New Health Guide
Pregnancy is a physiologic transition that brings a lot of emotions and different feelings in the expecting mommies. However, the emotions of anxiety and stress usually overshadow the feelings of happiness and excitement in women who are becoming pregnant for the first time and that's why we have devised this week to week guide for you so that you can know with precision what's happening inside your body, what symptoms will you experience during the first week of pregnancy, how is your baby developing and what cautions you must take for a safer pregnancy.
Most females don’t even realize that they may become pregnant during this week or by next cycle. Moreover, little is known about the actual time of conception and for this reason, healthcare providers typically count the conception from your last cycle. It may sound surprising but in clinical terms, your pregnancy is evaluated before the conception even occurs. So according to this calculation, during the first 2 weeks of pregnancy, the egg may not be fertilized yet.
The development of baby hasn’t yet begun. During first week, maternal hormonal level rises and helps in maturation of a bunch of eggs (also known as follicles). During this maturation process, one egg grow slightly more than other eggs and is known as graafian follicle. This later ovulates and fuses with sperm to form the zygote.
However, if we calculate the pregnancy starting from the actual day of conception, not from your last cycle (as doctors do), during the first week (which corresponds roughly to week four of pregnancy), no noticeable physical symptoms will take place. However, you will experience some internal changes such as digestive problems like constipation, gas and nausea. Other signs include fatigue, tender breasts, mood swings and morning sickness. Again, some may feel the symptoms and body changes, others will not.
It is always recommended to book your appointment with your healthcare professional to get a preliminary evaluation of your physical health (in terms of your weight, medical conditions) before getting pregnant. Healthcare providers also suggest booking a pre conception appointment with a gynecologist or obstetrician to discuss in detail about any personal or family history that may influence pregnancy or health of your baby. Likewise speak to your doctor regarding incorporating healthy habits and lifestyle changes that may help in optimizing your health and well being of your child. Most importantly, you should start taking 400 microgram or 0.4 mg of folic acid even before you conceive. Folic acid supplementation helps in minimizing the risk of neural tube defects.
| Week 2 | |
|---|---|
| During the second week, your body temperature levels, estrogen levels, and hormone levels are rising. Also the endometrium level in the uterus is increasing to nourish the baby. You also begin to develop a strong immune system, as well as developing circular group(s) of lymphoids. It’s likely for you to feel a ‘one-sided’ pain, as the ovaries are growing and ripening an egg for ovulation. The uterine line is thickening and this is when a woman is most fertile for conception. |
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| Week 3 | |
| Mother |
This is the week when conception takes place (sperm fuse the egg) and zygote divides successively to give rise to your baby some 37 weeks later. As per your pregnancy related symptoms, you may not experience any symptoms during this week (but it is time to prepare yourself mentally for a long period of surprises- obviously some may be pleasant while other not as pleasant). 3rd week of pregnancy corresponds to a week prior to your expected menstrual cycle. |
| Baby |
The development of baby is still in very primitive stages; however major development is expected in coming weeks. Your baby is just a 2-celled structure that will undergo extensive division due to cell multiplication to form 4-called and 8- called structure and eventually a 100- celled structure before the zygote (product of sperm and egg) is implanted into endometrial lining. |
| Tips |
Some women are very anxious (especially those who are planning a pregnancy. If you are also anxious to know the results, try out home - pregnancy tests (the results are as precise as the tests conducted in the doctor’s office or laboratory). Make sure to follow the instruction as is in order to find out precisely about the status. |
| Week 4 | |
| Mother |
You will not experience the classic pregnancy symptoms like nausea, vomiting or dizziness during this week; however, some non specific symptoms that may suggest early pregnancy are increased frequency of urination, mood swings, gas, abdominal tenderness, constipation, dyspepsia and dizziness. |
| Baby |
This is the time where implantation begins (the zygote – that has been growing at a very rapid pace) erode the walls of endometrium to prevent itself from trauma or damage. The thick walls of endometrium acts as a cushion or shock absorber. The growth of the zygote helps in the formation of two cell layers (the outer cell layers form the future placenta – the source of attachment of the baby to maternal body to get nourishment and nutrition, while the inner cell layer forms the baby). |
| Tips |
This is the time when you should start making a conscious effort in trying to eat healthy and pay extra attention to your overall well-being. This includes healthy foods that are balanced and contain all essential nutrients. Speak to your healthcare provider regarding any nutritional supplements (especially Folic acid, Calcium, iron and Vitamin B12 supplements). In addition, you need at least 300 extra calories in your diet than non-pregnant state (speak to a nutritionist to seek advice in the formulation of a diet and calorie chart). Maintain healthy lifestyle and if you are a social or habitual smoker or alcohol consumer, make sure to maintain total abstinence in order to minimize the risk of fetal anomalies. |
| End of First Month | |
| Towards the end of first month, your baby is still very small (but it managed to grow from the size of a pin-head to about the size of a rice grain (corresponds to ¼ of an inch). Moreover, your baby has a vague demarcation of face (that shows poorly defined but distinct spots for future eyes, nose and oral cavity. Systemic formation and functioning has not yet started but in the beginning of next week, the development of circulatory system usually starts. |
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Here is a video that may help you in further understanding more about the first month of pregnancy in detail:
