8171 Maple Lawn Boulevard Suite 100 Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 314-0001
Pregnancy is an exciting time of your life with many changes as your baby grows and your body adapts to accommodate it. At Capital Women's Care Howard County in Fulton, Maryland, physicians and nurse practitioners offer expert prenatal care and labor and delivery services. Whether this is your first or last pregnancy, you can count on the compassionate professionalism of the team at Capital Women's Care Howard County.
As your baby develops, your hormones change, your body produces more blood, and of course, your uterus and abdomen swell to accommodate your growing baby. This is what you can expect during each trimester of pregnancy:
During your first trimester of pregnancy, your baby grows from a cluster of cells to a three-inch-long fetus with all the major organs. You may experience symptoms like breast growth and tenderness, morning sickness, fatigue, heartburn, and constipation. You will receive 1-2 ultrasounds to confirm the pregnancy is normal. You will also receive standard and optional blood work which we will review at your new OB appointment.
The second trimester is known as the golden age of pregnancy because many of the disruptive symptoms of the first trimester pass and your bump isn’t large enough to cause discomfort yet. Most women feel their baby move for the first time during the second trimester. You will have an anatomy scan to ensure the pregnancy is normal.
During your third and final trimester of pregnancy, your baby grows quickly. You’ll feel your baby move more often and may have shortness of breath because the position of your baby can compress your diaphragm. You will receive even more bloodwork to test for diabetes, anemia, and infection. You may also have one or more ultrasound to ensure normal fetal growth, fluid, etc. As you approach your delivery date, your baby moves into a head-down position and may shift lower in your body.
A high-risk pregnancy occurs when there is an increased risk of health issues for you or your baby. It’s not necessarily a reason to worry; you’ll just have more frequent prenatal visits and increased fetal monitoring with ultrasounds so your doctor can keep an eye on both your health and the health and development of your baby. You may see a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist as well to address issues unique to high risk pregnancies. Some of the indicators of a high-risk pregnancy include:
