Introduction
One speaks of an early pregnancy if a woman is in the first 3 months of her pregnancy. In total, a pregnancy lasts about 9 months. The period of pregnancy is divided into so-called trimesters.
The first trimester (1st trimester) refers to the first three months of pregnancy, i.e. early pregnancy. The next three months comprise the second trimester (2nd trimester) and the last three months are called the third trimester (3rd trimester). Overall, early pregnancy is considered to be the riskiest time for pregnancy, as it is during this period that the pregnant woman is most likely to lose her baby (miscarriage). During early pregnancy the well-known pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, heartburn and ravenous appetite attacks often occur. The hormonal balance of the expectant mother is in a process of change which is sometimes responsible for the typical pregnancy symptoms.
Signs of early pregnancy
Some women find it quite difficult to recognize an early pregnancy. Nevertheless, there are signs of early pregnancy, but these do not necessarily occur in every woman and are also perceived very differently. An almost certain sign of early pregnancy is the absence of monthly bleeding.
Other signs, such as abdominal pulling or abdominal pain, are also typical of early pregnancy. Nausea, fatigue and increased urination are also common symptoms of pregnancy. Other signs of an early pregnancy can be feelings of tension in the breasts, as these begin to grow significantly during the period of early pregnancy and the fatty tissue in the breast is transformed into milk ducts.
Increased discharge (secretion) from the vagina can also be a sign of early pregnancy, as can slight circulatory problems. In addition, early pregnancy can lead to odour sensitivity, which can manifest itself for example in disgust with cigarette odours or other odours. In addition, there is often a sudden increased urge to sleep with the partner (increased libido).
Course of early pregnancy
Although the course of early pregnancy is individual for each woman, there are always certain parallels and certain points in time at which the unborn baby develops further. In total, the complete course of a pregnancy is about 9 months, i.e. about 40 weeks. The first 3 months of pregnancy are the first trimester, the next three months are the second trimester and the last three months are the third trimester.
The course of a pregnancy is in principle very similar for all patients. In early pregnancy, the child develops very quickly and at the same time the body of the patient adapts to the unborn child. During this time the body of the expectant mother is in a process of change and many pregnant women experience the pregnancy symptoms already mentioned.
In the first month of pregnancy, after the fusion of egg and sperm, the division and new formation of cells occurs. On the ultrasound during pregnancy, not much can be seen in the first four weeks and therefore, to prove a pregnancy, a pregnancy test is used. In the second month of pregnancy, the baby’s heart begins to beat, and in addition, sprouts develop which will later be recognized as arms and legs.
The heartbeat can now be visualized by sonography (ultrasound). In the further course of early pregnancy, the appearance of a small person is defined more and more. The baby develops many organs and is therefore from the 11th week of pregnancy onwards no longer called an embryo but a foetus, since at this point all organs are created, although not yet fully developed.
The further course of the early pregnancy reveals more and more a small person, as arms, legs, fingers and toes are already developed. With the 12th week of pregnancy the early pregnancy ends. For most women this is also often the end of the phase of nausea and constant fatigue.
Furthermore, the probability of losing the unborn child after early pregnancy is much lower. In general, the course of the early pregnancy is quite uniform, but the early pregnancy can be disrupted, which often leads to the woman losing her child.Thus, an orderly course of early pregnancy is important for the unborn child. Through harmful behavior of the mother, for example through the consumption of alcohol or nicotine (see: Smoking during pregnancy), the child can suffer lasting and serious damage during early pregnancy.
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