Physical changes during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a period of rapid changes in your body. Most of these changes are temporary and will gradually disappear after your baby is born. Some of them are pleasant, while others can cause a certain amount of discomfort.

Heart, blood vessels and lungs

During pregnancy, your heart rate can increase by up to 10 beats per minute. Your heart shifts slightly within your rib cage as the baby grows and your uterus expands. The volume of your blood increases to meet the needs of the fetus.

Pregnancy also brings about changes that can affect your breathing. Shortness of breath may comes on gradually as early as the first months of pregnancy and remains mild.

Hair

Head and body hair growth can change during pregnancy. You may experience increased hair growth on your body and have a thicker, fuller head of hair. A few months after the birth, it is not uncommon to experience more hair loss than usual.

Skin

Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy stimulate the skin and scalp, causing noticeable effects that are presented below. Changes to your skin and scalp shouldn’t be cause for concern, as most will diminish or disappear altogether in the months following the birth.

Hyperpigmentation

Your skin may darken during pregnancy. This condition is known as hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation tends to be localized, usually appearing as a thin dark line between the belly button and the pubis. It can also occur as a darkening of the perineum, anus, neck, armpits, the areola around your nipples or the skin around your belly button.

Pregnancy mask, a condition characterized by the appearance of brown patches on the face, is a result of hyperpigmentation.

Hyperpigmentation and pregnancy mask can be aggravated by sun exposure. To protect yourself, you can use sunscreen (see Sunscreen).

Hyperpigmentation and pregnancy mask clear up after the birth of the baby and generally disappear altogether within a year.

Stretch marks

Stretch marks can also develop during the second half of pregnancy. They are mainly visible on the tummy, breasts, and thighs, but also in the armpits or on the lower back, buttocks, and arms. Stretch marks form when a deeper layer of skin stretches as the body changes. Depending on your skin colour, they may be pinkish, purplish or brownish, and gradually become less apparent over time.

There is no proven method for effectively preventing or treating stretch marks. The massaging motion used to apply moisturizing cream may help reduce them somewhat, although the ingredients of the cream themselves appear to have little effect.

Other changes

You may also develop acne, which usually disappears after the pregnancy.

Hormonal stimulation of the skin can result in the appearance of acrochordons (skin tags)—tiny benign skin growths that are most common in skin folds such as around the neck and armpits.

Between the second and fifth months of pregnancy, angiomas may develop. These little red patches on the skin are formed by blood vessels, and in most cases will disappear on their own within three months of giving birth.

Bladder and kidneys

Bladder function changes during pregnancy. The kidneys increase in volume and filter more liquid. This can trigger a more frequent or urgent need to urinate. Later in pregnancy, the uterus expands as the baby grows, putting pressure on the bladder. This increases the urge even more.

You will probably feel the need to urinate more often at night, too. During the day, your body tends to accumulate water in your tissues. When you go to bed, these water reserves are sent to your kidneys and you feel the urge to go—again!

The perineum and pelvic floor

During pregnancy, numerous changes (e.g., hormonal changes, weight gain) impact the perineum and pelvic floor. This can increase the risk of urine leakage. Reducing caffeine intake, staying well hydrated, exercising, and eating a high-fibre diet are all lifestyle habits that can help reduce the risk of urine leakage.

Exercises to keep the pelvic floor in shape can help reduce the chance of leakage. In addition, certain pelvic floor muscle stretches can reduce the risk of tears and pain after childbirth. Talk to your prenatal care team about it..

Stomach and intestines

Digestion often slows down during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. This can cause heartburn and constipation.

Breasts

Your breasts may become more sensitive and increase in size. The blue veins that crisscross their surface may become more visible.

Your nipples and areolas prepare for breastfeeding by growing slightly. They may also become darker. Little bumps form on the areolas. These bumps are glands. They produce oil that will help keep your skin moisturized and protected during breastfeeding.

Beginning at 16 weeks, the breasts start producing colostrum. Colostrum is the first milk produced for a newborn baby. Colostrum may leak during pregnancy. This is completely normal.

Uterus

Before pregnancy, your uterus is the size of a small pear. As your pregnancy advances, it expands to meet the needs of the fetus and changes shape and position in your abdomen.

The increasing weight of the uterus moves your centre of gravity further forward. This can cause your posture to change. That’s why you may walk differently than you did before becoming pregnant.

Vaginal discharge

Vaginal discharge may be heavier during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. The discharge is usually whitish in colour, slick, and odorless.

Growth of the fetus in the uterus

Copyright: Maurice Gervais

Maurice Gervais

Ligaments and joints

Pregnancy hormones tend to make the ligaments supporting your joints loosen up gradually, especially in the pelvic area. This can cause pain during physical activity, or even while resting.

Fat reserves

Fat reserves accumulate throughout pregnancy, especially in the tummy, back and thighs. These reserves store energy and are necessary to ensure that the pregnancy and breastfeeding go well.

Weight gain

Weight gain occurs during pregnancy as the baby grows and the body changes.

The weight gain corresponds to the weight of the growing baby, but also the weight of the uterus, the placenta, and the amniotic fluid. The breasts, maternal fat reserves, blood, and extravascular fluids also contribute to weight gain (see below Distribution of weight gain during pregnancy).

Adequate weight gain helps you lead a healthy pregnancy, but it’s not the only factor. A healthy diet (see Eating well), and regular physical activity (see Physical activities) will also have a positive effect on you and your baby’s health.

Distribution of weight gain during pregnancy

Copyright: Maurice Gervais

Maurice Gervais

Changes in weight during pregnancy

At the beginning of pregnancy, your appetite may vary depending on whether you have morning sickness (see Nausea and vomiting) or pregnancy cravings (see Appetite, cravings, and aversions). Some people gain more weight; others lose weight. Your weight will adjust as the months pass.

By the end of the first trimester, you can expect to have gained between 500 g and 2 kg (1 to 4.5 lb). Most weight gain occurs during the second and third trimesters, as your baby starts to grow faster. During these two trimesters, you can expect to gain between 225 and 500g (1/2 to 1 lb) per week, depending on your pre-pregnancy weight.

Weight gain can vary greatly from one person—and one pregnancy—to another.

There’s no need to weigh yourself at home. Your weight will be monitored at your prenatal appointments. If you’re worried about your weight gain, don’t hesitate to mention it.

Everyday life during pregnancy In multiple pregnancies (e.g., twins, triplets) it is normal to gain more weight. If this is the case for you, your prenatal care team will take this into account.

Living with the changes

Everyone experiences pregnancy differently, but the transformations affecting your body can have an impact on the way you see yourself.

You may feel comfortable with the physical changes. For example, you may see your growing belly as a sign of the baby developing inside you and the future addition to the family.

Everyday symptoms and discomforts can make it difficult to accept your body and your new image. You may find it hard to accept your changing body.

Some people experience real distress as a result of these physical changes or the attention paid to their bodies during pregnancy. This may be the case for people with gender dysphoria or eating disorders.

If you’re experiencing discomfort or dissatisfaction, don’t hesitate to express your feelings or talk it over with someone you trust.