Definition
Congratulations! You are either already pregnant or you are definitely planning to become a mother as soon as possible. In the coming months, you will be both a witness and an actress of important events that will have as their subject your body that will miraculously transform to be able to host the new life. Together we will review the most important events that mark not only your child’s journey from the single cell stage to birth, but also the physical and mental changes your body will undergo during this period. At the same time, we will try to find together the conduct of a way of life that you will have to adopt, whether the pregnancy will proceed normally or different problems will appear.
It is no secret that a normal pregnancy lasts 9 months. Most women calculate their pregnancy in months. This is the most widespread and easiest way to express the age of a pregnancy.
Obstetricians, however, usually divide the pregnancy period into three smaller periods, called trimesters, each with an approximate duration of three months, or more precisely, 12-13 weeks. This method of division, which practically does not concern you and which may seem arbitrary at first sight, is based on guidelines of an order for obstetricians, as the periods of development or viability of the fetus can be perfectly related to these time intervals. For example, in the first trimester of pregnancy, the development of most of the child’s organs takes place, and also during this period there is the highest risk that something will go wrong and a miscarriage will occur.
If you catch a discussion between two obstetricians, you will notice with some surprise that they calculate the progression of your pregnancy in weeks, and not anyway, but starting with the first day of the last period. In this light, a normal pregnancy lasts 40 weeks on average.
In the first 8 weeks after fertilization, respectively 10 weeks after the last menstruation, your child is called an embryo. During this period, the major organs of the child’s body are formed, but they are incompletely developed. After this embryonic period and until the moment of birth, your child will be called a fetus.
We will not be able to cover in this section all the symptoms, problems, treatment methods, etc., that may appear or are necessary during pregnancy. Despite all the information read here or in certain popularization or even specialized books, do not forget that pregnancy is an extremely complex “adventure” that can surprise anyone, obstetrician or future parent. If problems arise, do not forget to contact your doctor. So, are you ready to travel? Perfect! Let’s discuss the first(1st) month pregnancy details below.
Table of Content
1. Definition
2. The first month of pregnancy
3. Mother: signs and symptoms
4. How does the embryo develop?
5. What are your responsibilities?
6. Problems that may arise
The first month of pregnancy
Paradoxically, although the first month is one of the most important of the nine that a normal pregnancy has, most women do not need to read about what happens during this month because, when they realize they are pregnant , they are already in the fourth week of pregnancy! There are still a large number of women who either carefully plan the month in which they will become pregnant or try month after month to conceive a child, and for whom this information is essential. And there is certainly a large number of women eager to find out what happens during this period in the idea that at some point they will want to become mothers too.
During these months you will notice changes both in your body and in your psyche. In the first month, extremely important events take place from the point of view of the development of the embryo . Also in this month, problems can arise that vary from simple, mild symptoms noticed only by the mother, to serious events, the most dramatic of which is pregnancy loss, abortion. Also Read: What Happens Second(2nd) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Mother: signs and symptoms
The delay of menstruation is the most important sign in pregnancy. If you have a regular cycle that “failed” to appear on the calculated date and if in the preceding period you had unprotected sex (either by accident or premeditated), it is very likely that this delay is due to the existence of a pregnancy. But, be careful, not every delay in the cycle can be attributed to pregnancy… Stress, various inflammatory conditions or ovarian cysts, etc., can cause such sporadic delays. However, it is also possible that the reverse side of the medal, that is, during the expected period of menstruation, a minor bleeding may occur, which many women interpret as menstruation (this bleeding is caused by the implantation of the embryo in the uterine mucosa).
