21 weeks of gestation is the second trimester and sixth obstetric month. In medicine, it is customary to take an “interesting position” by the weeks that add up to months. The obstetric month is exactly 4 weeks. Pregnancy is counted according to the obstetric principle not from the date of conception, but from the first day of the last menstruation, the date of which is known to the woman. The second trimester is considered a calmer and more pleasant period. From the article it will be possible to find out what happens at 21 weeks of pregnancy with mom and baby, what women can do during this period, and what is strictly forbidden, we will also discuss complications that may develop during pregnancy and how to avoid them.
Child development
What happens to the baby at 21 weeks of gestation? He has already formed all the vital systems and internal organs. Starting this week, the baby’s body actively begins to store subcutaneous fat, thanks to which his body acquires a pleasant roundness. The skin continues to remain wrinkled, but it gradually begins to turn pale, and the vessels become less visible every day. The fetus at 21 weeks of gestation is still very thin, it can be compared with a small orange. The average weight of the child is about 300 grams, the growth is about - 25 centimeters. Deviation in weight or height is not considered a pathology, since everything is individual.
In the baby’s blood cells that are responsible for the immune system begin to form. After their final formation, most of the diseases of the mother do not pose a serious danger to the baby, since he himself will already be able to protect himself.
What happens to the baby at 21 weeks of gestation:
- Gustatory receptors are being improved (he already remarkably distinguishes the taste of swallowed amniotic fluid).
- The eyes begin to open slightly.
- Hearing is well developed; he can hear sounds.
- It responds to the mother’s voice, it is recommended from this period to communicate with him as often as possible.
- He learns to digest food and swallow. The taste of amniotic fluid depends on what mom ate. Scientists have proven that in the future, children will prefer those foods that were consumed by the mother during pregnancy.
- In the skeleton of the baby, the cartilage tissue is gradually replaced by bone.
The baby is quite spacious in the stomach, so he rolls over, tumbles and performs absolutely unthinkable acrobatic stunts. When he gets tired, he sleeps, just like a newborn baby.
The fetus at the 21st week of pregnancy has a well developed reproductive system. In appearance of the genitals, you can already distinguish between children. In the ovaries of the baby, an egg supply is laid. There are about 6 million of them, but only two million will remain by birth. In addition, her vagina begins to form during this period of development.
In boys, the testicles are in the stomach, and gradually begin to fall down. By the time they are born, they are already in the scrotum.
What happens to mom
The baby’s body at 21 weeks of gestation is already formed and now it begins to actively grow and gain weight. This requires a lot of strength and energy from a pregnant woman, so she begins to get tired very quickly and eat a lot.
Along with the growth of the fetus, the uterus also increases, and, as a result, the arrangement of internal organs changes. The bladder and intestines are a bit squeezed out. Usually this does not bring much discomfort, the only thing is that urination becomes more frequent and constipation may appear.
21 weeks of gestation is characterized by an increase in blood volume of approximately 35% of its total volume before the onset of an “interesting situation”.
Most women accelerate the growth of nails and hair, the skin improves significantly, so they look very impressive.
At the 21st week of pregnancy, the size of the legs also increases, and sometimes swelling of the face, arms and legs appears.
The mammary glands continue to grow, from which colostrum can already stand out.
Pregnant tummy
The abdomen at 21 weeks of pregnancy grows every day, the skin on it stretches, it becomes thin, its sensitivity increases, sometimes itching occurs. Some pregnant women have stretch marks. Therefore, it is advisable to start using special cosmetic preparations.
If a rash suddenly appears on the stomach, this is not a normal symptom, you should immediately consult a doctor.
At this time of pregnancy, pulling sensations in the lower abdomen may occur. Usually they last about a minute, then go away and can be repeated periodically every 5-6 hours. These are the so-called false contractions, the cause of which has not yet been identified. Scientists believe that this is a completely normal phenomenon, so the body begins to prepare for the birth process. But if they do not pass and are accompanied by increased soreness, you should consult a doctor.
Stirring
The child at 21 weeks of gestation actively moves and makes about 200 different movements per day. But mother feels only part of them, since the fetus is still very small. In addition, at 21 weeks of gestation, the baby sleeps about 20 hours a day. Very often, the wakefulness and sleep patterns of mother and baby do not match.
Stirring from 20-21 weeks of pregnancy should be daily, a woman should feel about 10 movements during the day. It is necessary to carefully monitor this, since their complete absence or excessive activity of the baby indicates abnormalities in its development.
Ultrasound scan
20-21 weeks of gestation is the time for a second screening ultrasound. If, at the first examination, it was possible to assume the development of deviations, pathologies, then already at the second examination their presence can be refuted or confirmed with absolute certainty.
The baby has already formed all the organs, so any deviations from the norm in their development are clearly visible on the ultrasound machine.
It is also important to assess the condition of the placenta and the amount of amniotic fluid. This information allows you to diagnose any abnormalities in the development of pregnancy at 21 weeks and take measures to preserve it.
Weight
Every week, a woman stably recovers by about 400-900 grams. Weight gain at 21 weeks of gestation is about 4.5-5.7 kilograms. But this indicator can deviate by 1-1.5 kilograms, both to the smaller and to the greater.
At 21 weeks of gestation, the norm and deviations in weight gain depend on factors such as:
- age;
- height and weight before pregnancy;
- body type;
- tendency to corpulence;
- body features;
- toxicosis.
Appetite
The desire to eat during this period arises very often. Appetite, like the tummy, is growing every day. But it should be remembered that any pie, bun or sweet sparkling water will start weight gain.
Fractional nutrition is now optimal: a good good breakfast, a second breakfast, a full dinner, an obligatory afternoon snack and a light dinner.
