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First Trimester:

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The first trimester lasts up to 12 weeks of a pregnancy.  This can be the most difficult as levels of the pregnancy hormone change rapidly.  Some women escape this stage without suffering any morning sickness but others may find themselves nauseous all day.

Either way, you may feel exhausted, your mood may change, you may have tender breasts or you could experience cravings and heartburn. Once your hormones level out, which is normally around the 12th week of pregnancy, some of these symptoms may subside.

In the meantime, your baby’s brain, spinal cord, heart, major organs, arms, legs and external genitalia will have begun to form. By the 12th week of pregnancy, your baby’s muscles will begin to work together.

 

During this period you will have your first antenatal appointment. You can start thinking about where you would like to give birth.

 

NHS England has produced a couple of really helpful leaflets called “Your choice – where to have your baby…”

Your Choice: Where to have your baby (first baby)

Your Choice: Where to have your baby

Vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC)

Most women who’ve had previous caesarean section are able to opt for a vaginal birth next time around. This is commonly called vaginal birth after caesarean or VBAC.  If you are thinking about a VBAC, it helps to know about the possible benefits and problems.  To discuss your options, please talk to your midwife. 

You may also find this leaflet by the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists helpful to prepare you for your discussion with your midwife.

Concerns about a previous pregnancy and/or birth

Some women find themselves thinking a lot about their previous pregnancy and birth and have unanswered questions. Speak to your midwife as both Kettering General Hospital (KGH) NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital (NGH) NHS Trust have a service where you can talk through your birth and help you to come to terms with what happened.  They can also help you put a plan in place to make your experience of birth a positive one.

For details of maternity services available in Northamptonshire please go to the “Your Local Maternity Services” section on this website.

Dating Scan

During the first trimester, between weeks 8 to 14 of pregnancy, you will be offered a scan.  The purpose of this scan will be to see how far along you are in your pregnancy and check baby’s development.  This is called the “dating scan.”  For further information about the 12 week pregnancy dating scan, please click here.

Screening for Down’s, Edward’s and Patau’s Syndromes

This screening test is normally done during the dating scan if you have agreed to being screened for these syndromes.  The test is called the “combined test” and involves a blood test from your arm in addition to the scan.  For further details about screening for Down’s syndrome, please click here.

Another good source for information about screening and diagnostic tests during pregnancy is the booklet on the Public Health England website. This booklet goes into detail about pregnancy and infectious diseases; sickle cell and thalassaemia; Down’s, Edward’s and Patau’s syndromes; physical abnormalities; eye problems in women with diabetes; and screening tests for newborn babies. Please click here to access the information.

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