Morning sickness . Surely this is the most publicized and well-known symptom of a pregnancy . More than once I think you have noticed that it is used to suggest the existence of a pregnancy in who knows what heroine from South American soap operas. However, contrary to what the name may suggest, these ailments do not appear only in the morning, but can make their presence felt at any time during the day. Also, not all pregnant women have this unpleasant symptom, but only 50%. But what exactly causes this nausea? Somewhere at the level of the brain stem (segment of the central nervous system, the host of numerous vital centers and reflexes) is the area that controls vomiting and the feeling of nausea. This area is stimulated by the increased levels of hCG (hormone secreted by the embryonic cells that will form the future placenta and found in the blood in the first trimester of pregnancy). There is also a reflex relaxation of the muscles of the digestive tract, resulting in sluggish digestion. Also Read: What Happens Third(3rd) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Changes in the breasts , which can be similar to those in the premenstrual period, but this time much more accentuated: the breasts seem full and tense, sensitive or even painful to the touch, the venous pattern on the surface of the breast starting to become more pronounced, the areola starts to become dark in color, and the small glands at its level begin to enlarge.
Fatigue . You will notice that you no longer have the same energy to do certain usual activities such as climbing stairs or walking a certain distance, not to mention the fact that you can hardly stay awake until certain late hours of the night. Fatigue occurs because the body uses huge amounts of energy to manage the development of a new organism as best as possible, in parallel with providing sufficient resources for the functioning of the mother’s body (which is also in full transformation process). Another cause of this state of fatigue is – it seems – the increased levels of progesterone in the blood, with a sedative effect.
Excessive salivation , scientifically called ptyalism , is a frequent symptom in pregnancy. It is more common in women who also have morning sickness. It disappears after a few months.
Frequent urination . This symptom occurs because the bladder can become extremely irritable due to pelvic congestion due to increased levels of progesterone and hCG. Also, the kidneys work more efficiently during pregnancy, having to deal with the increased volume of fluids of the maternal body that must be filtered, as well as the increased amount of products resulting from the metabolism of the two organisms, maternal and fetal.
Cravings for certain foods . The classic scene from movies or novels of the pregnant woman asking to eat pickles to satisfy her cravings is testimony to the popularity of this symptom. Not only does the desire to eat sour food appear, but sometimes the pregnant woman may paradoxically desire foods that she has never tasted. Also Read: What Happens Fourth(4th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Behavioral disorders . They can vary from a state of intense happiness at a certain moment to the appearance of an inexplicable state of crying in the next second. You can be irrationally irritable with your partner one day, and extremely affectionate with your otherwise insufferable boss or colleague the next. This emotional lability is incredibly frequent during pregnancy. Depression occurs less frequently . Its symptoms are sleep disorders, mental fatigue, changes in eating style, loss of interest in daily activities. Nowadays, more and more pregnant women wonder why they are depressed when they should be in the ninth heaven. A series of factors seem to influence the emotional state of the pregnant woman: socio-economic stress, cases of personality disorders in the family, lack of emotional support, anxiety about the child’s health, etc.
Aversions to certain foods or smells . Certain strong smells such as those of garlic, fish or coffee, can be difficult for you and instantly trigger a state of nausea . Some pregnant women may complain that certain odors used before pregnancy can no longer be tolerated. The house dog smells worse and you can’t stand its presence in bed, your favorite perfume can give you headaches or even the male smell of your husband can make you repulse. The child’s protective mechanisms can be triggered, so the smell of cigarettes or smoking, the smell of coffee or alcohol consumption can make you feel bad.
How does the embryo develop?
Regarding the staging of embryonic development, an extremely important clarification must be made. In general, embryonic development is studied by embryologists, who measure the age of the embryo starting with the moment of fertilization. From a clinical point of view, this moment of fertilization cannot be established with certainty, so obstetricians take as a reference the only certain date, namely the date of the last menstruation (UM). Thus, the age of a pregnancy differs from the embryological point of view from the obstetrician’s point of view. The age of amenorrhoea (that is, the lack of menstruation) calculated by clinicians is equal to the embryological age (from the supposed moment of fertilization) to which two weeks are added. In what follows, we will not make a rigorous division of the age of pregnancy, especially since we are discussing it in the light of its division into calendar months (each month represents approximately four and a half weeks). Also Read: What Happens Fifth(5th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Starting with the moment of fertilization and until the 8th week (tenth from the last menstruation), your child is called an embryo . The embryo spends the first 6 days (that is, up to a week before the period when your period is due) multiplying the number of cells it is made of and traveling along the fallopian tube to the uterine cavity where it will implant . Part of its cells will form the placenta, and another part will constitute the actual embryo (which towards the end of the month has the shape of a double disc). The third week of embryo development (and the last of the month) is marked by the appearance of the third embryonic layer, simultaneously with the establishment of the cranial pole (where the head will be) and the caudal pole. Also then, the embryo’s future nervous system will begin to develop. It is deeply implanted in the uterine mucosa and has already begun to establish contact with the maternal circulation, laying the foundations for the future placental circulation.
