A baby begins life with his parents long before birth – from conception until the contracting uterus pushes it out into the world. The 40-week wait for the fertilized egg in the woman’s womb to to become an embryo into a fetus is the miracle called pregnancy.
The direct physical experience of carrying a living human within her body makes the joy of pregnancy especially meaningful for both the future father and mother.
Doctors usually divide the term of pregnancy into trimesters because of the characteristics that distinguish each three-month stage from the rest.
The Three Stages of Pregnancy:
FIRST TRIMESTER
It all starts when the male sperm unites with the female egg. There are women who claim to have sensed the instance of conception. For the res, however, the telltale signs of pregnancy comes a little later.
As the woman’s body readies itself for childbearing, she will notice several changes, some subtle, some obvious.
- Absence of menstruation. This is the first sign of pregnancy, although there may be other reason for missing a period which must be ruled out.
- Morning sickness, dizziness. Hormonal changes trigger attacks of nausea and sometimes vomiting. Bouts usually come very early in the day, often upon waking up, but they may occur any time of the day.
- Craving for certain food, metallic taste in the mouth. Some women have uncontrollable urges for various types of food. The cause is not yet fully known.
- Tiredness (even without heavy exertion).
- Mood swings. Hormonal changes affect the woman’s emotions. These may change unaccountably in early pregnancy and bouts of depression, listlessness, vagueness and irritability are quite common.
- Sleepiness. Hormonal changes cause the woman to crave for sleep, usually in the evening. This sleepiness is not due to fatigue.
- Headache
- Frequent Urination. As the womb expands to make room for the growing fetus, it bears down on the urinary bladder, causing a frequent urge to pass urine.
- Swelling and tender breast. The mammary glands get ready for breastfeeding after birth.
SECOND TRIMESTER
The fourth to the sixth months of pregnancy are often called the golden trimester since most of the minor discomforts of the previous three months disappear. It is also during this phase that pregnancy begins to show.
As a result of weight gain, she must now switch to more loose-fitting clothes and well-cushioned low-heeled shoes. Otherwise, she may feel tired and sometimes experience cramps in her back and legs.
As in the first trimester, the doctor must be notified if the expectant mother experiences abdominal pain, unusual cramps, bleeding, vaginal discharge, or a fever over 38 degrees Celsius.
THIRD TRIMESTER
The woman now enters the homestretch of pregnancy, and stretch she does. She feels the discomfort, aches and fatigue from carrying all that extra weight. She is often short of breath, as the fetus presses against her chest and lungs. The desire to urinate increases.
As the due date approaches, she should look out for the appearance of blood-stained mucus from the vagina, or if the “water bag” breaks, indicating that the birth process has started.
