Trimester 1: the most important phase of pregnancy for both mother and fetus

After confirming a positive pregnancy, the next thing to prepare for is a variety of changes during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. At this time, pregnancy hormones continue to be produced in large quantities to maintain the uterus for the next 9 months. Here are things that need to be understood further about pregnancy in the 1st trimester.

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Changes felt by the mother in the 1st trimester of pregnancy

The official first trimester starts from the first day of the last menstrual period until the end of the 13th week.

The second trimester starts from week 14 to week 27. The third trimester starts from the 28th to 42nd week of pregnancy.

In early pregnancy, the stomach does not look big and often does not realize that you are pregnant with your little one.

However, in fact, the body has begun to show the characteristics of a young pregnancy to support the growth of the placenta and fetus.

Here are some complaints of pregnant women that are felt in early pregnancy:

• Blood streaks appear from the vagina
• Breast pain
• Constipation
• Cravings
• Urinating frequently
• Mood easy to change
• Morning sickness
• Changes in skin condition (may be drier or oilier depending on the pregnancy hormones)
• You can see blue veins in the area of ​​the abdomen, breasts and legs.
• Weight gain.
• Changes to the vagina

During pregnancy, the vaginal lining becomes thicker and less sensitive.

Pregnant women can experience vaginal discharge and light bleeding such as spotting and this is normal during the first trimester. However, if the blood comes out too much, consult a doctor immediately.

Pregnant women also experience frequent urination. Avoid holding it because of the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI).

If you want to confirm the age of the pregnancy, you can check with your doctor or calculate it yourself with a pregnancy calculator.

Fetal development in 1st trimester

A week after fertilization occurs, the zygote (future embryo) will stick to the uterine wall. Along with the implantation process, placental tissue has also begun to form in the 1st trimester.

The following is the development of the fetus during the 1st trimester of pregnancy, namely:

First month (1-4 weeks)

During the first month, the zygote has developed into an embryo (future fetus) until finally it becomes a fetus.

At 4 weeks gestation, a number of vital organs of the fetus will begin to grow.

Starting from the brain, spinal cord, nervous system, to the eyes, ears and nose. The fetal heart has also developed and started beating from now on.

At the end of week 4, your little one will be the size of a green bean seed or about 2 millimeters.

Second month (5-8 weeks)

In the first trimester, to be precise in the second month of pregnancy, the organs that were still growing have now shown their shape and begin to function even though they are not optimal.

The genitals have also begun to form, but we cannot confirm the gender of the prospective baby.

In this one trimester, several other body parts such as the limbs, mouth and lips, and head, begin to form completely.

At the end of 7 to 8 weeks, the embryo can be called a fetus because it already has a clear body and face shape. The fetus also has the embryo showing its reflexes to its mother.

The fetus has also started to gain weight. At the end of 8 weeks of gestation, the fetus's weight is expected to reach 1.1 grams as big as red beans with a length of about 2.7 cm.

Third month (9-13 weeks)

In the third month of the 1st trimester of pregnancy, fetal tooth buds have started to appear.

Then, other parts such as fingers and nails, mouth, genitals, vocal cords, and salivary glands begin to form completely.

The fetus is able to open its mouth. The fetal heart is also working perfectly.

During this third month, bone cells are first formed to replace cartilage.

Then the fetal spine that was formed from cartilage will turn into hard bone at the end of the 13th week.

The fetus is also able to move, but pregnant women cannot feel it.

Reporting from the Women's Health page, at the end of the first trimester, the fetus weighs almost 30 grams with a length of 7 cm.

Bad conditions that can occur in the 1st trimester

During the first trimester, pregnant women will go through major changes.

Generally, these symptoms are normal and indicate the body is preparing for pregnancy for the next 9 months. Most women also have healthy pregnancies.

However, there are some bad conditions that can occur during the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Some of them are:

1. Miscarriage

Spotting blood and abdominal cramps are two classic symptoms of pregnancy in the 1st trimester. However, if the bleeding is profuse and the cramps are very painful, this could be a sign of a miscarriage.

Quoting from the Mayo Clinic, 80 percent of miscarriage cases occur in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Even 50 percent of pregnancies that fail are experienced by women who are not aware that they are already pregnant. This condition is called premature miscarriage early miscarriage , a very common complication in the 1st trimester.

2. Hyperemesis gravidarum

Morning sickness or feeling nauseous during pregnancy is not a problem to worry about and will stop at 6 weeks of pregnancy.

However, if it is very severe to the extent of the vomiting volume and lasts more than 13 weeks of gestation, see a doctor immediately.

Severe nausea and vomiting can signal hyperemesis gravidarum in the 1st trimester.

Vomiting that interferes with daily activities can lead to drastic weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance.

If this continues, it will not only affect the health of pregnant women but also hinder the intake of nutrients the fetus receives.

3. High fever

Rising body temperature is one of the most common features of pregnancy in the 1st trimester.

However, a high fever that is more than 38 degrees Celsius and lasts a long time needs to see a doctor immediately.

Quoting from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), women who experience fever before or during early pregnancy tend to have babies with neural tube defects.

But in the same report, women who had a fever but consumed 400 mcg of folic acid daily, did not have an increased risk of a neural tube birth defect.

Pregnancy checks that must be done in the 1st trimester

After getting the results test pack positive, it is necessary to carry out further examinations to the obstetrician.

Pregnancy checks at an obstetrician must be done immediately after at least 3 weeks of late menstruation.

The goal is to make sure that you are really pregnant and that the pregnancy is confirmed by means of a urine test or an HCG blood test.

After it is confirmed that you are pregnant, the doctor will perform an ultrasound or ultrasound for the first time to make sure the fetus's heart is beating and in a healthy condition.

