Women are blessed by the almighty to give birth to a new life and this is the most important phase in the life of any woman. Motherhood is the most aspired period by any woman, as she looks forward to welcome her own baby into this world. The period of pregnancy is full of anxiety and physical changes for the mother to be. The total duration of pregnancy is about forty weeks. This whole period is divided into three trimesters. The beginning of pregnancy is counted from the first day of the last period. The trimesters of pregnancy are divided keeping in mind the broad changes experienced by the expectant mother during the whole period of pregnancy.
The first trimester of pregnancy is counted from week one to week twelve. From the thirteenth week to the twenty seventh week is the second trimester and the final or the third trimester begins from the twenty eighth week to the birth of the child.
First trimester
This is the initial phase of pregnancy in which the fertilized egg is implanted into the uterus lining after one week of being fertilized. The egg transforms into a group of cells known as blastocyst. This event triggers the onset of physical changes in the body of the expectant woman. This is a very delicate phase for the mother as her baby starts to develop. The embryo starts to develop the major body organs and is at a high risk of damage. It is therefore advised by the doctors during this crucial stage that the expecting mother takes proper rest and does not exerts her body.
By the end of the ninth week, the baby grows to about one inch in length. This is a difficult period for the mother to be as she experiences common pregnancy symptoms like fatigue and dizziness and morning sickness. Reading this article about health during pregnancy can help women cope with this period.
Second trimester
This one is the most comfortable of all the trimesters of pregnancy. The expectant mother begins to feel the movement of the baby during this period. The baby bump appears and it is the best time to break the news of the pregnancy during this trimester if the expecting mother has till now tried to hide this good news. The baby learns to pass urine, swallow and suck her thumb. The eyelashes and fingernails of the baby are also formed during this period. The loss of appetite experienced by the mother in the first trimester vanishes in this trimester.
Third trimester
The last trimester is when the baby grows very rapidly. Women experience much problems and discomfort due to the ever increasing load on the abdomen. Swelling on feet and hands is a common problem experienced during this stage of pregnancy. The organs of the baby mature fully and the brain development takes place. The movements of the baby especially during the twenty seventh weeks to the thirty second week are very prominent. The body of the woman prepares itself to go into labor.
