NORMAL PREGNANCY
SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS
| Missed Period | If you have normal regular cycles then a missed period is more than likely can indicate a pregnancy. On occasion or it may be related to an illness or stress. It is considered one of the major possible symptoms of pregnancy. | |||
| Unusual or abnormal period | A period or menstrual cycle that is different in some way. The period may be last longer or shorter. It may be a difference in the amount of flow. Any of these variances may indicate that you are pregnant. | |||
| Just "feeling" pregnant | Many women just know when they are pregnant. | |||
| Nausea and Vomiting | If you were to ask women to name a single pregnancy symptom, morning sickness would be at the top of everyone's list. | |||
| Increased urinary voiding | The urgent need to empty the bladder, even small amounts, throughout the day and night is caused by pressure of the enlarging uterus on the bladder. It is helpful not to drink too much just before going to bed. No treatment is needed for urinary frequency alone but if micturition becomes painful, urinary infection should be excluded. | |||
| Heartburn and Constipation | The smooth muscle of the stomach and bowel relax more in pregnancy in response to progesterone, the pregnancy hormone. You may require antacids for the heartburn. Ensure adequate fluid intake to reduce constipation. Mild laxatives may occasionally be required. | |||
| Positive Pregnancy Test | Modern pregnancy tests are extremely accurate, often being positive even before a missed period. | |||
| Ultrasound | Ultrasound may be able to show the pregnancy from about 5 weeks. | |||
| Fetal Heart Tones | With modern sonicaid monitors, the baby's heart beat can be heard from about 14 weeks. | |||
| Soreness of the Breasts | Early in the first trimester you may notice that your breasts are sore or tender. For some women this is also a sign of an impending period, so it may go unnoticed. You may have a slight tenderness when you touch your breasts or you can have the severe pain whenever you wear a bra. Both variants are normal and are usually most intense in the first trimester. This is one of the reasons that sex in the first trimester is often avoided by some women. Sex in pregnancy is safe, you may just want to avoid having anyone touch your nipples. | |||
| Enlargement of the Breasts | Towards the end of the first trimester or the beginning of the second trimester you may notice that your breasts begin to grow. This is again the tissues inside the breast preparing for nursing. Towards the end of pregnancy you will want to be fitted for a nursing bra to help accommodate the larger breasts. | |||
| Nipple Colour Changes | Your nipples and the area around the nipples (areola) get darker and broader. | |||
| Montgomery's Tubercules | These are small goose bump like raised areas on the areola of your breast. | |||
| Colostrum from the breasts | Colostrum is a pre-milk substance that is high in antibodies and works to get the meconium out of your baby's system after birth. It can appear at any point during pregnancy, but is not seen in all women. | |||
| Changes in libido | You and your partner may find your desire for sex increased because you do not have to think about birth control. The vagina is more lubricated and the clitoris and vagina are more engorged. Many women will become orgasmic or multi-orgasmic for the first time during pregnancy because of this added engorgement. | |||
| Strange Cravings | Some studies show that up to 68% of women will have a craving at some point during pregnancy. | |||
| Fatigue | This is nature's way of making you take some extra rest which is probably healthy in pregnancy. | |||
| Skin Changes | Striae gravidarum, or stretch marks, are probably the most discussed of the skin changes during pregnancy. They appear in 50 - 90 of all pregnant women, usually showing up in the later half of pregnancy. While the majority will be on the lower abdomen they can also be found on the thighs, hips, buttocks, breasts and arms of women. They reflect the separation of collagen of the skin. While not painful the stretching of the skin may cause a tingling or itchy sensation.
These are most commonly seen as small depressions in the skin. They tend to be pinkish in light skinned women, and in dark skinned women they will be lighter than the surrounding skin. While many people will swear by certain creams or lotions, the truth is there's there is no evidence that any of them are effective. Striae gravidarum are exacerbated if you gain weight excessively and so you may help yourself by taking care of your diet.
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| Quickening (Fetal Movement) | This is the time that you feel your baby move for the first time. Fetal movement begins around eighteen weeks into the pregnancy. | |||
| Enlarged abdomen | As the baby grows the pregnancy begins to 'show'. | |||
| Braxton Hicks Contractions | The uterus is a muscular organ and contractions occur throughout pregnancy. As term approaches, they become stronger. This is normal. | |||
| Fetus palpable | From about 28 weeks you may be able to feel the parts of the baby particularly the head. | |||
| X rays | With the advent of ultrasound, x-rays are rarely used nowadays in pregnancy. | |||
| Emotional Changes | Most women experience emotional mood swings. It's natural to feel doubt, anxiety, and fear about pregnancy and childbirth, as well as happiness, excitement, and anticipation. | |||
| Weight gain | The average weight gain is 25lb with about 1 pound per week in later weeks. | |||
| Fainting | This is more common in late pregnancy, particularly if the pregnant woman lies flat on her back and the pressure of the pregnant uterus reduces the blood flow in the big vessels returning blood to the heart. Fainting may occur in early pregnancy and is usually related to sudden change of position, such as when sitting up from recumbency, or standing up from the sitting position. If you feel faint, lie down with your feet elevated and your head flat. Avoid standing for long periods and don't rush around. Be particularly careful getting up.
Thank you for choosing to visit us. This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT. I do hope that you find the answers to your women's health questions in the patient information and medical advice provided. If you still have unanswered questions, please consider entering them into one of our forums and I will try to assist you.
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