The most difficult during gestation is the first trimester. Strong intoxication and increased fatigue - this is not all that future mothers have to face during this period. In addition to the woman, her baby does a great job. During all three trimesters, the fetus is actively growing and developing. What are the sensations, size and weight of the fetus at 13 weeks of gestation? What changes will happen next? Let's try to understand in more detail these and many other issues.
What happens to the child during the second trimester?
Let's dwell on this in more detail. The weight and size of the fetus at 13 weeks gestation will continue to change. During this period, the fetus has already developed and well-functioning limbs. Every day, the heart drives 2.3 liters of blood through itself. During the second trimester, the baby's digestive system is formed, the pancreas begins to produce insulin, and the internal organs involved in voice formation are also launched.
Also, the sex of the baby is determined at 13 weeks of gestation. The size of the fetus varies depending on gender. If the location and posture of the baby are correct, then doctors will be able to determine his gender. According to experts, in most cases, doctors manage to determine exactly who will be born into the world - a boy or a girl. However, ultrasound does not always give accurate results. Errors are quite possible, which can be eliminated at the next scheduled examination.
But with the help of a photo at 13 weeks of gestation, the size of the fetus and the shape of its face can be well considered. It shows the nose and mouth. Although during this period the length of the baby’s body is only 7-8 centimeters, and the weight does not exceed 25 grams. During the second trimester, parents can actively participate in shaping the personality of their unborn child. Being in the womb, he begins to know the world around him. Also, the fetus is formed personality and character. He develops the ability to make faces, to distinguish environmental sounds, and also develops a reaction to light and other external stimuli.
At 13 weeks of gestation, size and gender of the fetus are far from the only changes. The second trimester is also important because at this time the child determines gastronomic preferences. He begins to distinguish the tastes and smells of absolutely all the foods and dishes that his mother eats. That is why, after eating, a woman may be troubled or nauseous, and in some cases, vomiting is possible. If the baby does not like any food, then the expectant mother will certainly find out about it. At 13 weeks gestation, the fetus is already large enough to move. Mom begins to feel turns and bumps. Having laid a hand on the tummy, it will not be difficult to distinguish how a little man is active. This is a very exciting process that gives parents a lot of positive emotions.
What changes are occurring with pregnant women
So what do you need to know about this? As mentioned above, the size of the fetus at 13 weeks of gestation is actively increasing, as the baby grows and develops. In turn, these changes have a certain effect on mom. Among the most important, one can single out the normalization of the hormonal background and the retreat of toxicosis, due to which the woman's health is normalized. In addition, the restructuring of the body is fully completed. It creates ideal conditions for further growth and development of the fetus.
However, this does not mean that a woman can breathe a sigh of relief. She has to closely monitor her health. Qualified specialists say that a number of preventive measures should be taken to combat violation of bowel movements and puffiness. Also, a big problem is stretch marks, due to the fact that the size of the fetus at the 13th week of pregnancy will continue to change.
As for external changes, they are also present. The tummy of the future mother grows, as a result of which the outlines of the waist gradually become less pronounced. A woman needs to completely change her wardrobe, having bought clothes for pregnant women in a specialized store. Particular attention should be paid to choosing a bra. It should not only fit well, but also provide excellent breast support. It is best to choose models with wide straps, as new volumes can be several times higher than the previous ones.
Uterine changes
The size of the fetus at 13 obstetric week of pregnancy is relatively small. The baby grows and develops, so the uterus gradually grows and rises. As a result of this, pressure is created on other internal organs, and a future mother may periodically have heartburn and shortness of breath.
In order for the bearing of the fetus to proceed normally, the girl must constantly undergo a routine examination by a doctor. This is very important, since the uterus begins to be felt normally, so the doctor, in case of development of any complications and pathologies, will be able to detect them in a timely manner and choose the appropriate treatment. At a gestational age of 13 weeks, the size of the fetus is considered normal if the height of the uterus is 13 cm and the width is 10 centimeters. During this period, the hollow internal organ in which the embryo is located becomes more elastic, and its contractions are short-term and almost invisible.
Midsection during the second trimester of pregnancy
The size of the fetus at 13 weeks of gestation will not be so noticeable in thin girls, while in the fair sex, prone to fullness, it begins to bulge noticeably much earlier. Women should be especially attentive to their health when uterine mobility is limited due to muscle tone. If you experience discomfort and pain in the lower abdominal region, you need to lie down for a short time. It is advisable to think about something good at the same time, and you can also talk with a baby who, in the second trimester, begins to normally recognize speech and surrounding sounds. Conversations are very useful for its development.
If the expectant mother gets tired too quickly, and if she feels unwell, she needs to consult with her doctor as soon as possible. In some cases, medicines can not be dispensed with, but it is forbidden to take them on their own, as some medications can be dangerous to the health of the child.
But very often it is possible to do without treatment. As the size of the fetus increases at 13 weeks of gestation, you need to try not to load the uterus once again. To do this, it is recommended to walk in shoes with flat soles and refuse to carry weights. In addition, it is advisable to monitor your diet. Pain can be caused by increased flatulence, so it is better to abandon any products that provoke the formation of gases.
A few words about pain during the 2nd trimester
This aspect should be emphasized. Growth of the fetus leads to uterine distension, so discomfort in the lower part and on the sides of the abdomen is quite commonplace. Faced with pain, do not panic, because in the vast majority of cases it does not mean anything bad. Unpleasant sensations localized in the calf area are the result of a lack of calcium in the body. According to doctors, most often pain makes itself felt in the evenings, and at night their intensity is highest. To bring yourself back to normal, it is not necessary to take any medications. It’s enough to include calcium-rich foods in your diet. The best source of this mineral are:
- hazelnut;
- broccoli;
- almond;
- sweet potato;
- figs;
- beans;
- peas;
- sesame.
