Third Month Pregnancy - 3 months pregnant

In short: The third month covers weeks 9–13. The face takes shape, the vital organs begin to work, the baby can move and kick, and is about 6 cm long by week 12. The mother may have nausea, headache, constipation, heartburn and bleeding gums. A healthy diet, water and dental care are advised, with the baby’s screening scan at week 12.

3 months pregnant (Weeks 9-13)

9 Weeks Pregnancy

• Your baby has the size of an olive, 30mm in length.
• It is now called a fetus no longer an embryo.
• His fingers and toes are getting longer. Although the digit will still fused together.
• His facial features is more obvious, his iris is formed but his eyelids still fused till 26 weeks.
• His external ears are formed but his internal ears are filled with fluid.
• His digestive system starts to form and also his diaphragm which allows him to breath and hiccup.
• You may experience more headache and migraine during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.
• Your breast may be enlarged and its veins are more visible, you nipples are darkened, so you may need to increase your bra size in order to fit your breast.
• You may crave for non food so avoid toxic materials.
• You may gain weight, but don’t be worried keep on eating healthy food, exercise right, drink enough water and vitamin C rich fluid (avoid sugary fluid).
• You may notice spotting any time during pregnancy so consult your doctor because it may be a sign of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.
• You may get a urinary tract infection more easily during pregnancy because progesterone relaxes and widens the tubes that drain the kidneys (ureters), so urine flows more slowly and bacteria can grow. A urine culture is done at your first visit, because even infection without symptoms should be treated in pregnancy.

10 Weeks Pregnancy

Your baby is 33 mm in length, and he will double in size in the next three weeks.

• His vital organs start to function.
• He will have the first bowel movement, and his reflexes start to develop.
• his skull’s bone will start to ossify but it still flexible to accommodate the growing brain.
• The placenta starts to grow and supply the baby’s need.
• You may start to feel some cramps in the abdomen due to the stretching ligaments in your pelvis, which are relieved by mild analgesia and rest.
• You may suffer from bleeding gums because your progesterone makes the gums swollen and fragile, so care about your dental hygiene.

11 Weeks Pregnancy

• Your baby is 35 mm in length.
• His head and body are equal in size.
• He can kick, stretch and clench his fists although you may not feel him.
• Fingers and toes webbing now disappear.
• Tooth buds start to form.
• His intestine will move back to his abdomen by this week.
• Your pregnancy symptoms will subside but don’t worry. you will have more energy but you may start to have constipation and heart burn.
• Your baby will start to react with you so try to relax, listen to happy relaxing music, think with happy thoughts.

12 Weeks Pregnancy

• Your baby is 6cm in length
• His head is 1/3 of the size of the body but the growth of the brain slow down so that the rest of the body can catch growth later
• He is now breathing using the amniotic fluid
• His kidney is excreting uterine into the amniotic fluid which will be then breathed in uterine is harmless so don’t worry
• Now you can feel you uterus above the level of pubic bone.
• You may experience heart burn because of your progesterone which relaxes the gastro-esophageal valve and by this gastric Juice will regurge back to the esophagus, so try to eat smaller meals and avoid spicy food.
• Between 11 and 14 weeks you will be offered a dating scan with nuchal translucency measurement, combined with a blood test (the ‘combined test’), to screen for Down syndrome and other trisomies. Screening estimates the chance but does not rule them out; if the chance is high, you will be offered a cell-free DNA blood test (NIPT) or a diagnostic test such as CVS or amniocentesis.

13 Weeks Pregnancy

• Your baby is now 1 ounce in weight, and 8cm in length.

• Vocal cords and teeth will start to form, and his ears are developing; he will begin to hear sounds, including your voice, from around 18–24 weeks.
• His bone marrow starts to from white blood cells in order to be ready to fight infection after birth.
• His intestine continues moving back to his tummy.
• His skin starts to be covered with tiny hair.
• The baby now can swallow and hiccup, but the sucking action won’t be recognized till 18 -20 weeks
• You will be more energetic so keep your healthy diet and exercise regularly.
• Your breast may starts to from colostrum in preparation for feeding you baby

One of the tests that may be discussed with you at this point is explained in our article on amniocentesis.

Dr Najeeb Layyous F.R.C.O.G

Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Infertility Specialist