Pregnancy Stages | Department of Women's Health (2023)

During the first trimester, your body goes through many changes. Hormonal changes affect almost every organ system in the body. These changes can trigger symptoms even in the first weeks of pregnancy. Stopping your period is a clear sign that you are pregnant. Other changes may include:

• exhausted
• Sore and swollen breasts. Your nipples may also stick out.
• Stomach pain with or without vomiting (morning sickness)
• Cravings or disgust for certain foods
• humor changes
• Constipation (difficulty having a bowel movement)
• Need to urinate more frequently
• Headache
• Asia
• Increase weight loss

As your body changes, you may need to make changes to your daily routine, such as going to bed earlier or eating small meals often. Fortunately, most of these discomforts will disappear as the pregnancy progresses. And some women may not experience any discomfort at all! If you've been pregnant before, you may feel differently this time. Just as every woman is different, so is every pregnancy.

Most women find the second trimester of pregnancy easier than the first. But it's just as important to stay informed about your pregnancy during these months.

You may notice that symptoms such as nausea and fatigue go away. But right now there are other new and more noticeable changes taking place in your body. Your abdomen will expand as the baby continues to grow. And before this trimester is over, you'll feel your baby start to move!

As your body changes to make room for your growing baby, you may have:

• Body aches, such as pain in the back, abdomen, groin, or thigh
• Stretch marks on the abdomen, breasts, thighs or buttocks
• Darkening of the skin around the nipples
• A line on the skin that runs from the belly button to the pubic hairline.
• Patches of darker skin, usually on the cheeks, forehead, nose, or upper lip. The patches are often combined on both sides of the face. This is sometimes called the mask of pregnancy.
• Numb or tingling hands, called carpal tunnel syndrome
• Itching in abdomen, palms and soles.(Call your doctor if you experience nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice, or fatigue combined with itching. These could be signs of a serious liver problem.)
• Swelling of the ankles, fingers and face.(If you notice sudden or extreme swelling or gain a lot of weight very quickly, call your doctor right away. This could be a sign ofpreeclampsia.)

You are in the final stretch! Some of the same discomfort that you had in the second trimester will continue. Also, many women find it difficult to breathe and need to go to the bathroom more often. This is because the baby is growing and putting more pressure on her organs. Don't worry, your baby is fine and these problems will go away when she gives birth.

Some new body changes you might notice in the third trimester include:

• Shortness of breath
• Asia
• Swelling of ankles, fingers and face.(If you notice sudden or extreme swelling or gain a lot of weight very quickly, call your doctor right away. This could be a sign ofpreeclampsia.)
• Hemorrhoids
• Tender breasts, which may leak previous watery milk called colostrum (kuh-LOSS-struhm)
• Your belly button may stick out
• trouble sleeping
• The baby "dropping" or moving into your abdomen
• Contractions, which can be a sign ofreal or fake job

As the due date approaches, the cervix becomes thinner and softer (called effacement). This is a normal and natural process that helps the birth canal (vagina) open during delivery. Your doctor will check your progress with a vaginal exam as you get closer to your due date. Cheer up, the final countdown has begun!

First trimester (week 1-week 12)

Nofour to fiveweeks:

Noochoweeks:

No12weeks:

Second trimester (week 13-week 28)

Nosixteenweeks:

No20weeks:

No24weeks:

Third trimester (week 29-week 40)

No32weeks:

No36weeks:

weeks37–40: