Pregnancy is one of the most exciting events in a woman’s life. However, the experience is different for every woman—while some sail through it without a twinge of a problem, others face a couple of distressing situations like morning sickness.
To help women know whether a certain pregnancy sign is normal or not, Christia S. Padolina, M.D. listed symptoms that typically accompany pregnancy and recommended when one needs to call their healthcare professional.
Spotting
Why it happens — Spotting or light bleeding during pregnancy commonly occurs during the first trimester. In fact, approximately 20 percent of pregnant women will experience spotting, and most of them will go on to have a healthy pregnancy.
One common cause of spotting is implantation bleeding, which occurs six to 12 days after the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining. Typically happening during the early stage of pregnancy, implantation bleeding is often mistaken as the beginning of a regular menstrual period. This type of spotting may last anywhere from a few hours to a few days “but do not worry because it normally occurs to pregnant women.”
When to seek assistance — Any kind of vaginal bleeding can be a symptom of a larger problem. Thus, whether you are bleeding or spotting, it is best to contact your healthcare provider and answer detailed questions about your experience (e.g. the amount of blood you’ve lost or your overall feeling).
Swelling
Why it happens — Normal swelling or edema is often experienced in the hands, face, legs, ankles, and feet due to the accumulation of excessive fluid in the tissues. While it can happen to anyone, edema is particularly common among pregnant women since their bodies produce approximately 50 percent more blood and body fluids to meet the needs of the developing baby. Swelling may be experienced at any point during pregnancy, but usually occurs around the fifth month and increases toward the third trimester.
When to seek assistance — Watch out for a sudden swelling in your hands, feet, and face accompanied with rapid weight gain, as this may be the early signs of preeclampsia, a pregnancy condition characterized by high blood pressure (hypertension) and increased protein in the urine. Compared to normal edema, this swelling is more severe. Contact your healthcare professional if you experience any of these red flags.
Nausea and vomiting
Why it happens — Nausea and vomiting are common conditions during pregnancy. Although often called “morning sickness,” nausea and vomiting can occur at any time of the day. This pregnancy woe often develops during the first five to six weeks of pregnancy and might get worst in the ninth week. However, this usually improves by 16 to 18 weeks of pregnancy. In some cases, nausea and vomiting may continue until the third trimester in 15 to 20 percent of women, and until delivery in five percent of women.
When to seek assistance — Nausea and vomiting are usually not harmful to the developing baby but can have a serious effect on the pregnant woman’s everyday life, including their ability to work or do normal activities. Call your healthcare professional to avoid possible dehydration, which might prevent you from gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy.
Since spotting, swelling, nausea, and vomiting are common pregnancy conditions, it is difficult to know when new symptoms are simply part of being pregnant or actually an indication of a serious problem, especially if it is a woman’s first time to get pregnant. That is why it is important to talk to a healthcare professional regularly to help and guide them along the way.
In addition to a trouble-free gestation, women are advised to take a maternal milk that will supplement them and their baby with essential nutrients.
Promama, a delicious vanilla tasting nutritional milk drink, is designed to support pregnant women during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and lactation. It is scientifically formulated with key nutrients, such as folic acid, DHA, choline, iodine, and iron, needed for fetal brain formation and development in the womb.