Pregnancy of 17-18 weeks is the time when the intensive development and growth of the fetus occurs. However, it is fraught with certain dangers, so the future mother should be extremely careful and pay attention to her health and changes in the body, as well as feelings associated with the baby.
Fetal development
To the question of what a 17-week pregnancy looks like on an ultrasound scan, it can be said that this is a small person who can suck a finger or scratch his cheek. And speaking of facts, from this time on, the baby begins to work its own immune system, its body begins to produce interferon and immunoglobulin. This means that the mother’s infection is no longer dangerous for the baby, although, of course, it is undesirable for her to get sick, for reasons that will be discussed below. In addition, the following changes occur in the fetus:
- tissue is formed, which in the future will turn into a fat layer participating in heat transfer processes;
- primordial grease is formed on the skin - a cream-colored substance that performs a protective function;
- the heart ends its development;
- adrenal glands begin to secrete vital hormones;
- the pituitary gland is activated;
- in girls, the formation of the uterus begins;
- permanent teeth are laid, which are located behind the milk.
And the child appears coordination, that is, he can already find his mouth to suck a finger.
Fetal Sizes at Week 17
The distance from the coccyx of the unborn baby to the little girl reaches 13 cm, and its weight is 140 g. To make it easier to imagine, let's say that the fruit is the size of the palm of an adult man.
What does the baby feel
When the 17th week of pregnancy comes, the sensations intensify not only in the mother, but also in the baby. In particular, he already hears even quiet sounds, recognizes the voices of family members, your emotions and mood influence him. Thus, you should try to avoid stress so as not to worry the baby. From this age, you should start active communication with a child who can and should sing songs, talk with him, and also include cheerful or soothing music. During this period, it is important that the future dad also does not remain on the sidelines, because in this case the baby will recognize his voice even before birth.
17 weeks of pregnancy: sensations
Moms feel the first movements of their baby at between 16-22 weeks. Moreover, for those who have this first pregnancy, this happens later than for mothers with experience or very thin women. Therefore, if a pregnant woman complains: “I have reached the 17th week of pregnancy, I don’t feel any movement,” then I should reassure her, but advise me to consult a doctor.
Everything connected with the baby causes joy, but there are also unpleasant sensations. For example, during this period, the load on internal organs, including blood vessels, increases, as a result of which gums may bleed or nosebleeds may occur. When the 17th week of pregnancy begins, the woman's sensations when she is thrown into the heat, then the cold, are observed quite often. Another problem is the frequent urination, which can lead to inflammation of the urinary tract.
If you notice any of these signs, it makes sense to consult a doctor who monitors your pregnancy, and if the discomfort is weak, then go to bed and try not to strain.
Uterus
The main sensations when the 17th week of pregnancy comes are the movement of the fetus and mild pains in the uterus, which should not cause concern. The fact is that it is constantly growing. Because of this, neighboring organs are compressed, which leads to heartburn, frequent urination and shortness of breath.
It is known that the height of the uterine fundus in centimeters in most expectant mothers corresponds to the number of weeks of pregnancy. In other words, during this period, it should be felt at a level of 17 cm above the pubic bone. Starting from this period, doctors do not recommend sleeping on your back or stomach, since in the first case the uterus presses on the vena cava and blocks the access of blood to the baby, and in the second it compresses itself.
External changes
Due to the growth of the uterus, the stomach of the pregnant woman also increases. However, in some cases, for example, if the fetus is located near the posterior wall of the uterus or is too low, perhaps the changes in the figure will be very small. Mild pain is possible, as with menstruation, which is caused by tension of the ligaments that hold the uterus. They can be either aching, or occur when changing postures and turns. To minimize discomfort, try not to make sudden movements, move smoothly and relax more often.
17th week of pregnancy: what happens if discharge appears
Brownish brown marks on linen are an occasion to immediately consult a doctor. Moreover, if you have bleeding, even slight bleeding, you should call the ambulance team or go to the hospital, where there is an observation department. I don’t want to frighten, but these may be signs of a miscarriage beginning, so the sooner the woman is at the doctor’s office, the better.
If the discharge smells sharply and has a gray, yellow, greenish color or a curdled heterogeneous consistency, this may mean infection of the genital organs of the pregnant woman, which must be cured before childbirth. In particular, in many women whose pregnancy is 17-18 weeks, thrush exacerbates.
Frozen pregnancy
Infectious diseases are very dangerous for the fetus. If a pregnant woman complains: “I have 17 weeks of pregnancy, I don’t feel the baby moving,” and at the same time she had a genital tract infection, then the worst cannot be ruled out. In particular, it may be the freezing of the fetus. This terrible tragedy can be caused by a number of other reasons, for example, chromosomal abnormalities of the fetus. Unfortunately, a frozen pregnancy can not give itself away for a long time. However, if there is a 17th week of pregnancy, fetal movement is not felt, and the doctor noticed that the size of the uterus is smaller than it should be at this time, then the woman is prescribed an ultrasound. A sign of a frozen pregnancy can also be spotting from the vagina, therefore, having noticed them, you should immediately tell the doctor about them.
