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 During your first
visit, a health history of you and your family will be taken. You will
undergo a complete physical examination including a pap test and vaginal
cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea. If any test result requires
immediate attention, you will be notified as soon as possible. You will
always have questions for the doctor, so please write them down and
bring them to your visits.
At every
regular obstetrical visit, you will be asked to give a urine sample, you
will be weighed and your blood pressure will be taken. You can expect to
hear a heartbeat between 10 - 12 weeks gestation. During your prenatal
visits, uterine size will be measured in order to ensure that your baby
is growing properly. In the first 7 months, you will be seen
approximately once per month.
Bleeding is fairly common in the first trimester, especially after
intercourse. Bleeding associated with miscarriage tends to be heavier
than a menstrual blood flow, and is associated with strong cramping. If
you have this type of bleeding, call your doctor first before going to
the hospital unless it is after hours.
By your seventh
week, the embryo has doubled in size from just the week before. It’s
about as big as a small bean. Already, it resembles a microscopic baby
with a brain, heart, and limbs. Its head is nearly as big as its body,
which has some catching up to do. Your health care provider may suggest
an ultrasound; this procedure is considered to be safe for the
developing fetus. In addition, an ultrasound done today may even be able
detect fetal heart motion.
Although you
may not feel your best, none of your symptoms will make the baby
uncomfortable. In fact, your indigestion has a positive effect on your
baby-to-be. Food slows down as it travels through the body, which may
result in gastrointestinal problems for you, but allows nutrients to be
more readily absorbed by the baby. Wearing loose fitting clothes, and
eating frequent, small meals may help to decrease your discomfort.
By nine weeks,
your baby has grown to between one half an inch to an inch. It now
weighs in at a whopping one gram. Even though you won’t feel the baby
move until the second trimester, he or she is very active at this point.
It is, in truth, a "he" or "she" as testes and ovaries have formed. An
ultrasound cannot identify gender yet, as external genitalia still
appears sexless.
Because most
miscarriages occur in the first trimester, you may be feeling nervous
and be eager to advance to the second trimester. One good sign is the
identification of the heartbeat, either by the practitioner’s doppler,
or by ultrasound.
As you approach
the end of your first trimester, your baby is three inches long and
weighs in at 14 grams. It has the ability to swallow, absorb, and
discharge fluids. Hands are formed and fingernails are in progress. Your
baby even has tooth buds. The 12th week is an important one as the
placenta takes over hormone production. By the 13th week, vocal cords
are nearly formed, although it will be some time before your little one
blurts out the word, "mommy."
The first
trimester can be trying, both physically and emotionally. Appreciating
that your body is responsible for this incredible feat of baby
development, from organ formation to complex brain circuitry, makes it
all worthwhile. In just a few weeks, you’ll be reacquainted with two old
friends: energy and enthusiasm!
Dr. Tara Solomon
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