Pre-pregnancy & Early Pregnancy Period

Pregnancy is a period which gives a lot of excitement in women. It is also a period of anxiety, confusion, and doubts. When it comes to pregnancy many aspects are not in our hands however there are many things which we can do to avoid big complications and ensuring that we deliver a healthy baby.

This is some general information. Always follow medical advice from your doctor in case of complications/doubts/treatment.

The ideal age for pregnancy is between 20 and 30, above 35 years, there can be more complications. It does not mean that pregnancy after 30 years may end up in complications always.

Pregnancy duration

The duration of a complete pregnancy is 40 weeks calculated from your last menstrual period(LMP) date and is divided into 3 trimesters.

1st trimester- till 12 weeks from LMP

2nd trimester- 13–26 weeks from LMP

3rd trimester- 27–40 weeks from LMP

Planning to get pregnant? Where should I begin?

It is always advisable to have planned pregnancies. If you are planning to get pregnant, consult a doctor immediately to make sure that everything is good. For example, you may have to make sure if your blood sugar, blood pressure, your body weight everything is under control. If you are obese, it is always advisable to reduce your weight to a normal level according to your height before moving ahead.

Most importantly your doctor may prescribe folic acid supplements which is very important for your embryo at an early stage. This will help in bringing down neural tube defects and other abnormalities. This is particularly important to take before pregnancy the reason is that, by the time we test our pregnancy based on a missed period, if you are pregnant the embryo would be already at about 2 weeks and the brain development would already have started. So, it is always ideal to take folic acid supplements when you are planning for a pregnancy.

Bleeding or spotting instead of a period (Implantation bleeding due to Pregnancy)

Normally if you get slight bleeding or spotting (Note that in spotting the amount of discharge can be very low and you will see only a few droplets of blood/discharge in red, pink, or light brown color in your underwear, the amount of bleeding is negligible compared to the normal bleeding during periods) instead of a normal period that can indicate implantation bleeding due to pregnancy, in that case, make sure that you take a pregnancy test and let the doctor know that you had slight bleeding or spotting. This can be a common thing and everything can come normal still it’s very important to inform your doctor about this.

Voila! My test result is positive, what next?

Once you are tested positive at home, never wait for 2 or 3 months to see your doctor. That may cause serious complications. Ideally, see your doctor immediately after you are tested positive for pregnancy. Your doctor will take a blood test to make sure you are pregnant, they may also check your hormone levels to make sure everything is normal.

Your 1st scan can sometimes be life-saving!

Your doctor will recommend an ultrasound scan by 6 -7 weeks calculated after your missed period. This scan primarily helps them in identifying if the embryo is implanted in the uterus or in the fallopian tube (which is called ectopic pregnancy).

Please note that Ultrasound scans are safe during pregnancy (even if it is transvaginal) as it does not involve any radiation and involves only Ultrasound in getting the picture of the embryo or the fetus

What if you waited for 2 or 3 months after tested positive and you have an ectopic pregnancy? The tube may break and can be dangerous to your life as you may lose a lot of blood. That’s why this scan is important as if it is a tubular pregnancy your doctor will take the necessary action before it could cause further danger.

This scan is also helpful in detecting if there is a heartbeat for the embryo. If they don’t find the heartbeat in the 1st scan, they may advise you to come after a few days. The estimated date of delivery can also be detected through this scan.

What are some of the things you may have to take care of?

• Pregnancy is a stage where we need to take the utmost care. Therefore never take treatments based on web articles or YouTube videos, always check with your doctor. To get information, referring to YouTube videos can be helpful but I would recommend watching only the videos created by doctors when it comes to pregnancy
• Also, it’s very important to note that pregnancy can be different in different women so it’s not advisable to compare your symptoms with others or take treatments which the others are taking without your doctor’s advice
• It is important to continue with the prenatal or folic acid supplements which the doctor has prescribed as the early pregnancy stage is very critical for the brain development of the embryo
• Make sure you consult your doctor immediately if you get severe stomach pain especially during the 1st trimester. This can indicate a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. Some cramps and pain are common during pregnancy
• Nausea, Vomiting, and Morning sickness can also be common and perfectly normal as it is because of the hormones supporting pregnancy. If it becomes excess check with your doctor. Some may not necessarily get vomiting but don’t worry and that may not be a cause of concern
• Based on your test results doctor can also prescribe medicines if you have any abnormalities in hormones like thyroid or can prescribe antibiotics or give other treatments if you have infections. Always make sure that you have these tablets in the correct dose as prescribed by your doctor
• Check with your doctor if you want to do exercise, especially if you have bleeding or spotting during the early stages
• Avoid bending and lifting weight as much as possible
• If you have any kind of pains, fever, cough, vaginal itching, etc. don’t take self-medication, check with your doctor immediately
• It is very important to avoid the following foods right from the beginning of your pregnancy and stick on to homemade foods

1. Junk foods

2. Outside food and fast food which may have been prepared in an unclean environment

3. Processed food or foods available in packets or tins

4. Food having preservatives or artificial colors

5. Improperly cooked food

6. Some milk products which would have been made out of unpasteurized milk (like some kind of cheese)

7. Juices that are store-brought

• Drink around 3 to 4 liters of water, make sure you eat or drink something immediately after you wake up in the morning. It is not advisable to remain without eating or drinking anything for a long time in the morning
• Avoid exposure to radiation like X-rays all throughout your pregnancy. If you had to take X-rays by chance it is very important to let the technician know that you are pregnant