12 weeks pregnant © 2014 by Lucas & Whitney Shaffer. Used with permission.
The First Trimester of Pregnancy
By Serena D. Tidwell M.D, Midtown OB/GYN
The first trimester of pregnancy is such an exciting time! I think one of the most interesting things is that each pregnancy is completely different. So whether your first or fifth pregnancy you will find that your body adapts to being pregnant in a unique manner.
At Midtown OB/GYN, we schedule new OB appointments at 6 weeks or later. If patients have high risk factors we see them prior to 6 weeks. After the initial “new OB visit” we order a complete lab panel for routine pregnancy labs (Blood count, Blood type, RPR (Syphilis test) and Hepatitis test. HIV testing is optional but offered to all pregnant patients.
Definitely the two biggest concerns I hear from pregnant women in the first trimester are fatigue and nausea. The “fatigue factor” is very real and largely limited to the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. You will feel exhausted and have increased sleep requirements. Daily naps are common! Rest assured, this resolves as you get out of the first trimester.
The other big first trimester concern is nausea. In rare cases patients will have hyperemesis requiring medical treatment. Our first line recommendation for nausea is “sea bands” which are available over the counter. These utilize natural acupressure physiology. While designed for sea sickness they work well for pregnancy related nausea. It is also helpful to keep something on your stomach. Instead of 3 traditional meals it will be helpful to eat 6 small meals and never let your stomach get empty. Prescription medications like Phenergen and Zofran are safe.
Average recommended weight gain for the first trimester is 5 pounds.
The first trimester is also a time to make decisions about screening options. Down Syndrome screening is available in the first trimester. New lab tests can locate fetal cells in maternal blood to run genetic analysis on those cells. This is very exciting as it provides us with the option to get results similar to amniocentesis without the risk of the procedure.
I always encourage patients prior to undergoing any testing to think about what they would do with the information. All tests have a false positive rate and a false negative rate. Prior to starting along this path I encourage patients to really think about the value of the information to them.
In conclusion, relax and enjoy the first trimester. You need extra rest! If nauseated, try eating smaller more frequent meals. Finally, make personal decisions about testing options available. Establish care with a medical provider with whom you feel comfortable discussing any and all questions!
Dr. Serena Tidwell is an OB/GYN with Midtown OB/GYN. She completed residency at Wake Forest University after graduating from The Medical College of Georgia and Emory University. She is the 2013 winner of our Choice Award for Best OB/GYN.
Image Source: Whitney & Lucas Shaffer. Used with Permission
