Talk with your provider if you have any of the following signs of premature labor: Regular tightening or pain in your lower abdomen or back that occurs more than four times in an hour. Any bleeding in your second or third trimester of pregnancy. Any fluid leakage.
During the second trimester, the umbilical cord continues to thicken as it carries nourishment to the fetus. However, harmful substances also pass through the umbilical cord to the fetus, so care should be taken to avoid alcohol, tobacco and other known hazards.
Don'ts for the second and third trimester
Avoid undercooked meat to prevent diseases like Toxoplasmosis and Listeriosis. Avoid hot sauna baths. Avoid cleaning of the litter box to prevent infections. Avoid any kind of sexual contact in the third trimester.
Weeks 12 to 28
Stomach pain in the second trimester is often due to round ligament pain. Your womb is expanding and this can cause the ligaments to stretch. This can cause pain in your lower tummy, groin or hips on one or both sides.
Don't eat raw meat
Raw and undercooked meat and eggs carry the risk of foodborne illness, such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis. Food poisoning is also a possibility. These conditions can cause serious, life-threatening illnesses that could lead to severe birth defects and even miscarriage.
Chromosomal abnormalities, such as trisomies, are a major cause of almost all forms of pregnancy loss. 2 Second-trimester miscarriages are caused by these abnormalities about one-quarter of the time. Prenatal testing may have made you aware of the potential for this, but that is not always the case.
Smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking certain drugs during pregnancy. Having certain medical conditions, such as being obese or having uncontrolled diabetes before and during pregnancy. Taking certain medications, such as isotretinoin (a drug used to treat severe acne). Having someone in your family with a birth defect.
First Trimester (0 to 13 Weeks)
The first trimester is the most crucial to your baby's development. During this period, your baby's body structure and organ systems develop. Most miscarriages and birth defects occur during this period. Your body also undergoes major changes during the first trimester.
Pregnancy Symptoms Not to Ignore in Early Pregnancy
Contact your healthcare provider if the spotting is heavy and is accompanied by other symptoms like abdominal or pelvic pain, extreme lightheadedness, or shoulder pain. Persistent or severe vomiting.
Red flags to look out for in pregnant women include back pain, bleeding, headaches, hypertension and high fever.
“During pregnancy, it is important that patients inform their physician with symptoms that may be related to life threatening complications,” Gibbs added. “Rapid weight gain, severe swelling, headaches that are not relieved by over-the-counter medications or are severe could signify the onset of preeclampsia.
Long-term health conditions
Several long-term (chronic) health conditions can increase your risk of having a miscarriage in the second trimester, especially if they're not treated or well controlled. These include: diabetes (if it's poorly controlled) severe high blood pressure.
Try to remember that your fears are normal, but that this phase will pass. Take time to practice mindfulness, meditation, and take some time for yourself. This could include any stress-reducing activities you enjoy like yoga or going for a walk.
Some of the most common complications of pregnancy include: high blood pressure. gestational diabetes.
Birth defects can happen at any time during pregnancy. But most happen during the first 3 months of pregnancy (also called first trimester), when your baby's organs are forming. Birth defects also can happen later in pregnancy, when your baby's organs are still growing and developing.
Are all birth defects discovered before a baby is born? It's not always possible to detect all birth defects in utero. However, high-resolution ultrasounds done by certified prenatal ultrasound groups make it possible to diagnose defects that will cause a significant impact before birth.
If it's suspected your baby may have died, a midwife or doctor might initially listen for the baby's heartbeat with a handheld Doppler device. You'll also be offered an ultrasound scan to check your baby's heartbeat.
A 2019 review of medical studies suggests that sleeping on your back carries risks, but it doesn't seem to matter whether you sleep on your right or left side. These studies do have some flaws, though. Third trimester pregnancy loss is very uncommon. Therefore, there aren't many cases from which to draw conclusions.
Contact your doctor if you experience cramping during pregnancy characterized by: Severe pain that does not go away. Lower abdominal pain accompanied by contractions. Vaginal cramping.