First Trimester

Regular checkups during the first three months, or first trimester, of a pregnancy are crucial, since so many changes happen to both the mother and the baby during this time. During the first three months, pregnant women may experience nausea and vomiting and leg cramps. By the end of this trimester, your baby is about three inches long and weighs about half an ounce. It's a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider during this time about things like weight gain, exercise, and your work schedule.

First Trimester: An Overview

Congratulations! You're pregnant! Pregnancy can be a thrilling and wonderful part of a woman's life. But it can also be a little scary. Every woman has questions about what to do and what not to do in order to make sure she has a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Some women have problem-free pregnancies, but many women encounter some discomforts along the way. Over the next nine months, you will be going through many different and exciting changes, as well as some challenges. By educating yourself about pregnancy, you can learn what you need to do to keep both you and your precious baby healthy. Enjoy your new adventure!
 
You can also learn about what to expect with your pregnancy week by week by visiting any of the eMedTV week by week pregnancy articles located at the end of this article. For the first trimester, this includes the articles One Week Pregnant through 13 Weeks Pregnant.
 

Changes in Your Body

During the first three months of pregnancy, or the first trimester, your body is undergoing many changes.
 As your body adjusts to the growing baby, you may experience:
 
  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Backaches
  • Mood swings
  • Stress.
     
Just remember that these things are normal during pregnancy as your body changes. Most of these discomforts during the first trimester will go away as your pregnancy progresses -- and some women don't experience any of these things. If you have been pregnant before, you might feel differently with this pregnancy. Just as each woman is different, so is each pregnancy. And, as your body changes, you might need to make changes to your normal routine.
 
Some of the most common changes or symptoms you might experience in your first trimester are:
 

 

We explain each of these changes in the section that follows.


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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
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