Early pregnancy symptoms can be different for each person. For most, the discovery happens in the first month, and not by some specific sign, but by noticing that your period is late – usually the confirmation comes with a positive pregnancy test.
To create a new human being, the body and mind undoubtedly go through many changes – not to mention all the different stages of the fetus, which goes from a single-celled organism to a fully formed baby ready to live outside the womb.
Each stage of pregnancy brings different sensations and changes, and it can be daunting – especially for new moms and dads – trying to figure out what’s normal and what’s not.
Next, we describe the stages of pregnancy month by month (and also indicating the weeks, as obstetricians do), to explain what to expect from the baby’s development and also from the changes in the pregnant woman’s body.
It is important to remember that, although expected, you may not experience all the symptoms described by the report – each body reacts in different ways. The ideal is to maintain a constant dialogue with your doctor and consult him whenever doubts arise.
first trimester
Month 1 (1 to 4 weeks)
At the first medical visit, it is common for the healthcare professional to ask many questions about your family medical history. An internal pelvic exam is also performed to check the uterus, vagina and cervix and a Pap smear (to prevent cervical cancer) may be ordered if the pregnant woman has not had one in a recent period, within about a year.
Routine blood tests and urinalysis are also often done at this first time, in addition to general health assessment checks, including height, weight, and blood pressure.
Vitamins and folic acid, which contribute to the healthy formation of the baby, are recommended for pregnant women at this early stage. For safety, it’s important to share information about any medications or supplements you regularly take with your doctor or doctor.
Changes for the pregnant woman
The production of hormones during pregnancy, which begins in the first month, is a very complex subject, explains Rodrigo Buzzini, gynecologist and obstetrician and director of Grupo Santa Joana.
“Hormone production, especially HCG [que serve como indicador da gravidez], is very intense. To have a parameter, in the beginning the levels double every 48 hours and keep going up until the twelfth week”, says the expert.
This change can cause drowsiness, nausea, and make the person feel more like being secluded, without participating in many activities. “But this will depend on the individuality of each patient, taking into account their biological characteristics and psychic environment”, points out the doctor.
Some people also experience changes in appetite – which can include increased hunger but also an aversion to food.
It is necessary, however, according to the doctors consulted, that the pregnant woman continues to eat normally, in the same way as a person who is not pregnant, but taking into account that the baby will be receiving the positive or negative effects depending on the food.
baby development
At this stage, the fetus is only 0.1 to 0.2 millimeters long and is called a blastocyst. At three weeks’ gestation, the genetic material is already developed and the natural sex is determined, although it is not possible to identify it by medical tests.
With folic acid supplementation for up to 12 weeks, the risk of problems such as anencephaly, spina bifida, neural tube closure and problems with the formation of the fetus are significantly reduced.
Month 2 (5 to 8 weeks)
If this is your first visit to the doctor – some women don’t find out they are pregnant within the first month – you will receive orders for the aforementioned tests.
Weight gain and blood pressure will also be measured and monitored.
“In the sixth week, it is already possible to perform an ultrasound transvaginally, which is when we can see the gestational sac and evaluate the structures that indicate whether the pregnancy is progressing well”, says Ellen Freire, gynecologist and obstetrician at Fleury Medicina e Saúde.
changes for pregnant women
According to Freire, the woman may not feel anything, but for part of the pregnant women, it is at this stage that the “typical” symptoms of pregnancy intensify.
“They may have a drop in blood pressure, nausea and constant vomiting. We recommend redoubling food care and not self-medication.”
baby development
“Between five and six weeks, the small ‘seed’ is already 5 millimeters. Some pregnant women ask how a tiny change causes such a noticeable effect? ​​It’s because the body has entered pregnancy mode”, explains the doctor.
Facial features continue to form, as do fingers and eyes. The neural tube, the embryonic structure that will give rise to the brain and spinal cord, is now well formed. The digestive tract and sensory organs also begin to develop.
From the sixth week, the embryo’s heart begins to beat. “We were able to capture it in the ultrasound and it is a very emotional moment, it is usually when ‘the chip falls’ for the parents. In addition to being nice for the couple, it is a sign of a good pregnancy”, points out Freire.
Month 3 (9 to 12 weeks)
It’s time to go back to the office, where the doctor will listen to possible complaints and ask questions from the pregnant woman.
“We requested the morphological ultrasound of the first trimester, which shows us very important details of the fetus in relation to the placenta, shape and growth of the baby – which should already be twice the size of the first ultrasound – and for the assessment of risks of possible syndromes”, he explains. Buzzini.
Changes for the pregnant woman
The pregnant woman’s breasts grow and the areolas become darker. Depending on the pre-existing tendency in some women, acnes can arise. Appetite may begin to return and the first “pregnant cravings” appear.
“The belly also begins to emerge and it is difficult not to notice the pregnancy”, says Freire.
baby development
By the end of the third month, the fetus is about 10 centimeters long and usually weighs around 28 grams.
The arms, hands, fingers, feet and fingers are already fully constituted. Nails appear and teeth begin to form under the gum.
