Pregnancy Symptoms: What to Expect Each Trimester

Throughout pregnancy, your body will undergo hormonal and physical changes as your baby grows. You will naturally experience various symptoms throughout the 3 trimesters, ranging from early signs such as morning sickness to later symptoms such as heart palpitations.

Read on to find out more about these symptoms and learn how to recognise what is normal during your pregnancy.

How can you tell if you are pregnant?

Pregnancy begins when a sperm fertilises an egg, whether naturally or with fertility treatment. The fertilised egg (embryo) travels to the womb and implants itself in the uterine lining. This implantation triggers a rise in hormones such as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), progesterone, and oestrogen, which can be detected in your blood and urine.

Changes in these hormones can cause symptoms that you can feel. However, pregnancy symptoms can vary from person to person and from pregnancy to pregnancy. Some may feel the early pregnancy symptoms as soon as 6 days after conception, while others may not realise until weeks after receiving a positive result from a pregnancy test.

However, it's important to note that many of these symptoms are not unique to pregnancy and instead may indicate that you are getting sick or that your period is about to start. The only way to be sure that you are pregnant is to take a pregnancy test, such as a home pregnancy test that you can buy from a pharmacy, or to visit your healthcare provider and have a blood test.

First-trimester pregnancy symptoms

Following confirmation of your pregnancy, you will enter the first trimester, which lasts until the end of the 13th week. During this time, the fertilised egg will continue to develop, forming the brain, lungs, and central nervous system.

Your body will begin to show various symptoms of change, such as:

• Missed periods:

  • One of the most common signs of early pregnancy is a missed period. When conception occurs, your body increases production of the oestrogen and progesterone hormones to prevent menstruation and maintain your pregnancy.

  • However, you may experience light bleeding around the time of your expected period due to the fertilised egg implanting in the uterine lining (implantation bleeding).

• Morning sickness:

  • During your early pregnancy, a surge in hormones may cause nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite (morning sickness).

  • Although referred to as morning sickness, these symptoms can actually occur at any time of day and typically begin between weeks 4 and 6 of pregnancy; they often resolve by week 12, but for some women, they may persist until the third trimester.

• Breast tenderness:

  • Another common early pregnancy symptom is breast tenderness, where your breasts become fuller, swollen, and tender due to hormonal changes.

  • The skin around the nipple may also darken, and the veins in your breasts may become more visible. These breast changes will fade once your body has adjusted to the hormonal changes.

• Fatigue:

  • In the first trimester, your body makes more progesterone, which is needed to maintain the pregnancy but slows your metabolism, making you feel tired.

  • Fatigue tends to improve in the second trimester but may continue into the third for some women.

• Frequent urination:

  • During pregnancy, you may need to visit the bathroom more frequently than usual. This increased need to urinate is caused by higher body fluid levels, which lead the kidneys to filter more liquid.

  • As your pregnancy progresses, your growing womb also puts pressure on your bladder, reducing its capacity and creating a constant urge to urinate.

  • This symptom typically begins at around 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy and may ease during the second trimester but often returns in the third trimester when your baby moves down into your pelvis.

• Food cravings:

  • Although cravings for certain foods are a common symptom of early pregnancy, you may instead experience a change in your taste preferences or develop a dislike of foods that you previously liked (food aversion).

The first trimester brings many changes as your body adapts, and it is also crucial for your baby's growth and health; therefore, it is natural to feel confused and overwhelmed during this time. Talking to a fertility specialist can help you to better navigate this first trimester and help you to overcome any potential challenges.

You can also look into maternity insurance, which can provide financial security and allow you to focus on your health and family rather than worrying about mounting medical bills.

For further support during your early pregnancy, schedule an appointment with Thomson Women's Clinic. Our fertility specialists can answer your questions and address your concerns, including which early pregnancy symptoms to expect.

Second trimester pregnancy symptoms

Once you reach the 13th week, you will enter the second trimester, which lasts until the 27th week. During this time, your baby will continue to grow, their organs will mature, and you may find out their gender around week 20. Many of the uncomfortable symptoms of pregnancy begin to ease at this stage.

At this time in the pregnancy, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Decreased morning sickness and fatigue:

  • During the second trimester, uncomfortable symptoms like morning sickness or fatigue usually subside as your body adjusts to the hormonal changes.

• Larger belly and breast:

  • As your baby keeps growing, your womb will grow to accommodate it, so your belly will increase in size, and you may experience weight gain.

  • Additionally, due to continued hormonal stimulation and the development of milk ducts, your breasts will also start to enlarge to prepare you for breastfeeding.

• Lower back pain:

  • As your womb grows to accommodate your growing baby and your breasts get bigger, it's common to experience lower back pain at this stage of pregnancy.

• Skin changes:

  • Hormonal changes during pregnancy increase the number of pigment cells, called melanocytes, in your skin. This can result in brown, tan, or grey patches appearing on your face or a dark line forming on your belly.

  • You may also see reddish-brown, black, silver or purple lines along your belly, breasts, buttocks, or thighs. These are called stretch marks. While you cannot prevent them; they typically fade after birth.

