To have a good start to pregnancy, new pregnant mothers should know these six things!

Author: Wang Xin, Chief Physician, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University

Reviewer: Zou Liying, Chief Physician, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University

For women who are preparing for pregnancy, they look forward to the arrival of ovulation every month. The next step is to quietly wait for the good "pregnancy" to appear. There is some anxiety, but a lot of anticipation.

Once the egg and sperm combine to form a fertilized egg, it indicates that a small seed of life is formed. If this small seed can safely and smoothly reach the uterus, implant in the right position, take root and sprout, then it is the beginning of a good "pregnancy".

So, are there any subtle changes in the body during early pregnancy?

Women who are planning to get pregnant may know that the body temperature will rise by about 0.5℃ after ovulation. If conception does not occur, the endometrium begins to shed and the body temperature will drop by 0.5℃. Once conception occurs, the body temperature will continue to remain at a relatively high level. Some people may say, "Why do I have a fever? My body temperature is 37.3℃ or 37.5℃. Don't worry. Congratulations. You may be pregnant."

1. How many days does it take to detect pregnancy?

After the egg is fertilized, it enters the uterine cavity. A layer of trophoblastic cells will form on the surface, secreting progesterone, estrogen, and human chorionic gonadotropin, etc. What we mainly test is human chorionic gonadotropin, which is HCG. HCG will increase significantly after fertilization.

Generally speaking, it can be detected about a week after fertilization. It can be tested through early pregnancy test strips. Two bars indicate pregnancy. You can also have a blood test to check HCG.

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When you are 5-6 weeks pregnant, HCG rises most obviously, and the value will double every other day. Later on, the rate of increase will slow down a little. After 12 weeks of pregnancy, it will be in a relatively stable trend, and the increase will be particularly slow.

2. How long does it take for an ultrasound to show the gestational sac in the uterus?

After the sperm and egg combine in the fallopian tube, under normal circumstances, they will enter the uterus and implant in the uterus in about 3-4 days.

Usually, at around 5 weeks of pregnancy, a gestational sac can be seen in the uterus during B-ultrasound, and at 6 weeks of pregnancy, a yolk sac may be present. The fetal heart can sometimes be seen only when the embryo is larger than 0.2 cm.

Therefore, if you have just discovered that you are pregnant and there is no vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain, it is not recommended to go to the hospital for an ultrasound examination too early.

3. Is a small amount of vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy normal?

After the fertilized egg enters the uterine cavity from the fallopian tube, it will erode and grow into the endometrium. We call this implantation. During this process, it may erode a small blood vessel, causing a little bleeding.

Another possibility is that conception occurs when menstruation is about to come. At this time, other hormones in the body have already adapted to the coming of menstruation. Hormones begin to change, and the endometrium around the fertilized egg can no longer be maintained. A small amount of shedding may occur, and some bleeding may also occur.

In the above two cases, the problem is generally not too serious. As the pregnancy continues, the hormone level gradually rises and the bleeding stops. If the bleeding is heavy and there is abdominal pain, you should seek medical attention immediately.

4. How long does it usually take for early pregnancy reactions to disappear?

Early pregnancy reactions are different for everyone. After about six or seven weeks of pregnancy, the body will experience some changes, such as breast tenderness, darkening of the areola, nausea and vomiting, lethargy, fatigue, eye swelling, headache, bleeding gums, etc. Some people are hungry and always want to eat, which is relatively rare. Nausea and vomiting are more common, which may be related to the increase in blood HCG levels.

In the early stages of pregnancy, blood HCG rises rapidly, and early pregnancy reactions are more obvious. Some pregnant women have more severe early pregnancy reactions and cannot eat or drink. First of all, you should try to eat, don't be afraid of vomiting, and don't think that you will vomit after eating, so you dare not eat. This kind of vomiting is closely related to mental psychology. After vomiting, rinse your mouth and you can continue to eat after a while. If you really can't eat a bite, go to the hospital and you can get intravenous nutrition.

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Usually, when the pregnancy reaches 12-14 weeks, most people's early pregnancy symptoms will disappear. This is a normal physiological process, don't worry.

5. Can I have sex during early pregnancy?

Sexual intercourse is not recommended in early pregnancy.

Because at this time, the fertilized egg has just moved from the fallopian tube to the uterine cavity and has yet to take root and sprout. The placenta has not yet been fully formed within 12 weeks of pregnancy. Early pregnancy miscarriage is relatively common. After 9 weeks of pregnancy, the miscarriage rate will drop significantly and become more stable by 12 weeks of pregnancy. Therefore, it is recommended to have sex after 12 weeks of pregnancy.

6. If you catch a cold in early pregnancy, should you refuse to take medicine?

Some pregnant mothers have a fever or a cold, but they dare not take medicine or refuse to take medicine, fearing that the medicine will affect the baby. At this time, we need to think about the problem from another angle. Not only will the medicine affect the fetus, but the disease itself will also affect the fetus, such as bacteria and viruses. Or diarrhea, severe diarrhea will cause smooth muscle contraction, intestinal peristalsis increases, and the uterus will also contract, which may cause miscarriage.

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If you get sick during pregnancy, your doctor will try to choose Class B or Class C drugs based on the severity of the illness and the condition of your pregnancy. These drugs are drugs that can be used during pregnancy and have therapeutic effects while having little effect on the fetus.

Therefore, if you catch a cold or get sick after becoming pregnant, don't resist taking medicine. You can take medicine during pregnancy under the guidance of a doctor. Never take medicine on your own.

The early pregnancy is the beginning of the entire pregnancy, and it is also the most flustered, helpless, nervous and anxious stage for pregnant mothers. All things are difficult at the beginning. Learn some knowledge about the early pregnancy, have a good start, and then start a wonderful pregnancy journey.