How Long Are The Trimesters Of Pregnancy?

Stages of Pregnancy: First, Second and Third Trimester – A pregnancy is divided into three stages called trimesters: first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester. A trimester lasts between 12 and 14 weeks, while a full-term pregnancy lasts around 40 weeks from the first day of a woman’s last period. In each trimester, the fetus will meet specific developmental milestones.
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How long is each pregnancy trimester?

A pregnancy is divided into trimesters: the first trimester is from week 1 to the end of week 12. the second trimester is from week 13 to the end of week 26. the third trimester is from week 27 to the end of the pregnancy.
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Which trimester is the easiest?

Stages of pregnancy During the first trimester your body undergoes many changes. Hormonal changes affect almost every organ system in your body. These changes can trigger symptoms even in the very first weeks of pregnancy. Your period stopping is a clear sign that you are pregnant. Other changes may include:

Extreme tiredness Tender, swollen breasts. Your nipples might also stick out. Upset stomach with or without throwing up (morning sickness) Cravings or distaste for certain foods Mood swings Constipation (trouble having bowel movements) Need to pass urine more often Headache Heartburn Weight gain or loss

As your body changes, you might need to make changes to your daily routine, such as going to bed earlier or eating frequent, small meals. Fortunately, most of these discomforts will go away as your pregnancy progresses. And some women might not feel any discomfort at all! If you have been pregnant before, you might feel differently this time around.

Just as each woman is different, so is each pregnancy. Most women find the second trimester of pregnancy easier than the first. But it is just as important to stay informed about your pregnancy during these months. You might notice that symptoms like nausea and fatigue are going away. But other new, more noticeable changes to your body are now happening.

Your abdomen will expand as the baby continues to grow. And before this trimester is over, you will feel your baby beginning to move! As your body changes to make room for your growing baby, you may have:

Body aches, such as back, abdomen, groin, or thigh pain Stretch marks on your abdomen, breasts, thighs, or buttocks Darkening of the skin around your nipples A line on the skin running from belly button to pubic hairline Patches of darker skin, usually over the cheeks, forehead, nose, or upper lip. Patches often match on both sides of the face. This is sometimes called the mask of pregnancy. Numb or tingling hands, called carpal tunnel syndrome Itching on the abdomen, palms, and soles of the feet. (Call your doctor if you have nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice or fatigue combined with itching. These can be signs of a serious liver problem.) Swelling of the ankles, fingers, and face. (If you notice any sudden or extreme swelling or if you gain a lot of weight really quickly, call your doctor right away. This could be a sign of,)

You’re in the home stretch! Some of the same discomforts you had in your second trimester will continue. Plus, many women find breathing difficult and notice they have to go to the bathroom even more often. This is because the baby is getting bigger and it is putting more pressure on your organs.

Shortness of breath Heartburn Swelling of the ankles, fingers, and face. (If you notice any sudden or extreme swelling or if you gain a lot of weight really quickly, call your doctor right away. This could be a sign of,) Tender breasts, which may leak a watery pre-milk called colostrum (kuh-LOSS-struhm) Your belly button may stick out Trouble sleeping The baby “dropping”, or moving lower in your abdomen Contractions, which can be a sign of

As you near your due date, your cervix becomes thinner and softer (called effacing). This is a normal, natural process that helps the birth canal (vagina) to open during the birthing process. Your doctor will check your progress with a vaginal exam as you near your due date. Get excited — the final countdown has begun! At four to five weeks:

Your baby’s brain and spinal cord have begun to form. The heart begins to form. Arm and leg buds appear. Your baby is now an embryo and one-twenty-fifth inch long.

At eight weeks:

All major organs and external body structures have begun to form. Your baby’s heart beats with a regular rhythm. The arms and legs grow longer, and fingers and toes have begun to form. The sex organs begin to form. The eyes have moved forward on the face and eyelids have formed. The is clearly visible. At the end of eight weeks, your baby is a fetus and looks more like a human. Your baby is nearly 1 inch long and weighs less than one-eighth ounce.

