Around the 20th week of pregnancy, lower back pain during early pregnancy tends to disappear. You should see your obstetrician if you have chronic lower pack pain. She will surely know the best way to cure it and to determine what exactly is causing the pain.

Your back may feel worst at the end of the day because of the extra weight you’re carrying. If your growing uterus is pressing on the nerve, it may also cause back pain.

There are two kinds of lower back pain during early pregnancy. Lumbar pain occurs in the area of the lumbar vertebrae in your lower back and posterior pelvic pain is felt in the back of your pelvis. You may have experienced lumbar pain before you were pregnant.

Posterior pelvic pain can be worse when you are leaning forward while working at a desk or sitting in a chair. Women are more likely to have pain over their pubic bone.

There are still so many reasons for lower back pain during early pregnancy. Your center of gravity shifts forward and the weight you gain during early pregnancy may be bad for your back. In preparation for your baby’s birth, the hormone relaxin causes your joints to loosen and the ligaments between your pelvic bones to soften.

Often when walking up and down stairs, you may feel considerable discomfort on either side of your lower back. This is because of the structures that support your pelvic organs become more pliant.

To help decrease your suffering about lower back pain during early pregnancy, be proactive.

The elevation of the progesterone causes the softening of the supporting ligaments and disks. The pain you are experiencing may be ligament pain or a burning kind of pain in the lower quadrant.  To relieve lower back pain during early pregnancy, you can try mini-crunches, pelvic rocking and even walking. Running can be hard on the back when you are pregnant. You can still maintain a good posture by making sure that you are standing or sitting straight.

To help ease lower back pain during early pregnancy, rest is also another vital factor. Also, while you are pregnant, you should practice safe lifting techniques.

There are so many reasons to get in shape during pregnancy. Improve your aerobic conditioning and seek appropriate treatment. You will need to manage the demands on your time and physical activity.  You can do a lot of things without worrying to much on your lower back pain during early pregnancy as it is plainly normal.

First trimester pregnancy symptoms usually appear during 1-2 weeks after you missed your menstrual period. Even the fetal movement can’t be detected until the 16 weeks post-conception.

You discover that you are now a mother to be because you missed your menstrual period. The cessation of period is the most obvious first trimester pregnancy symptom. On the other hand, there are also a number of reasons why women missed their menstrual period. It could be stress, reproductive disorders or menopause. You can confirm if you are really pregnant with an over-the-counter urine test and a medical exam.

Another common first trimester pregnancy symptom is breast soreness. Your breast may usually sensitive because of increased hormone production. This is common but is very normal during first trimester pregnancy! To ease the ache, get a soft cotton “sleep” bra.

Due to normal hormonal changes, many women suffer from nausea or vomiting during first trimester pregnancy. Choose foods that are easy to digest and are low in fat. Also, drink plenty of water. Have the approval of your obstetrician first before taking an alternative therapy. Let her know if you vomit blood or f the nausea is severe.

As you go along with your first trimester pregnancy, you may feel tired 24 hours a day. It is common during this stage. Just make sure that you have enough protein and iron.

Fatigue is due to increased blood volume up to 50 percent to supply blood to the fetus and your ovaries are producing progesterone, which also have a sedative effect. Take a catnap at your desk if you’re working all day.

Anemia is also one of the hidden causes of fatigue. The baby will take what it need from your baby, so enough iron is needed. To check your iron stores, your obstetrician will give a blood test during your first trimester pregnancy. She will surely prescribe a supplement if you don’t have enough.

Another first trimester pregnancy symptom is frequent urination. Your enlarging uterus presses on your bladder so you may need to urinate more often. Also, to flush wastes out of your body, your kidneys are working overtime. Drink less in the evening to lessen middle-of-the-night bathroom trips and to have a sound sleep. You can use panty liners that your urine will not leak. If you urine is dark in color, contact your obstetrician.

Digestion is slower during first trimester pregnancy. The hormone progesterone has a relaxing effect on the bowel. You can combat the effects of it by increasing your fiber intake.

