Pregnancy- First Trimester week by week

These pages will take you through your first trimester of pregnancy week by week.

Pregnancy typically lasts for 40 weeks from the first day of a woman's last menstrual period.

The duration of the pregnancy is divided into stages known as trimesters, each lasting about 3 months.

During this time a woman's body undergoes many changes to support the growing fetus and prepare for childbirth.

First trimester:  0-13 weeks

Second trimester:  14-27 weeks

Third trimester:   28-40 weeks

First Trimester of pregnancy

During the first trimester of your pregnancy your body is working hard to adjust to being pregnant. At the beginning of the first trimester you will not look pregnant and you may not even feel pregnant, but very soon your hormones will begin to affect you in many different ways, you may start to suffer mood swings, nausea and fatigue to name a few. Now is the time to start taking care of yourself and making sure you eat a healthy nutritious diet including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, ensuring you drink plenty of water a day is also extremely important- try to drink at least 8 glasses a day. Getting adequate rest will be of great benefit to your wellbeing as extreme fatigue can easily strike during the first trimester. Drugs, smoking, caffeine, junk food and alcohol should be avoided throughout your whole pregnancy.

If you need advice and support to help you stop :

Taking Drugs, call the National Drugs Helpline on 0800 77 66 00 (24hrs a day) or log on to www.talktofrank.com

Drinking alcohol, call Drinkline on 0800 917 8282 (mon-fri, 9am-11pm) or log on to www.wrecked.co.uk

Smoking, call NHS pregnancy smoking helpline on 0800 169 9 169 (12noon-9pm) for extra support visit www.givingupsmoking.co.uk

First trimester screening for Down's syndrome involves an ultrasound test to check for excess fluid behind the fetal neck (nuchal fold thickness).This scan is also used to confirm the age of your baby and confirm expected delivery date. A blood test is also sometimes used to screen for Down's syndrome- Blood is tested for high levels of plasma protein A and hCG, these two hormones are produced by the fetus and passed into the mother's bloodstream. Women whose results are abnormal would be offered amniocentesis.

Weeks 1-4 of Pregnancy-First Trimester

Most women are not yet aware that they are pregnant at this stage of their pregnancy.

Your baby begins as a single cell which is formed when the egg and sperm join, this is known as the moment of conception. This then implants itself in the lining of your uterus and begins to produce pregnancy hormones. Your baby is growing faster now than at any other time during your pregnancy.

At the moment the egg and sperm join the sex of your baby is decided. The egg always contains an X chromosome whereas a sperm can carry either an X or a Y. If the sperm is carrying another X chromosome your baby will be a girl and if the sperm is carrying a Y chromosome your baby will be a boy.

For the signs and symptoms of early pregnancy please see the early signs of pregnancy page, you may also find our page on Home pregnancy tests  of some interest to you.

Healthy Mum - First trimester week by week information

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