WOMEN’S BODIES: PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS II
Mood swings
Mood swings are very common in pregnancy. You can feel wonderfully elated in the morning and really down in dumps and weepy on the same afternoon. You may overreact to small irritations and disappointments, but often the mood changes can’t be connected with anything that’s happened, and may be quite apart from any worries or uncertainties about the pregnancy. Hormone changes no doubt contribute to this moodiness. ‘Bad’ moods can be all the more upset-ting when there’s no explanation for them. They can be puzzling and disturbing for your partner too. If he understands that your ups and downs are not of your choosing, he’ll be better able to help you through with sympathy and patience.
Skin changes
Acne-like blotches often break out in the early months. Again, hormones are the culprits. If you intend to use any over-the-counter treatments on your skin, always ask your doctor or phar¬macist about their safety in pregnancy. Remember that the antibiotics (tetracy¬clines) commonly used to control acne can’t be taken during pregnancy because they affect bone and tooth development in the foetus.
During the course of pregnancy (and sometimes while taking oral contraceptives) some women develop brown pig¬ment patches on sun-exposed skin of the face and neck. So-called chloasma or the ‘butterfly mask’ happens because some skins are particularly sensitive to the com¬bination of pregnancy hormones and sun¬light. Pigmentation may begin quite early and deepen as pregnancy progresses. Chloasma can be prevented by always using SPF 15+ sunscreen on exposed skin and wearing a shady hat whenever you’re outside (even when it’s overcast). If it does appear, start using sunscreen at once to stop it from becoming darker. Chloasma will usually fade within a year of delivery if you continue to protect your skin from the sun.
Nausea, moodiness, limited bladder capacity, tiredness and skin problems can make you feel miserable from time to time in the early months. Really bad nausea is wretched. You might think ‘What have I let myself in for?’ or ‘Is it worth it?’. For¬tunately, these unwelcome symptoms al-most always vanish soon after the twelfth week.
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