To really be pregnant do you need to have a lot of nausea, vomiting, discomfort, aches all over your body and similar symptoms? THAT’S A LIE! This is what all women expect when they think about pregnancy, but not everyone experiences symptoms in the same way or with the same intensity1. Just as every pregnancy with the same mother brings different symptoms, each woman and her body will also react in different ways. However, for some, the absence of symptoms raises doubts and concerns, and the question soon arises: Is my pregnancy progressing?
Lack of Pregnancy Symptoms
Women, not having symptoms in the first trimester does not mean your pregnancy isn’t progressing well. If during medical appointments and especially after getting an ultrasound everything appears to be normal, there is no reason to worry. Unless you have symptoms that indicate something may be wrong, such as bleeding. Even so, it’s not necessarily a reason to panic, since small bleeds can occur at the beginning of pregnancy. For women who have already experienced miscarriages, anxiety and worry about going through that nightmare again are often unavoidable, and the lack of symptoms during pregnancy can be maddening. Until reaching 20 weeks or until you start to feel your baby move, there is a constant anxiety and concern about your baby’s development at each ultrasound. Once you start to feel your baby move, noticing these movements inside you gives you an incredible sense that all is well2. Before that, some women opt for devices that allow them to hear their baby’s heartbeat even at home, such as the Angel Sound. With this device, it’s possible to listen to your baby’s heart and feel reassured knowing that everything is as it should be, whenever you need that peace of mind.
Fear of Miscarriage
For women who have been through one or more miscarriages, it is very natural to fear that it could happen again. However, even if it is difficult to tell a woman who is going through this, miscarriage occurs in about 15 to 20% of pregnancies and is considered a natural event, but it usually does not happen again. Therefore, if you had a miscarriage once it does not mean it will happen again, but if you go through two consecutive miscarriages you are considered to have recurrent miscarriage, and the causes should be investigated; after treatment, it is possible to become pregnant like anyone else3. On average, 80% of miscarriages happen by the 12th week, and the risks decrease with each week up to the end of the first trimester.
Main Causes of Natural and Recurrent Miscarriage
As mentioned above, spontaneous miscarriages are considered common especially during the first pregnancy. However, some factors increase the likelihood of these events and are usually discovered only after a miscarriage has occurred. The good news is that most causes can be treated, and a new, well-monitored pregnancy can have a positive outcome.
Immunological Deficiency
During pregnancy, the female body produces antibodies capable of detecting everything the embryo gets from the father, in order to protect the embryo from possible problems. But when this immune system doesn’t function properly, the woman’s own body rejects the baby as if something were wrong. This problem is diagnosed with a test called cross-match, which checks for these antibodies. If they are absent, treatment with vaccines made from male cells is recommended, given every three weeks, with repeated testing. The treatment continues until these antibodies are detected, and only then should the woman try to get pregnant. It’s important to note that this method still lacks strong scientific evidence. It may bring some benefits, but it can also trigger autoimmune diseases.
Genetic Problem
Genetic problems or genetic incompatibility affect about 4% of couples. It doesn’t mean that the man or woman has a problem themselves, but that the combination of their sperm and egg is not compatible. That’s why the woman’s body understands something is wrong and spontaneously rejects the embryo. The best approach is to perform a karyotype test for both man and woman, and if an alteration is found in either one or both, the recommended treatment is in vitro fertilization to select an embryo without the alteration.
Thrombophilia
A problem that is being diagnosed more and more each day, thrombophilia is the formation of blood clots in the bloodstream. The appearance of a clot in the placenta, for example, blocks the passage of oxygen and nutrients from the mother to the baby, which prevents the embryo from developing properly. Diagnosis is made through blood tests, and treatment involves daily injections of an anticoagulant (heparin) for the whole pregnancy and after the baby is born.
IMPORTANT: If you have regular checkups with your gynecologist and have already discussed your wish to have a baby, they may request some tests to assess and prepare for pregnancy.
Pay attention to any new or different signs in your body, but don’t forget to enjoy the moment as well. Many women, out of excessive worry, end up not enjoying this wonderful time because fear and concern take over. See also: Anxiety During Pregnancy – How to Deal With It?
