The feeling of a new life growing and taking shape inside you is very exciting but a little anxiety and apprehension superimposed by the tales and experiences of the people around you can make these nine months miserable. So, just relax and look into these pregnancy guidelines that will make your first phase of motherhood a time to cherish and enjoy.

Genetic counseling should be undertaken before planning of your family. It is the most important tool to detect hereditary diseases like Thalasemia, muscular dystrophies etc it is also known as pre-conception counseling and is routinely done in advanced countries.
Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters of three months each with a total of 40 weeks or 280 days.

FIRST TRIMESTER

Your first visit to the doctor should be as soon as you miss your periods to confirm pregnancy. A transvaginal ultrasound can pick up a pregnancy at 5 weeks and rules out a Tubal Pregnancy.

You might experience the need to pass urine frequently. Nausea, vomiting along with loss in appetite and fainting attacks might be the first symptoms of pregnancy.

Vaginal discharge, enlargement of the breasts, with secretions and darkening of the nipple area are normal complaints.

INVESTIGATIONS:
Haemoglobin, urine examination, Blood sugar, HbsAg (for hepatitis B), HIV. VDRL and Blood group of both the partners.

DIET/SUPPLEMENTS-Due to nausea and vomiting your appetite might decrease. A healthy diet includes carbohydrates and proteins like milk, curd, cottage cheese, egg, lentils, pulses, vegetables, sprouts. Folic acid supplementation is essential.

AVOID
- Sexual activity, smoking and alcohol
- Exposure to x-rays, as it can harm the fetus. Ultrasounds are not harmful as they are sound waves and not radiation

WARNING SIGNS- vaginal bleeding, severe pain.

THE SECOND TRIMESTER

In the second trimester, early symptoms like nausea, vomiting abate, normalizing the appetite. You might start noticing a slight abdominal bulge, a little weight gain, excessive sweating, vaginal discharge and a dark line running vertically down the center of the abdomen (called linea nigra) and a little pigmentation on the face. Heartbeat increases due to increase in blood circulation.