What happens during the first month of pregnancy?

Perhaps without knowing it, a new life has quietly arrived. However, there are many things to pay attention to when preparing for pregnancy, such as what not to eat and what not to do. You need to be very careful. Therefore, it is very necessary to master some common sense in preparing for pregnancy. So, what are the reflections of preparing for pregnancy for one month?

What are the symptoms of preparing for pregnancy for one month

1. More sensitive to smell

This is a very common condition in newly pregnant women, who are more sensitive to coffee or some special smells and even cause nausea. Although no one knows exactly why, it may be a side effect of the rapid rise in estrogen in your body.

2. Nausea or vomiting

If you are like most women, you don't have trouble with morning sickness until about one month into your pregnancy (a very small number of pregnant women can avoid morning sickness). But some women will feel gastrointestinal discomfort earlier. And not just in the morning; pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting can occur in the morning, afternoon, and even at night. For about half of pregnant women, morning sickness will be alleviated during the second pregnancy. In addition, some pregnant women may need another month to relieve their symptoms.

3. Intermission of menstruation: This is the most common sign of pregnancy that people notice. If a woman is of childbearing age and has normal menstruation, and her sexual intercourse lasts more than two weeks beyond the normal menstrual period, she may be pregnant. But not having a period does not mean you are pregnant. There are many reasons why a period does not come, such as poor uterine and ovarian function, abnormal male hormones, busy work, and anxiety about exams. These are the conditions that cause delayed menstruation. Therefore, it is best to get a doctor's diagnosis, which is the safest.

4. Vaginal bleeding

Some women experience light vaginal bleeding after about day 11 or 12 of pregnancy (you may notice a lack of menstrual periods around this time frame). The bleeding may be caused by the fusion of sperm and egg into the blood circulation-rich area of ​​your uterus, a process that begins six days after insemination. This type of bleeding is very mild (appearing as tiny red spots or a light pink or light brown discoloration) and only lasts a day or two. (If you notice any bleeding symptoms, you should consult a doctor immediately, especially if they are accompanied by pain, as this may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy).

4. Fatigue

Feeling suddenly very tired? No, it’s not the kind of tiredness that comes from exhaustion. With the increase in progesterone in your body and the stress your body is under, you will feel like you ran a marathon after a day's work. During the second trimester you may begin to feel more energetic, although fatigued, and this fatigue is usually more pronounced during the third trimester.

5. More sensitive, swollen breasts

One of the early signs of pregnancy is increased sensitivity, swelling and pain in the breasts due to a surge in testosterone. This pain is like an exaggerated version of the chest pain you get before your period. This discomfort will decrease significantly after the first trimester as your body adjusts to the male hormone changes.

6. Pigmentation: Some women will have dark brown pigmentation on their back and midline during pregnancy.

7. Increased basal body temperature: When some of the above symptoms occur, the ovulation body temperature can be measured daily. The body temperature of pregnant women usually rises during ovulation.

8. Frequent and urgent urination: Because the uterus gradually expands during pregnancy, the bladder is compressed, so the frequency of urination increases, but there is no urinary incontinence and pain when urinating that occurs with a urethral infection.

What to eat when preparing for pregnancy

1. Increase protein intake

Couples who are planning to get pregnant should increase their protein intake. Protein is the basis of human life and the most basic nutrient for the brain, muscles and internal organs, accounting for 10%-20% of total calories. Normally, 1-1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight should be consumed every day, but now it should be increased to 1.5-2.0 grams; therefore, you should eat more protein, meat, eggs, milk, and legumes.

2. Improve iron intake

Iron is a key component of hemoglobin. Once it is deficient, anemia will occur. During pregnancy, the blood volume of pregnant women increases by about 30% compared with non-pregnant women, which means an average increase of about 1500ml of blood; in addition, the growing fetus should absorb about 5mg of iron from the mother every day, so if pregnant women do not pay attention to calcium supplementation, they are prone to anemia. Iron can be stored in the body for up to 4 months, so it is very beneficial to start calcium supplementation 3 months before pregnancy. Milk, pork, eggs, soybeans, algae, etc. are rich in iron and can also be used for cooking.

3. Improve calcium intake

Calcium is an important component of bones and teeth, and the amount required during pregnancy is about twice the normal amount. If the calcium intake is insufficient before pregnancy, the pregnant woman may suffer from bone hyperplasia, leg cramps due to excessive calcium loss after pregnancy, and the fetus may be prone to rickets and leg cramps due to calcium deficiency. Therefore, it is better to start supplementing calcium and zinc before pregnancy, as calcium is stored in the body for a longer time, which is beneficial during pregnancy. Before pregnancy, you should eat more calcium-rich foods, such as fish, milk, fruits and vegetables.

4. Supplement zinc

Zinc is a key component of enzymes that are essential for the body's basic metabolism. Zinc deficiency can affect the function of the urinary system, causing amenorrhea in women, azoospermia and oligospermia in men. It can also affect growth and development, causing the body to be shorter. Therefore, before pregnancy, you should eat more zinc-containing foods, such as freshwater fish, millet, cabbage, beef, chicken breast, oysters, etc.

5. Take folic acid tablets

Insufficient folic acid can cause fetal malformations, even hydatidiform mole, neurological organ defects, and can also cause megaloblastic anemia. In the six months before and in the early stages of pregnancy, especially for women who have given birth to malformed fetuses, taking folic acid tablets or eating more liver, green leafy vegetables, cereals, peanuts, beans, etc. can effectively prevent the occurrence of malformed fetuses.

6. Improve your vitamin intake

Vitamins are not only essential for physical growth and development, but also for maintaining normal reproductive functions. If the body lacks vitamins, the same situation will occur, such as difficulty in getting pregnant, and it is easy to have fetal defects during pregnancy: bone dysplasia, weak immunity, anemia, edema, skin diseases, neuritis, etc., and may also cause miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth, or affect uterine contractions, causing dystocia. Therefore, when preparing for pregnancy, you should purposefully supplement various vitamins and eat more meat, milk, eggs, liver, vegetables, fruits, etc.