What Is Pregnancy Like?

How will your body change during the nine months of your pregnancy?

Pregnancy Terms

Uterus - Womb:
A woman's uterus (womb) is where the baby (fetus) will grow and develop. When you become a teen-ager (reach puberty), once a month the uterus (womb) prepares your body for pregnancy by building up its lining with blood and tissue.
Menstrual Cycle - Period:
The time that the uterus prepares the body for pregnancy is called the menstrual cycle. Body chemicals called hormones rise and fall during the month to make the menstrual cycle happen. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long. Menstruation is a woman's monthly bleeding, also known as a woman's period. When you have your period, your body is shedding the lining of the uterus (womb).
  • If you are not pregnant you will have your monthly period. The uterus (womb) will shed its lining and blood will flow from the uterus and pass out of the body through the birth canal (vagina). Most menstrual periods last from three to five days.
Missed Period:
One of the first signs of pregnancy may be that you don't have your monthly period.
Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy tests look for the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone which is also called the pregnancy hormone. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a special hormone in the urine or blood that is only there when a woman is pregnant.
  • The pregnancy hormone is made in your body when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. This usually happens about six days after conception (when the egg is fertilized when having sex). The amount of pregnancy hormone increases with each day that you are pregnant.
  • There are two types of pregnancy tests. One tests the blood for the pregnancy hormone, hCG. The other checks the urine for this hormone. You can do a urine test at home with a home pregnancy test. Most women first use home pregnancy tests to find out if they are pregnant.
  • If a home pregnancy test says you are pregnant or you think you might be pregnant, you should call your health care provider right away! Your health care provider can use a more sensitive test along with an examination to tell for sure if you're pregnant. Seeing your health care provider early in your pregnancy will help you and your baby stay healthy.

You're Pregnant, Now What?

Your pregnancy test is positive, and you know you are pregnant.

Getting regular check ups is the best way to make sure that you and your baby stay healthy. Getting regular check ups during your pregnancy is called prenatal care. You will need to see your health care provider, if you have one, or choose a health care provider to take care of you and your baby during the pregnancy.

You should see a health care provider, a doctor or a midwife for your prenatal care as soon as you think that you might be pregnant.

Start prenatal care early. Early and regular prenatal care is very important since a healthy baby starts with a healthy pregnancy!

Prenatal Care and the Types of Health Care Providers

Obstetricians (OB):
Are doctors who have special training in women's health, pregnancy and childbirth.
Licensed Midwives:
Are professionals who have special training in prenatal care and childbirth. Licensed midwives can take excellent care of women who have uncomplicated pregnancies. If a problem arises, or you have special needs, a midwife will refer you to an obstetrician.
Family practice doctors:
Are doctors who have special training in family health care. You may already be seeing a family practice doctor for your care. Some family practice doctors also take care of women who have uncomplicated pregnancies and can handle many common complications. If you would like to also see this doctor for your pregnancy, ask whether they take care of pregnant women. If a problem arises, or you have special needs, the family practice doctor will refer you to an obstetrician.
Nurse - Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Physician's Assistant (PA):
Are professionals who, at some clinics, may provide some of your routine prenatal care in addition to seeing a doctor or midwife. These health care professionals are trained to provide prenatal care. However, the baby would be delivered by a midwife or doctor.

Finding a Prenatal Provider Who is Right for You

Find a prenatal provider who you are comfortable with; you should be able to feel free to ask any question and to get information that you can understand. If you don't understand the information, you should feel comfortable asking questions that help you to understand your pregnancy and the prenatal care you are receiving.

Your prenatal visits will range from once a month to once a week.

Talk to Friends or Ask Your Current Provider for Suggestions.

Your First Prenatal Visit

Your first prenatal visit will probably be your longest.

At your first visit your provider will perform a number of standard tests and you will be asked about:

  • Your health, other pregnancies and the health of other members of your family.
  • The first day of your last period to estimate your due date.
  • Any illness or operations you have had, allergies you have, any medicine you are taking or have taken since you got pregnant, and your health habits.

Your health provider will take:

  • Your height, weight and blood pressure.
  • A sample of your urine.
  • Blood tests to show your blood type and to check if you have anemia (low iron) or any sexually transmitted diseases, HIV or other problems that could be harmful to you or your baby.

This is a great time to bring a list of questions, problems, symptoms and concerns. Some questions you might want to ask:

  • What can I do to help have a healthy pregnancy?
  • How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?
  • Who will I see when I come to the office or clinic?
  • If I have a problem at night or on the weekend, who do I call?
  • Where will I deliver my baby?
  • Who will deliver my baby?
  • Where can I go for childbirth, breastfeeding and parenting classes?

Ask your health provider what their routine, if any, is for labor and delivery.

  • Do they use pain medicine?
  • Can you walk around during labor to help manage your labor pain?
  • Does the hospital have specific rules about labor and delivery?

You want a health care provider who will provide information based on the best interests of you and your baby. You want a health provider and a hospital that will support your wishes for labor and delivery, based on the best interests of you and your baby. You should be able to feel free to ask any question and to get information that you can understand.

Stages of Pregnancy

The First Trimester

The first trimester of pregnancy is the time from the start of your pregnancy to 12 weeks. During the first trimester you may experience swollen breasts, tiredness (fatigue), nausea and vomiting (morning sickness), backaches, mood swings and frequent urination. Most pregnant women have monthly prenatal visits with their health care provider until the end of this trimester.

During the first trimester your health care provider will:

  • Check your weight, blood pressure, and urine;
  • Check the size and shape of your uterus;
  • Check your hands and feet for swelling; and
  • Toward the end of the first trimester, listen to your baby's heartbeat.

The Second Trimester

The second trimester of pregnancy goes from the 13th week to the 27th week. In the second trimester, there is usually less nausea and tiredness (fatigue) than in the first trimester. The baby grows rapidly and by the end of the second trimester you begin to feel the baby move . As the baby grows, the uterus also grows and rises higher in the abdomen during the second trimester. Some women find that they don't have to urinate as frequently as before. However, you may feel pressure in your abdomen or backaches or shortness of breath. On average, it is normal to gain about one pound per week, or about three to four pounds per month during this trimester. Most pregnant women have monthly prenatal visits with their health care provider until the end of this trimester.

During the second trimester your health care provider will:

  • Check your weight, blood pressure, and urine;
  • Check the size and shape of your uterus and listen to the baby's heartbeat;
  • Check your hands and feet for swelling;
  • Check your legs for varicose veins; and
  • Do other tests to check for any possible problems.

The Third Trimester

This is the last trimester, running from the 28th week until the 40th week when your baby is born. You may feel tired again during the third trimester and many women find breathing more difficult and notice they have to go to the bathroom more often. This is because the baby is getting bigger and it is putting more pressure on your organs including your lungs and bladder. On average, it is normal to gain about one pound per week, or three to four pounds per month, during the third trimester. By the end of your pregnancy you should have gained, on average, 25 to 30 pounds. From 30 weeks to 38 weeks of pregnancy, most health care providers recommend one office visit every two weeks. After 38 weeks, women normally see their health care provider every week until delivery.

During the third trimester your health care provider will:

  • Check your weight, blood pressure, and urine;
  • Check the size and shape of your uterus and listen to the baby's heartbeat;
  • Check the baby's position;
  • Check your hands and feet for swelling and legs for varicose veins; and
  • Do other tests to check for any possible problems.

Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • Warm fluid flows out of your vagina, your "water breaks."
  • Bleeding from your vagina.
  • Sharp severe pain in your back or abdomen.
  • Severe headache, blurred vision, or slurred speech.