At 12 weeks:

The nerves and muscles begin to work together. Your baby can make a fist. The external sex organs show if your baby is a boy or girl. A woman who has an ultrasound in the second trimester or later might be able to find out the baby’s sex. Eyelids close to protect the developing eyes. They will not open again until the 28th week. Head growth has slowed, and your baby is much longer. Now, at about 3 inches long, your baby weighs almost an ounce.

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Is a trimester 3 or 4 months?

A “normal,” full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks and can range from 37 to 42 weeks. It’s divided into three trimesters. Each trimester lasts between 12 and 14 weeks, or about 3 months. As you may be experiencing now, each trimester comes with its own specific hormonal and physiological changes.

• Being aware of the ways that your growing baby is affecting your body will help you better prepare yourself for these changes as they happen.
• It’s also helpful to be aware of the specific risk factors (and associated medical tests) for each of the trimesters.
• Many times pregnancy anxiety comes from the unknown.

The more you know, the better you’ll feel! Let’s learn more about the phases of pregnancy and what you can expect.
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What if I accidentally sleep on my back while pregnant?

The best advice if you’re expecting – So what’s an already uncomfy expectant mother to do? After 20 weeks of pregnancy, try not to spend the entire night on your back, Dr. Zanotti advises. She suggests putting a pillow between your back and the mattress as insurance.

1. That way, even if you do roll over, you’re on a bit of a tilt.
2. As long as you’re not flat on your back, you’re going to be fine,” she says.
3. Even if you can be on a 20- to 30-degree angle, that’s going to relieve any potential pressure on your inferior vena cava.
4. I think most people, even if they were back sleepers, can be comfortable sleeping with just that bit of an angle.” While it’s sensible to be cautious, Dr.

Zanotti says it’s also important to comfort those who already have enough on their minds. “I’ve had patients who’ve woken up on their back and they’re worried they’re going to cause their child brain damage. That has not been shown,” she says. “We don’t see a higher risk of autism or developmental disorders in those who’ve slept on their back for a little bit.”
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Which trimester is the longest?

What pregnancy trimester is the longest? – The third trimester is considered to be the longest trimester of pregnancy. This trimester begins in week 28 of pregnancy and lasts until you give birth. Most women begin labor around week 40 of pregnancy, while some pregnancies may take longer. If your pregnancy lasts more than 42 weeks, it is called post-term (past due).
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Which is the most crucial week in first trimester?

First Trimester Fetal Growth and Development Benchmarks – The chart below provides benchmarks for most normal pregnancies. However, each fetus develops differently.

Timing	Development Benchmark
By the end of four weeks	All major systems and organs begin to form. The embryo looks like a tadpole. The neural tube (which becomes the brain and spinal cord), the digestive system, and the heart and circulatory system begin to form. The beginnings of the eyes and ears are developing. Tiny limb buds appear, which will develop into arms and legs. The heart is beating.
By the end of eight weeks	All major body systems continue to develop and function, including the circulatory, nervous, digestive, and urinary systems. The embryo is taking on a human shape, although the head is larger in proportion to the rest of the body. The mouth is developing tooth buds, which will become baby teeth. The eyes, nose, mouth, and ears are becoming more distinct. The arms and legs can be easily seen. The fingers and toes are still webbed, but can be clearly distinguished. The main organs continue to develop and you can hear the baby’s heartbeat using an instrument called a Doppler. The bones begin to develop and the nose and jaws are rapidly developing. The embryo is in constant motion but cannot be felt by the mother.
From embryo to fetus	After 8 weeks, the embryo is now referred to as a fetus, which means offspring. Although the fetus is only 1 to 1.5 inches long at this point, all major organs and systems have been formed.
During weeks nine to 12	The external genital organs are developed. Fingernails and toenails appear. Eyelids are formed. Fetal movement increases. The arms and legs are fully formed. The voice box (larynx) begins to form in the trachea.

