Pregnancy symptoms in the first trimester

Pregnancy symptoms in the first trimester



Early pregnancy is an exciting time but along with the thrilling knowledge that you've created a new life, come a variety of pregnancy symptoms that may take a little getting used to. Many of them lift by the end of the first trimester, while others will hang around for your whole pregnancy.

Lower abdominal cramps

About a week after ovulation, some women experience lower abdominal cramping, known as ‘implantation cramping' due to the recent implantation of the fertilised egg in the wall of the uterus. This is sometimes accompanied by spotting. Women can also experience abdominal cramps in the early weeks of pregnancy due to the stretching and growing of the uterus. These cramps are usually sporadic and last a couple of weeks. They should not be accompanied by any bright red bleeding. Taking a magnesium/ calcium supplement should help to tone these muscles and minimise the cramping.

Food cravings

85% of pregnant women report having intense food cravings at some time in their pregnancy, and the most common periods for food cravings are in the first and last trimester. Why? Experts don't really understand the very real connection between pregnancy and cravings but suspect it has something to do with hormonal changes and your body's need for extra nutrients in you diet. While you should listen to your body when you crave certain foods, it's not always a good idea to eat exactly whatever you want - months and months of an ice-cream diet won't do much to keep you and your growing bub healthy.

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Morning sickness

Again, it's estimated that up to 85% pregnant women suffer from morning sickness in some shape or form. While it makes life difficult to manage while you're feeling ill, the happy news for the majority of morning sickness sufferers is that. Generally, morning sickness symptoms begin to improve by the end of the first trimester and are a distant memory by about 14-16 weeks.

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Breast changes

Your breasts begin to change at 3-4 weeks after conception and you'll notice that they become tender and swollen. As these symptoms alleviate, your nipples will become darker and wider and the whole breast will begin to grow due to the development of the ducts and glands that will allow breastfeeding after your baby is born. You may want to consider buying a maternity bra early on to keep you comfortable throughout your pregnancy.


With pregnancy comes an increase in the hormone, progesterone, in your system. Progesterone can make your gut work less efficiently resulting in constipation. To keep yourself regular, ensure that you are receiving enough fibre each day (approx. 30g of fibre) in your diet or with a supplement, you're drinking enough water and you're exercising each day.

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Heartburn and acid reflux

Aside from constipation, the production of progesterone, the hormone that relaxes muscles in preparation for labour and birth, during pregnancy can cause heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux in pregnant women. Progesterone causes the valve at the top of the stomach to relax and so allows gastric acid to escape up the oesophagus, which can cause discomfort. This problem occurs particularly at night when lying in bed. Heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux can all begin in the first trimester but usually become more of a problem in the third trimester when the size of your baby is also pushing against your stomach. If you're having difficulty sleeping at night because of these conditions, try allowing two or tree hours after eating before you go to bed to allow digestion to occur, and sleep on a couple of pillows so that your stomach is lower than your head.

Increased urination

This partly to do with hormones but also to do with the developing baby put pressure on your bladder. This should improve by the end of the first trimester when your uterus grows out above your pelvis which takes some of the pressure of the bladder.

Nose bleeds and bleeding gums

Because of your increased blood volume (about 30% more blood gets pumped around your body during pregnancy) and the effect of pregnancy hormones on your connective tissues and mucous membranes, it's extremely common to suffer nose bleeds and bleeding gums during pregnancy. Embarrassing perhaps but neither will cause any permanent damage or indicate a more serious health problem.

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Rapid changes in hormone levels have a wide and varied impact on your body and your skin rarely escapes without a pimple or two. While some women get a full-blown acne attack, this is generally rare and a couple of hormonal pimples are more likely in the first trimester.

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Chloasma, or the Mask of Pregnancy

The pigmentation of your skin is usually effected by pregnancy hormones, with pigmented areas such as moles, freckles and nipples the most obviously effected. Some pregnant women also develop dark patches of skin, known as the mask of pregnancy, on the bridge of the nose, cheeks and neck which fade over time after the birth of their baby.

Linea Nigra

Towards the end of the first trimester, many women begin to notice a dark line running from their belly button down to their pubic bone (some women do find this line crosses the navel, running up towards their breasts). This line is known as ‘linea nigra' and will continue to darken and grow throughout your pregnancy until it looks as though it has been drawn on in texta by late pregnancy. The linea nigra is caused by skin pigmentation and will slowly fade after the birth of your baby.

Stretch marks

Most women get them in some shape or form during pregnancy - usually on the abdomen, breasts and thighs - and experts agree that there is nothing you can do to stop them. Pregnancy causes your skin to be thinner than normal and that, coupled with rapid stretching of your skin during pregnancy causes stretch marks. While there is no cream you can use to prevent them, the best way to minimise stretch marks is to gain weight throughout your pregnancy slowly and consistently.

Bloating and wind

The hormonal changes that effect your digestive tract (see Constipation and Heartburn above) also have an impact on the amount of wind your body produces, which can cause bloating. The best ways to deal with these uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms are to:

  • Eat small meals regularly
  • Chew and swallow slowly
  • Don't drink while you eat
  • Avoid chewing gum
  • Don't wear restrictive clothing
  • Set upright when you eat

Dizziness and fainting

It sounds like a cliché but women in early pregnancy really can feel dizzy often. Dizziness most often occurs if you haven't eaten for a while (due to low-blood sugar), you're overheating, or you get up to quickly from a lying or sitting position (postural hypotension). The best way to deal with feelings of dizziness is to sit calmly with your head between your knees as this will send blood to your brain which should alleviate the dizzy sensation.


If you are concerned about any of the early pregnancy symptoms you are experiencing, please see a health professional for expert advice.

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