Pregnancy week by week

Want to know what to expect during your pregnancy? You've come to the right place! Pregnancy occurs when an egg is fertilized by a sperm, grows inside a woman's uterus (womb), and develops into a baby. In humans, this process takes about 264 days from the date of fertilization of the egg, but the obstetrician will date the pregnancy from the first day of the last menstrual period (280 days 40 weeks).

After the initial visit and during the first six months of pregnancy, you should see your doctor approximately once per month. Visits should be scheduled every two weeks during the seventh and eighth month and weekly during the ninth month. Electronic fetal monitoring, sequential ultrasound examinations, or admission to the hospital may also be required depending on your circumstances. Pregnancy occurs with the fertilization of a woman's egg by a man's sperm. Fertility drugs may improve a woman's odds of achieving a pregnancy. The doctor will probably provide the woman who is pregnant with information to read regarding her pregnancy. She should ask questions if she needs help understanding the written information or what is happening during the pregnancy.

Your doctor or midwife will use certain terms when he/she talks to you about your pregnancy.

Intra-uterine pregnancy: A normal pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg is implanted in the uterus (womb) and an embryo grows.

After you announce your pregnancy, the first question you'll probably be asked is "When are you due?" At your first prenatal visit, your health care provider will help you determine an expected delivery date (EDD). Your EDD is 40 weeks from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP).

It's important to remember that your due date is only an estimate — most babies are born between 38 and 42 weeks from the first day of their mom's LMP and only a small percentage of women actually deliver on their due date.

Another common term you'll hear throughout your pregnancy is trimester. A pregnancy is divided into trimesters:

the first trimester is from week 1 to the end of week 12

the second trimester is from week 13 to the end of week 26

the third trimester is from week 27 to the end of the pregnancy