What are the consequences in the first month of pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a time of great change and growth in an expecting mother's life. One of the most important milestones during pregnancy are the changes that happen to her body. During this first month, there are several effects that can be seen on a woman's body such as increased blood volume, expansion of tissues, release of hormones and fluids in preparation for delivery. These signs are often referred to as the "Pregnancy Week by Week" or "The First Month". This blog post delves into what these symptoms mean and what potential consequences they may carry with them.

Pregnancy Week by Week

This is the first month of gestation, and is typically calculated from the last normal menstrual period (LNMP). A typical cycle may include a woman's most fertile days, which occur during ovulation. The release of an egg from the ovaries causes the lining of the uterus to thicken in preparation for fertilization. Inadequate preparation of this mucus layer can cause reduced chances for successful implantation of a fertilized egg. The point at which successful implantation occurs is usually referred to as "implantation bleeding". This bleeding can be seen as a light, passing period that occurs around 10-12 days after ovulation and lasts about 2 days. In rare cases, implantation bleeding can occur on the same day as ovulation. During this time, fertilization may be in the body or already implanted at the time of implantation bleeding.

The first scan of pregnancy is usually performed once a woman has missed her LNMP and is roughly 3 weeks into her pregnancy. Within this 3-5 week period, changes can continue to take place that will help determine whether or not the fetus will survive into term (outside of the womb). With these changes comes a new definition of what constitutes an "abnormal" pregnancy according to ultrasound standards and are referred to as the "Pregnancy Week by Week" (PWW). These changes include: fetal heartbeat, amniotic fluid levels, movement of the fetus in the womb, gestational age and physical characteristics of the fetus.