Dangerous weeks of pregnancy in all trimesters

A woman planning a pregnancy, seeing two strips on the test, immediately encounters both joyful emotions and disturbing thoughts. In this article, Healthy Food Near Me will talk about the dangerous weeks of pregnancy in all trimesters, and obstetrician-gynecologist Olga Lukasheva will tell you how a woman can protect herself during this difficult period and not give in to panic.

What is the difference between obstetric weeks of pregnancy and real

Obstetric weeks – those that are counted from the date of the beginning of the last menstruation. 

Real weeks are those that are counted from the moment of conception.

Usually, the calculation of the obstetric term “overtakes” the real one by about two weeks. That is, 20 obstetric weeks correspond to approximately 18 real ones.

Dangerous weeks of pregnancy in the 1st trimester 

The body during pregnancy is faced with enormous stress. A woman in the first trimester may not even be aware of her new position for some time (1).

2-3 obstetric weeks (1-2 weeks after conception)

The very beginning of pregnancy is dangerous because the expectant mother is not yet aware of her new position. Therefore, she leads a normal life, which is not always subject to healthy habits – she can drink alcohol or nicotine, be in stressful situations, load herself with physical work, sleep little, eat poorly and not walk enough. Also, a woman may not notice the bells in the body, and attribute the malaise to fatigue. And during this period, fears are that the expectant mother can provoke a miscarriage or missed pregnancy.

What happens to the emerging life at this time? At 2-3 weeks of pregnancy, the embryo is only attached to the wall of the uterus, but it is vulnerable due to the lack of a placenta, which is only just beginning to form in the woman’s body (2).

4-6 obstetric weeks (2-4 weeks after conception)

At this time, the body begins to more actively signal the onset of pregnancy: there is a delay in menstruation, nausea appears, the chest enlarges and hurts. Pregnancy tests may also already show a positive result, albeit with a faded second line.

This period is also dangerous because the expectant mother can attribute all the symptoms to fatigue. If at this time a woman does not understand that she is in a position, and does not correct her lifestyle, then the risks of pathologies and abnormalities of the embryo increase. 

8-12 obstetric weeks (6-10 weeks after conception)

During this period, there is an intensive formation of the placenta. The expectant mother has “jumps” in the hormonal background, which can lead to the death of the embryo, that is, to a miscarriage or missed pregnancy. These weeks are considered the most dangerous for all the time of pregnancy.: at 8-12 obstetric weeks, women most often encounter tragic cases. 

Dangerous weeks of pregnancy in the 2nd trimester

The second trimester is considered the quietest period for the expectant mother. The fetus begins to move, but this usually causes only joyful emotions. And her health is getting better: there is usually no place for toxicosis and other unpleasant changes in the body (2). Also during this period, the placenta protects and nourishes the child, which retains all unwanted substances according to the principle of a living barrier.

14-21 obstetric weeks (12-19 weeks after conception)

At this time, the risk of developing isthmic-cervical insufficiency is high. If a woman is faced with such a complication, then due to the opening of the cervix, a late miscarriage may occur.

Dangerous weeks of pregnancy in the 3st trimester 

The last trimester is considered the most difficult for both the expectant mother and the fetus. The main danger is that the child may be born prematurely. In the fetus, due to premature birth, the process of maturation of the lung tissue or other organs may not be completed. Also, such an outcome is fraught with low weight, which affects the health of the child and can lead to irreversible health consequences. 

28-32 obstetric weeks (26-30 weeks after conception)

It is during this period that a woman may experience premature birth. Two things can provoke them – premature detachment of the placenta or isthmic-cervical insufficiency, which was detected in earlier stages of pregnancy. 

To avoid irreversible consequences, a pregnant woman should listen to her doctor, who can give advice and protect her from miscarriage, missed pregnancy or premature birth. Only a personal obstetrician-gynecologist knows the characteristics of the body of his patient, so he will be able to help and give personal recommendations.

Prevention of complications during pregnancy at home

As obstetrician-gynecologist Olga Lukasheva says, with a normal pregnancy, regardless of whether it is homogeneous or multiple, in the absence of contraindications, during the entire pregnancy, you can:

• live sexually;
• play sports without overload;
• travel and even fly by plane;
• drink coffee (up to 200 mg per day);
• cut and dye your hair.

Here’s what not to do:

• drinking alcohol. There is no safe dose of alcohol!
• smoking and using toxic substances;
• consume thermally unprocessed foods (raw eggs, meat, fish) – they are fraught with the risk of developing infections.

Important!

Vaccination against influenza and COVID-19 (Sputnik V) is not only allowed, but also indicated for all pregnant women in the 2nd-3rd trimester. Getting vaccinated is safer than getting sick, says our expert.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about the dangerous weeks of pregnancy with obstetrician-gynecologist Olga Lukasheva, who helped us answer frequently asked questions.

Sources of

1. Obstetrics: Textbook / G. M. Savelyeva, V. I. Kulakov, A. N. Strizhkoy and others; Ed. G. M. Saveleva – M .: Medicine, 2000.
2. E. N. Kravchenko. Miscarriage / E. N. Kravchenko, I. V. Medyannikova. – Moscow: Nauka, 2017.