3 Months Pregnant: the Dating Scan and the End of the First Trimester

One morning, you wake up hungry rather than nauseous. Your jeans no longer quite do up. And in your diary, an appointment circled twice: the first scan. At 3 months pregnant, the first trimester is coming to an end, and often the most draining weeks with it.

This is a pivotal month: you see your baby for the first time, the due date becomes clearer, and many couples choose this moment to share the news. Here is what lies ahead.

How many weeks is 3 months pregnant?

The third month runs from 10 weeks and 6 days to 15 weeks, which is 9 to 13 weeks after conception. It marks the end of the first trimester, which in practice is placed at 14 to 15 weeks.

All the weeks here are counted from the first day of your last period, as in your medical file, where you will see them written "SA" (weeks of amenorrhoea) in Morocco. The full conversion table is in our guide to working out how far along you are.

What is happening to your baby in the third month?

By the end of this month, everything is in place: all that remains is to grow and mature.

• At 12 weeks, your baby measures about 5.4 cm from head to bottom, the size of a plum according to the UK's NHS. Its internal organs and muscles are formed, and its skeleton is starting to harden.
• At 13 weeks, it reaches about 7.4 cm. Its movements, jerky at first, become more precise; some babies already suck their thumb.
• By the end of the month, WebMD describes nails, outer ears, tooth buds, and kidneys and a liver that are working. It opens and closes its fists and mouth.

These movements are still far too light to feel: the first movements you notice will come at around the 5th month.

Symptoms in the third month of pregnancy

For many women, this is the month things get better. The NHS notes that nausea often eases around 12 weeks, when the placenta takes over feeding the baby and hormones settle. Your appetite comes back. It is not a rule: for some women, nausea lasts longer.

Other changes appear:

• your waist thickens, your breasts get bigger, a small bump may show around 13 weeks;
• the urge to pee eases a little, as the uterus rises above the bladder;
• bleeding gums, nosebleeds, pulling sensations on the sides of the abdomen (stretching ligaments), constipation.

For your gums, brush your teeth twice a day with a soft toothbrush and rinse your mouth with water after vomiting. Our article on going to the dentist during pregnancy explains which treatments are possible.

The dating scan: what is it for?

This is the key appointment of the month. It takes place between 11 and 14 weeks in the UK, and during the 3rd month in France. The sonographer:

1. measures your baby to set the due date, more precisely than calculating from your periods;
2. counts the babies and checks that their size matches the stage of pregnancy;
3. takes a first look at their development.

Screening for Down's syndrome (trisomy 21, and two other chromosomal conditions) may be offered at the same time, with a blood test. The NHS stresses that it is your choice, at every step. The details of the scan and the screening are in our article on the three pregnancy scans.

The WHO recommends at least one ultrasound scan before 24 weeks for all women. In Morocco, access is improving: in October 2026, the Ministry of Health extended to 50 health centres in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region a programme of AI-assisted prenatal ultrasound carried out by midwives. Before this programme, pregnant women in the region travelled an average of 90 km for a scan, according to EcoActu.

Announcing the pregnancy, choosing a maternity unit

Many women wait for this scan before sharing the news, at work as well as with family. The NHS explains this by the lower risk of miscarriage after the first trimester. In Morocco, a pregnant employee is protected from dismissal by the Labour Code (Article 159, the rule in force in October 2026). Our advice on telling the father, the in-laws or your boss is in announcing your pregnancy.

The NHS also advises starting to visit maternity units. In Morocco, the question arises now if you are followed by a gynaecologist in private practice: ask where they deliver babies. The criteria to compare are gathered in our guide to choosing a maternity unit in Morocco.

From the shop

When your bump starts to round out

A pregnancy pillow becomes worthwhile when sleep gets harder. And your scan reports deserve a place of their own: here is a selection at a range of prices.

• −35 %DoomooSofty nursing pillow, Flower Yellow – Doomoo403 DHinstead of 620 DHView product
• −9 %DoomooBuddy nursing and maternity pillow, Classic Light Grey – Doomoo810 DHinstead of 890 DHView product
• −9 %DoomooTwisty 2-in-1 pregnancy pillow, Pearl Grey, pearl grey cover – Doomoo901 DHinstead of 990 DHView product
• −22 %BabymoovDream Belt sleep belt, Smokey – Babymoov491 DHinstead of 630 DHView product
• −48 %Pasito a PasitoCotton health record cover, white – Pasito a Pasito234 DHinstead of 450 DHView product
• −48 %Pasito a PasitoBohemian health record cover, grey – Pasito a Pasito312 DHinstead of 600 DHView product
• The whole aisle · Pregnancy and nursing pillows20 products online, delivered anywhere in Morocco.Open the aisle

Products sold by La Maison du Bébé, publisher of this magazine. Prices as of 12 October 2026; please check the product page.

If you are already sleeping badly, a pregnancy pillow slipped between your knees eases your lower back. There is no rush: it will be even more useful in the third trimester, and then for breastfeeding.

Good habits this month

• Squeeze your pelvic floor for a few minutes a day: the NHS advises starting these exercises now.
• Avoid people who have chickenpox or rubella, and tell your doctor if you have been in contact.
• Keep moving: walking and swimming are well suited, starting with 10 minutes a day if needed. See the exercise recommended during pregnancy.
• Keep taking folic acid until at least 12 weeks, as the NHS recommends, following your doctor's prescription.