Prenatal Development: Week 1

Your baby has not been conceived yet and you are still having your menstrual period. However, this week is still acknowledged as the first week of a forty-week pregnancy even though you're not one week pregnant!

If you are trying to conceive, this is a perfect time to get your body ready for becoming pregnant. Remember to avoid alcohol, smoking and drugs as they can lead to birth defects as well as respiratory problems, low birth rate, fetal alcohol syndrome and other health problems.

Pregnancy Tip Even though you're not yet pregnant, it's important to get your body ready by taking  prenatal vitamins. Biotegrity has customized prenatal supplements designed to give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs at just the right stage, before and during pregnancy.

Take the time to discuss with your health care provider any prescription drugs that you may be taking. This is a necessary precaution since many prescription and over-the-counter medications can, in fact, affect the fetus. However, consult with your doctor before you decide to stop taking your prescription drugs. Your doctor will help you understand the benefits and the risks involved in discontinuing your medical prescription.

Ensure that your diet has adequate amounts of vitamins, especially folic acid, which can help prevent birth defects. Women who are trying to conceive are advised to take at least 0.4 to 0.8 milligrams of folic acid daily. It has been proven that taking enough folic acid does reduce your risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida (these are birth defects that are caused by incomplete development of the brain or the spinal cord). Even when you are trying to conceive, it is important to take a folic acid supplement. Ask your doctor about this.

Next Week

Select a week of development to read detailed information:

Week 1	Week 11	Week 21	Week 31
Week 2	Week 12	Week 22	Week 32
Week 3	Week 13	Week 23	Week 33
Week 4	Week 14	Week 24	Week 34
Week 5	Week 15	Week 25	Week 35
Week 6	Week 16	Week 26	Week 36
Week 7	Week 17	Week 27	Week 37
Week 8	Week 18	Week 28	Week 38
Week 9	Week 19	Week 29	Week 39
Week 10	Week 20	Week 30	Week 40

Visit the forum to learn what signs of pregnancy other women experienced in the early weeks