Evaluating your likely current (and near future) state of health means taking into account the risk factors — such as which trimester you are in — that affect you. Our medical diagnosis tool, The Analyst™, identifies major risk factors by asking the right questions.
Which trimester are you in?
Possible responses:
→ Don't know→ 1st trimester → 2nd trimester → 3rd trimester → Delivery expected within next two weeks |
A deficiency of biotin (one of the B-complex vitamins) may occur in as many as 50% of pregnant women, and this deficiency may increase the risk of birth defects. [American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002; 75: pp.295-9]
In this study, laboratory evidence of biotin deficiency was found both in the early (first trimester) and late (third trimester) stages of pregnancy, and was corrected by supplementation with 300mcg of biotin per day for 14 days. Researchers had already suspected that biotin deficiency is common during pregnancy, but previous studies had used only an indirect method of determining biotin status.
Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to GERD in their third trimester as the growing uterus puts increasing pressure on the stomach. Heartburn in such cases is often resistant to dietary interventions and even antacids.
Pregnancy can deplete iron stores.
If zinc intake is chronically low, breastfeeding further increases the risk of zinc deficiency in the mother due to the greater need for zinc during lactation.
A second trimester unruptured tubal pregnancy is a rare – but nevertheless possible – occurrence.
Women generally gain 15-40 pounds (7-18kg) during pregnancy, depending on their weight before pregnancy and how many babies they are carrying. Obviously this needs to be taken into account when deciding if weight is a problem for you.