Baby development is an interesting and challenging process. With the body of his mother every week, certain changes also occur. What to be prepared for during pregnancy is important to know in advance. A woman should understand what sensations and symptoms are considered normal, and what should alert. What features marked the 20th week of pregnancy will be discussed in detail below.
general characteristics
At the 20th week of pregnancy (an ultrasound photo is presented below), the expectant mother undergoes a second planned ultrasound examination. This period is a certain milestone in the process of bearing a child. Labor activity usually begins at the 40-41st week. Therefore, 20 weeks is the middle of pregnancy.
This is one of the most anxious periods in the life of future parents. Indeed, in the process of ultrasound, the doctor will already be able to determine the gender of the child. It will be possible to begin preparations for the birth of the baby: to purchase the necessary furniture, clothes, decorate the nursery, etc. For the little son, blue, green, brown shades are suitable for choosing things. Parents of the girl will prefer pink, purple tones.
At this time, the mother’s body is still undergoing changes, although not as turbulent as before. The uterus gradually increases. The tummy can already be quite clearly visible. You can’t even remember about the thin waist. However, nothing paints a woman like an interesting position. The 5th month of pregnancy is ending.
What happens to the baby at week 20? He is now actively growing, gaining weight. An ultrasound doctor, a gynecologist during examination can determine how the fetus develops. But first things first.
Mom's Feelings
What happens to mom at week 20 of pregnancy? She can already see her rounded tummy. At this time, the navel may protrude. This is normal. After childbirth, he will bounce back. The hips become wider in girth. However, this does not cause discomfort to the woman.
Fatigue may be felt due to low pressure. Dizziness also occurs. You need to pay attention to the diet. It should be rich in foods that are needed for proper blood formation.
At this time, all mothers can already feel the baby moving. At first, his movements are like the fluttering of butterflies. However, at night you can feel quite strong kicks and movements of the baby. It is especially clearly felt at night. If mommy lies down to rest, the baby will also become more active. At this point, more oxygen enters his bloodstream. Therefore, he begins to move. Clearly “dancing” crumbs can be felt after drinking a glass of milk before bedtime. This gives the baby vitality. Soon, the biorhythms of mom and her sons or daughters are synchronized. The baby will not interfere. Over time, he will fall asleep with his mom.
At the 20th week of pregnancy, many women note a surge of good mood. There may even be a rise in libido. The growth of hormones is no longer so rapid. This allows you to feel all the charms of your position.
Physiological changes in the maternal body
A woman in the 20th week of pregnancy (photo below) feels an increase in load on her legs. At the same time, large changes in her body do not occur. The load on the internal organs is also gradually increasing. However, they still do their job well.
Leg pain may appear this week. Mommy's weight is increasing. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the right choice of shoes. Also, do not walk long. If you have to overcome long distances on foot, you need to do frequent respite. Arriving home, you need to lie down with your legs up. So the blood circulation in the limbs is normalized.
There are frequent cases of spasms of the calf muscles at night or in the morning at the 20th week of pregnancy. It hurts quite a lot, especially if you stretch in bed. You need to get out of bed and pull the sock towards you. So the cramp will pass. However, you can remove unpleasant sensations by adding certain vitamins and products to the diet. The gynecologist will tell you which products must be included in the menu. Lack of vitamins and minerals can adversely affect the baby's health.
Stretch marks may appear on the skin of the abdomen. This is caused by intense tummy growth. In this case, the skin can constantly itch, itch. You need to purchase a special tool that will need to periodically treat the surface of the skin with stretch marks. Such formulations include natural oils and nutrients.
What happens to the baby?
What happens at week 20 of pregnancy with the baby? Now he has already gained half of the growth that he will have at birth. While he is sitting in his mother’s tummy, his height is about 15 cm. Weight at this time is 250 g.
The baby's heart beats distinctly. This can already be heard with a conventional stethoscope. When visiting a gynecologist, he will listen to mommy’s tummy. At this time, the baby already has hairs on his head, as well as fingernails. The rudiments of molars are being laid.
Skin formation also ends. It now has four layers and is quite thick. It is covered with a layer of white grease.
The baby already distinguishes between times of day. It can be active at night. In the afternoon he sleeps more. In moments of wakefulness, the child can play with his umbilical cord, can suck a finger. He also likes to spin and can swallow amniotic fluid with his mouth during the game. It makes him hiccups. This condition is not a deviation from the norm.
The eyes may also open slightly. Moreover, the rumor is already quite good. The baby hears sounds that are heard from outside. He may be frightened if he hears a sharp noise.
The fetus at the 20th week of pregnancy is already acquiring more attractive facial features. His skin is a little wrinkled. The ears and nose are more clearly visible.
At this time, the formation of the immune system of the crumbs ends. This enhances his body's resistance to various infections. The brain is almost formed. Furrows, convolutions appear. Already at this period, the child distinguishes intonation, perceiving it to understand the information said.
Belly and uterus
At the 20th week of pregnancy, the size of the uterus is already about 20 cm. Measurement is performed by a gynecologist on top of the abdomen. Therefore, the ultrasound data may vary slightly. The uterus is now approximately at the level of the navel of mom. In this case, the muscles may contract slightly. These are false contractions that prepare the body for the upcoming birth. If they are not strong, this should not cause concern.
