The first three months are often punctuated with pregnancy symptoms such as nausea and fatigue. During the first trimester of pregnancy, numerous blood tests as well as a screening for toxoplasmosis and a first ultrasound are on the program. What precautions to take and what to do during the 1st trimester? We take stock.
Before the end of the first trimester, the sooner the better, even from the 3rd week or the 4th week of pregnancy, you must imperatively schedule the first gynecological consultation. Know that during your pregnancy, you will have a total of 7 mandatory consultations. Of course, apart from these consultations, do not hesitate to call your doctor or your gynecologist if you have any questions.
How many weeks or SA in the 1st trimester of pregnancy?
1st trimester of pregnancy: from the 1st to the 13th week of pregnancy or from 3 weeks to 15 weeks. The first trimester of pregnancy ends at the end of the third month of pregnancy. It therefore begins from the first week of pregnancy (or 3 weeks of amenorrhea) until the 13th week of pregnancy (15 weeks of amenorrhea or 15 SA).
What not to do in the first three months of pregnancy?
From the beginning of your pregnancy, it is strongly recommended to watch your diet. On the one hand, to limit too rapid weight gain, but above all, to avoid the risk of toxoplasmosis or listeriosis which will be the subject of analyzes throughout the pregnancy. We therefore avoid consuming raw meat and fish, we forget certain cheeses and charcuterie, not to mention alcohol and tobacco consumption. During the first 3 months, also try to spare yourself avoiding carrying heavy loads. You can continue with your usual physical activity, avoiding extreme sports or those that could pose a risk to your pregnancy.
What are the symptoms of the 1st trimester of pregnancy?
The first three months of pregnancy are often the most difficult for expectant mothers.. However, the symptoms are not common to all future mothers: some will not feel any or very little nauseaothers will have them regularly, and they are sometimes even accompanied by vomiting. Tiredness is also felt from the first months, with generally lower abdominal pain, as well as in the breasts that begin to pull and transform. Pregnancy hormones can also influence your emotional state… But don’t panic, all these little ailments of pregnancy will subside at the end of the 1st trimester. The belly will also begin to round out during the third month.
When to do the first pregnancy ultrasound?
During the 3rd month of pregnancy, make an appointment for your first ultrasound. For the parents, this examination generally makes it possible to really become aware of the pregnancy. For the first time indeed, you can observe your baby and hear his heart beat, a great moment! Medically, this examination aims to:
- date the beginning of pregnancy and childbirth,
- assess the growth of the baby: measurement of the biparietal diameter (diameter of the head), the length of the femur, the heart rate,
- measure nuchal translucency. This edema in the neck is present in all fetuses at this time of pregnancy. Its volume can indicate a possible risk of trisomy. For all women under 38, a second examination is proposed and combined with the result of the ultrasound. It consists of an assay of serum markers of Trisomy 21 by a simple blood test. After 38 years, amniocentesis is systematically proposed,
- make sure the pregnancy is going well: implantation of the placenta in particular,
- count the number of embryos: the ultrasound can tell you if you are expecting twins and the type of twinning.
It involves a clinical examination (weight, blood pressure, palpation of the abdomen, etc.) and an interrogation concerning your medical history in particular. This consultation, which is the most complete and the longest, is an opportunity for the doctor to explain to you the organization of the follow-up of your pregnancy, the examinations to be scheduled, the key dates (ultrasounds, childbirth, etc.). It also gives you lifestyle advice (tobacco, alcohol, diet, etc.). For your part, do not hesitate to share your questions with him. These tips are all the more important since the first three months correspond to the formation of the vital organs of the future baby. At the end of this consultation, your doctor prescribes a series of tests:
– determination of plasma ßHCG,
– blood group determination (if this is your first pregnancy or if the blood group card does not have 2 determinations). This is to recognize women whose rhesus is negative. Indeed, if the parent is rhesus positive, then the baby can also be rhesus positive. The mother can then produce positive anti-rhesus antibodies, dangerous for the child,
– virus testing (hepatitis B, syphilis, AIDS, etc.) and seeking immunization against rubella and toxoplasmosis. No immunity against toxoplasmosis implies checking each month by blood test for the possible presence of antibodies. The objective is not to catch it during pregnancy. And for good reason: if it is benign for the future mother, it can be serious for the child, especially if it is contracted during the first trimester.
– urinalysis to measure glucose and albumin levels. Albumin should be monitored throughout pregnancy, especially if accompanied by hypertension and edema,
– fasting blood glucose screening.
Where are the consultations for the follow-up of pregnancy held?
Generally, if the pregnancy is going well, it is your usual gynecologist who ensures the gynecological follow-up during the first months of pregnancy. Then, the maternity ward takes over, around the 4th month of pregnancy.