What Should I Avoid During My First Trimester? Topic Guide

Experiencing an asthma attack during pregnancy may deprive the fetus of oxygen, so it's important to continue taking the asthma medication that you took before becoming pregnant, especially if your asthma was well controlled. Though it's impossible to predict how pregnancy may affect your asthma, it's important to note that your asthma can still be controlled during pregnancy.

Ectopic pregnancy is a condition in which a pregnancy develops inside of a Fallopian tube or outside of a woman's uterus. Causes and risk factors for ectopic pregnancy include previous Fallopian tube infections (pelvic inflammatory disease, Chlamydia, gonorrhea), previous surgery to the abdomen, use of fertility medications, prior tubal pregnancy, and use of an IUD. Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy include pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding. If you suspect you have an ectopic pregnancy, medical care should be sought urgently.

Home pregnancy tests are kits that contain a test to determine if a female is pregnant. Home pregnancy tests are available over-the-counter (OTC) and do not need a prescription. There are a variety of home pregnancy tests available. The accuracy of home pregnancy tests depend upon how well instructions are followed, and how the test kit was used. A pregnancy test performed in a doctor's office is the most accurate test to determine if you are pregnant.

When a woman gains too much weight during pregnancy, it can increase the risk of complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and cesarean delivery. Healthy weight gain during pregnancy, which depends on pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI), however, can reduce the risk.

Pregnancy tests may be taken after a woman’s menstrual period is late. Implantation bleeding happens at 6 to 12 days into the pregnancy when the fertilized egg attaches to the inner lining of the uterus, causing light vaginal bleeding. About four to five days after implantation bleeding, pregnancy hormones in the body reach detectable levels in the blood. For at-home urine pregnancy tests, it may take up to 7 days post-implantation to reach detectable levels for testing.

Morning sickness, or vomiting during pregnancy, is very common during the first three months of pregnancy. "Morning sickness" does not mean that nausea and vomiting only occur in the morning; symptoms can occur at any time of day. Talk with your doctor if you have persistent vomiting and/or nausea during pregnancy.

The symptoms of early pregnancy a pregnant woman may experience include missed periods, abdominal bloating, nausea and vomiting, breast tenderness and pain, food cravings, fatigue, frequent urination, elevated body temperature, changes in nipple color, darkening of the skin (melasma), mood swings, stress, headaches, and other symptoms.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) during pregnancy can potentially cause complications. Its cause is unknown, but risk factors include first-time pregnancy, previous preeclampsia, family history of preeclampsia, multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets, etc.), in vitro fertilization, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and others.

Pregnancy usually takes about two to three weeks after sex to occur. Pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus, and symptoms may start in some people as early as a week after this occurs. Other people may have no signs other than a missed period until a few months into the pregnancy.

The symptoms that can be common to both ovarian cancer and pregnancy are as follows: pelvic discomfort, abdominal swelling and/or bloating, urinary frequency, constipation, abnormalities in menstruation, nausea and vomiting and fatigue. Symptoms of pregnancy that are not usually seen in ovarian cancer are premenstrual syndrome (PMS), missed menstrual period, breast swelling and/or tenderness, weight gain and fetal development in the uterus.

Placenta previa (also called low lying placenta) is a complication of pregnancy in which the placenta rests low in the uterus (womb) and covers all or part of the opening to the cervix. Causes include scarring, prior caesarian delivery, prior D&C procedure, and smoking, among other causes. The main symptom is bleeding. Treatment may include caesarian delivery.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition in women in which levels of androgens (male hormones) are elevated, resulting in irregular menstrual periods because monthly ovulation is not occurring. Women with PCOS are usually advised not to take pregnancy tests before a missed period and to avoid using “early result” pregnancy tests because false negatives are more likely to occur with those types of tests.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a variety of symptoms and signs that about 90% of women experience within the two weeks up to the start of her menstrual period. Pregnancy is the period in which a fetus develops in a woman's uterus, usually lasting about nine months (about 40 weeks). PMS and early pregnancy share symptoms and signs like mood changes, headaches, back pain, weight gain, breast pain or tenderness, and abdominal cramping. Some of the main differences between PMS and early pregnancy symptoms are the amount of vaginal bleeding, how long fatigue lasts, and the strength of the abdominal cramping. PMS symptoms that don't occur during pregnancy are joint pain and acne flare-ups. Moreover, PMS symptoms are fairly predictable. Early pregnancy symptoms and signs that do not occur with PMS are a vaginal discharge and darkening of the nipples. The only way to find out if you are pregnant is with a pregnancy test.

Pregnancy loss can be very painful for an expectant couple. Feelings of guilt, anger, and shock often occur. Learn how to cope the loss of a baby.

Pregnancy planning is important to help prevent exposure of the mother and fetus to potentially harmful medications and substances during the early days, and throughout the pregnancy. Nutritional planning, prevention of birth defects, conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease need careful monitoring. Gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and pregnancy-induced hypertension are conditions that may arise during pregnancy. Immunizations, inherited disorders, exercise, air travel, intercourse, and birth control are important factors to consider when planning a pregnancy.

Pregnancy occurs when an egg is fertilized by a sperm, grows inside a woman's uterus (womb), and develops into a baby. In humans, this process takes about 280 days.

Bleeding during all phases of pregnancy may be dangerous, even though it can be caused by a large variety of factors. You should call your health care professional if you have any signs of vaginal bleeding during your pregnancy.

Many pregnant women experience abdominal pain for a number of reasons. Often, round ligment stretching is to blame. The round ligament is a muscle that holds the uterus in place, and it stretches as the fetus grows, causing pain. Treatment includes acetaminophen (Tylenol) and activity modification. Though round ligament pain is a completely natural an benign condition of pregnancy, other types of abdominal pain can indicate serious problems; seek medical care if symptoms become serious, for instance, if you have a fever, chills, painful urination or difficulty walking.