What are your responsibilities?
The first thing you should do when you suspect that you are pregnant (or find out for sure that it is), is to call the doctor who will follow you during the pregnancy and who will assist you during the birth . You will be faced with two situations:
1. Most of the time, considering that the pregnancy is just beginning and the cells of the embryo are dividing without affecting your anatomy too much, it is possible that your obstetrician will not want to see you until the pregnancy has eight weeks, if not ten. In this case, the best thing to do before meeting him is to ask yourself some questions:
– What kind of lifestyle do I have? Is my life stressful? Should I give up certain vices that I consider minor (smoking, drinking alcohol or coffee)?
– Is my diet sufficient from a qualitative point of view? But quantitatively, should I eat more?
– Do I intend to work as much during pregnancy?
– Is life with my partner harmonious?
– Should I tell my friends or work about the fact that I’m pregnant? Also Read: What Happens Six(6th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
The stress
I think it is unnecessary to emphasize the fact that stress is an unpleasant problem even when you are not pregnant, so even more so during pregnancy when stress can be devastating for the development of the child, especially in the first weeks when the greatest number of spontaneous abortions . If you want to find out how important every day is in the development of the embryo, and later of the fetus, I will give you a meditation topic by telling you something interesting… Read and then think about what kind of life you lead and how it can to influence the development of your future child.
Scientists have come to the conclusion that the intrauterine development of the human organism, from the cell stage to the stage of the fetus ready to face life outside on its own, recapitulates the development of life on Earth, from its appearance in the form of a simple cell to at the appearance of the human (indeed, most of you know that the human embryo goes through several stages: it starts with the single cell, at a certain moment the embryo has a kind of gills, like a fish, later it even appears and a tail, which resorbs over time, and before taking its final human form, it will resemble a monkey).
Of course, you remember that intrauterine life lasts approximately 40 weeks, i.e. 280 days. Life appeared on Earth 280 million years ago. Interesting, right? So, extrapolating, we could say that every day of the embryo’s life can be compared to a million years of the development of life on Earth!
So, before you fight with your life partner for who knows what, before you light a cigarette, drink alcohol, before you eat who knows what preparation full of chemical additives, before you take a medicine without consult your doctor, or when you come back from work and feel that everything is falling apart around you and you want to take the world into your head, think about the little life that is developing inside you and that depends entirely on your attitude . Set your priorities and put yourself and your child first, and the rest second, without neglecting social, domestic or work responsibilities. You can do all of them in the most relaxed way possible.
Diet
You can believe it or not, but what you eat and how much you eat during pregnancy will not only affect the health and development of your child, but will also determine how much weight you will keep after birth. A new life is developing inside you. It is best to provide her with as much “living” food as possible, as many natural foods as possible, full of vitamins: milk, cheeses, eggs, fruits, vegetables , seeds , honey, pollen, etc. Avoid heavy meats, semi-prepared foods and those with many E’s in the composition as much as possible. Eat a lot of cereals (graham or rye bread, rice, muesli, etc.). It is best to eat a moderate, high-quality meal six times a day. Eat slowly and calmly, chew well, don’t talk or get angry during the meal. Often an additional intake of vitamins , calcium, iron and especially folic acid is necessary, and for this it is enough to choose from the products with prenatal vitamins , available in any pharmacy, but not before asking your doctor for advice.
