Body Changes During the First Trimester

        Your body will undergo numerous changes throughout pregnancy in order to support and shield your unborn child. These changes are experienced differently by women. Pregnancy symptoms might last for several weeks or months. Some people just have brief experiences. While some women may have a few symptoms or none at all, other others have numerous. A list of modifications and symptoms that could appear in the first trimester is as follows: In preparation for nursing, the enlarging mammary glands cause the breasts to swell and become painful. This is brought on by elevated levels of progesterone and estrogen. Wearing a supportive bra is advised. Your areolas, which are the darkened, pigmented patches surrounding each breast nipple, will get larger. Small, white pimples known as Montgomery's tubercles—enlarged sweat glands—may start to grow all over them. You can see more veins on the outside of your breasts.         Your bladder is starting to feel pressure from your expanding uterus. You must urinate more frequently as a consequence.         You can have mood swings that resemble premenstrual syndrome, a disorder that some women encounter and is characterized by mood swings, agitation, and other physical symptoms that occur just before each menstrual cycle. This condition is partially caused by surges in hormones. "Morning sickness," which results in nausea and occasionally vomiting, may be caused by increased hormone levels needed to maintain the pregnancy. Morning sickness, however, does not always occur in the morning and seldom prevents the woman and her fetus from receiving enough nourishment. As the developing uterus presses against the rectum and intestines, constipation may result.         High progesterone levels reduce the contractions of the intestines' muscles, which aid in the passage of food through the digestive tract. Gas, indigestion, heartburn, and constipation may follow from this. As the stomach starts to expand to accommodate the expanding fetus, clothes may feel tighter around the waist and breasts. Because pregnancy has so many physical and emotional responsibilities, you could feel quite weary.         From the start of the pregnancy to the finish, there is a 40–50% increase in cardiac volume. An enhanced cardiac output results from this. During pregnancy, an elevated cardiac output could lead to an elevated pulse rate. Extra blood flow to the uterus requires the blood volume to increase.