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Important Information for your First Trimester

The 1st trimester (0-12 weeks) will see your body undergoing many changes as it adjusts to your growing baby. Included here are some of the most common concerning symptoms you may experience. This information is designed to explain the causes for your symptoms and help you to manage them as well as help you decide when to call your practitioner.

Vaginal Bleeding

Many women have vaginal spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy. This bleeding may be as a result of implantation – when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall, or after an internal exam or intercourse. If you experience vaginal spotting please call your doctor and schedule an appointment for evaluation. While this is not typically an emergency situation, it is always important to see that the pregnancy is progressing normally. If you are bleeding heavily (soaking more than one pad per hour), or having any bleeding accompanied by pain, you should go to the emergency room for an immediate evaluation.

Nausea and Vomiting

Increased levels of hormones that sustain the pregnancy may cause feelings of nausea and may sometimes lead to vomiting during the first trimester. In addition to the increased levels of hCG and estrogen, the rapid stretching of the uterine muscles, the relaxation of muscles in the digestive tract, and increase in acid in the stomach and the enhanced sense of smell pregnant women develop can all contribute to morning sickness. Just over half of all expectant women experience the nausea and vomiting associated with morning sickness. However, morning sickness does not necessarily occur just in the morning and rarely interferes with proper maternal and fetal nutrition.

• Drink lots of water, especially if you’re losing liquid through vomiting.
• Take your prenatal vitamin. If your vitamin aggravates you nausea, try taking it just before bedtime.
• Avoid fatty, fried or spicy foods and avoid the sigh, smell and taste of foods that make you nauseous.
• Get some extra sleep and relaxation and take it easy in the mornings. Minimizing your daily stress will help you cope better with morning sickness.
• Brushing your teeth or rising your mouth after vomiting or after all your meals will help keep your mouth fresh and reduce nausea. It will have the added benefit of decreasing the risk of damage to teeth or gums that can occur with vomiting.
• Eat small, frequent meals or snacks throughout the day so that your stomach is never empty. Aim for bland foods that are high in protein or carbohydrates, since both can help fight nausea. Some good ones are crackers, biscuits, or low-fat yogurt, but go for whatever appeals to you.

Call you practitioner if you haven’t been able to keep anything (including fluids) down for 24 hours.

Dizziness

Dizziness, feeling lightheaded and even fainting can occur at any stage of pregnancy due to an increase in blood volume and a rapidly expanding circulatory system. This along with the pressure of an expanding uterus on the mother’s blood vessels can lead to dizziness and sometimes faintness. If you experience dizziness when you get up too quickly this is due to a sudden shifting of blood away from the brain as you change positions. If this is the case, be sure to get up very gradually. Another culprit might be low blood sugar levels. Ensure that you get some protein at every meal and that you eat frequent, smaller meals or try to snack between you meals. Drink plenty of fluids. Sometimes just getting some fresh air by going outside or opening a window may bring some relief. You can help relive these symptoms by lying down on you left side. Or, to help prevent them, try moving around more instead of sitting or standing in one position for a long time. Be sure to let you practitioner know about your dizzy spells at you next visit.

Reasons to go to the Hospital/Labor & Delivery Triage

It is important to be aware of signals that could indicate something is wrong during your first trimester. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor’s office immediately: heaving vaginal bleeding, headache, a fever over 101 degrees or an injury or accident.

 

 

 

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