Human pregnancy is somewhat arbitrarily divided into three trimester periods, as a means to simplify reference to the different stages of fetal development. The first trimester period carries the highest risk of miscarriage (natural death of embryo or fetus). During the second trimester the development of the fetus can start to be monitored and diagnosed. The third trimester marks the beginning of viability, or the ability of the fetus to survive, with or without medical help, outside of the mother's womb.

It is important that an expectant mother to eat a healthy diet. Unless she has a specific health problem (e.g., diabetes mellitus or edema) most usual nutritional advice should be followed: balancing carbohydrates, fat, and proteins; and eating a variety of foods, including dairy products and several fruits and vegetables, daily.

A woman is considered to be in labour when she begins experiencing regular uterine contractions, accompanied by changes of her cervix — primarily effacement and dilation. While childbirth is widely experienced as painful, some women do report painless labours, while others find that concentrating on the birth helps to quicken labor and lessen the sensations. Most women are capable of having a normal birth but sometimes complications arise and a woman may need to undergo a caesarean section. 

Find out more information related to your pregnancy in this category.