First Trimester 2^nd Trimester     3^rd Trimester

Your reproductive organs

Muscular wall of uterus

The thick lining of the uterus (endometrium) that built up during your last menstrual cycle is shed as you have your period.

Cervix

Vagina

Bladder

The pre-pregnant uterus is about the size of a plum.

Ovary

Fallopian tube

The ovarian ligament stabilizes the ovary within the abdomen.

Each ovary contains eggs at various stages of development. By the end of next week, at the mid-point of your cycle, ovulation may occur. This is when a mature egg is released from its follicle.

The Fallopian tube is the passageway down which a newly released egg travels on its way to the uterus.

It's business as usual for your body this week. You're having a period, so you know you're not pregnant. But if you conceive during this menstrual cycle, the first day of your period will count as the first day of pregnancy. It's a good idea to review your lifestyle and to make sure that you understand how everything works "inside." Knowing the facts may help to raise your chances of conceiving.

Excerpted from Pregnancy Day by Day.
Copyright © 2009 Dorling Kindersley Limited.
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