What Happens in Each Stage of Pregnancy: Fact Sheets and Resources

Healthy Pregnancy Home > Pregnancy > What Happens in Each Stage of Pregnancy > Fact Sheets and Resources

• Changes Body and Mind
• Fetal Development
• Prenatal Screenings/Birth Defects

Changes Body and Mind

Publications

1.     Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Bladder Control - This publication looks at the effects that pregnancy and childbearing can have on bladder control and ways to counter the effects.

   http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/pdf/pregnancy_ez.pdf

2. A Week-by-Week Pregnancy Calendar (Copyright © Nemours Foundation) - This illustrated pregnancy calendar is a detailed guide to all the changes taking place in your baby - and in you! Each week of pregnancy includes a description of your baby's development, as well as an explanation of the changes taking place in your body. You'll also find important medical information that will help keep you and your baby healthy.

   http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/calendar/pregnancy_calendar_intro.html...

3. How Your Baby Grows (Copyright © MOD) - This site provides information on the development of your baby and the changes in your body during each month of pregnancy. In addition, for each month it provides information on when to go for prenatal care appointments and general tips to take care of yourself and your baby.

   http://www.marchofdimes.com/aboutus/1808_2134.asp

4. Morning Sickness (Copyright © AAFP) - This publication discusses morning sickness, how long it will last, and how to help relieve morning sickness.

   http://familydoctor.org/154.xml

5. Pregnancy and Your Emotions (Copyright © Yale-New Haven Hospital) - This fact sheet explains the normal emotions and concerns that occur during pregnancy and how to confront them-work, sex, sleep, and anxiety.

   http://www.ynhh.com/maternity/concerns/your_emotions.html

6. Pregnancy Month-by-Month (Copyright © Univeristy of Michigan) - This site explains gestational age and links to information on how both you and your baby change and develop during pregnancy. It includes a separate section for each month that details the growth of your baby, the changes in your own body, and some of the changes your partner might experience.

   http://www.med.umich.edu/obgyn/smartmoms/pregnancy/monthbymonth/index.htm

7. Pregnancy: Symptoms and emotions in the first trimester (Copyright © Mayo Foundation) - This fact sheet discusses the physical changes and symptoms experienced in the first 3 months of pregnancy.

   http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/pregnancy/PR00004/METHOD=print

8. Pregnancy: Symptoms and emotions in the second trimester (Copyright © MFMER) - This fact sheet discusses how the changes that began in the first weeks of pregnancy increase and accelerate during the second trimester. Of these, your growing uterus is probably the most obvious. But many other, unseen events are also taking place.

   http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/pregnancy/PR00018/METHOD=print

9. Stress and Pregnancy (Copyright © MOD) - This fact sheet contains information on how stress can affect a pregnancy and how mothers can prevent and cope with stress during their pregnancy.

   http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/159_527.asp

10. The Third Trimester: Amazement and Anticipation (Copyright © Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - This fact sheet explains how at term or the third trimester, the uterus will weigh about 2 1/2 pounds (a little over one kilogram) and will have stretched to hold your baby, the placenta and about a quart (about a liter) of amniotic fluid. Nearly all of the physical symptoms of late pregnancy arise from this increase in the size of the uterus.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/pregnancy/PR00009/METHOD=print

11. Weight Gain During Pregnancy (Copyright © MOD) - This brief fact sheet explains how much weight a woman should gain during pregnancy by explaining the different aspects of pregnancy that add to overall weight.

    http://www.marchofdimes.com/printableArticles/159_153.asp

12. Your Body Changes (Copyright © Yale-New Haven Hospital) - This fact sheet informs expecting mothers of the physical changes they may experience during pregnancy, and tips for coping with them: morning sickness, ligament pain, tender breasts, dizziness, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, leg cramps, swelling, backaches, constipation, heartburn, headache, and vaginal discharge.

    http://www.ynhh.com/maternity/concerns/body_changes.html

Organizations

1. American Academy of Family Physicians
2. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Resource Center
3. American Pregnancy Association
4. Kids Health
5. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation

= Indicates Federal Resources

Fetal Development

Publications

1. A Week-by-Week Pregnancy Calendar (Copyright © Nemours Foundation) - This illustrated pregnancy calendar is a detailed guide to all the changes taking place in your baby - and in you! Each week of pregnancy includes a description of your baby's development, as well as an explanation of the changes taking place in your body. You'll also find important medical information that will help keep you and your baby healthy.

   http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/calendar/pregnancy_calendar_intro.html...

