Canadian Fertility Consulting - First Trimester Pregnancy Tips

TORONTO - Feb. 7, 2017 - PRLog -- The first trimester of pregnancy is marked by an invisible — yet amazing — transformation. And it happens quickly. Hormones trigger your body to begin nourishing the baby even before tests and a physical exam can confirm the pregnancy.

Knowing what physical and emotional changes to expect during the first trimester can help you face the months ahead with confidence.

Morning sickness, which can strike at any time of the day or night, sometimes begins as early as three weeks after conception. Nausea might stem in part from rapidly rising levels of estrogen and progesterone, which cause the stomach to empty more slowly. Pregnant women also have a heightened sense of smell, so various odors — such as foods cooking, perfume or cigarette smoke — might cause waves of nausea in early pregnancy.

To help relieve nausea, eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Choose foods that are low in fat and easy to digest. Avoid foods or smells that make your nausea worse. It's also helpful to drink plenty of fluids. Try drinking ginger ale. If your nausea is very severe, talk to your healthcare provider about taking Ginger Gravol, or getting a prescription for Diclectin.

What Kind Of Testing Can Be Done, And When?

Harmony Test

The Harmony test (Ariosa Diagnostics, California USA) is a type of non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT). The Harmony test assesses blood from the mother, looking at the baby's DNA in her blood (analyses maternal serum for fetal DNA).

It provides limited screening for chromosomes 21, 13, 18 and/or XY (sex chromosomes).

The Harmony test has a higher detection rate for trisomy 21 than combined first trimester screening (nuchal translucency scan plus maternal serum screening).

The Harmony test identifies:

• 99% of the fetuses with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome)

• 97% of fetuses with trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)

• 92% of fetuses with trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome)

The Harmony test, and all other forms of NIPT, is an advanced screening test rather than a diagnostic test. It does not detect all cases of trisomy 21, 18 or 13.

It can be performed after 10 weeks of gestation. It can be performed in single, twin and IVF pregnancies.

http://www.ariosadx.com/expecting-parents/faqs/

Panorama

As early as nine weeks into your pregnancy, a simple blood draw can tell you if your baby is at higher risk for having Down syndrome and other common genetic conditions, as well as the gender of your baby. Non-invasive and highly accurate, Panorama identifies more than 99% of pregnancies affected with Down syndrome and has the lowest reported false positive rate of any prenatal screening test for the commonly screened chromosomal abnormalities: trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13.

http://www.lifelabs.com/mylab/Pages/panorama.aspx

NT Scan

Nuchal scan (NT procedure) is performed between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation, because the accuracy is best in this period. The scan is obtained with the fetus in sagittal section and a neutral position of the fetal head (neither hyperflexed nor extended, either of which can influence the nuchal translucency thickness). The fetal image is enlarged to fill 75% of the screen, and the maximum thickness is measured, from leading edge to leading edge. It is important to distinguish the nuchal lucency from the underlying amniotic membrane.

Normal thickness depends on the crown-rump length (CRL) of the fetus. Among those fetuses whose nuchal translucency exceeds the normal values, there is a relatively high risk of significant abnormality.

http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/prenatal-testing/nuchal-translucency.aspx

When To Tell People You Are Pregnant!

Deciding when to tell people you're pregnant is a personal decision—and often a complex one.

Some people opt to wait 12 or 13 weeks before sharing the news with anyone other than their partner. While there are no rules, there are some benefits to waiting even a few weeks:

1. You can avoid being overwhelmed early on by unsolicited advice and questions from family members, not to mention gently used baby paraphernalia and books from well-intentioned friends.

2. You delay fending off casual conversation about your Surrogate's pregnancy

3. You may have additional information to share later on, such as the baby's gender and due date.

4. You have time to think about what your plans will be after the baby is born, particularly in regards to returning to work.

5. You wait until the risk of miscarriage drops. That risk is highest in the first trimester of pregnancy and drops substantially in the second trimester. Most gestational health authorities agree that 10 percent to 25 percent of pregnancies will end spontaneously.  Waiting until the second trimester to make your announcement may protect you from having to face others with the news, if the unthinkable happens.

How you tell the world is up to you. Maybe you want to have fun with it? Spell it out on a cake, drop verbal clues or drink water when everyone else goes for the wine and see how long it takes your friends to figure it out. Social media lets you announce it to your whole social network all at once, if you so choose. It's a joyous occasion, so don't hold back if you don't want to.

About Canadian Fertility Consulting

Canadian Fertility Consulting is a full service consulting firm dedicated to helping couples and individuals who have had difficulty or are unable to conceive, by providing guidance and support while exploring alternate methods to building a family. We have been helping couples build families since 2007 and take a holistic approach to everything we do. We will put the right team in place to support you through your journey of building a loving family.