The first trimester: Medical insights into early pregnancy

For me personally, the first trimester was the most challenging phase in both of my pregnancies. Among other things, I struggled with severe nausea and loss of appetite, and I often lacked the energy to manage my daily life well. At the same time, it was also a phase of pregnancy that still felt quite private, when conversations with friends and the wider social circle were usually still limited.

For that very reason, I became particularly interested in what is actually happening in the body from a medical perspective during this time. What changes does a pregnant body go through? How does the baby develop during these first weeks? And what does medicine currently know about this stage of pregnancy?

The first trimester from a medical perspective

In a conversation with Prof. Dr. Christian Haslinger, senior consultant at the Department of Obstetrics at Zurich University Hospital, we discuss key questions about the first trimester of pregnancy.

What happens in the pregnant body

What happens in the body during the first weeks and months of pregnancy? Which hormonal and physical changes take place, and how does the fetus develop during this time?

Examinations and important topics in the first trimester

Which medical check-ups are usually recommended? And according to the gynecologist, what should pregnant women pay particular attention to during this phase?

Understanding pregnancy nausea

And of course, we also talk about a question that concerns many pregnant women: why does pregnancy nausea occur so frequently, and what can help relieve it?