2. Fetal Development (Copyright © A.D.A.M., Inc.) - This publication explains the changes that occur in fetal development during each week of the pregnancy. In addition, it provides drawings of a fetus at different stages of development.

   http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002398.htm

3. Fetal Development (Copyright © APA) - This publication provides general information on fetal development and links to descriptions of the changes occuring in your baby during each trimester. In addition, it includes photographs of the different stages of development.

   http://www.americanpregnancy.org/duringpregnancy/fetaldevelopment.htm

4. Fetal Development: What Happens During the First Trimester? (Copyright © MFMER) - This publication describes how your baby changes and develops during each week of your first trimester.

   http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/prenatal-care/PR00112/METHOD=print

5. Fetal Development: What Happens During the Second Trimester? (Copyright © MFMER) - This publication describes how your baby changes and develops during each week of your second trimester.

   http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/fetal-development/PR00113/METHOD=print

6. How Your Baby Grows (Copyright © MOD) - This site provides information on the development of your baby and the changes in your body during each month of pregnancy. In addition, for each month it provides information on when to go for prenatal care appointments and general tips to take care of yourself and your baby.

   http://www.marchofdimes.com/aboutus/1808_2134.asp

7. Pregnancy Month-by-Month (Copyright © Univeristy of Michigan) - This site explains gestational age and links to information on how both you and your baby change and develop during pregnancy. It includes a separate section for each month that details the growth of your baby, the changes in your own body, and some of the changes your partner might experience.

   http://www.med.umich.edu/obgyn/smartmoms/pregnancy/monthbymonth/index.htm

Organizations

1.   National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Clearinghouse, NICHD, NIH, HHS
2. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Resource Center
3. American Pregnancy Association
4. Kids Health
5. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation

= Indicates Federal Resources

Prenatal Screenings/Birth Defects

Publications

1.   General Information about Pregnancy Exposure Registries - Pregnancy registries help women make informed and educated decisions about using medicines during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and currently taking medicine--or have been exposed to a medicine during your pregnancy--you may be able to participate and help in the collection of this information. This web site provides a list of pregnancy registries that are enrolling pregnant women.

   http://www.fda.gov/womens/registries/

2.   Genetics Home Reference

3. Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) (Copyright © MOD) - Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a prenatal test that can diagnose or rule out certain birth defects. The test is generally performed between 10 and 12 weeks after a woman's last menstrual period. This fact sheet provides information about this test, and how the test sample is taken.

   http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1165.asp

4. Newborn Screening Tests (Copyright © MOD) - This fact sheet provides information about some of the disorders that newborns are tested for shortly after birth.

   http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/298_834.asp

5. Prenatal Diagnosis: Amniocentesis and CVS (Copyright © AAFP) - This handout provides a general overview of amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS): two tests that can be done to check the status of the fetus.

   http://familydoctor.org/144.xml

6. Prenatal Tests (Copyright © Nemours Foundation) - This on-line resource offers information about prenatal tests that are preformed during pregnancy including, why prenatal tests are preformed, what do prenatal tests find, who needs prenatal tests, routine prenatal tests, chart of prenatal tests, talking to your doctor about prenatal tests and preventing birth defects.

   http://www.kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=107&cat_id=&article_set=21...

7. Prenatal Tests and Screening Procedures (Copyright © University of Michigan) - This site provides a list of the different tests and screenings you may have during pregnancy. It links to more detailed descriptions of each test.

   http://www.med.umich.edu/obgyn/smartmoms/pregnancy/pretest/index.htm

8. Routine Tests During Pregnancy (Copyright © ACOG) - This on-line publication provides information about the different types of tests that are done during pregnancy. It also explains why and when the tests are conducted as well as any other tests that may be needed.

   http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ84JKXODC&sub_cat=2005...

9. Ultrasound (Copyright © MOD) - This fact sheet discusses the use of an ultrasound in prenatal care at each trimester.

   http://www.marchofdimes.com/printableArticles/159_523.asp

Organizations

1.   National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC
2.   National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Clearinghouse, NICHD, NIH, HHS
3. American Academy of Family Physicians
4. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Resource Center
5. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
6. National Association for Down Syndrome
7. National Birth Defects Center

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of March 2007