ins and outs of a healthy pregnancy eating plan. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and more are essential.
Take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day. Folic acid can help prevent some major birth abnormalities.
Seek help for depression. Depression is common and treatable. If you think you have depression, seek treatment from your health care provider as soon as possible.
Talk to your doctor about traveling. Traveling might cause problems during pregnancy, particularly air travel later in pregnancy, so discuss your options with your doctor.
See your doctor before starting or stopping any medication. If you are planning to become pregnant, discuss your current medicines with your doctor, midwife, or pharmacist.
Get up to date on all of your vaccines. This will help protect you and your developing baby against serious diseases.
Get a flu shot. The flu is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than in women of reproductive age who are not pregnant.
Try to reach a weight that is healthy for you before getting pregnant. Having obesity increases the risk for serious birth abnormalities and other pregnancy complications.
Learn about the benefits of breastfeeding. Consider taking a class to help you prepare.

Last medically reviewed on December 7, 2020

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Current Version

Dec 8, 2020

Written By

Rena Goldman

Copy Edited By

Kara Williams

Dec 7, 2020

Medically Reviewed By

Carolyn Kay, MD

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Medically reviewed by Carolyn Kay, M. D. — By Rena Goldman — Updated on December 8, 2020

First pregnancy, what you need to know?

The first pregnancy in a woman's life is always an important event. Information about what to expect during this period is very easy to find. But often the sources of information are not trustworthy and offer conflicting information.

Facts that expectant mothers need to know

Pregnancy normally lasts 40-42 weeks and ends in vaginal delivery or caesarean section. This period will be divided into trimesters, the first - to 13 weeks inclusive, the second - from 14 to 27 weeks, and the third - from 28 weeks to delivery. Each trimester has its own characteristics.

The first trimester is the most unpredictable. It can pass very easily - some women do not even notice their condition. But in the first trimester, side effects of a sharp hormonal change in the body are also possible. Morning sickness, sudden bouts of weakness, low blood pressure, irritability, increased reaction to smells - all this happens due to the fact that the hormonal background changes dramatically in the body. All of these symptoms in the first trimester are normal, but they should be told to the attending physician.

In the first trimester, the laying and formation of the fetal body takes place. Most congenital pathologies are the result of violations during this period. In order not to provoke developmental anomalies, the expectant mother should avoid pathogens. Alcohol, nicotine, a range of drugs, and toxins in the water and air can adversely affect the health of the unborn child. You should also carefully approach the choice of cosmetics and hair products.

Pregnancy: first week

A woman can assume that the first week of pregnancy has begun only if she carefully prepared for the process of conception, calculated the time of ovulation, and chose the time for sexual intercourse. But even in this case, there can be no 100% certainty. For the first two or three weeks, a woman cannot independently determine whether pregnancy has occurred or not. Even if the fertilization of the egg has occurred, and the rapid process of embryo development has begun, it is still so small that it is not felt in the mother's body.

However, from the first days you can switch to a lifestyle suitable for pregnant women. It is recommended to avoid harmful foods, strong drugs, alcohol, smoking, stress; engage in gentle sports, walk in the fresh air.

In the second trimester, the fetus is almost formed and grows rapidly. At about 4.5 - 5 months, a woman begins to feel the movement of the child. At the same time, the belly appears and begins to grow. The baby acquires the ability to hear sounds, and if the mother or father is talking to him, he can move in response. The second trimester proceeds with a minimum number of complications, this is the best period for official preparation for childbirth: choosing a clinic, paperwork, settling issues with work, and so on. By the end of the second trimester, you should pack a bag for the maternity hospital, and in addition, sign up for a course for new mothers. In such courses, women are taught not only the correct behavior in childbirth, but also the handling of a newborn baby.

In the third trimester, the fetus is already formed, even with the onset of premature birth, the child can be saved. However, normal gestation up to 40-42 weeks is the best option. Due to the large and heavy belly, the expectant mother experiences inconvenience: her back may hurt, her legs may swell, and during sleep, a woman cannot calmly change her position. On the recommendation of a doctor, you can wear a bandage for pregnant women: this is a wide elastic belt that supports the stomach. The third trimester is considered the most difficult.

Whatever the course of pregnancy, it should be remembered that this is not a disease, but a natural state for a woman. Therefore, the expectant mother should lead a familiar lifestyle, excluding only that which can harm the baby. A pregnant woman can continue to work, travel, engage in her favorite hobby. This will create a good mood for the mother, and the hormones of joy, along with the bloodstream, are transmitted to the baby. The psychological comfort of the expectant mother is no less important than compliance with other recommendations.

Pregnancy Questions and Answers - Useful articles

What to expect? How to eat? How to deal with difficulties? How to do everything right? These and many questions will be answered by Irina Alexandrovna Soleeva, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the Sadko clinic.

- How is due date calculated?

From the first day of the last menstruation. To determine the due date, 280 days are added to the first day of the last menstruation, i.e. 10 obstetrics, or 9calendar months.

Usually, the calculation of the due date is simpler: from the date of the first day of the last menstruation, 3 calendar months are counted back and 7 days are added. So, if the last menstruation began on October 2, then, counting back 3 months (September 2, August 2 and July 2) and adding 7 days, determine the expected date of birth - July 9; if the last menstruation began on May 20, then the expected due date is February 27, etc.

Expected due date can be calculated by ovulation: 14-16 days are counted back from the first day of the expected but not arrived menstruation and 273-274 days are added to the found date.

- And if you know the exact date of conception, how many days to add?

A large-scale study was conducted with a large number of pregnant women, according to various indicators, the gestational age and, accordingly, the date of birth were determined. It turned out that the woman most often remembers the date of the last menstruation. And from this fixed date, as the study showed, childbirth occurs at the 40th week ± a couple of weeks. Obstetrician-gynecologists are guided precisely by this system of calculations.

- Should I change my diet, if so, how?

4 meals a day are recommended in the first half of pregnancy, 5-6 meals a day in the second. It is better to eat often, but little by little. For healthy women, there are no forbidden foods (except alcoholic beverages), only more or less preferred ones.

So, the body absorbs easily digestible milk fats and vegetable oils better. The latter are not only a source of essential linoleic acid, but also vitamin E, which has a positive effect on the course of pregnancy.

To eliminate constipation, it is worth enriching the diet with sources of dietary fiber (fiber, pectins) - vegetables and fruits, buckwheat and oatmeal.

In the second half of pregnancy, sugar, confectionery and flour products, rice should be eaten in very small quantities. Do not get carried away with fried, spicy, salty foods, because. during this period, the liver and kidneys of a pregnant woman function with tension. It is better to prefer boiled and steamed dishes.

The main thing is to include a variety of foods in your diet: vegetables, fruits, juices - and you will provide yourself and your unborn child with everything necessary for normal development.

- I really want olives, but they are canned. Can?

It depends on the gestational age. After 20 weeks, I would not recommend eating too salty foods, including olives. And in general, any canned food is not the most suitable food for a pregnant woman. Although olives, in themselves, the product is very useful. Therefore, within reasonable limits, say, a jar can be eaten in two days.

- And the grapes?

Grapes are very well digestible. It's fructose. It is immediately absorbed and quickly raises blood sugar. But if you are overweight, it is either not recommended at all, or it is allowed in small quantities. It is allowed to eat a small brush, or you can treat yourself to something else.

For some reason, it is customary for us to believe that if you are pregnant, you have to eat for three or whatever you want. As a result, pregnant women buy grapes in boxes and eat them in kilograms. Such a diet does not lead to anything good: sugar appears in the urine, blood sugar rises, babies are born large. Moreover, a large load falls not only on the mother's pancreas, but also on the child's pancreas - the baby from birth will be predisposed to being overweight.

- Is it possible to reduce excess weight during pregnancy and cleanse your body with the help of special teas?

All cleansing teas are contraindicated during pregnancy. We have drugs that improve the functions of the liver and kidneys, which have a diuretic effect. We assign everything individually. There are no special cleansing procedures during pregnancy. However, we have fasting days - here is the best cleansing procedure for you.

- Which vitamins are best for pregnancy?

Now there is a huge selection of various vitamin complexes for pregnant women. Of course, they are all close to each other in composition. One or two components or the dosage of some vitamin differ. In order not to harm yourself and the baby, to achieve the maximum effect, each patient needs to select vitamins, based on the advice of her doctor, who controls the course of pregnancy.

- How long should I take them?

Do not take multivitamin preparations continuously. The necessary course can be selected only by a doctor, taking into account the state of your body. We have different periods when it is better to stop taking vitamins altogether. In certain weather seasons, when there is enough sun, fresh vegetables and fruits, there is no need to take vitamin complexes.

- Can I continue playing sports?

