When a woman finds out that she is pregnant, the excitement of wanting to be a mother can be clouded by feelings such as uncertainty, fear or anxiety, due to the worry that everything will go well during pregnancy. Knowing what foods she should not eat, dealing with the first symptoms, attending the first gynecological check-ups, thinking about possible names… there are many issues to keep in mind at this stage.
When breaking the news to friends and family, many pregnant women wait until the third trimester has passed. This is because, during the first three months of gestation, the growth of the fetus is very vulnerable and any complication could affect its development. During the first three months of pregnancy, there are a series of risks that should not be overlooked.
Johns Hopkins Medicine highlights that a healthy first trimester is crucial for the normal development of the fetus. Although the mother may not notice anything yet, all of the baby’s major organs and body systems are forming inside her.
As the embryo implants in the uterine wall, the amniotic sac that will surround the fetus throughout the pregnancy, as well as the placenta and umbilical cord, forms. “It is during this first trimester when the fetus is most susceptible to damage caused by substances, such as alcohol, drugs and certain medications, and diseases such as rubella (German measles),” they say on the Johns Hopkins Medicine website.
During the first trimester, the body of the mother and her baby change rapidly, which influences the favorable development of pregnancy. Additionally, the fetus is most vulnerable during the first 12 weeks. This is stated in the aforementioned source: “During this period of time, all major organs and body systems are forming and can be damaged if the fetus is exposed to drugs, infectious agents, radiation, certain medications, tobacco and toxic substances.”
To this we must add that, although the organs and systems of the baby’s body are fully formed by the end of 12 weeks, it cannot survive independently. For all these reasons, it is essential that the mother informs herself about how to follow a healthy diet, does not consume substances such as tobacco, alcohol or drugs and consults her doctor about what medications she can consume, as well as about the possibility of doing physical exercise.
On the other hand, during the first three months of pregnancy there is a greater risk of suffering a spontaneous abortion, which occurs before 20 weeks of gestational age. According to the MSD Manual, the incidence of miscarriage is 20%. Between 20 and 30% of women with confirmed pregnancies bleed during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and half of these suffer a miscarriage.