Hi, I am Denise Johnson. I am one of the OB GYN generalists here
at UT Health Austin and I am here to answer your most Googled questions
about the first trimester. So how does the baby develop over
the course of the first trimester? So over the course of the first trimester, the baby's going to develop from just a
few cells to about the size of a lemon. And during that time, all of the
organ systems start to develop. We think most importantly about
the brain and nervous system, but then all of the other
organ systems, the intestines, the heart all start to develop
in the first trimester. Are there any foods that I should
avoid during the first trimester? So you want to make sure to avoid
any raw or uncooked foods, so no sushi or deli meats, and then also avoid any fish that has
high levels of mercury. So your big fish, like mackerel or sword fish. Items like that are the most common
things that we want to avoid. Can I take pain relievers
during the first trimester? So you can take certain pain
relievers. We recommend acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. So just plain
Tylenol, not Tylenol cold and flu, things like that that have additional
components. You want to avoid Advil, Aleve, that contain Ibuprofen or Naproxen. How much weight should I gain throughout
my pregnancy? In terms of weight gain, it's really going to depend on what your
initial weight is at the beginning of the pregnancy. So we can recommend a range from 11
to 30 pounds over the course of the pregnancy. And most of that is going to
be in the second and third trimester. The first trimester you'd really expect
to gain about one to five pounds. Not quite eating for two just yet. What precautions should I take
during the first trimester? Overall, you are going to continue
to live your daily life. We are going to recommend that you stop
any alcohol use, tobacco use, drug use. Stay away from hot tubs and saunas.
And then if you have a cat at home, make sure that you're not
the one cleaning the litter. What are the most common symptoms
experienced during the first trimesters? So the top three most common symptoms
are really nausea and vomiting, breast tenderness, and
significant fatigue. The good thing is that a lot of these
will get better after the first trimester. A lot of the changes in pregnancy have
to do with significant hormone changes as we support the pregnancy and the placenta. And so as your body works to support that, then you notice these changes in
symptoms like nausea, fatigue. What are some tips to help improve nausea
and vomiting in the first trimester? First, you can start with just
small meals throughout the day, and sometimes people will
find that ginger tea can help. And then we also just don't
want you to suffer in silence. So there's a couple vitamins
and medications that we
can offer in the OB GYN office. So definitely let us know what
you're experiencing and we can help you. What if I have spotting
during the first trimester? So spotting is a very common
symptom that is often normal, but can be serious. So you definitely want to contact your
OB GYN and we can definitely talk you through your symptoms. Is it normal to experience cramps
during the first trimester? So cramping, if it's off and on can be
normal in the first trimester, but if you're having severe, persistent cramping and especially if
it's associated with vaginal bleeding, you definitely should contact your OB GYN, and we can help you figure out if we
need to see you or take care of you. What are the early signs of a miscarriage? Early signs of a miscarriage
can be persistent cramping. So not the every now and then cramping, but cramping that really isn't going away
and then heavy bleeding. So bleeding, that's looking more like a
period and not just a few spots. Those can be some important early
signs to discuss with your O B GYN. Is it safe to exercise during
the first trimester? So yes, it is safe to exercise. We
actually want you to exercise. I usually tell my patients, if you were not running a
marathon before your pregnancy, this is not the time to
train for a marathon, but we do recommend the routine 150
minutes over the course of a week of moderate exercise. And you
want to avoid contact sports. So anything that would cause direct
hits or trauma to the abdomen. But other than that, you can
continue your routine exercises. Is sex safe in pregnancy? Yes, it is safe to have sex in pregnancy
as long as you feel comfortable. And of course always contact your doctor
if there's any particular conditions that might make it unsafe, but overall
it's safe in routine pregnancy. How soon do I need to
schedule a prenatal screening? You can contact our office as soon
as you find out that you're pregnant. We will actually set you up with one of
our nurses to help kind of figure out your history and get you set up
with your initial medications. And then you'll see one of the providers
later on in the first trimester. So while these are the most common
questions about the first trimester, keep in mind that each person has a
different pregnancy and different health concerns. So you should always contact
your OB GYN for specific questions. I hope this answered some of your
questions about the first trimester, make sure to tune in next time for
questions about the second trimester.
