Pregnancy First Trimester: Symptoms and Complications

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The first trimester of pregnancy can be a scary time and you probably have many questions about what to expect. While most women have normal, healthy pregnancies, there are some warning signs you should look for. It’s also important to know the normal symptoms to expect during your first trimester.

Pregnancy First Trimester Symptoms
The following symptoms are completely normal during pregnancy and no reason to worry.

• Morning sickness, or nausea, which may occur at any time of the day or night. It may begin as early as 3 weeks past conception.
• Swollen and tender breasts, which may feel heavy and painful.
• Frequent urination, particularly during the night.
• Fatigue, which usually begins shortly after conception.
• Food cravings and food aversions.
• Dizziness.
• Constipation.
• Heartburn.

Pregnancy First Trimester Complications: Symptoms to Look for

• Vaginal bleeding. While mild spotting is normal during your first trimester, heavy bleeding may indicate a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy. The brighter the blood, the more serious it is. Signs of a threatened miscarriage also include painful cramping, while an ectopic pregnancy may be accompanied by sharp pain in your lower abdomen. An ectopic pregnancy happens when the egg is fertilized outside of the uterus, typically in the fallopian tubes. If you experience heavy vaginal bleeding, contact your doctor right away. You will probably get an ultrasound, physical exam and blood work.
• Excessive nausea. Morning sickness, or nausea, is a very common symptom during the first trimester. However, severe nausea that causes dehydration is serious. You may need medication to control the nausea, or hospitalization to restore fluids.
• High fever. Any fever over 101 degrees F is a sign of a serious infection which may affect your child. Fevers during the first trimester of pregnancy are often accompanied by a rash and joint pain. This fever may be a sign of toxoplasma, parovirus or cytomegalovirus (CMV), which is the top cause of congenital deafness. Call your doctor if you have a fever that’s accompanied with flu-like symptoms, rashes, joint pain and body aches.
• Vaginal discharge with itching. Some discharge is normal, although an excessive amount can be a sign of an infection or a sexually transmitted disease. Because this may affect your child, it’s important to tell your doctor about the discharge and itchiness.
• Burning or pain while urinating. This is a sign of a urinary tract infection or a bladder infection, which may lead to serious consequences if it remains untreated. If left alone, it can develop into a serious illness, an infection, pre-term labor and even pre-term birth. Tell your doctor about this symptom so you can receive treatment to continue a healthy pregnancy.
• Leg and calf pain, swelling on one side and a severe headache. This is an uncommon but serious complication of pregnancy that’s a sign of a blood clot. While it doesn’t happen to most women, keep in mind pregnancy makes the development of a blood clot more likely. A clot in the calf will cause pain and swelling and the clot can travel to your lung, which is usually fatal. A blood clot in the brain will usually cause a severe headache, although there may be many causes of a bad headache during your pregnancy. If you have these symptoms or a history of clots, contact your doctor.
• Chronic disease flare-ups. Finally, if you have a pre-existing condition like diabetes, lupus, high blood pressure, asthma or thyroid disease, look for changes in your condition throughout your pregnancy. Pregnancy may cause a flare-up of your disease, which could have consequences for your child. A flare-up of thyroid disease, for example, may cause a miscarriage, while diabetes that isn’t controlled can cause miscarriage or fetal abnormalities.