The fetus is most vulnerable during the first 12 weeks. During this period of time, all of the 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. Even though the organs and body systems are fully formed by the end of 12 weeks, the fetus cannot survive independently.
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During which trimester is there the greatest chance of miscarriage?

What is miscarriage? Miscarriage (also called early pregnancy loss) is when a baby dies in the womb (uterus) before 20 weeks of pregnancy. For women who know they’re pregnant, about 10 to 15 in 100 pregnancies (10 to 15 percent) end in miscarriage. Most miscarriages happen in the first trimester before the 12 th week of pregnancy.

Miscarriage in the second trimester (between 13 and 19 weeks) happens in 1 to 5 in 100 (1 to 5 percent) pregnancies. As many as half of all pregnancies may end in miscarriage. We don’t know the exact number because a miscarriage may happen before a woman knows she’s pregnant. Most women who miscarry go on to have a healthy pregnancy later.

What are repeat miscarriages? If you have repeat miscarriages (also called recurrent pregnancy loss), you have two or more miscarriages in a row. About 1 in 100 women (1 percent) have repeat miscarriages. Most women who have repeat miscarriages (50 to 75 in 100 or 75 percent) have an unknown cause.

1. And most women with repeat miscarriages with an unknown cause (65 in 100 women or 65 percent) go on to have a successful pregnancy.
2. What causes miscarriage and repeat miscarriages? We don’t know what causes every miscarriage.
3. But some miscarriages and repeat miscarriages can be caused by: Problems with chromosomes About half of all miscarriages are caused when an embryo (fertilized egg) gets the wrong number of chromosomes,

This usually happens by chance and not from a problem passed from parent to child through genes. Chromosomes are the structures in cells that holds genes. Each person has 23 pairs of chromosomes, or 46 in all. For each pair, you get one chromosome from your mother and one from your father.

• Blighted ovum, This is when an embryo implants in the uterus but doesn’t develop into a baby. If you have a blighted ovum, you may have dark-brown bleeding from the vagina early in pregnancy. If you’ve had signs or symptoms of pregnancy, like sore breasts or nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), you may stop having them.
• Intrauterine fetal demise, This is when an embryo stops developing and dies.
• Molar pregnancy, This is when tissue in the uterus forms into a tumor at the beginning of pregnancy.
• Translocation, This is when part of a chromosome moves to another chromosome. Translocation causes a small number of repeat miscarriages.

Problems with the uterus or cervix, The cervix is the opening to the uterus that sits at the top of the vagina. Problems with the uterus and cervix that can cause miscarriage include:

• Septate uterus. This is when a band of muscle or tissue (called a septum) divides the uterus in two sections. If you have a septate uterus, your provider may recommend surgery before you try to get pregnant to repair the uterus to help reduce your risk of miscarriage. Septate uterus is the most common kind of congenital uterine abnormality. This means it’s a condition that you’re born with that affects the size, shape or structure of the uterus. Septate uterus is a common cause of repeat miscarriages.
• Asherman syndrome. If you have this condition, you have scars or scar tissue in the uterus that can damage the endometrium (the lining of the uterus). Before you get pregnant, your provider may use a procedure called hysteroscopy to find and remove scar tissue. Asherman syndrome may often cause repeat miscarriages that happen before you know you’re pregnant.
• Fibroids (growths) in the uterus or scars from surgery on the uterus. Fibroids and scars can limit space for your baby or interfere with your baby’s blood supply. Before you try to get pregnant, you may need a surgery called myomectomy to remove them.
• Cervical insufficiency (also called incompetent cervix). This is when your cervix opens (dilates) too early during pregnancy, usually without pain or contractions, Contractions are when the muscles of your uterus get tight and then relax to help push your baby out during labor and birth, Cervical insufficiency may lead to miscarriage, usually in the second trimester. To help prevent this, your provider may recommend cerclage. This is a stitch your provider puts in your cervix to help keep it closed.

