Symptoms At 11 Weeks Pregnancy

At this stage of your pregnancy, you may continue to experience physical pregnancy symptoms such as:

• Increasing appetite with or without food cravings or food aversions
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue, although you may begin to feel more energetic
• Bloating, gas, constipation or heartburn
• Breast tenderness and changes
• Excessive saliva
• Faintness or dizziness
• You may begin showing a small baby bump.

While some women begin to notice their morning sickness is slowly starting to improve, some are not so lucky.

If you are one of the lucky ones, you may notice that you are craving certain foods or experiencing certain food aversions. Either way, be sure you try to eat a balanced and healthy diet.

If you have begun to tell people that you are pregnant, you might be getting lots of hugs which may not feel so great.

Your breasts may be feeling quite large and tender, so do not be caught off guard if your family and friends' best of intentions cause you some mild discomfort.

Even though you may not have much of a pregnant belly, you may want to ask for a belly rub instead!

Be aware that pregnancy increases the risk of urinary tract infections from week 6 to week 24, so if your symptoms are not simply from the pregnancy and you suspect an infection, speak with a health care provider about treatment.³

Your hormones at 11 weeks pregnant

Throughout your pregnancy, you will experience variations in certain hormones that contribute to many of the pregnancy symptoms you experience.

Following implantation of the fertilized egg, your body begins to secrete a hormone called human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) - the hormone used to detect pregnancy. This hormone is also responsible for regulating estrogen and progesterone and contributes to frequent urination.

Initially produced by the corpus luteum, progesterone rises throughout your pregnancy and continues to do so until the birth of your baby. In early pregnancy, progesterone is responsible for increasing uterine blood flow, establishing the placenta and stimulating the growth and nutrient production of the endometrium (lining of the uterus).

Progesterone also plays a vital role fetal development, preventing premature labor and lactation, as well as strengthening the pelvic wall muscles to prepare your body for labor.

Alongside progesterone, the placenta is vital in secreting vital hormones during your pregnancy such as:

• Human placental lactogen: this hormone is believed to be responsible for mammary gland growth that will be important for lactation following the birth of your baby. Additionally, it plays a role in increasing nutrient levels in your blood, vital to the growth and development of your baby.
• Corticotrophin-releasing hormone: this hormone is not only responsible for determining how long you will be pregnant, but also for your baby's growth and development. Later in pregnancy, the rise in both corticotrophin-releasing hormone and cortisol both completes fetal organ development and provides the mother with a surge of cortisol that has been linked with maternal attentiveness, increasing the mother-baby bond.

Another vital hormone in pregnancy is estrogen, which is responsible for fetal organ development, placental growth and function and mammary gland growth. Additionally, estrogen is needed for regulation of other hormones produced during pregnancy.

Because of the rise in progesterone and estrogen, you may experience some unpleasant pregnancy symptoms such as mood swings and morning sickness. Another hormone, relaxin, can cause physical symptoms such as pelvic pain, balance difficulties and constipation due of its role in relaxing maternal muscles, ligaments and joints.

Genetic testing at 11 weeks pregnant

It is important to speak with your health care provider to determine if genetic testing and certain prenatal screening is right for you. Some prenatal screening tests can begin around 10 weeks gestation.

From weeks 11-14, an ultrasound may be obtained to evaluate your baby's nuchal translucency - the amount of fluid behind the baby's neck. This is important in testing for some medical conditions that may affect your baby such as Down syndrome.

There are three blood tests offered to women during their pregnancy to screen for a variety of genetic abnormalities including Down syndrome, Trisomy 18, and spina bifida.

MNT