Over the whole period of pregnancy important changes in the mother and child occur every minute, and to describe all of them need more than one hundred pages. A pregnancy calendar will help you understand whether the pregnancy proceeds normally, or something goes wrong.

Week 4

On the fourth week of a pregnancy test if you really are pregnant, have given a positive result. At the same time, some women begin to feel a slight abdominal distension Bloating - when you need to go to the doctor?   (this is not a sign of increase of the uterus, and the result of the overall restructuring of the body), fatigue, frequent urination, nausea, vomiting, breast tenderness, mood changes unreasonable. If you lack these features, do not worry - this is also normal, and consider yourself lucky (though at a later date all subject to change).

• What happens inside

For the first four weeks of the fertilized egg (at this stage, it is called a zygote) was implanted in the uterine wall; formation of the placenta and umbilical cord.

As a result of the implantation of the egg, which occurs 6-12 days after fertilization, can begin smearing bleeding - usually very short, and confuse it with monthly rather difficult. A blood test can show that you are pregnant, have about a week after conception Conception - as the emerging life But home tests for these early stages is likely to give a false-negative result. But the result - any - produced using such a test in the fourth week from the date of the alleged pregnancy, it is likely to be correct.

If the test was positive, now is the time to think about their diet during pregnancy - the sooner you start to eat, the better it will be for you and for your child. Read books on nutrition for pregnant women, or consult your physician.

Week 8

At this time, the doctor performs ultrasound examination, in which, as a rule, can be determined fetal heart. If his heart is beating, the risk of miscarriage Miscarriage - is more common than you think   is reduced to 2%. In the eighth week, the doctor also determines the probable date of birth.

• What happens inside

In fetal brain activity has already begun. Begin to form fingers and toes, although they have not yet separated. Also begins the formation of the lungs, eyes, ears, upper lip and nose. Heat slowly straightened, the fetus begins to move, although this is not yet the mother feels. The length of its body is about 1.27 cm.

If a woman generally will suffer from pregnancy-induced nausea, it will be no later than the eighth week of pregnancy (with rare exceptions). The exact cause of this symptom is unknown, but experts believe that this is due to changes in hormonal levels.

Many women in this period there is an acute pain in the abdomen, sometimes - with only one hand. Most often the pain occur when a woman leans over, or gets up after a long time spent sitting. This is due to the fact that the uterus becomes heavier, and this leads to stress and strain placed around the ligaments and muscles. If you are concerned, talk to your doctor. In addition, at eight weeks may appear pinkish or brownish discharge - if they are not too heavy, it's OK. This is necessary to tell the doctor, but do not worry. Urgently seek medical help only in case severe vaginal bleeding starts. It is worth noting that approximately 25% of women in the first trimester of pregnancy appear weak or moderate vaginal bleeding. More than half of these pregnancies and births are completely normal.

Week 10

On the tenth week of your unborn child, whose body length is slightly greater than 2.5 cm, "officially" called fruit.

• What happens inside

Eyelids begin to form, which can now protect eyes. The fetus begins to make occasional breathing movements, although the oxygen, of course, goes to his body through the umbilical cord. The skin becomes less transparent, begins the formation of the genitalia. By the end of the tenth week of the fetal body length can reach three centimeters.

By the tenth week uterus has increased significantly, and in some women it causes waist becomes less noticeable. Many, however, waist and stomach by the time did not change. But it may increase breast. In the first weeks of pregnancy due to higher levels of progesterone increase breasts and estrogen stimulates the growth of milk ducts. Many women in 10-12 week of pregnancy breast increases by one or two sizes, the veins become darker on the breast, nipples darken and grow - it happens to a child in the future, it was easier to find them and keep in the mouth.

Some pregnant women in the tenth week is already gaining weight, but do not worry if this does not happen. Someone weight on this term even slightly decreased - most often it occurs in women who are in the first trimester are suffering from nausea and, as a consequence, they have the appetite is not too strong.

Prenatal screening. Between the tenth and thirteenth week of pregnancy performed the first trimester prenatal screening. Screening is necessary to pass all pregnant women; it allows to identify chromosomal defects, such as Down's Syndrome and Edwards Syndrome (its other name - syndrome, trisomy 18) as well as some disorders in the structure and operation of the heart.

During the third trimester prenatal screening carried ultrasound and a blood test, and based on their results to draw conclusions about the state of the fetus. Such screening allows you to identify 80-85% of cases of Down syndrome; in 4-6% of cases, the result is false positive.

If the screening showed the presence of certain chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, it is possible to pass a more accurate diagnostic procedure to verify the accuracy of the diagnosis, or wait for the second trimester screening - it can give a more reliable result.

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