By; Bakinam Khaled
Each pregnancy trimester has its own developmental milestones for both the mother and the child. IVI Fetal Medicine Clinic stated that expectant mothers should know what to watch and monitor for each trimester to stay ahead of the game. “Pregnancy consists of three trimesters, starting from the day of the woman’s last menstruation cycle up to about 40 weeks, with each stage marked by developments that may indicate the health status of both the mother and the baby.
It is crucial for mother to observe and learn the symptoms throughout the pregnancy. Being awake and informed is as important as having a regular prenatal check-up,” said Dr Desislava, Lead Fetal Medicine at the IVI clinic. “A woman undergoes diverse hormonal and physiological changes during pregnancy.
Knowing how the pregnancy is affecting her body as the baby grows inside the womb prepares her to handle the changes as they come. Additionally, acknowledging these changes and identifying the risk factors with corresponding medical examinations for each stage makes them better prepared”, Dr. Desislava added. A woman experiences significant hormonal changes during the first trimester of her pregnancy, which is from week 1 – 13, with the usual symptoms ranging from exhaustion and morning sickness to breast tenderness, mood swings, headache, and constipation. Dr Desislava said that it is also typical to hear pregnant women talk about either their cravings or aversion to certain food at this stage. “It should, however, be pointed out that women have different experiences for the entire duration of their pregnancy.
For instance, some women may experience morning sickness, but others may not, which is perfectly normal. Furthermore, the first trimester is also highly crucial for the development of the fetus. Mothers must, therefore, take extra care of their body and health especially during this period,” added Dr Desislava. Mothers normally begin to feel better as they go through the second trimester of their pregnancy, which is the period between week 14 to week 28. Some symptoms such as tiredness and vomiting slowly disappear. Physical changes become pronounced during this period.
Their bellies start to grow as the fetus develops and gains weight. In addition, their face, ankles, and fingers may swell.
The second trimester is the most exciting point of pregnancy as mothers start to feel their babies move. During the third trimester, or week 29 until delivery, the growing fetus is expected to show a lot of movement and become heavier. An expectant mother feels highly uncomfortable at this point. For some pregnant women, especially the first-time mums, they also become more anxious and nervous as their due date nears. “During labour, babies may take the head-down anterior position, which is the ideal position for normal childbirth delivery. Always remember that the doctors will recommend the safest procedure depending on the condition of both the mother and her child. The baby’s weight and position is a major consideration in delivery procedure”, concluded Dr Desislava. Prenatal care of an unborn baby along with the care for the mother through prenatal screening and diagnosis is one of the most rapidly advancing fields in medicine.
The IVI Middle East Medical Center for Fetal Medicine provides comprehensive care and management plan for pregnant women with low as well as high-risk pregnancies. Their holistic patient care team consists of leading specialists who offer the best possible care this science has to offer.
With an excellent team of many top specialists for both fertility and fetal, IVI delivers a success rate of over 70 percent, the highest in the Middle East. IVI Fertility has three clinics in the Middle East – Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Muscat, which strive to offer patients, fertility treatments that are honest, transparent and customized to their medical conditions, coupled with the best clinical practices.