Announcing the happy event
Most doctors, but also women who have been pregnant before, will advise you to keep this news to yourself and your partner for the time being. The first three months of pregnancy represent a rather delicate period both for the development of the embryo and for your mental and emotional balance. From the moment of fertilization until the embryo exceeds 12 weeks of life, it is possible that your body is not yet prepared to host a pregnancy and thus a spontaneous abortion may occur. It is very painful to go through the trauma caused by the loss of a pregnancy, it is better to avoid unpleasant situations in which you have to explain to others a possible abortion. It is better to announce the happy event after making sure that everything is going well. Also, if you work, it is better to tell your boss about the pregnancy only when it becomes physically visible (except for cases when you have a physical job), to avoid problems of possible discrimination. Also Read: What Happens Seven(7th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Effort
In general, it is good not to do any kind of physical effort that involves lifting weights, this does not mean that you are exempt from the market or washing the dishes. There is, however, a special form of effort that is even recommended to do, namely physical exercise. If before pregnancy you regularly went to a fitness or aerobics gym , practiced swimming or liked to walk in the park, it is good to continue with this program, but at a more moderate pace. And if you’re not used to this kind of life, it’s good to wait for the second month and get confirmation from the obstetrician that everything is OK
2. If you are lucky enough, the doctor will see you right from the moment he is informed that you are or suspect that you are pregnant. If it’s your first pregnancy or you’re having another one where you’ve collaborated with another obstetrician, it’s ideal to get an idea of how the pregnancy and birth will proceed under the doctor’s supervision. That’s why it’s good to ask him from the beginning:
– At which hospital does he work or is he affiliated? What are the conditions under which birth and postpartum care take place? Is the child’s father allowed to watch the birth? Is the mother accommodated in the same salon as the child? How many beds are there in a salon?
– What is his availability? Can it be disturbed at any time of the day, including at night?
– What is his prenatal consultation plan/scheme?
– What is his opinion vis-à-vis physical exercise during pregnancy? If so, where do you recommend doing such exercises, when should you start and when should you stop?
– How much weight can you gain? When should you be alarmed?
– What is his philosophy on the phenomenon of birth? Is he a follower of natural birth or cesarean birth? What therapeutic methods do you use during labor ? What is his view on episiotomy (cutting the perineum), does he do it routinely or out of necessity?
– What are the routine examinations that you are advised to do during pregnancy? (ultrasound, blood and urine examination, infection screening, fetal malformation screening). – What are the routine procedures during labor? (fetal monitoring, ultrasound, intravenous therapy during labor).
– What is the method of payment for consultations and childbirth? Do not laugh, it is very important and practical at the same time to find this out. Are these services covered by health insurance? Also Read: What Happens Eight(8th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
If you still don’t have a doctor of your own, you will, logically, have to find one. And to find Mr. Dr. Perfect is not that easy, you already know that. For this, it would be good to consider the following recommendations:
– Talk to your friends who have already given birth or to other doctors who can recommend an obstetrician.
– Go to several doctors, together with your partner, to get a general idea: study their way of approaching problems, their safety, their affectivity, their language and, why not?, their physical appearance. Don’t forget to take the list of questions with you, and if you have other questions, don’t be shy and ask!
– Observe if he is close to you and if he considers you a traveling companion or just a simple patient, and notice if he speaks to you in your understanding or uses scientific terms that are difficult to “digest” to impress you with his erudition.
Problems that may arise
Fortunately for the mother’s emotional state and morale, in the first month of pregnancy (which is reduced to an interval of only two or even one week, the period in which you are aware of the fact that you are pregnant) there are not many events that unbalance mentally or emotionally. There are a large number of spontaneous abortions that occur two weeks after fertilization, but they are perceived by the unfortunate mother as menstruation, never knowing that she was pregnant. Even if a pregnancy starts badly, most of the time it will exceed 4 weeks. In this first month, small bleeding or spots may appear on the panties, some of which may have a pathological significance (don’t forget that it is mandatory to notify your doctor when this happens), but most of the time it is not necessary to be worried. Rarely, a pregnancy compromised by genetic causes will end before the end of the 4 weeks and a spontaneous abortion will occur, announced by heavy bleeding and pain (uterine contractions). However, the largest number of problems that appear frankly appear after the first month of pregnancy. We will continue to deal with them at our leisure, in the second month. Also Read: What Happens Nine(9th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs