Early Pregnancy Symptoms

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About Pregnancy

Congratulations! You're pregnant! or you might be trying or thinking about having a baby. Pregnancy can be a thrilling and wonderful part of a woman's life. But, it can also be a little scary. Every woman has questions about what to do and what not to do, to make sure she has a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

Symptoms

During the first three months of pregnancy, or the first trimester, your body is undergoing many changes. As your body adjusts to the growing baby, you may have nausea, fatigue, backaches, mood swings, and stress. Just remember that these things are normal during pregnancy, as your body changes. Here are some of the most common symptoms you might experience in your first trimester:

Tiredness

During your pregnancy, you might feel tired even when you've had a lot of sleep at night. Many women find they're exhausted in the first trimester. Don't worry, this is normal! This is your body's way of telling you that you need more rest.Tiredness will pass over time and be replaced with a feeling of well being and more energy.

Nausea and Vomiting

Usually called "morning sickness," nausea and vomiting are common during early pregnancy.Although it can seem like it will last forever, nausea and vomiting usually go away after the first trimester. Try some of these tips to help your nausea:

- Eat frequent, small meals (6 to 8 small meals a day, rather than 3 large meals).

-Avoid fatty, fried, or spicy foods.

-Try drinking carbonated drinks like ginger ale or seltzer water in between meals.

Frequency of Urination

Frequent urination is common during pregnancy. Early in pregnancy, the growing uterus presses on your bladder.If you notice pain, burning, pus or blood in your urine see your doctor right away. You might have a urinary tract infection that needs treatment.

Constipation

As your uterus begins to expand, you might notice you're constipated. To prevent constipation, try to eat fresh or dried fruit, raw vegetables, and whole-grain cereals or breads everyday. Also, try to drink eight to ten glasses of water everyday.

Dizziness

Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, and even fainting can occur at any stage of pregnancy, since there now is extra blood going down towards your uterus and legs. You can help relieve these symptoms by lying down on your left side. Or to help prevent them, try moving around more instead of sitting or standing in one position for a long time

Varicose Veins and Hemorrhoids

During pregnancy, pressure on the large veins behind the uterus causes the blood to slow in its return to the heart. This can lead to varicose veins in the legs and hemorrhoids. You can try to prevent varicose veins during pregnancy by avoiding tight knee-highs and sitting with your legs and feet raised when possible.

Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Visit your doctor regularly

Your doctor will schedule you for regular check-ups throughout the next nine months to keep your baby healthy and avoid problems with delivery.

Eat healthy foods

Healthy foods are the building blocks for your growing baby since pregnancy is a complex time of developing new tissues and organs. Throughout pregnancy, try to make most of your food choices healthy ones.

Get your exercise

If you have no medical problems with your pregnancy, regular physical activity (30 minutes per day, most days of the week), can help you have a more comfortable pregnancy and labor.

Natural Remedies

Calcium needs double during pregnancy. Low dietary intake of this mineral is associated with increased risk of preeclampsia, a potentially dangerous (but preventable) condition characterized by high blood pressure and swelling. Supplementation with calcium may reduce the risk of pre-term delivery, which is often associated with preeclampsia. Calcium may reduce the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension.

References for Pregnancy Symptoms Article

Olsen SF, Secher NJ, Tabor A, et al. Randomised clinical trials of fish oil supplementation in high risk pregnancies. Fish Oil Trials In Pregnancy (FOTIP) Team. Brit J Obstet Gynecol 2000;107:382-95.
Villar J, Repke JT. Calcium supplementation during pregnancy may reduce preterm delivery in high-risk populations. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1990;163:1124-31.
Botto LD, Mulinare J, Erickson JD. Occurrence of congenital heart defects in relation to maternal mulitivitamin use. Am J Epidemiol 2000;151:878-84.
National Institutes of Health

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