A woman’s body will go through numerous hormonal changes throughout the course of her pregnancy. These changes are necessary for the proper growth and support of the new fetus. Some of these changes are also relevant in helping to prepare the new mom’s body for the process of labor. With all of these extra hormones surging through a woman’s body there are going to be symptoms or side effects that most women will experience at some point during their pregnancy. Since every woman is different then that means that every pregnancy will be different. There is a different range of normal for different hormones, and each woman could land in a different place within that normal range.
The Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, or HCG, hormone is already known by a lot of women. This hormone surges very early in the pregnancy, doubling every forty-eight hours, give or take. HCG can be found both in the urinary and blood streams and is the hormone that is detected during pregnancy tests. Over the counter pregnancy tests check for the presence of HCG within the urinary stream. Where as most doctor offices take a blood sample to check for HCG hormone. Either test is reliable and effective. Since HCG surges so rapidly within the first trimester it is thought to be responsible for morning sickness and frequent urination within the first trimester. HCG will begin to decline at the onset of the second trimester. Women with higher levels of HCG are reported as having more nausea or issues with morning sickness. HCG is responsible for alerting a woman’s body to the presence of a new fetus. After the body receives this alert then HCG will also shut down the production of new eggs maturing and being released from the ovaries during the course of the pregnancy.
Estrogen and progesterone are two more hormones that surge quickly during the first trimester of pregnancy. Estrogen, due to its rapid increase, is also thought to contribute to the first trimester nausea and morning sickness that a lot of women suffer from. Although it surges quickly in the first trimester, estrogen will continue to grow throughout the pregnancy and peak in the third trimester. Estrogen is responsible for the famous “pregnancy glow” that most women wish for during their pregnancies. Not every woman will experience a glow from their estrogen surges however. Estrogen can also cause changes to skin pigmentation and cause spider veins to appear during pregnancy. In the second trimester estrogen begins working in the milk duct development that begins to enlarge the breasts. The progesterone surge during the first trimester works to relax the smooth muscle within the body. This is suppose to go to the uterus lining, to keep it loose and able to grow with the new developing fetus. Since the hormones course through the entire body, however, then a lot of other body functions can also be affected by the hormone surge. The extra progesterone also affects the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal system and is responsible for most of the gastrointestinal issues during a pregnancy, including heartburn, reflux, belching, gas, vomiting, and constipation. Progesterone hormone is also responsible for suppressing a woman’s immune system so that the body does not reject the fetus, since the fetus has half its DNA from your partner it can be viewed as a foreign substance by the woman’s body and rejection is a risk. The suppression of the immune system, although necessary, does also leave the mother susceptible to catching common colds and germs from the general public while pregnant and needed precautions should be put into place to avoid anyone with a contagious illness while pregnant.
The results off all these surging hormones can vary from woman to woman. Progesterone surges, along with other hormones, can cause dramatically increased blood flow through the body to accommodate the growing fetus. The extra blood can flood into a woman’s gums and cause pregnancy gingivitis or pregnancy periodontitis. It is important to maintain regular dental appointments and cleaning during pregnancy. It has been shown in studies that dental health can be linked to pregnancy health. Women that suffer from pregnancy gingivitis have been shown to be more likely to give birth to premature babies, babies born under thirty-seven weeks, and babies that are underweight. In the case of one twenty-nine year old woman the extra blood that flowed into her gums forced her teeth to separate to accommodate the inflamed tissues and ended up causing permanent dental changes. After the birth of her daughter, as her hormone levels returned to normal, her gums eventually deflated. Her teeth shrank back together, however her front two teeth had been forced so far apart that now a permanent gap remains between the two that did not exist prior to her pregnancy. During pregnancy women should be sure to follow all dental health recommendations including brushing twice daily, flossing daily, and using an anti-microbial mouth wash.
Another vital hormone during pregnancy is known as relaxin, and plays its role during the third trimester. Relaxin is responsible for loosening the ligaments in the pelvic bone in preparation of labor. It also loosens and relaxes the cervix. Unfortunately, it can also loosen other ligaments within the body and not just the ones needed for giving birth. Relaxin can also affect the ligaments shoulders, knees, hips, and ankles This can lead to aches, pains, inflammation, and a general increase in clumsiness. As the woman’s body prepares to go into labor it is imperative to take precautions to keep both mom and baby safe and comfortable while nearing the end of this long and hormone filled experience.