Infections Infections, like sexually transmitted infections (also called STIs) and listeriosis, can cause miscarriage. An STI, like genital herpes and syphilis, is an infection you can get from having sex with someone who is infected. If you think you may have an STI, tell your health care provider right away.

Early testing and treatment can help protect you and your baby. Listeriosis is a kind of food poisoning. If you think you have listeriosis, call your provider right away. Your provider may treat you with antibiotics to help keep you and your baby safe. Having certain infections may cause miscarriage, but they’re not likely to cause repeat miscarriages.

Are you at risk for a miscarriage? Some things may make you more likely than other woman to have a miscarriage. These are called risk factors. Risk factors for miscarriage include:

• Having two or more previous miscarriages
• Being 35 or older. As you get older, your risk of having a miscarriage increases.
• Smoking, drinking alcohol or using harmful drugs. If you’re pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant and need help to quit, tell your provider.
• Being exposed to harmful chemicals. You or your partner having contact with harmful chemicals, like solvents, may increase your risk of miscarriage. A solvent is a chemical that dissolves other substances, like paint thinner. Talk to your provider about what you can do to protect yourself and your baby.

Some health conditions may increase your risk for miscarriage. Treatment of these conditions before and during pregnancy can sometimes help prevent miscarriage and repeat miscarriages. If you have any of these health conditions, tell your health care provider before you get pregnant or as soon as you know you’re pregnant:

• Autoimmune disorders. These are health conditions that happen when antibodies (cells in the body that fight off infections) attack healthy tissue by mistake. Autoimmune disorders that may increase your risk of miscarriage include antiphospholipid syndrome (also called APS) and lupus (also called systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE). If you have APS, your body makes antibodies that attack certain fats that line the blood vessels; this can sometimes cause blood clots, If you have APS and have had repeat miscarriages, your provider may give you low-dose aspirin and a medicine called heparin during pregnancy and for a few weeks after you give birth to help prevent another miscarriage. Lupus can cause swelling, pain and sometimes organ damage. It can affect your joints, skin, kidneys, lungs and blood vessels. If you have lupus, your provider may treat you with low-dose aspirin and heparin during pregnancy.
• Obesity, This means you have too much body fat and your body mass index (also called BMI) is 30 or higher. BMI is a measure of body fat based on your height and weight. If you’re obese, your chances of having a miscarriage may increase. To find out your BMI, go to cdc.gov/bmi,
• Hormone problems, like polycystic ovary syndrome (also called PCOS) and luteal phase defect, Hormones are chemicals made by the body. PCOS happens when you have hormone problems and cysts on the ovaries. A cyst is a closed pocket of that contains air, fluid or semi-solid substances. If you’re trying to get pregnant, your provider may give you medicine to help you ovulate (release an egg from your ovary into the fallopian tubes). Luteal phase defect can cause repeat miscarriages. It’s when you have low levels of progesterone over several menstrual cycles. Progesterone is a hormone that helps regulate your periods and gets your body ready for pregnancy. If you have luteal phase defect, your provider may recommend treatment with progesterone before and during pregnancy to help prevent repeat miscarriages.
• Preexisting diabetes (also called type 1 or type 2 diabetes), Diabetes is when you have too much sugar (also called glucose) in your blood. Preexisting diabetes means you have diabetes before you get pregnant.
• Thyroid problems, including hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid gland makes too many thyroid hormones.

Having certain prenatal tests, like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling, These tests have a slight risk of miscarriage. Your provider may recommend them if your baby is at risk for certain genetic conditions, like Down syndrome. Having an injury to your belly, like from falling down or getting hit, isn’t a high risk for miscarriage.

• Your body does a good job of protecting your baby in the early weeks of pregnancy.
• You may have heard that getting too much caffeine during pregnancy can increase your risk for miscarriage.
• Caffeine is a drug found in foods, drinks, chocolate and some medicine.
• It’s a stimulant, which means it can help keep you awake.

