36 topics

Pregnancy: Your Body

What pregnancy does to a body, week by week and all at once.

• Nausea and vomiting in pregnancyMorning sickness is nausea, with or without vomiting, in early pregnancy. It is very common, it can last all day, and it usually eases by week 14.
• Hyperemesis gravidarum: when sickness is severeHyperemesis gravidarum, or HG, is severe pregnancy sickness. You cannot keep food or fluids down, you lose weight, and you need medical care.
• Exhaustion in the first trimesterBeing bone-tired in the first trimester is normal. Your body is building a placenta, and progesterone makes you sleepy.
• Heartburn and refluxHeartburn in pregnancy is a burn in the chest or throat after eating. It is common, worst in the third trimester, and gone soon after birth.
• Constipation and hemorrhoids in pregnancyConstipation and hemorrhoids are common in pregnancy because hormones slow the gut and the uterus presses on the veins below it.
• Round ligament painRound ligament pain is a sharp, quick pull low on one side of the belly when you move suddenly. It is common in the second trimester.
• Pelvic girdle pain and SPDPelvic girdle pain, or SPD, is pain in the pubic bone, hips, or sacrum in pregnancy. It is common, often under-treated, and physical therapy helps many.
• Back pain and sciaticaLower back pain in pregnancy is very common. True sciatica, pain shooting down one leg, is less common and usually eases after birth.
• Swelling: feet, ankles, hands, faceSwelling in feet, ankles, and hands is normal late in pregnancy. Sudden swelling in the face or hands, or in one leg only, is a call today.
• Numb or tingling hands (carpal tunnel)Numb or tingling hands in pregnancy are usually carpal tunnel, from fluid pressing on a wrist nerve. It is common and nearly always fades after birth.
• Can't sleep: pregnancy insomniaTrouble sleeping in pregnancy is very common. Hormones, bathroom trips, a busy mind, and a big belly all take turns waking you.
• Braxton Hicks and practice contractionsBraxton Hicks are practice contractions: your belly tightens and lets go, without a pattern. They are normal and not labor.
• Skin in pregnancy: stretch marks, linea nigra, melasma, itchingStretch marks, a dark line down the belly, dark patches on the face, and itchy skin are common in pregnancy. Itching that will not stop is a call.
• Varicose veins and leg crampsLeg cramps at night and swollen, ropey veins in the legs or vulva are common in later pregnancy. Both usually ease after birth.
• Headaches and migrainesHeadaches are common early in pregnancy and usually fade. A new severe headache after week 20 can be a sign of preeclampsia and is a call today.
• Bleeding gums and nosebleedsGums that bleed when you brush and sudden nosebleeds are common in pregnancy. Both come from more blood flow and softer tissue, and both fade after birth.
• Diastasis recti: abdominal separationDiastasis recti is when the belly muscles spread apart in pregnancy. It is normal late in pregnancy and closes partly or fully for most mothers after birth.
• Weight gain in pregnancyHow much weight to gain in pregnancy depends on where you started. The ranges are wide, and the scale is one of many signals.
• Low iron and anemiaLow iron and anemia are common in pregnancy and after birth. They make you tired, breathless, and foggy, and a simple blood test finds them.
• Gestational diabetesGestational diabetes is high blood sugar that starts in pregnancy. It is common, it is not your fault, and most mothers manage it with food, walking, and sometimes medicine.
• High blood pressure and preeclampsiaHigh blood pressure in pregnancy can become preeclampsia, a serious condition. A cuff and a urine test find it, and the warning signs are worth knowing by heart.
• Placenta previa and other placenta findingsPlacenta previa means the placenta covers the cervix. Most low-lying placentas found at 20 weeks move up by the third trimester.
• Itching that won't stop: cholestasisCholestasis of pregnancy is intense itching, often on the palms and soles, caused by bile building up. It needs a blood test and close watching.
• Group B strepGroup B strep is a common bacterium that about 1 in 4 pregnant women carry. A positive test means antibiotics in labor to protect the baby.
• Rh factor and RhoGAMIf you are Rh negative, a RhoGAM shot around 28 weeks and after birth keeps your body from reacting to a baby with Rh positive blood.
• Baby moving less: what to doIf your baby is moving less than usual, call your provider or labor and delivery now. Do not wait until morning, and do not try to wake the baby first.
• Breech baby and turning optionsA breech baby is bottom or feet down near the end of pregnancy. Most turn on their own by 36 weeks, and there are options if yours does not.
• Short cervix and signs of preterm laborA short cervix found on ultrasound raises the risk of preterm birth. Knowing the signs of early labor, and calling early, is what you can do.
• Going past your due dateGoing past your due date is common. Most providers watch closely from 41 weeks and talk about induction by 41 to 42.
• Pregnancy at 35 and olderPregnancy at 35 and older is now common and mostly uneventful. Some risks rise with age, and so does the amount of testing you are offered.
• Expecting twins or moreExpecting twins or more means more visits, more scans, and a bigger appetite. The type of twins decides how closely you are watched.
• Prenatal tests and ultrasounds: what each one isPrenatal tests follow a rough calendar: blood work and NIPT early, the nuchal scan, the 20-week anatomy scan, the glucose test, and GBS near the end.
• Moving your body in pregnancyMoving your body in pregnancy is safe and good for most mothers. Running, lifting, yoga, and swimming all have a place, with a few changes as you grow.
• Sex during pregnancySex during pregnancy is safe for most couples through all three trimesters. Desire goes up and down, and light spotting after is common.
• Dental care in pregnancySeeing the dentist while pregnant is safe and recommended, including cleanings, fillings, x-rays with a shield, and local numbing.
• Pets, litter boxes, and pregnancyYou can keep your cat and dog in pregnancy. The one real risk is toxoplasmosis from cat litter, and someone else can scoop it.