Another test is an examination to see the risk of the baby having certain chromosomal abnormalities, such as down syndrome (trisomy 21) and trisomy 18.

However, these test results only show you have a risk of having a baby with the condition down syndrome and trisomy 18. Not that your little one will actually have either of these conditions.

In the first trimester, the doctor will also determine the due date of birth (HPL).

Changes in sexual arousal in the 1st trimester of pregnant women

Pregnant women experience unstable hormonal changes, nausea, fatigue and several other pregnancy complaints.

These conditions sometimes make pregnant women reluctant to have sex during pregnancy.

However, there are also some women who actually feel that pregnancy arouses their sexual arousal.

This is also caused by hormones that become higher in levels during pregnancy, so that the tendency to want to have sex increases.

The increase in the hormone estrogen will increase blood flow around the intimate area and cause the intimate organs to be more sensitive.

There are several medical conditions that cause you and your partner not to have sex, namely:

• There is bleeding from the vagina in pregnant women,
• Your water breaks
• Other problems during or having sex during pregnancy.

To avoid dangerous risks when having sex, make sure you have regular pregnancy checks at your obstetrician.

This is a way to find out if there are pregnancy problems such as placenta previa, bleeding, or if there is a previous history of miscarriage.

For sex positions during the 1st trimester of pregnancy, it can be standing, sitting, on your back, or on your stomach. If tired, missionary position and sideways position like spooning is the most comfortable sex position.

Nutrition that must be fulfilled in the 1st trimester

There is no need to eat excessive portions after testing positive for pregnancy. In this 1st trimester, pregnant women only need an additional 300 calories. So, the food portion is slightly exaggerated.

• Calcium (milk, cheese, butter, broccoli, pokcoy)
• Vitamin D (Salmon, pasteurized milk, and orange juice)
• Protein (chicken, lean beef, fish, nuts, milk and dairy products, tempeh, tofu, and cooked eggs)
• Iron

The most important point is to get some nutrition for pregnant women in the first trimester through choosing healthy foods for pregnant women.

Things to Do in the 1st Trimester of Pregnancy

In addition to paying attention to nutrition during young pregnancy or the first trimester, you also need to do a number of things to support the health of both mother and baby.

Take prenatal vitamins

Taking prenatal vitamins, in particular, folic acid vitamins, which are very important to reduce the risk of birth defects and spinal disorders, such as spina bifida.

At least, pregnant women need 400-600 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid (vitamin B9) supplements every day during the first trimester.

Apart from folic acid, pregnant women will also need to meet the needs of 10 mcg of vitamin D every day. You need to take additional supplements to get the vitamins you can't get from food.

Start looking for the right doctor or midwife

Determining the suitability of an obstetrician or midwife will be very important for the health of the mother and the baby.

If you already have trusted medical professionals, you can consult comfortably.

But if not, seek recommendations from trusted people, from valid health forums, or ask for advice from your family general practitioner.

Make an appointment for a pregnancy checkup consultation

After finding the right obstetrician or midwife, immediately make an appointment for an obstetric consultation as soon as possible.

You should have had at least one consultation around the 8th week of pregnancy.

During the consultation, the health worker will carry out various examinations, such as:

• Ask about health and lifestyle history, including previous pregnancy history (if any).
• Provides information on how to care for and take care of yourself during pregnancy, such as starting to manage a healthy diet and exercising safely.
• Check blood pressure.
• Measures height and weight, calculates body mass index (BMI).
• Test for a sexually transmitted infection (if not, ask for one).
• Predicts the estimated day of birth (HPL) of the baby. It is customary for doctors to set a date of birth via ultrasound.

If you are taking medication to treat a health condition (ranging from mild to chronic), avoid stopping the dose suddenly.

Talk to your doctor about a list of medicines that are being used, and find out which ones are safe and which are not.

Keep exercising

Even though you're pregnant in the first trimester, you need to keep exercising.

Generally, pregnant women are encouraged to physically train by walking, swimming, or yoga specifically for pregnancy. Ask your doctor and find out information on sports for pregnant women that are safe in the 1st trimester of pregnancy.

Quit smoking and drinking alcohol

If you have been doing these two things before you became pregnant, stop immediately as soon as your doctor confirms you are pregnant. Do not continue this bad habit until pregnancy in the 1st trimester.

The reason is, smoking and drinking alcohol during the first trimester of pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage and birth defects.

Research health insurance

While still in the first trimester of pregnancy, immediately determine whether personal or office insurance facilitates the cost of pregnancy care and delivery costs.

Find out by contacting the insurer or discussing it with the office's HR manager.

Things to remember: before planning discussions with HRD at work, don't forget to also make sure to find out the rights to maternity leave and maternity leave.

If you don't have health insurance, find out how you can get financial help to start planning accordingly.

Pay attention if you want to fast during the 1st trimester of pregnancy

We recommend that before deciding to fast, pregnant women should check with a doctor first, whether your condition and the fetus allow it.

When deciding to fast, pay attention to the adequacy of the nutrients consumed.

Even though you are fasting, the nutritional intake that pregnant women should get are:

• 50 percent carbohydrates
• 25 percent protein
• 10-15 percent healthy fats

Do not forget the intake of vitamins and minerals which are also important for mother and fetus.

Pregnant women also need to regulate their rest properly so that they don't cause stress and interfere with health.

There is no need to continue fasting if your condition shows an unfavorable condition such as nausea, dizziness, excessive weakness and others.

The obstetrician will provide advice according to the condition of the pregnant woman and the fetus. If fasting is allowed, pay attention to nutritional intake so that it remains healthy and the fetus can develop properly.