Some studies say caffeine may cause miscarriage, and some say it doesn’t. Until we know more about how caffeine can affect pregnancy, it’s best to limit the amount you get to 200 milligrams each day. This is what’s in about one 12-ounce cup of coffee. What are the signs and symptoms of miscarriage? Signs of a condition are things someone else can see or know about you, like you have a rash or you’re coughing.

• Bleeding from the vagina or spotting
• Cramps like you feel with your period
• Severe belly pain

If you have any of these signs or symptoms, call your provider. Your provider may want to do some tests to make sure everything’s OK. These tests can include blood tests, a pelvic exam and an ultrasound, An ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves and a computer screen to show a picture of your baby inside the womb.

1. Dilation and curettage (also called D&C). This is a procedure to remove any remaining tissue from the uterus. Your provider dilates (widens) your cervix and removes the tissue with suction or with an instrument called a curette.
2. Medicine, Your provider may recommend medicine that can help your body pass tissue that’s still in the uterus.

Do you need any medical tests after a miscarriage or repeat miscarriages? If you miscarry in your first trimester, you probably don’t need any medical tests. Because we don’t often know what causes a miscarriage in the first trimester, tests may not be helpful in trying to find out a cause.

• Chromosome tests, You and your partner can have blood tests, like karyotyping, to check for chromosome problems. Karyotyping can count how many chromosomes there are and check to see if any chromosomes have changed. If tissue from the miscarriage is available, your provider can test it for chromosomal conditions.
• Hormone tests, You may have your blood tested to check for problems with hormones. Or you may have a procedure called endometrial biopsy that removes a small piece of the lining of the uterus to check for hormones.
• Blood tests to check your immune system, Your provider may test you for autoimmune disorders like, APS and lupus.
• Looking at the uterus, You may have an ultrasound, a hysteroscopy (when your provider inserts a special scope through the cervix to see your uterus) or a hysterosalpingography (an X-ray of the uterus).

How long does it take to recover from a miscarriage? It can take a few weeks to a month or more for your body to recover from a miscarriage. Depending on how long you were pregnant, you may have pregnancy hormones in your blood for 1 to 2 months after you miscarry.

Most women get their period again 4 to 6 weeks after a miscarriage. It may take longer to recover emotionally from a miscarriage. You may have strong feelings of grief about the death of your baby, Grief is all the feelings you have when someone close to you dies. Grief can make you feel sad, angry, confused or alone.

It’s OK to take time to grieve after a miscarriage. Ask your friends and family for support, and find special ways to remember your baby. For example, if you already have baby things, like clothes and blankets, you may want to keep them in a special place.

• Or you may have religious or cultural traditions that you’d like to do for your baby.
• Do what’s right for you.
• Certain things, like hearing names you were thinking of for your baby or seeing other babies, can be painful reminders of your loss.
• You may need help learning how to deal with these situations and the feelings they create.

Tell your provider if you need help to deal with your grief. And visit Share Your Story, the March of Dimes online community where you can talk with other parents who have had a miscarriage. We also offer the free booklet From hurt to healing that has information and resources for grieving parents.

If you miscarry, when can you try to get pregnant again? This is a decision for you to make with your partner and your provider. It’s probably OK to get pregnant again after you’ve had at least one normal period. If you’re having medical tests to try to find out more about why you miscarried, you may need to wait until after you’ve had these tests to try to get pregnant again.

You may not be emotionally ready to try again so soon. Miscarriage can be hard to handle, and you may need time to grieve. It’s OK if you want to wait a while before trying to get pregnant again. More information From hurt to healing (free booklet from the March of Dimes for grieving parents) Share Your Story (March of Dimes online community for families to share experiences with prematurity, birth defects or loss) Centering Corporation (grief information and resources) Compassionate Friends (resources for families after the death of a child) Journey Program of Seattle Children’s Hospital (resources for families after the death of a child) Lupus Research Alliance: Pregnancy and family planning Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support (resources for families with pregnancy or infant loss) Last reviewed: November, 2017
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Why do they call it fourth trimester?

