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First trimester of pregnancy |
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Written by admin
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Thursday, 08 May 2008 |
The first trimester of pregnancy begins with the onset of pregnancy. Even before you'll realize it, you'll start feeling the subtle changes associated with it. As you probably know, the entire period of pregnancy is divided into the three time periods or pregnancy trimesters each. The first trimester of pregnancy is the period where you are most vulnerable. When a woman conceives, she as well as her partner may be keen to find out the changes that will take place and the way in which the baby grows. During the first trimester of pregnancy, the process commences with the woman's egg being fertilized and advances to the state where the fetus begins to look a lot like the baby it soon grows to be. The duration of the pregnancy is about forty weeks. The pregnancy period is split into segments known as trimesters, each one lasting for about thirteen weeks. In the initial stage of pregnancy, called the first trimester, an expectant women's body has to adapt suitably to the pregnancy-related changes. A major part of these changes does not take place right away.
In the initial days of the first trimester of pregnancy, the zygote or the fertilized egg passes through the fallopian tubes where it in due course of time fastens itself to the uterine wall. There, the zygote turns into an embryo and this embryo initiates the cell differentiation process to enable the individual cells to form the various parts of the human body. It is at this time that the rudiments of the head, spinal column, heart, and digestive system star to develop. Tiny nubs, which will form the arms and the legs, too, start to grow. However, facial features, right now, are not easily apparent, although a still not fully formed eye can be noticed by the first month end. At this point, the embryo is merely one-fourth inch long. Now, in the second month of the first trimester of pregnancy, the embryo develops into a fetus. The fetus' organs start to act and it sets in motion the production of hormones.
These hormones, in conjunction with the pregnant woman's hormones, can result in morning sickness, as the woman's body is not comfortable with these changes. Usually, it is only following the development of the fetal hormones that the woman's menstrual periods discontinue. Even with all these changes happening, the fetus is still a mere inch long. In the third month of the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetus brings to an end the elementary process of developent. The morning sickness experienced by the wman would have come to an end, and she would have begun to add conpicuous weight. By nw, the fetus would have grown perceptible arms and legs. Teeny weenie fingers and toes are apparent. Soon teeth would start to grow. The facial features, by nw are well defined and the fetus identifiable as a living being. Internal organs are highly developed in this period. The digestive systems and the liver will start to function. The sex determination of the fetus is confirmed, despite the fact that it might not be visible as yet on the ultrasound scan. Being four inches in length, the fetus starts to exert geater stress on the bladder. Due to this exercising of great pressure on the woman's bladder, she expriences a frequent need to pee. This is quite normal and therefore should not be an undue cause of worry to the woman. |