Analyzes
In order to protect herself and the baby from problems at this time, the expectant mother must undergo the so-called triple test, including a biochemical blood test for α-fetoprotein, total hCG and free estriol. In addition, even when the 17th week of pregnancy is on, fetal movements are felt, and Mom feels well, she needs an ultrasound screening. All data from these tests are evaluated by doctors in a complex and in accordance with them it is determined whether there is a risk of developing anomalies in the fetus. He has a numerical rating, which also depends on the mother’s age, her weight, the presence of chronic diseases and other factors.
Food
When a woman is 17 weeks pregnant, the development of the fetus is largely dependent on proper nutrition. Experts recommend focusing on protein foods and healthy fats, while not forgetting about eating enough carbohydrates, as well as various minerals and vitamins. If possible, you should discard drinks and foods containing caffeine, as well as fatty, fried and spicy foods. In addition, it is necessary to limit the salt in the diet, which can cause fluid retention in the tissues, and also to eliminate acidic, so as not to cause intensive production of gastric juice. To avoid heartburn, you can recommend eating foods and drinks that envelop the walls of the stomach, such as soups, cereals and jelly.
Another problem the occurrence of which can prevent proper nutrition is constipation. In particular, doctors recommend eating often and little by little, and after each meal take short walks.
At the same time, the fetus for 17 weeks needs a sufficient amount of vitamins, proteins and other nutrients, as it begins to grow actively, and it requires "building materials".
Pregnant weight
Normally, the expectant mother should add 250-300 g in weight every week. If everything is normal, then at the 17th week of pregnancy, the body weight of the woman who was at the time of conception should increase by an average of 2.5-3.5 kg. However, some mothers at week 17 learn that they gained 6-7 kg, while both their and the child are all right. In general, weight at a given gestational age depends on the woman’s complexion, heredity, age, the conditions in which it occurs, and other factors.
What to fear
If a woman in a position often begins to utter the same phrase: “I have 17 weeks of pregnancy, I don’t feel moving,” this circumstance should not leave her relatives indifferent. Indeed, at this time, both the mother and the child lay in wait for various dangers. For example, if the mother did not give up bad habits, such as drinking alcohol and smoking, then the risk of having a baby with various pathologies is high, and in some cases such irresponsibility can lead to detachment of the placenta and premature birth. Among the negative factors that can cause a deterioration in the condition of the pregnant woman and the fetus and even its death, is the use of drugs that have not been prescribed by a doctor. And of course, mom needs to be very careful in public transport or in the winter on the street, since any fall or blow to the stomach can have the most sad consequences. Especially attentive should be pregnant women who drive a car. If you can’t completely abandon independent driving trips, then at least you should not ride unfastened. In this case, the belt should pass under the stomach.
Sleep
For a pregnant woman to feel good, a full sleep is especially important. However, as a rule, he is disturbed during this period, as frequent urge to urinate causes him to wake up and get up several times a night. To improve sleep, you can recommend:
- Use pillows. In order to take a good pose, you can use special "bananas" for sleep. These are special large crescent-shaped pillows that can come in handy while feeding your baby. If such a "banana" is problematic, then you can simply roll up a second blanket and sleep with it "in an embrace." In addition, small pillows can be placed under the lower back or under the stomach.
- Another tip is to drive away gloomy thoughts from yourself and not think about the upcoming birth. To relax and forget, aromatherapy is a good helper. For example, you can put a sachet under a pillowcase - a canvas bag with aromatic herbs and flowers: chamomile, lavender, rose, needles, bay leaves, etc. You also need to ventilate the room before going to bed and, if possible, sleep with the window open.
- You will also have to forget about the bad habit of eating up before bedtime. It is better to have dinner 3 hours before bedtime and not to eat heavy meals.
What else needs to be done to improve well-being
When your friend complains, repeating the phrase: "I have 17 weeks of pregnancy, I do not feel the baby moving," then try to calm her and advise the following:
- Have more rest and take walks in the fresh air.
- Whenever possible, raise your legs so that swelling does not occur.
- Whenever possible, wear cotton underwear and socks.
- Go for shoes with low heels (moccasins, ballet shoes, etc.).
- Choose a more comfortable posture for sex.
- Try to avoid unrest.
- Do not carry gravity.
- Make the necessary changes to your diet.
- Closely monitor changes and the number of discharges.
- Do not skip scheduled examinations at the doctor who is monitoring the pregnancy.
Now you know that at 17 weeks of gestation fetal movements can be weak or not felt at all not only due to serious problems, but due to the physiological characteristics of the woman’s body. In any case, we recommend that you carefully consider all changes that should not be normal, and if you suspect that something is going wrong, consult a doctor. And then you will be able to maintain good health until the very birth and produce a small healthy miracle.