Increased stomach acid is the result of slower digestion. A burning sensation is caused by the acid that goes into the esophagus.

You may feel dizzy or faint as normal circulatory changes in first trimester pregnancy.  Pull over if you start to feel dizzy while you’re driving. Sit or lie down when dizziness attacks if you’re standing. Your blood flow increases during this stage leaving you feeling dizzy or faint.

There are still a lot of first trimester symptoms that was not mentioned here. It varies from one pregnancy to the other. It is a little scary when you are in your first trimester pregnancy. There are a wide range of feelings you will develop as you deal with first trimester pregnancy symptoms.

Severe cramps on one side of the body could be a sign of ectopic pregnancy wherein the embryo has implanted itself in that side of the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. Especially in an ectopic pregnancy one has to be extra careful when you see an early pregnancy signs of stomach because if the fallopian tube bursts internal bleeding will take place and it can be fatal to the mother. The tube can burst when you are well into your third month too.

Some symptoms of miscarriage in ectopic pregnancy can be abdominal pain, sever fatigue, vomiting, unusual bowel movement due to contraction and a very low pulse level caused due to internal bleeding.

Other symptoms of miscarriage in early pregnancy signs of stomach are: heavy bleeding similar to your normal menses, abdominal pain and the stomach feeling tender, continued vaginal spotting or streaking, foul odor and grayish and greenish color in your vaginal discharge, pain or strain felt during bowel movement, feeling of dizziness or  continued bleeding along with discharge.

Facts you should know: In an ectopic pregnancy the baby cannot be saved. If detected well in time the fallopian tube can be saved. However remember women are blessed with two fallopian tubes, so you need not worry too much. A miscarriage is not the end of the world. There are many women who have gone through successful pregnancy and delivery after a miscarriage.

What you should do: Your doctor would have advised an ultra sound. Do it to reassure you that mother and baby are fine. Be in constant touch with your doctor, care taker or midwife and update them on any doubtful early pregnancy signs of stomach so as to rule out miscarriage problems if possible. Eat a healthy diet, take proper rest and practice calming exercise and try to remain in a happy frame of mind.

Causes: Pregnancy enthusiasm causing you to eat excessive and very rich food combined with the slowing down of digestive system during early pregnancy can cause diarrhea. Excessive water intake, unusual exercise routine can also cause diarrhea. Some women have allergic diarrhea due to vitamin tablets which will usually stop if you change the brand. If you are living in countries which have tropical diseases such as malaria, you have to be careful since these diseases also cause diarrhea.

Non-typhoid salmonella can induce trans-placental infection of the embryo and this will result in the mother having diarrhea. This is accompanied with cramps, mild fever and pain in the abdomen indicating gastroenteritis. A stool test can confirm this infection and antibiotics are given to treat this early pregnancy signs diarrhea.

Another cause for diarrhea is Giardia lamblia which is caused through contaminated water and contaminated food. They can also spread through close contact with an infected person like children in play school. With current technology a stool test can confirm this infection.

If there is severe and continued diarrhea a sigmoidoscopy can be done to confirm cause of diarrhea. Any inflammation or infection in digestive and bowel movement organs can be diagnosed with this technique and any internal bleeding or lesion can also be detected.

HELLP syndrome can reveal various symptoms other than early pregnancy signs diarrhea. They are jaundice, aches and pain in the shoulder and neck, unusual fatigue, tendency to vomit, early morning nausea, vision change, recurring headaches, gastric pain, tending to bleed etc. These symptoms are more likely in the latter half of pregnancy term and can be associated with unstable blood pressure, presence of protein in the urine and swelling in the urinary bladder.

Precautionary measures: Whatever the cause of diarrhea make it a point to see your gynecologist to avoid any major issues. Diarrhea causes dehydration and continued diarrhea can even cause renal shut down which is not at all good for the mother or the baby. Hence at the first early pregnancy signs of diarrhea see your DOCTOR and get a stool test done to diagnose cause of diarrhea and to take proper treatment.

This symptom sets in about a month after conception and lingers till the end of the third month. This unusual feeling disappears after that though the breasts still feel different and a little heavier than normal. For some women the soreness lingers till the end of pregnancy.

Facts about breast tenderness: Breast tenderness in early pregnancy is definitely a sign of pregnancy for many women and is felt earlier than a missed menstrual cycle. However for some women breast tenderness is a symptom of onset of menses and for them this sign may go unnoticed until the missed menses occur.

During this time the breasts are very tender and extremely sensitive to touch. Even clothing like tight tops or bra feels uncomfortable. For women who are well endowed the breasts become heavier and any physical exercise can be exhausting. Even walking up a flight of stairs can make them breathless and tired. Sleeping on the stomach becomes impossible during this time.  Touching or feeling of breasts or nipples during sexual intercourse is best avoided since the pain it causes may result in the female partner not enjoying the sex. But, do understand that while this can be uncomfortable and painful breast tenderness in early pregnancy is very normal.

Causes: Bodily functions and many parts of the body undergo a lot of change during pregnancy. Breasts become tender, swollen and heavy, pelvic portion expands and you put on weight. All these are caused due to increased production of hormones progesterone and estrogen. The increased levels of hormones allows increased blood flow in all parts of the body especially organs connected to reproduction and motherhood.

There is growth in the breast of milk ducts and cells which produce milk. As these changes take place layers of fat get deposited beneath the breast and tissues in the breast will develop and grow and change the shape of the breast.

Sensations and changes: An itchy feeling in the breast accompanied by tingling and throbbing sensation. The size of the beast increases by one or two cup sizes, nipple becomes extra sensitive, heavy feeling of the breast, sometimes burning sensation and very sensitive during sex. These are some of the changes felt in breast tenderness in early pregnancy.

Some Breast Care Tips: Do not wear anything but cotton bras. Buy larger sizes to suit the growth or have them custom made for you. Try not to wear wired bras and try to sleep with a bra on for supporting the breast. Wash your breasts with warm water for soothing effect and if possible soak yourself in warm water for sometime for overall benefit. Remember that breast tenderness in early pregnancy is quite common and you just have to take some special care until your term is over.

Indigestion during pregnancy is caused by two factors: weight and pressure that is exerted by the expanding womb on the internal organs like stomach and intestines. The space is reducing in the abdomen so the stomach is pressed and becomes sensitive. Sometimes the stomach also has excess acids that are formed by the hormonal changes during pregnancy, which might also trigger indigestion during pregnancy. Take smaller meals that are tasteless instead of the large ones that are spiced, 5 to 6 meals instead of 3 to 4 meals is better. Don’t take anything except crackers and bread within 2 hours of going to sleep.

After indigestion during pregnancy takes place, there are methods of keeping the problem at bay. Remember that baking soda and antacids are not good for you so have some special spices ready. Some like cinnamon, peppermint and cumin. Fresh lemons around the house also help. Drink cinnamon with a touch of peppermint leaf, steeped over a relaxing cup of tea which should be drank after each meal or if the indigestion pain begins. Better still; take hot water with lemon squeezed in it. These contortions are best drunk while moving around. There is no need of moving fast; walking will push the gases up the stomach and out, eradicating pressure, bloating, pain and burning.

For those with intense indigestion during pregnancy, take some bread or crackers with some warm milk, to absorb and cut the acids that are making you feel painful. Always stay upright for around 30 minutes after the pain goes away if you are not tired because it assists in preventing the recurring of the pain of indigestion during pregnancy.

The solution is given at least one hour before the test is carried out so bring a magazine or book with you. A technician or your doctor will take your blood sample to test your blood sugar level. Moreover, sugar test during pregnancy is meant to check how efficient your body is in processing sugar. You will be able to get the results after some days. Incase the results shows a reading that Is too high ( abnormal) that is about 15%  to 23% of that time, you will have to go back for a  another three-hour sugar tolerance test, which is intended to check if you have gestational diabetes.

What blood sugar level is abnormal?
Different doctors have different standards of determining if your sugar level is abnormal. Some will tell you that if the one-hour glucose level is 140mg of sugar per deciliter (mg/dl) of your blood plasma or more, then you will need another glucose test. Other health practitioners put their cut-off at 130mg/dL to get more pregnant women who may be suffering from gestational diabetes, although there is a probability of more false patients this way.

Incase your blood sugar level for sugar test during pregnancy is above 200mg/dL, then most doctors will think of you as diabetic and you will not have to take the sugar tolerance test. Keep in mind that any score that is between 140mg and 200mg means that you will have to undergo the three-hour sugar tolerance test so as to get a more definite diagnosis.

What does the glucose tolerance test entail?
Before the glucose sugar level test, you will be required to eat 150g of carbohydrates per day for the first three days. Eating a normal diet plus an additional slice of breed after every meal, means you are likely to get enough carbohydrates. For 8 to 14 hours before the glucose tolerance test, you should not drink or eat anything but just a few water sips. In addition, you are also not allowed to either exercise or smoke as well. So it is more advisable to schedule the test early in the morning.

The doctor will take your blood sample so as to check your fasting levels of sugar in the blood. You will then be asked to drink the glucose solution in plenty or a more conc. Dose. You should then prepare yourself for 3 arm pricks since your blood sample will be taken for at least three hours that is after every hour. The technician is supposed to alternate the arms every time she takes a blood sample. Although this seems like a long process, remember that you need to take a sugar test during pregnancy to be on the safe side.

DNA testing during pregnancy is done to test the DNA of an unborn child. Some of the several reasons why a test for DNA of an unborn child may at times be required is to test the paternity of the unborn child. Some other reasons are such as testing the DNA of the child for any genetically inherited diseases and abnormalities. DNA testing during pregnancy can be done when it is ten to twenty four weeks old after the conception. Sample collection as a form of DNA testing varies according to the age of the baby developing.

If the pregnancy lies between ten to thirteen weeks of age after conception, then the method which will be used for DNA testing sample collection is the chorionic villus sampling. The doctor in the procedure insert a fine tube which is guided using ultrasound or thin needle into a womb through the cervix and vagina to get the sample for the chorionic villi. The obtained sample will afterwards be tested and then analyzed.

If the pregnancy is between fourteen and twenty four weeks the collection method for the sample of the baby will be amniocentesis. The procedure involves the insertion of a needle to a womb. The needle, in the procedure is guided through ultrasound and then inserted through the abdomen to get a little amount of the amniotic fluid. The DNA test for the child is done on the fluid sample.

If the pregnancy is more than twenty for weeks old, there is a higher risk that the baby may be damaged as the testing sample is being collected. Therefore, doctors recommend that you wait until the baby has been born before the test can be carried out. After the baby is born, there are a number of methods which can be used to get a sample of the baby. When the paternity of a child is in doubt or if you need to be totally sure of whom the father of the child is, a DNA test is the only way for you to negate or confirm the doubts that you may be harboring.

If the DNA test of the unborn baby is being done for the sole purpose of determining the paternity of the baby, doctors do not recommend that the test be done before the birth of the baby. This is mainly due to the fact that the two sample collection methods are a posing risk to the baby. If you stay put until the baby has been born, the samples can be collected without them having any risk to the child. Despite the fact that DNA testing during pregnancy can take place, you should be able to weigh the dangers involved together with the benefits just before you make up your mind on whether you want to go on with the testing or not.

Lying down with the left side enables easier blood flow to the heart in plenty and finally to the brain. This will save you from passing out and wipe away the feeling of dizzy during pregnancy.

Some of the most frequent causes of feeling dizzy during pregnancy and how to cure the feeling include:

• Standing up abruptly. After sitting, blood overflows to the lower parts of the body like the feet and lower legs. After standing, the body might not be able to regulate the flow and you find that insufficient blood reaches the heart from the legs. Due to this, the blood pressure drops drastically and this can cause you to pass out. It also happens to those who are not pregnant.

• To avoid feeling dizzy during pregnancy, steer clear of jumping up from the bed or chair. While lying down, sit up slowly and stay that way for a few minutes with your legs are hanging over the side of the bed or chair. Lastly wake up slowly and sit down

• If you need to stand up in a particular place for a long time, move the legs frequently to allow enough circulation. Putting on support stockings also helps in circulation in the lower part of the body.

• Lack of enough food and drink. Eating insufficient amounts of food makes you have low blood sugar or hypoglycemia that makes you dizzy during pregnancy. It mostly happens when you are pregnant.

• Dehydration also has the same consequences. Always stay well hydrated by taking eight to ten glasses of water each day and a lot more if you are exercising and when it is hot.

• Keep you blood sugar from going low by taking frequent and small meals a day instead of three big ones. Always have snacks to eat when you get hungry.

• Anemia. The anemic have fewer red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the brain and other parts and can make you feel dizzy during pregnancy. Lack of iron is the most frequent cause of anemia, so always eat iron rich meals and have prenatal vitamin with mostly in the second and third trimester. A care giver will no doubt prescribe iron supplements if you become anemic and become dizzy during pregnancy.

Smoking
Pregnant women who smoke risk their babies’ health because the babies end up having nonstandard amounts of toes and fingers, just as WebMD states. Webbed feet, missing fingers and extra toes all have a connection to expectant women who kept on smoking when they were pregnant.

In the same way, expectant women who smoke have a higher possibility of encountering premature births, miscarriage and stillbirths. There is also a danger of delivering a baby born with immature lungs and lower birth weight. Therefore, smoking is one of the things included in the list of what not to do during pregnancy (do yourself a favor by avoiding cigarettes – you will save your baby’s life as well).

Drinking Alcohol
Taking alcohol causes fetal alcohol syndrome, which leads to behavioral, mental and physical complications. Therefore, the bottom line is: if you love to have strawberry daiquiri when you are on holiday, there is no need for you to worry; but if your whisky consumption is on a daily basis, there is a possibility of your baby being born with a birth complication.

Eat foods that are unpasteurized
Another thing on the, what not to do during pregnancy list is unpasteurized food. Although you love feta cheese, you ought to avoid unpasteurized soft cheese during your pregnancy period. The Mayo Clinic cautions expectant women that eating anything that has unpasteurized milk leads to premature birth, miscarriage and stillbirth because of a dangerous bacterium known as Listeria monocytogenes. For the entire duration of the pasteurization procedure, the listeria is killed off; therefore, ensure that you only eat pasteurized foods to be on the safe side. Other foods rich in listeria include undercooked or raw fish (like sushi), shellfish, meat and Caesar salad dressing.

Eat heavy metals
This refers to mercury present in fish such as mackerel, tuna and swordfish. The Environmental Protection Agency and FDA caution pregnant women not to eat fish having mercury (mercury harms the nervous system of developing babies). Eat fish such as salmon at lunch, not the tuna.

Changing the litter box
Being pregnant does not mean getting rid of your cat although you need to look for someone who will change the kitty litter. Cat feces have an infection called toxoplasmosis that causes brain and eye damage, premature births and low birth weight. The scary bit in this infection is that pregnant mothers might not necessarily have any signs but there is a likelihood of them passing the symptoms to their unborn babies via the bloodstreams.

Some other guidelines are avoiding caffeine and cooking meat thoroughly. Certainly, this might sound petty but think about your child’s health – there is nothing more essential – therefore, if it means avoiding your best food for nine months, just do it. Think of the ‘what not to do during pregnancy’ and “things to avoid during early pregnancy” guidelines as the most important tips necessary in becoming an amazing mother.