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1st Trimester (0-12 wk)

Getting Through the First Trimester

The first three months of pregnancy are remarkable time for a soon to be mother. During that time you will experience lots of symptoms, feelings and emotions, and that’s a good thing. Getting through this first trimester is easier for some and more difficult for others. Here are some common questions and trends as well as a list of common symptoms and typical tests. Not Everything described applies to Every Pregnancy.

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Positive Urine Pregnancy Test – a home urine test MAY be positive as soon as a few days before the missed period.

Due Date – We calculate due date based on the first day of the last NORMAL period if periods have been regular, monthly and predictable. In other cases we use ultrasound to determine the due date. The due date is at 40 weeks of gestation. Something to keep in mind is that Weeks Don’t Match Months! If the period is accurate, we count weeks from the First Day of bleeding during your last period…[read more]

Blood Pregnancy Test – The blood pregnancy test is most useful in patients who are not certain about the date of the last normal period, for any reason. This test is also important for women having pain or bleeding early in pregnancy. The blood pregnancy test result is a number (or level of hCG – Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) rather than just a positive or negative. If the number is low, it may be too early to see the fetus and heart beat with ultrasound. A low number result is typically repeated once, or maybe twice. An ultrasound is then scheduled according to how fast the number is rising and/or the number itself.

Your First Ultrasound – Seven or eight weeks after the missed period is the most reliable time to do the early ultrasound of pregnancy. We confirm the due date by ultrasound once a fetus AND heartbeat are seen. “How far along” is based on fetal size, the crown rump length. Sometimes an ultrasound is done before the heartbeat is visible.  A fetus measuring 5 or 6 weeks may not have a visible heartbeat. A 7 week fetus MUST have a visible heartbeat…[read more]

Nausea and Vomiting – Morning sickness ranges from mid and annoying to severe and debilitating. There is mild occasional nausea, the morning vomit, all day nausea with unpredictable vomiting, multiple vomiting episodes each day… all the way to “I can’t keep anything down, not even sips of water.” Medication options are available as symptoms get worse…[read more]

When can I post it to my page?  When to TELL EVERYONE – It may be best to wait until 12 or 13 weeks, the equivalent of three months, before telling everyone about the pregnancy. It can be difficult to wait, especially when a woman is feeling either nauseous and crummy or excited, or both. It can be even more difficult to explain “what happened” if there is early miscarriage. Once the pregnancy has progressed past the three month mark the chance of miscarriage is much lower.

Miscarriage: What You Should Know

The chance of early miscarriage in any pregnancy is around 15%, or 1 in 7.  That is, unfortunately, A LOT.  What you should understand is that miscarriage is common, and mostly random.  It is almost impossible to prevent early miscarriage, and its almost impossible to cause an early miscarriage.  But rest assured that activities like sex and exercise do not cause miscarriages.  Once we see a heartbeat on an ultrasound, the chance of miscarriage goes down to about 5%, or 1 in 20.

Preventing Early Miscarriage – This is a very complex and controversial topic. There are many theories and ideas but few research-proven methods or medicines are shown to prevent early miscarriage. And, for those women who have already had a miscarriage it can get even more confusing. If you have concerns about sustaining your pregnancy please don’t be afraid to ask.