1st Trimester

The pregnancy period starts from the first day of last menstruation but conception happens two weeks later. The first trimester starts from the first week and lasts up to week 12. During this trimester, you may not look like you are pregnant but many changes occur in your body in this period.

When you conceive, hormonal changes occur in your body associated with some pregnancy symptoms. You can confirm your pregnancy by any home-based test or at a health facility.

At the end of this trimester, your baby will be about 2 inches in length and 0.5 ounces in weight and its heartbeat will be loud.

First trimester symptoms

The initial symptoms to expect at this stage include morning sickness, mood swings, and tender breasts. The symptoms vary across women and hence, you may not experience all the symptoms like other women.

As your baby develops, you will experience further symptoms including constipation, weight gain, heartburn, frequent urination, and food aversions. Some women lose their appetite and may suffer weight loss instead of weight gain. You have nothing to worry about if you lose weight because it will pick up in the second and third trimester.

It is easy to dismiss all changes in your body as normal during pregnancy, especially for first-time moms. Some symptoms are abnormal and need immediate medical attention. Talk to your doctor if you suffer heavy or excessive bleeding, vision disturbances, and several abdominal pains. Other abnormal symptoms include pain while urinating, severe headache or fever, and sudden thirst.

Baby Development At this Trimester

During the 1^st trimester, the baby grows from one fertilized cell, which is referred to a zygote, to an embryo. The peach-size embryo implants itself on the uterine wall. The baby’s skin, nails, bones, and digestive system begin to develop. The sense of touch starts to develop on the face and later on the feet, hands, and genitals.

The heart begins as a tube at week 5. You can hear the baby’s heartbeat by week 9 or 10 depending on the position in the uterus. Other major developments at this pregnancy stage include brain development, sense of taste, production of white blood cells, and muscle formation.