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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
A Pregnancy is broken down into three month periods. Your first three months of pregnancy is fittingly called your first trimester. You should begin a health care routine right when you find out you are pregnant.
It is important to get lots of sleep, eat well, take vitamins and see your gynecologist/obstetritian as soon as possible. He can offer you lots of information and advice on how to stay healthy during your pregnancy, which is not only important for you, but for your unborn child.
When you see your doctor, he will ask you questions about your pregnancy and your medical history, if he doesn't already know that. The first question will determine the date of your delivery. When was your last menstrual cycle? He may also want to know if you have been pregnant before. What, if any, contraceptives have you been using.
The routine questions about allergies and previous illnesses or surgeries will be asked as well. He will need to know if you take any prescription or over the counter medication regularly. He will also ask about any family medical history, especially in regard to genetic disorders or a familial history of congenital problems.
He can figure out your due date by adding 40 weeks to the date of you last period. This is called the gestation period. It takes 40 weeks to *grow a baby." Each week and month in this period will bring growth and development to your fetus. If you have any questions about that ask your doctor. He is the expert.
Your doctor will then give you a physical. He wants to know your blood pressure, your heart rate, your height and weight. He will use these numbers as a baseline to compare with future visits.
You will get a pelvic exam, and perhaps, a pap test. From the pelvic exam he will determine if the due date is correct by the changes pregnancy in the early stages causes to your cervix and by the size of your uterus.
Another test that will be run, is the blood test. This test will determine your blood type, and your Rh factor. The Rh factor is a test for antibodies in your blood made of a specific type of protein found in red blood cells. Most people have it and their blood is called Rh positive. If your blood does not have it, the blood will be called Rh negative. Rh positive and Rh negative blood do not mix well, and if there is a chance that this could cause a problem with your pregnancy, your doctor needs to know about it to prevent such from happening.
Too much sugar or protein in urine can be a sign of a kidney problem, or sugar diabetes, so your doctor will also do urine testing now, and throughout your pregnancy.
The doctor may give you an eating program to follow to assure you get the vitamins, minerals and caloric content you need to be at your peak fitness level during the next 9 months.
He will also prescribe prenatal vitamins, perhaps give you an exercise program to follow. He will also ask if you smoke, and if you do, he will tell you to stop. Nor should you drink alcoholic beverages while pregnant.
While you are in the first three months, or first trimester of your pregnancy your doctor will want to see you once a month. Again, as with the first visit, he will want to check your urine, take your blood pressure, and weigh you. He will ask how your feeling, if you notice anything unusual, make sure you tell him. Ask him all and any questions you have. In fact, you may want to write down things to ask him. Usually, we forget half the questions we had when we get to the office.
During the first trimester your doctor may want to schedule a test called an ultrasound. This test will enable him to see the fetus growing inside you. Some ultrasound machines have the ability to video tape, ask him if his does. You will be able to bring a tape, and have a video of your baby. If it cannot video tape, the machine can usually print out a picture of your baby for you. With this test, the doctor will be able to see the baby developing at the correct stage.
Your body will be going through some physical changes during this time. You may notice some of the following happening.
You may feel much more tired than usual. Not surprising though is it, since your body is helping to make a whole new person.
You may feel ill in the morning. This is called morning sickness, it does usually happen in the morning, but it can happen anytime throughout the day. It doesn't usually last more than a few weeks and it is brought on by the extra hormones in your body.
You may notice some emotional changes. You may feel like crying, or get crabby. Again, there are changes happening, and hormones surging. This is all normal. If you are upset by it, call your doctor, or discuss it with him at your next visit.
Your breasts may feel tender, and achy.
You may have to go to the bathroom much more frequently than usual. If you are urinating frequently, just remember, this is due to the growth of the uterus applying pressure to your bladder.
If you feel any distressing signs, like vaginal bleeding, dizziness or pain in your abdomen, it should be reported to your doctor immediately.
As soon as you have missed your first period, or taken the little stick test into the bathroom with you and gotten a positive reading, you should make an appointment to see your doctor. You want to be under his care as early as possible in your pregnancy, so he can watch the changes, monitor your tests, and assure you everything is going alone fine with your pregnancy.
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