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Info Centre - Your pregnancy: 9-12 weeks
Your pregnancy: 9-12 weeks
Your baby
Your baby is now technically known as a “fetus”. She is starting to move about, but you won’t feel her yet.
At 12 weeks, your baby is about 7.5cm long and weighs about 18g. Most of her internal organs are now working, her bones are starting to harden and her muscles are developing. Her head is about half the size of the rest of the body. The eyes are well-formed, and fingers and toes are developing, though they are joined by webs of skin. The genital organs have also formed.
You
You may still be feeling tired and nauseated. This can be a difficult time for many pregnant women, as they are feeling ill but have not yet told many people they are pregnant. It’s not always easy, but if you can rest, it may help you feel better. See “Pregnancy niggles and discomforts” for more information.
At 12 weeks, taking more folic acid will not have any effect on the risk of spina bifia for your baby. (you can stop taking folic acid tablets). See “Screening and testing” for more information.
During this month, you will probably have your booking-in appointment with a midwife. This may be at home, in hospital or at your GP’s surgery. The midwife will ask you about:
- Date of your last period. Knowing the date of your last monthly period (LMP) allows your midwife to calculate your due date.
- Previous pregnancies, including miscarriages and abortions. This is important information that will help you receive the appropriate care during pregnancy.
- Family history of disease and genetic conditions. If you have a family history of, say, cystic fibrosis, the midwife may be able to arrange screening for this. If there is a family history of diabetes or heart disease, this could have an impact on your pregnancy. See “Health problems and pregnancy”.
The midwife will also carry out a series of tests:
Blood test. A sample of blood is taken and sent off for analysis. It will check whether you’re immune to rubella (German measles), as this can be dangerous for the foetus if caught in pregnancy. It will also check your blood group, your rhesus status and whether you’re anaemic.
Urine test. You will usually be expected to bring a urine sample with you, or to produce one while you are there. The midwife will check it for protein, which can be an early warning sign of pre-eclampsia. She will also check it to see if you have a urinary tract infection.
Blood pressure. The midwife takes this to determine your normal blood pressure, so that she can use it as a baseline for comparison with blood pressure tests later in pregnancy. In late pregnancy, raised blood pressure can be an indicator of pre-eclampsia. See “Health problems and pregnancy” for more information.
She will also record your weight and height, so that she can calculate your body mass index (BMI). This is because women with a BMI of over 30 in early pregnancy are at greater risk of developing gestational diabetes. See “Health problems and pregnancy” and “Screening and testing” for more information.
Expect your midwife to ask you about your lifestyle (such as whether you smoke and drink, and what you eat) and to offer you advice and support. If you are a smoker, she may be able to give you information about organisations that can help you stop smoking. You can find out more on the “Keeping healthy in pregnancy” page.
This is a good time to ask your midwife about the options available for birth and whether there are antenatal classes or exercise classes you can join. Non-aerobic exercises such as yoga can increase your sense of well-being and help keep you flexible when you are pregnant. See "Exercise in pregnancy" for more information.
Your midwife will give you a personal maternity record, which you will be expected to keep throughout your pregnancy and bring to your antenatal appointments. You will also need to give it to the attending midwife when you go into labour.
For more information, see “Records of your maternity care”.
