First Trimester Of Pregnancy

The first trimester of pregnancy is the one rife with morning sickness and other early pregnancy symptoms associated with the hormonal changes a woman's body undergoes in preparation for a pregnancy. A woman's emotions will be making hills and valleys out of anxiety and happiness and mood swings will run rampant.

A woman's first trimester begins roughly two weeks before she knows she's pregnant, and oftentimes women say they can feel an emotional change in themselves during those two weeks. According to the Mayo Clinic, other things a woman may notice during her first trimester are: nausea, tender breasts and a darkening of the nipples, increased urination, tiredness, heartburn and constipation, dizziness, and food cravings or aversions.

The first trimester of pregnancy lasts 12 weeks, and although very little weight gain happens during this time, the baby's head develops and the baby will begin to move around - although a woman won't be able to feel it yet.

Prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy will require an initial visit that may take a few hours while a health care provider goes over the ins and outs of lifestyle changes, basic health checkups, blood tests and physical exams. He or she will also be able to tell you your due date. Prenatal checkups will become more frequent as the pregnancy continues but during the first trimester the visits may only be scheduled monthly or every six weeks.