Pregnancy is a wonderful conversion of a lady to the form of a mother. It is the phase between the formation of the fetus in the womb and the delivery. The first period of pregnancy is called the first trimester of pregnancy and it is the time most of the changes occur in the body of the mother to tune it to the necessities of the budding baby. The first trimester continues till 12 to 14 weeks from the day one of the pregnancy. This is the most vital and risky stage of pregnancy and the most important period for the baby and the mother. It is during this phase the baby shows its most amazing development and the mother faces the first changes in her body. Risks during pregnancy occur when some unusual problem occurs at an unusual time, which may be due to health condition of the mother before pregnancy or due to some other reasons.
The most important risk that is faced by a woman during the first period of pregnancy is that of miscarriage. Loss of pregnancy within 20 weeks of consumption is known as miscarriage. Many miscarriages happen even before the lady is conscious of the fact that she is pregnant. Genetic problems, the woman’s health issues or the problems related to chromosomes of the fetus can cause miscarriages. The risk factors affecting pregnancy in early stages may vary from person to person. It depends not only on the mother’s health, but also on both the parents’ habitual activities and family health history. Some health issues of mother, that affect the pregnancy in the earlier stage include, high blood pressure, heart, lung or liver diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, infectious diseases, viral or bacterial infections, diabetes, severe asthma, epilepsy, “post-traumatic disorder” and “hypothyroidism”. Some elements which increase the presence of these risk factors in the mother are smoking, drinking alcohol, consumption of caffeine, taking drugs not prescribed by a doctor, deficiency of nutrition, low levels of folic acid, lack of prenatal care, having sex with more than one person, exposure to pesticides, exposure to radiation, stress etc.
Risk factors that affect both mother and baby also include, problems in the past pregnancy and prior birth defects, age of the mother i.e., if the mother is younger than 15 years or older than 35 years, multiple fetuses, vaginal bleeding, high blood pressure induced by pregnancy, abnormal fetal heartbeat etc.
Women have also posed some other risks during early period of pregnancy that may disappear after the first trimester. These pregnancy problems comprise morning sickness or nausea, tender breasts due to increased production of hormone, tiredness, mood swing, more frequent urination, burning sensation in heart, constipation, dizziness, leg cramps, increased rate of heartbeats etc. Some other risks include anemia, swelling, “braxton hicks contractions” or irregular tightening of the uterus, craving for food, dry eyes, thrush, urinary infections, backache, joint pain, and headache.
Many things can be done to avoid the risk during the early stages of pregnancy. Regular medical examinations, intake of sufficient vitamins, proteins and folic acids, doing necessary exercises, avoidance of negative feelings, taking care at the time of traveling etc will be helpful to reduce the risks during pregnancy. There are also certain things that are to be avoided to reduce these early stages risks. Some things which should not be done consist of, avoidance of alcohol and cigarettes, intake of drugs without prescription, eating of hot dogs and other junk foods, consumption of caffeine, avoidance of contact with reptiles, stay away from tick bites, intake of vitamin A supplements, avoid taking X Rays and “Video Display Terminals” (VDTs) and also stay away from stress. Expecting mothers should also avoid the use of microwaves, electric blankets, waterbeds, hotbeds and tap water. Avoidance of paint fumes household cleaning products etc. will also be helpful to minimize the early pregnancy risks.