1. Stages of Pregnancy Health 9

2. Stages- First Trimester –Months 1,2 and 3 (weeks 1-12) Second Trimester –Months 4,5 and 6 (weeks 13-24) Third Trimester –Months 7, 8 and 9 (weeks 25-40)

3. Changes During First Trimester missed menstrual periods breast tenderness nausea and vomiting, also known as “morning sickness” urinary frequency fatigue increased basal temperature (temp at rest) weight gain

4. Month 1 embryo implants (attaches) to the wall of the uterus and develops rapidly heartbeat begins on the 25th day arm buds appear on the 26th day leg buds appear on the 28th day digestive system starts to develop The embryo is 1/5th of an inch long.

5. Month 2 the face is forming ears covered by thin membrane, continue developing spine begins to form brain, liver, kidneys, bloodstream and digestive system are developing arms and legs develop By the end of the second month, the embryo has become a fetus. It is about 1 and 1/8th inches long and weighs 1/30th of an ounce.

6. Month 3 the fetus' eyelids are fused facial features are present, the nose and outer ears form nail beds established movement, such as head turning or sucking, begins teeth buds form all internal organs form swallows amniotic fluid

7. Changes During Second Trimester The uterus grows to your navel between 20 and 22 weeks. You will have colostrum (pre-milk) in your breasts. Your nipples may begin to get darker and the areolas will get larger. You may experience changes in the foods your body can digest. Pressure on the blood vessels in the lower part of your body increases and may result in hemorrhoids, varicose veins and other discomforts.

8. Month 4 strong heart beat begins lanugo, or fine body hair, develops At the end of the fourth month, the fetus is about 6 inches long and weighs four ounces.

9. Month 5 heartbeat can be heard with a stethoscope finger and toe nails form sucks thumb responds to noise grows hair and eyebrows movements become increasingly vigorous At the end of the fifth month, the fetus is about ten to twelve inches long (half its length at birth) and weighs eight ounces to one pound.

10. Month 6 eyes are open a creamy substance, called vernix, covers the skin skin is wrinkled and the fetus appears very thin

11. Changes During Third Trimester backache leg cramps heartburn a dark line, called linea nigra, which runs vertically from your belly button to your pubic bone shortness of breath the need to urinate frequently the loss of bladder control when you sneeze or cough Braxton-Hicks contractions (painless contractions of the uterus)

12. Month 7,8 and 9 By the seventh month, it weighs about two and a half pounds, and is approximately 15 inches long. By the eighth month, the fetus weighs about 5 pounds and is 16 to 18 inches long. During the last month of pregnancy the fetus weighs seven or eight pounds and may be more than 20 inches long. The head (or whatever part will be born first) settles into the pelvic canal between 37 and 40 weeks. This is called engagement or lightening.

13. Terms to know amniotic fluid – fluid that surrounds the fetus and acts as a shock absorber to prevent injury dilated – widening or stretching of an opening like the cervix embryo – the stage of pregnancy following the fertilization of the egg but before internal organs begin to develop fetus– the term describing the period from the eighth week after conception when organs begin to form until birth placenta – an organ, which develops with the fetus, that facilitates the exchange of oxygen and nutrients between mother and child umbilical cord – a flexible cord which connects the fetus to the placenta and carries blood and nutrients between the two

14. Works Cited http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca /centres/pregnancy/pregnancy/stage s.htmlhttp://www.womenshealthmatters.ca /centres/pregnancy/pregnancy/stage s.html