Too much abuse of animal foods that contain calcium is not recommended. It can significantly complicate future births, since the size of the fetus at 13 weeks of pregnancy will continue to increase, and the birth canal will remain the same, so it will be difficult for the baby to go through them.
Colds
Any ailments caused by hypothermia of the body are accompanied by such clinical manifestations as headache, sore throat, runny nose, weakness and aches throughout the body, as well as fever. Pregnant mothers in the second trimester are especially vulnerable to disease because their bodies are weakened. Therefore, expectant mothers should try to avoid places with increased crowding. This is especially important during various epidemics. Any pathologies suffered by the mother can adversely affect the development of the fetus and provoke various deviations.
If you experience the first symptoms of a cold or other more serious illnesses, you should immediately go to the hospital and begin comprehensive treatment. The doctor will select the safest therapy program, which can be based on taking medications and alternative methods of treatment. He will do this on the basis of the clinical picture and the state of health of the woman
High temperature during the second trimester
At the 13th week of pregnancy, sensations of fetal size in women begin to appear. They feel not only how the baby moves, but also begin to understand the features of his habits. During this period, a woman's body temperature can be at the level of 37-37.5 degrees. This is quite normal, so you should not sound the alarm.
A reason to be alert may be a situation in which a temperature is observed for two days or more. This may indicate the presence of any serious diseases that require immediate treatment. If the mark on the thermometer reaches 38 degrees, then you can take antipyretic drugs. You also need to make an appointment with the doctor and undergo a full examination.
Discharge at 13 weeks of gestation
What you need to know about this? As the baby develops, expectant mothers may experience a change in the natural color of the vaginal secretion. In addition, its consistency is changing. It becomes more fluid. Nothing wrong with that. Such changes are considered quite normal. However, if the secret is cloudy, and he also has an unpleasant pungent odor, then you need to make an appointment with a gynecologist.
In some cases, in women, the discharge can be curdled and also have a yellow or green tint. However, they are often accompanied by pain, swelling and itching in the genital area. Such symptoms cannot be ignored, as they may indicate the presence of an infectious disease, which often leads to spontaneous abortion. At the 13th week of pregnancy, the size of the fetus and gender of the baby are already usually visible. The embryo is well developed and begins to fully interact with the outside world, so a miscarriage is tantamount to the death of a full-fledged person. Thus, the expectant mother, when the first alarming signs occur, should immediately seek help from a profiled specialist.
Bleeding and their danger
This aspect is worth exploring in the first place. A child at 13 weeks of gestation (the size of the fetus should normally correspond to the number of the current week) due to the continuous increase in size creates a lot of pressure on muscle tissue and the uterus. However, this can not lead to injuries and rupture, therefore, with the appearance of bleeding, the expectant mother should be wary. They can be caused by the following problems:
- separation or abnormal development of the placenta;
- internal hematomas;
- uterine injury due to intercourse or gynecological examination;
- benign pathological processes in the cervix;
- blows to the stomach;
- decrease in the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels.
This is only a small part of the reasons that may be behind the bleeding during the second trimester. In fact, there are many more health problems that can cause them. To find out what size the fetus is at 13 weeks gestation, as well as whether it grows and develops normally, an ultrasound scan is required. It will allow you to assess the condition of the baby and determine how well it grows and develops.
Ultrasound in the second trimester
How does it happen and what is its feature? The examination takes place at 13 weeks 4 days of pregnancy. The size of the fetus should normally be about 13 centimeters. During the examination, the woman gets the opportunity to see her child for the first time on the monitor. This is just an unforgettable experience with which nothing can compare. Ultrasound allows you to determine the number of children in the mother’s tummy, calculate the exact period, and also in the early stages to identify various pathologies, if any.
Also, during this period, a screening is appointed, which provides an opportunity for qualified specialists to formulate a detailed clinical picture of the girl’s health status. This analysis allows you to determine whether the expectant mother is at increased risk. Special attention of doctors is focused on the thickness and level of transparency of the fetal TBP zone, as well as on the quantity and quality of certain hormones and proteins in the blood.
If the condition of the future mother is normal, and the development of the fetus proceeds normally, then doctors can conclude that the baby will be born strong and healthy. If the results of biochemical screening show the numbers 1: 350, then in this case there is reason for concern. However, this still does not give significant reasons to believe that the child is born with any pathologies. If a woman undergoes comprehensive treatment and follows all the prescriptions of doctors, then the chances of normal bearing and subsequent birth remain at a fairly high level.
A few words about food quality
What you should pay attention to? The developing fetus draws all the vitamins and nutrients from the woman’s body. To replenish their supply, the expectant mother must monitor her daily nutrition. It must be healthy and balanced. It is recommended to exclude from the menu any harmful products, fried, smoked and salty dishes, and the main emphasis should be in favor of various types of cereals, lean meat, steamed, as well as fresh and boiled fruits and vegetables. Alcohol is strictly prohibited. Particular attention should be paid to the water balance, however, too much fluid can be dangerous, pregnant women are constantly faced with edema, which from drinking plenty of water only gets stronger. Therefore, it is very important to maintain a balance in order to get the maximum benefit.
Conclusion
The second trimester of bearing a fetus is the most enjoyable in the life of a future mother. This is due not only to the absence of toxicosis and the normalization of the hormonal background, which positively affects the well-being of the girl, but also the opportunity for the first time to see a new life on the monitor screen. But it’s too early to relax, because the crumbs have yet to grow. You must take care of yourself and take care of yourself until the most important moment in your life, namely before the onset of childbirth. Only in this case the baby will be born completely healthy and strong.