• Dizziness:

  • Changes in blood circulation and your growing womb pressing on blood vessels can cause occasional dizziness.

• Leg cramps:

  • As your pregnancy goes on, leg cramps become increasingly common due to changes in blood circulation, extra weight, and pressure from your growing uterus on nerves and blood vessels supplying your legs.

• Sensation of foetal movement (quickening):

  • This is often described as a fluttering sensation, like having butterflies in your stomach. Initially, the movements may be irregular, but they become more consistent at around 28 weeks of pregnancy.

During the second trimester, you may feel less tired, have more energy, and your appetite may improve. This means you can focus more on welcoming your little one to your family. During this time, it is a good idea to discuss the type of birth you prefer, whether through natural birth or assisted delivery (such as a caesarean section).

Third-trimester pregnancy symptoms

This is the last leg of your pregnancy journey; there are approximately 12 weeks left before your baby finally comes to the family. During this time, your baby will be almost ready to meet the world outside the womb. Their skin will be protected by vernix, a white, waxy substance that eases their passage through the birth canal.

Although the third trimester can be full of excitement, it also has its own challenges as the labour date approaches. Common symptoms of pregnancy during this time include:

• Braxton-Hicks contractions:

  • These are slight feelings of irregular tightness in the stomach area, varying in strength and length. They also tend to become more frequent and stronger as your due date approaches.

• Backaches:

  • As your baby reaches their full size and your breasts continue growing, the extra weight can cause backaches.

• Shortness of breath:

  • As your little one keeps growing, the enlarged womb can press against your rib cage and cause shortness of breath.

• Heart palpitations:

  • In the third trimester, as your womb gets bigger, you may feel your heart pounding, racing or skipping beats. This is because your heart needs to work harder to pump extra blood around your body and to your growing baby.

  • Additionally, your enlarged womb can put pressure on major blood vessels, slowing blood return to your heart and contributing to palpitations.

• Heartburn:

  • Heartburn is a burning pain in your chest, just behind your breastbone. It's often accompanied by a sour or bitter taste in your mouth. 

  • This condition can happen during the third trimester because pregnancy hormones slow down digestion, allowing stomach acid to flow back up into your food pipe (oesophagus).

  • Additionally, as your baby grows larger, the enlarged womb puts increasing pressure on your stomach, pushing acid upward.

• Spider and varicose veins:

  • Increased blood volume and pressure from the enlarged womb can cause tiny, red-purple spider veins to appear on your face, neck and arms.

  • Additionally, swollen veins called varicose veins may develop on your legs, and painful, itchy varicose veins may appear in the rectal area, known as haemorrhoids.

• Frequent urination:

  • As your baby moves deeper into your pelvis preparing for birth, increased pressure on your bladder causes more frequent urination and possible urine leakage.

During the third trimester, your fertility doctor may ask you to visit more frequently for check-ups. Typically, these check-ups occur every two weeks, and as your due date draws near, they shift to weekly intervals.

During these visits, your doctor will monitor your weight and blood pressure, measure your belly and test your urine for signs of pre-eclampsia, which is characterised by high blood pressure and protein in the urine.

During this last stretch of pregnancy, it's also natural to feel anxious about upcoming labour or becoming a parent. Finding time to relax and practising stress-reduction techniques can help to manage these feelings.

However, if you're experiencing excessive anxiety or feeling overwhelmed before your due date, don't hesitate to discuss this with a fertility specialist. Schedule an appointment with Thomson Women's Clinic today – and if it makes you feel more comfortable, you can choose a female gynaecologist to support you at your visit.

Pregnancy symptoms that require medical attention

In addition to symptoms that commonly appear in the third trimester, you should also be aware of other symptoms that may indicate serious complications requiring urgent care during pregnancy.

Should you experience any of the following, please reach out to your healthcare provider or visit the nearest hospital as soon as possible:

• Severe abdominal pain

• Heavy vaginal bleeding 

• Your baby moves less than usual 

• Waters breaking (amniotic fluid leak)

• High fever

• Persistent vomiting 

• Severe headache

• Blurry vision 

• Sudden swelling of your face, hands, or legs 

FAQ

What are the first signs of pregnancy?

Signs of pregnancy can vary from person to person and even between pregnancies. However, the most common early symptoms are a missed period, tender breasts, fatigue, nausea, and frequent urination.

How can I tell if I'm pregnant without a test?

How soon can you experience pregnancy symptoms?

Some people may notice symptoms as early as one week after conception, around the time of implantation, while others may not experience symptoms until several weeks after receiving a positive result from a pregnancy test.

How does a 1-week pregnant stomach feel?

At this stage, your stomach will typically feel quite normal, as your womb hasn't yet been enlarged to accommodate your little one. You may see a visible baby bump during the second trimester of pregnancy, between 12 and 16 weeks, because the uterus rises above the pelvic bone around that time.

When does morning sickness start?

Can I take a pregnancy test after 5 days?

The information provided is intended for general guidance only and should not be considered medical advice. For personalised recommendations and tailored advice,schedule an appointmentatThomson Women’s Clinic.