If you opened this post – we congratulate you! Such a happy and expected moment – the onset of such a joyful event – pregnancy.
- First, in order to confirm the onset of pregnancy, you need to take a blood test for total hCG. HCG – human chorionic gonadotropin – is a hormone that is produced by the chorionic villi (cells of the future placenta) and is an important indicator of the development of pregnancy. In the early stages of pregnancy, there is a rule for the increase in hCG: every 48 hours the level of the hormone should increase approximately twice. The correct increase in hCG indicates the correct development of pregnancy.
- Pregnancy can be confirmed by ultrasound when the hCG level is above 700 mIU/ml. The first ultrasound of pregnancy is very important, since it is necessary to confirm the pregnancy and ascertain its correct localization (uterine pregnancy). At 6-7 weeks of pregnancy, it is worth performing a second ultrasound, during this period we must confirm the heartbeat of the embryo, which is also evidence of a healthy course of pregnancy. The next important ultrasound is the first combined prenatal screening of pregnancy, during which the doctor assesses the correct formation of all organs and systems in the fetus, and also analyzes certain biochemical indicators of the mother’s blood.
- The first and basic steps that every woman who finds out about pregnancy should take:
- Refusal of alcohol;
- Refusal of smoking;
- Agree with your obstetrician-gynecologist to determine the level in the blood: progesterone, estradiol (the main hormones supporting pregnancy), complete blood count, coagulogram, ferritin, 25 (OH) vit D, TSH, free T4, TORCH Ig M, G;
- Start taking folic acid in the form of the active form metafolin (methylfolate) in a dosage of 400-800 mcg (vitamin B9 is very important for the correct process of cell division and the formation of the neural tube in the fetus, which is laid even when the woman may not even be aware of her wonderful condition).
But all other drugs and vitamins should be used only in consultation with your obstetrician-gynecologist.
During the first trimester of pregnancy, the placenta is still forming, and the embryo does not have a placental barrier – a kind of protection. Also, not all medications are safe in terms of their effect on pregnancy, so you need to be extremely careful with the independent use of drugs and even vitamins.
- During the first trimester of pregnancy (up to 12 weeks), significant hormonal changes occur in a woman’s body. Common reactions to the restructuring may include: nausea, vomiting, increased fatigue, drowsiness, mood changes – emotional lability. The body of each pregnant woman may react differently, so you do not need to be alarmed if your early pregnancy period differs from the course of pregnancy in other women. If the condition of the hepatobiliary system is normal and you eat properly, without overloading your diet with fatty or fried foods, toxicosis should not bother you, and this is normal.
Take care and enjoy such an incredible period in a woman’s life!