Reproductive organs also develop, but it is still difficult to tell the sex of the baby on ultrasound. The circulatory and urinary systems are functioning and the liver is already producing bile.
At this stage, the fetus is starting to explore its environment a bit, doing things like opening and closing its fists and mouth. “He already has good movement and it is possible to see limbs, depending on whether the sonographer will be able to reproduce the image and position of the fetus”, points out doctor Rodrigo Buzzini.
second trimester
Month 4 (13 to 16 weeks)
The pregnant woman is almost halfway through her pregnancy. This period is an important milestone in pregnancy: it is possible to find out the biological sex of the baby in an ultrasound. Due to the more advanced formation of the fetus, the chances of having a miscarriage drop significantly.
changes for pregnant women
The mother’s heart pumps blood faster to supply her and the baby’s body, which is why signs such as dizziness and shortness of breath are common. She may also experience constipation and back pain from the growing fetus.
baby development
“The organs are almost completely formed and the fetal heartbeat can now be audible through an instrument called a doppler,” says Buzzini.
Eyelids, eyebrows, eyelashes, nails and hair appear. Teeth and bones become denser.
The fetus can now perform actions such as thumb-sucking, yawning, stretching, and grimacing. The nervous system is slowly starting to function.
“The genitalia is already formed, so, depending on the position of the fetus in the ultrasound, it is already possible to find out the sex. The fetus also already has possible sensitivity to light and sounds”, says the gynecologist.
Month 5 (17 to 20 weeks)
At the end of the fifth month, the pregnant woman undergoes the second morphological examination – which is as important as the first to assess the good development of the fetus.
changes for pregnant women
Most women have gained 2.5 to 6.5 pounds by this time, and their uterus is the size of a melon. By increasing the belly, the belly button can come out to the outside.
Appetite may increase and some women experience forgetfulness, called “pregnancy brain” in English. During this phase, pregnant women may have difficulty remembering details or focusing on tasks.
baby development
“The fetus can already have sensations and hear, so we recommend listening to music and talking, to make the interaction of the extrauterine environment”, comments Buzzini.
In the ultrasound, the specialist checks the organs, with details of the heart, bladder, kidneys, among others, and counts the baby’s fingers, which can move while the mother simultaneously feels the movements of extending the limbs.
Month 6 (21 to 24 weeks)
“As the pregnant woman approaches the end of the second trimester, it is important to listen to her so she doesn’t feel fragile – and always praise pregnancy as a rich, natural, beautiful, well-designed process”, says Buzzini.
changes for pregnant women
“It is well documented that there is a high frequency of hypertensive and thyroid disorders in this phase, so we do a check”, indicates the doctor.
Most women are also tested for gestational diabetes, a metabolic condition unique to pregnancy, caused by increased insulin resistance due to pregnancy hormones.
baby development
In the uterus, a fetal echocardiogram is performed, an ultrasound specific to the fetal heart. The baby already weighs more than 1 kg, and its movements are usually felt more and more intensely by the pregnant woman.
Month 7 (25 to 28 weeks)
Conversations begin between pregnant women and health professionals about birth planning and warning signs.
changes for pregnant women
With a fetus of approximately one kilo, the mother is already heavier and may feel tired.
“Some patients comment that they feel their belly moving rhythmically – this is the baby’s hiccup, and it’s completely normal”, comments Rodrigo Buzzini.
baby development
The fetus continues to mature and develops body fat stores. Amniotic fluid starts to decrease. If born prematurely, the baby’s chances of surviving increase after the seventh month.
Third quarter
Month 8 (29 to 32 weeks)
Families enter the countdown to the arrival of the baby while the pregnant woman undergoes the classic routine tests – such as blood analysis, urine, weight check and blood pressure.
changes for pregnant women
The mother continues to gain about a pound a week and may experience discomfort when the baby moves. As he can already weigh up to two kilos, it is possible that her movements put pressure on the pregnant woman’s rib cage. She may have difficulty keeping pace with everyday activities and become more introspective.
baby development
The lungs and nervous system are in the final stage of maturation and the risk of extreme prematurity no longer exists.
Month 9 and month 10 (33 to 40 weeks)
Consultations turn biweekly or weekly. A pregnancy can take up to a tenth month – but from 37 weeks the baby is already well formed and is no longer considered premature.
In this final stretch, doctors ask for exams to prepare for delivery.
The analysis of blood, urine, and checking for the presence of group B streptococcus, the main causative agent of early sepsis (potentially fatal complication of infection) in newborns, is performed.
If it is the pregnant woman’s will, the health professional evaluates the chances of normal delivery – but the evaluation is not definitive, that is, there may be changes on the day of the baby’s arrival.
Changes for the pregnant woman
As the baby gets into a more favorable position for delivery, the mother can feel relief in the decompression of the organs and breathe more easily.
baby development
The baby’s lungs are maturing and he is losing the layer of hair that protected him in the womb. The baby’s brain grows a lot in the last month. The baby measures between 18 and 21 centimeters in length and weighs between 6 and 8 kg.
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