Helping your newborn adjust to the world – Named by paediatrician Dr Harvey Karp in 2002, the term ‘fourth trimester’ suggests that you should try to recreate, for another 3 or 4 months, the kind of environment your baby had in the womb. But just how do you do that?
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Is it OK to sleep on right side when pregnant?

Bump-friendly sleep positions – The safest position to go to sleep is on your side, either left or right. Research suggests that, after 28 weeks, falling asleep on your back can double the risk of stillbirth. This may be to do with the flow of blood and oxygen to the baby.

Do not worry if you wake up on your back – the research looked at the position pregnant people fell asleep in, as this is the position we keep for longest. If you wake up on your back, you can just turn over and go to sleep again on your side. You can try supporting your bump with pillows and putting a pillow between your knees.

The baby charity Tommy’s has a video about safer sleeping in pregnancy,
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What is harmful during early pregnancy?

Food suitable for women in the first trimester of a pregnancy – There are also certain foods that should be avoided altogether during the first trimester of a pregnancy, including raw food, food containing MSG, rich food, especially those high in sugar and fats.

1. Furthermore, all caffeinated beverages and alcohol should be given up for the duration of a pregnancy.
2. The other type is unsaturated fat, which provides the body with energy and helps to reduce the presence of cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.
3. More importantly, the following types of unsaturated fats are of benefit to fetal development: Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, which are categorized as essential fatty acids as the body is unable to self-produce, meaning that diet is the only way for the body to access them.

Ocean fish and seaweed products contain Omega 3 fatty acids, while Omega 6 fatty acid can be found in safflower oil, sunflower oil and corn oil. Additionally, DHA and ARA, which are long chain unsaturated fats, are also crucial to the development of the fetus’s brain and eyeball cells.
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Are there 4 trimesters of pregnancy?

A Mother’s Guide to the Fourth Trimester The fourth trimester—the 12 weeks after giving birth—is just as important for a mother’s health as the first three trimesters. Yet this is often when mothers have the least interaction with their health care team, a time when, some experts argue, mothers need it the most.

1. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that mothers have initial contact with their OB-GYN within three weeks after delivery, followed by ongoing care as needed, and a comprehensive postpartum visit no later than 12 weeks after delivery.
2. They also recommend that a postpartum care plan be developed during pregnancy, so that mothers are better prepared when they go home.

“Those 12 weeks after giving birth are a critical time to focus on Mom and make sure that she is healthy moving forward,” says, MD, PhD, assistant professor of obstetrics & gynecology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and an OB-GYN at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian. Columbia’s Mary Rosser helped develop post-birth recommendations as a member of ACOG’s Presidential Task Force on Redefining the Postpartum Visit.
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Is pregnancy 9 or 10 months?

How long does pregnancy last? Pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last menstrual period. This means an extra 2 weeks are counted at the beginning of your pregnancy when you aren’t actually pregnant. So pregnancy lasts 10 months (40 weeks)—not 9 months—because of these extra weeks.

Published: October 2020 Last reviewed: October 2020 Topics Copyright 2022 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. Read, This information is designed as an educational aid for the public. It offers current information and opinions related to women’s health. It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care.

It does not explain all of the proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. Read, : How long does pregnancy last?
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What are the stages of each trimester?

Discover the changes each trimester brings, from the time sperms-meets-egg to when mom-meets-baby! – A typical full-term pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. Pregnancy is grouped into three stages called trimesters. You and your baby go through big changes during each 12- to 13-week trimester.

1st Trimester: Begins at conception to 12 weeks 2nd Trimester: Lasts from week 13 to week 27 3rd Trimester: Begins at week 28 until birth

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Is 28 weeks 7 months?

28 weeks pregnant is how many months? If you’re 28 weeks pregnant, you’re in month 7 of your pregnancy. Only 2 months left to go!
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