During your pregnancy, you will experience a rise in your existing hormone levels and the arrival of new ones, bringing changes that you may not be able to explain. To understand what’s going on inside your remarkable body, we’ll discuss some of the main hormonal symptoms of pregnancy and the changes these hormones can bring.
Several hormones support your adapting pregnant body and growing baby. Here are the main pregnancy hormones at work and the changes each one brings.
Produced by what ultimately becomes the placenta, hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) helps support early pregnancy in several ways.
• A pregnancy has begun
• To support the lining of the uterus
• To stop the ovaries from maturing an egg each month
hCG levels usually peak towards the end of the first trimester, before gradually settling. In the first 10 weeks, hCG levels usually rise quickly and may roughly double every 2 to 3 days. hCG can be detected in your urine, which is what many over-the-counter pregnancy tests look for.
In early pregnancy, progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum (a nodule on the ovary). The corpus luteum makes progesterone until about 10 weeks, when it’s taken over by the new placenta. Progesterone is important throughout pregnancy, and levels continue to change as the pregnancy progresses.
• Helps keep the muscles of the uterus relaxed
• Helps your immune system adapt during pregnancy
• Develops your breasts, ready for milk
You may notice your breasts becoming fuller, tender and itchy (skin stretching) and veins becoming more noticeable. To help look after them, you may find it helpful to wear a supportive, non-wired bra and apply some moisturiser to ease the stretching skin.
Like progesterone, oestrogen is supported by the corpus luteum until the placenta takes over.
• Increases blood flow
• Plays a role in the development of the uterine lining
• Prepares the uterus to respond to oxytocin, the bonding hormone involved in labour contractions
• Supports your baby’s growth and development
• Enlarges your milk ducts, ready for milk production
These changes continue as pregnancy progresses.
Relaxin is the hormone that loosens the ligaments of your pelvic bones. This hormone increases significantly in pregnant women.
Relaxin is very important because it prepares your body for giving birth. It also helps blood vessels relax as blood volume increases during pregnancy.
Early hormonal changes in pregnancy are perfectly normal, even when they bring symptoms you weren’t expecting. Many changes settle or shift as pregnancy progresses, but speak to your doctor or healthcare professional if anything worries you.
For more guidance and tips, explore the Karihome blog.