Not only possible, but necessary. From the first months of pregnancy. They will help to maintain good physical shape, and this will definitely help during childbirth, relieve excessive tension and improve mood. The main thing that you should not forget is that the training program should be specially adapted for pregnant women and should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor or an experienced instructor.

- Do I really have to push in prenatal classes? Will not diligence create the danger of premature birth?

No, there is no danger in this exercise. If there is anything to beware of, it is cycling, horseback riding, roller skating - all sports with an increased risk of injury.

- Can I take a contrast shower?

If a woman used this procedure before pregnancy. But during pregnancy, the water should not be too hot. By the way, hot baths and a bath should also be excluded.

- Can I continue to have sex while pregnant?

Each couple decides for themselves. If it gives pleasure to both, if the woman is comfortable, then you can keep your sex life almost until childbirth. Of course, too active sex will have to be excluded, and completely stopped 2-3 weeks before the birth: too vigorous sexual intercourse: it can provoke premature birth.

If earlier it was very strict: from 30-32 weeks, sexual life stops, now sex life is excluded by the doctor only if there are any deviations. After a while, he may allow you to resume intimacy. There are cases when sexual life is excluded for all 40 weeks.

- Do I need to use protection during pregnancy in order not to get pregnant again?

Very funny question. If one pregnancy has already occurred, re-conception during this period can no longer occur. The need for protection is therefore eliminated.

- Can I sleep on my stomach?

On short terms it is possible. The uterus comes out of the pelvic cavity after 12-13 weeks. Before that, it is protected by the pelvic bones, which means that we will not cause any harm to the fetus.

- So, the work of the expectant mother. Is it worth revising your working day, taking into account the new state?

Working during pregnancy is perfectly acceptable if there are no abnormalities. It is important to remember that pregnant women should not lift weights, work in heat and high humidity. Contact with harmful substances and prolonged standing should be avoided.

- Can motorists continue to drive?

You can drive a car if there are no contraindications from the doctor who monitors you during pregnancy. And it is not desirable in the later stages after 30 weeks, because there is a very strong load on the muscles of the pelvic floor, legs and arms work, concentration of attention is required - this is an additional stressful situation for your body. And of course, do not neglect the seat belt. He will not pull your stomach, but will pass under it and under your arm obliquely.

- How to deal with the symptoms of varicose veins?

It depends on the degree of varicose veins, its severity. Despite the rich selection of various drugs for internal and local action - tablets, drops, ointments - the most effective method of struggle is, nevertheless, wearing compression underwear. By the way, those who spend most of their working time sitting at a table, or vice versa, standing on their feet, should also think about the prevention of varicose veins.

It is better to stop your choice on tights: an elastic band or a stocking squeezes the leg too much, and when bandaging the legs, it is difficult to determine the necessary compression.

Tights should be selected by a doctor. A phlebologist works in our clinic. He will be able to choose the desired degree of compression.

Do not be afraid that underwear will be too tight on both legs and stomach: there are special tights for pregnant women. A special insert on the stomach fits him, supporting him, without squeezing at all.

- How to be a smoker: will not quitting a bad habit cause stress for the body if the smoking experience before pregnancy was quite long?

Smoking during pregnancy is very bad. This applies equally to active and passive smokers. The fetus develops chronic hypoxia - a constant lack of oxygen. And it primarily affects the development of brain structures. The result is deviations from the norm in mental development. Even if the violations are minor at first, in infancy, most likely, they will manifest themselves in kindergarten or school, when the maximum load falls on the child's intellect. It will be difficult for the baby to learn, to perceive some information.

Moreover, there is a growing risk of premature births, miscarriages at different stages of pregnancy. Babies are often born small.

Stories that giving up habitual smoking will become a strong stress for the body are far from the truth. Our expectant patients break this bad habit without much difficulty. Even if you regularly inhaled tobacco smoke both before and after conception, you should not think that it is still too late to quit. The harm you will do to your baby if you continue to smoke is incomparable to the reluctance to part with a cigarette.

- Where and how to find a qualified doctor who can be trusted to take care of yourself and your unborn child?

The women's health center of the clinic "SADKO" gathered the best specialists of the city: obstetricians-gynecologists, mammologists, ultrasound doctors, therapists, psychologists, exercise therapy doctors. Modern equipment of gynecology allows you to accurately and quickly carry out all the necessary diagnostics, and, if necessary, treatment. The advantages of such an integrated approach are obvious: you don’t have to go far, but the main thing is that you are served by one team, one hand. We will be happy to help both expectant mothers and those who really want to become them.