WEEK 10
Congratulations! You’ve reached 10 weeks pregnant, you may already look pregnant. Week 10 is the best time to go shopping for some new, looser clothes. Don’t go too crazy at the store though. As your body continues to change, you’ll want to pick up some more essentials along the way. Remember, you’ve still got seven more months of body changes.
Your Growing Baby:
The developing baby is now called a fetus. During week 10 of pregnancy, the baby is as big as a strawberry, measuring about 1.2 inches long and weighing about 14 ounces. Your 10-week baby’s body length will almost double in the next three weeks. Wow!
10 WEEKS PREGNANT SYMPTOMS
Growing breasts. Your breasts have probably gotten bigger by week 10 of pregnancy since they’ve been prepping for breastfeeding for weeks already!
Morning sickness. Nausea and vomiting are pretty common at 10 weeks pregnant. The good news is, they’ll likely subside soon after you hit the second trimester.
Mood swings. Changes in your hormones may be to blame for a roller coaster of emotions.
Fatigue. You’re zapped. Here’s why: Not only is your body working really hard to grow baby, but your sleep might be disrupted by some pretty weird dreams.
Increased vaginal discharge. An increased blood flow to your vagina coupled with an increase in estrogen production could cause more of a clear, odourless discharge called leukorrhea. Might seem a little gross, but this substance is simply nature’s way of getting rid of bacteria. If it’s coloured, tinged with blood, has a foul odour, or causes discomfort, however, call your doctor. Those could be something else.
Visible veins. Those blue streaks serve an important purpose: They’re carrying a ton of extra blood to the baby.
10 WEEKS PREGNANT BELLY
Your 10 weeks pregnant belly is probably just starting to show. That’s because your baby is continuing his or her rapid growth and so your tummy has started to develop some extra curve. Many doctors recommend gaining about three to five pounds during the first trimester for pregnant women of average BMI. So you’re right on track if you find yourself at 10 weeks pregnant having gained a few pounds.
10 WEEKS PREGNANT ULTRASOUND
At ten weeks pregnant, the baby has working arm joints, and cartilage and bones are forming. Your 10-week fetus’ vital organs are fully developed and they’re starting to function. Fingernails and hair are starting to appear too! And can you believe that baby’s busy practicing swallowing and kicking inside your 10 weeks pregnant belly?
PREGNANCY TO-DO LIST AT 10 WEEKS PREGNANT
First-Trimester Screening
WHO IT’S OFFERED TO All women.
WHEN IT’S OFFERED: At 10 to 13 weeks.
WHAT IT SCREENS FOR Chromosomal defects such as Down syndrome and trisomy 18 (an often lethal defect); some cardiac defects.
HOW IT WORKS: Blood is drawn from the mother, and three fetal proteins are measured. These results are combined with the results of a detailed ultrasound (nuchal translucency) that measures the thickness at the back of the fetus’s neck.
HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS: It has an 80 percent to 85 percent detection rate for Down syndrome, with a 4 percent to 6 percent false-positive rate.
WHAT IF…? If you have a positive screen and are not comfortable with the odds, you may opt for a diagnostic test to determine if your baby has a defect. Another option is to do an additional screen in the second trimester—but this will not give you a definitive answer, either.
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