Be sure to eat vegetables and fruits, in the diet should be as much fiber and dairy products as possible. Do not get involved in bakery products, you need to gradually reduce the use of sweets.
Feel
What happens at 21 weeks gestation? This is a great time for expectant mother. She has a cheerful mood, the first movements of the baby can not but rejoice. Her tummy, although a little rounded, is still not as big as in the last stages of pregnancy.
But despite the fact that the general condition of the pregnant woman is very good, there are still painful sensations that can cause discomfort.
20-21 weeks of pregnancy is a period when a woman begins to suffer from cramps, especially at night, which interferes with normal sleep. This is the first indicator that a woman’s body lacks potassium and calcium. These symptoms should be reported to your healthcare provider who will prescribe vitamins.
Pain in the legs at this time indicates the presence of problems with the vessels. An enlarged uterus most likely presses on the vena cava, which complicates the venous outflow of blood. In this case, periodic rest during the day, the exception of long walks, and wearing compression stockings can help.
During this period, there should be no normal pain in the abdomen. If there are periodic pulling pains on the sides, then this is due to sprain. But if the pain becomes cramping, and the abdomen stiffens and contracts as if in a vice, then this indicates a tone of the uterus, which can provoke the onset of premature birth.
It should be remembered that at 21 weeks of gestation the development of the fetus continues, and despite the fact that all the organs have already been formed, having been born at this time, the baby has practically no chance to survive. Therefore, having noticed symptoms such as uterine tone, you should immediately go to the hospital.
At this time, a woman’s appetite is significantly increased. But you need to monitor your diet and eat small portions. Overeating threatens with the appearance of heartburn, pain in the stomach and intestines, as well as the appearance of constipation.
Due to a growing tummy and increasing weight at 21 weeks of gestation, women may encounter such aesthetic nuisance as stretch marks in the abdomen, hips, chest. They look like strips of various sizes of reddish color, with time they brighten, but never completely disappear. Therefore, it is easier to prevent their appearance than to deal with them later. It is recommended to moisturize the skin several times a day with various creams and cosmetic oils, which are sold in the pharmacy.
Possible complications of pregnancy
The second trimester of pregnancy is a relatively calm period. But even at this time, complications can develop that can negatively affect both the mother and the child.
Thus, a lack of vitamin D can provoke the development of rickets in a child immediately after birth.
A lack of calcium in a woman’s diet leads to leaching of it from bones and blood vessels, which threatens the development of varicose veins, hemorrhoids and such a dangerous bone disease as osteoporosis.
If a woman is very interested in food, significantly exceeds the permissible norms of weight gain, then this threatens obesity for both herself and the baby. In addition, she may develop a serious illness such as diabetes.
Often, from this week of pregnancy, many women begin to experience leg swelling. If this continues for a long time, and does not subside in the morning, you should immediately inform your doctor about the problem. You can alleviate this unpleasant phenomenon if you follow an optimal diet, often rest and choose the right shoes.
Medication
Acceptance of any medications should be carried out only after consultation with a gynecologist. A placenta has already been formed at this time, so it is quite possible to choose relatively safe drugs. It is believed that all topical preparations are relatively harmless, since they do not enter the bloodstream. In case of acute need, it is allowed to use antispasmodics, drugs against allergies, but only 2-3 generations, anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, ibuprofen and paracetamol.
Antibiotics of the tetracycline group are strictly prohibited at any stage of pregnancy.
Factors That Affect Your Baby
The fetus inside the mother’s body is reliably protected from the effects of adverse factors. And what gets into the blood is once again filtered by the placenta. But she does not completely protect the baby. Nicotine, alcohol, drugs, antibiotics, arsenic, mercury, quinine, hormones, vitamins - are able to penetrate this natural placental barrier.
Moreover, the work of the placenta is strongly influenced by the course of pregnancy, the presence of chronic diseases in women, toxicosis. With the influence of these factors, bacteria, viruses, helminths and toxins can penetrate the baby’s blood.
Recommendations for pregnant women
Expectant mothers, in order to achieve the most comfortable health and reduce discomfort, you must adhere to the following rules and tips:
- You should not eat a lot of sweet, salty, fatty foods. Such products provoke a strong thirst, which leads to extensive swelling.
- It is not necessary to wear, restricting movements, and very tight clothing to avoid pressure on the stomach. From about 21 weeks of pregnancy, you should change your wardrobe and shop for specialized maternity clothes.
- It is necessary as often as possible to walk in the fresh air, daily ventilate the room where the woman sleeps, do wet cleaning. These measures will reduce the risk of headaches.
- When unpleasant symptoms appear, you can not self-medicate and self-prescribe. Many drugs during pregnancy are contraindicated and can lead to disastrous consequences. Seek medical attention immediately if disturbing symptoms persist.
- It is possible and necessary to engage in sports, but not its active species. Suitable are: yoga, swimming, water aerobics, gymnastics, breathing exercises.
- Sex during this period of pregnancy is not contraindicated and even useful, but only if there are no complications and there are no problems. In this case, you should choose the right posture to exclude pressure on the stomach and vena cava. In any case, you should consult a doctor and clarify this point, because each pregnancy is individual.
- The diet should have a lot of fruits and dairy products, in addition, it must be varied and balanced.
So, the second trimester is the calmest and most pleasant period throughout the gestation period. Right now, the probability of fetal freezing is excluded, which has a positive effect on the mood of mom. In addition, many unpleasant sensations are already behind. This is a period of active communication with the baby and enjoying his condition. But it should be remembered that at 21 weeks the child is actively improving his organs, in addition, he is rapidly starting to grow and gain weight. Therefore, you should clearly adhere to all the recommendations of doctors, do not miss visits to them and take all tests on time. All these measures will help in time to detect abnormalities in the development and course of pregnancy and to prevent deplorable consequences.