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The 40-week journeyFirst trimesterSecond trimesterThird trimester
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Weeks 1–13

First trimester

Everything is being built. You may feel dreadful, or nothing at all — both are normal.

Illustration is stylised and not to scale between weeks.

01

What this stretch is really about

The first trimester does the most work and shows the least for it. Every organ your baby will ever have is laid down in these thirteen weeks, at a point where you may not look pregnant at all and may feel too unwell to enjoy the fact that you are.

It is also the stretch people find loneliest, because many wait until twelve weeks before telling anyone. If something worries you, that is what the clinic is for — you do not have to wait for a scheduled appointment.

02

The milestones

Week 4
Weeks 1–4

A positive test, and a ball of cells

Pregnancy is dated from the first day of your last period, so the first fortnight happens before conception — a genuinely confusing point that trips almost everyone up. By week four the cells have burrowed into the lining of the uterus and split in two: one half becomes your baby, the other becomes the placenta.

  • A home test is reliable around now
  • Folic acid matters most in these early weeks
  • Book early — accurate dating is easier before 12 weeks
Week 7
Weeks 5–8

A heartbeat, at about the size of a blueberry

The heart starts beating near the end of week five and is usually visible on a scan by six to seven weeks, at roughly 110–160 beats a minute. The embryo is curled in a C shape with a large head, dark eye spots and small buds where the arms and legs will be.

  • Nausea often begins now, and is a normal sign
  • The first scan confirms dates and location
  • Spotting is common — but always worth a call
Week 12
Weeks 9–13

Recognisably a baby

Fingers and toes have separated, the tail has gone, and all the major organs are formed even though none of them are finished. This is when the first-trimester scan happens, and when the risk of miscarriage drops considerably.

  • Nuchal scan and first-trimester screening
  • Sickness usually starts to ease from here
  • The uterus rises out of the pelvis

For general understanding only. Lengths, weights and size comparisons are typical averages — your baby may be bigger or smaller and still be perfectly healthy. Only your own scan can tell you where yours is.

03

Your appointments and checks

Booking appointmentIdeally 6–10 weeksHistory, medication review, blood pressure, and an accurate due date. Early dating is more reliable than late dating.
First scan6–9 weeksConfirms the pregnancy is inside the uterus, the number of babies, and the heartbeat.
Booking bloodsAt bookingBlood group and Rh, haemoglobin, thyroid, sugar, and screening for infections that are treatable in pregnancy.
Nuchal scan & screening11–13+6 weeksCombined screening for chromosomal conditions, plus a first structural look.
04

What you may feel

  • Nausea and food aversions, often worse on an empty stomach
  • Exhaustion that sleep does not fix
  • Tender breasts, and needing to pass urine more often
  • Mood swings — hormones, not weakness
  • Or almost nothing at all, which is equally normal

Call today — don't wait for the next appointment

  • Bleeding heavier than spotting, or with clots
  • One-sided pain in the lower abdomen, or shoulder-tip pain
  • Vomiting so persistent you cannot keep fluids down
  • Fever above 38 °C, or burning when passing urine
  • Fainting or severe dizziness
05

Your week in detail

Find your week

Week 12

A big lemon

Pick the first day of your last period and we will work out the week and your due date.

5.4 cmLength
14 gWeight
T1Trimester
Your baby

Reflexes are appearing — the fingers can curl and the toes flex. The kidneys begin to produce urine into the amniotic fluid.

You this week

The uterus is rising out of the pelvis and can be felt just above the pubic bone. Many women feel noticeably more human this week.

Care & checks

A milestone many people wait for: the chance of miscarriage falls considerably after twelve weeks. Many couples choose to share the news now.

For general understanding only. Lengths, weights and size comparisons are typical averages — your baby may be bigger or smaller and still be perfectly healthy. Only your own scan can tell you where yours is.

First trimesterThe whole journeySecond trimester
While you are waiting

Nobody should be guessing at 2am.

These trimester guides cover what is normal week by week, and what needs looking at the same day. Anything in the second group should never wait on an inbox — go straight to your nearest maternity unit.

This page is general information, not medical advice. Nothing here can diagnose you or replace an assessment of your own history, examination and results. If something here matches what you are experiencing, the next step is a consultation — not a conclusion. If you are in severe pain, bleeding heavily, or feel unwell, seek urgent care rather than waiting for an appointment. Awaiting final clinical review before publication.