The abdomen at the 20th week of pregnancy is already visible. He rounded and rose, betraying the position of a woman. At this time, the waist disappears. This increases the weight. It must be carefully monitored. If you gain more than 16 kg before the end of pregnancy, childbirth can be difficult. At this time, the weight usually increases to 3-4 kg. It is permissible to gain up to 5 kg. Weekly weight should increase by 500 g. Much attention is paid to proper nutrition.
Discharge
What happens at the 20th week of pregnancy with a woman’s body? The hormonal system is not loaded as much as in the first trimester. Vaginal discharge should be uniform. They have a whitish hue. The smell should be a little sour. This indicates the normal condition of the flora.
It should alert the appearance of lumpy white discharge. This indicates the onset of thrush. Especially often, this condition occurs against a background of decreased immunity, hypothermia, and other infections. Also should be alerted by foul-smelling discharge. They may have a greenish color. Urgently consult a antenatal clinic. Urgent treatment of infection is required.
Otherwise, it will interfere with the normal course of pregnancy. At week 20, the development of the baby, as in all other periods of its growth, is completely dependent on the state of health of his mother. If any deviations appear, timely actions must be taken to eliminate the pathology.
If there are pulling pains in the lower abdomen, as well as brown or bloody discharge, you need to contact the vpach. This is one of the symptoms of a miscarriage that has begun. Therefore, you need to act promptly to avoid negative consequences. If spotting appears after sexual intercourse, this may indicate the appearance of cervical erosion.
Ultrasound scan
Ultrasound at the 20th week of pregnancy is one of the standard studies. In addition to determining the sex of the unborn child, the doctor will be able to evaluate a number of other important indicators of the development of the baby. At this time, in the process of ultrasound examination, the condition of the placenta is assessed. Amniotic fluid volume is also measured.
Also, other physical indicators are measured at the examination. The growth of the child is determined. The indicator is compared with the standard. The correspondence of the age of the fetus at this stage of pregnancy is also being studied. This allows you to determine developmental delay and eliminate possible pathologies.
The internal organs of the baby are also examined. The doctor looks at the stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs, intestines, urinary and gall bladder of the child. Particular attention is paid to the heart of the baby. At this time, if the child is awake at the time of the examination, you can see his movements, somersaults and games in his mother’s tummy.
Analyzes
A child at 20 weeks of gestation is already highly active. Usually, analyzes at this time are not required. In some cases, a blood test is necessary. This allows you to identify some abnormalities in the course of pregnancy and eliminate them in time. This, for example, can be anemia (morning cramps in the calf muscles confirm this) or an increase (decrease) in sugar level. If the discharge indicates an infection, you will also need to undergo appropriate tests.
General urine analysis allows you to control the work of the kidneys. Also, at the examination, the gynecologist measures the height of the uterine fundus and the volume of the abdomen, as well as blood pressure. The hCG level at this time is gradually decreasing. Now it can be from 4700 to 80 100 mIU / ml.
In some cases, the doctor may recommend a triple test of a blood sample. It will determine the level of hormones (hCG, estriol, alpha-fetoprotein) in the mother’s blood. This is a less accurate method for detecting chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. Accurately determine such pathologies allows the sampling of amniotic fluid. However, this will require a puncture of the abdomen and amniotic fluid. Due to the high risk, such a procedure is prescribed extremely rarely.
What can affect the baby?
The 20th week of pregnancy is characterized by the development of the placenta. At this time, she is already able to protect the baby from various adverse effects. Therefore, mom is allowed to take certain medications if necessary. However, there is a whole list of toxic substances that can penetrate the placenta. They must be avoided throughout the duration of pregnancy and lactation.
These substances are primarily ethanol. Drinking any amount of alcohol is strictly prohibited. Its effect on the baby's body can be unpredictable. It is better to protect the baby from this poison. Unacceptable even a small amount of beer, wine or champagne. Stronger drinks do not even have to talk.
Also, women who smoke should abandon this addiction even at the stage of pregnancy planning. Smoking in the process of bearing a baby will certainly affect its development. Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are weaker than their peers. They develop more slowly both physically and mentally. Smoking causes a lack of oxygen and necessary substances for the child. As a result, he is deprived of the ability to fully develop. If the mother does not give up smoking, this will affect the whole life of her child.
Avoid inhaling the smell of varnish, paints. It is necessary to abandon the use of any potent chemistry. During pregnancy, women working in harmful enterprises should be transferred to gentle labor.
Steroids are prohibited. A visit to an X-ray room is also prohibited. Only in case of emergency do they carry out such manipulations. In this case, the genitals, abdomen should be covered with special shields. Radiation at any stage of pregnancy can cause abnormalities in the development of the fetus.
Recommendations
At the 20th week of pregnancy, all previous recommendations must be followed. You should eat right, avoid stress in your life. Nor can weights be lifted. Shoes and clothes should be comfortable. You need to eat vegetables, fruits, protein foods. It is especially important to supplement the diet with meat. It should not be bold. Products must be properly cooked. It is necessary to bake dishes or cook them for a couple. Boiled foods are welcome.
Sweets and too many flour products cause quick weight gain. Now this is unacceptable. Therefore, you need to properly draw up a diet for every day. Avoid foods that can cause allergies (lots of citrus fruits, honey, some exotic fruits, etc.). Salt should be consumed less. However, you should not completely abandon it.
At this time, sex is not prohibited. This is one of the calmest periods of pregnancy. The prohibition may be associated with placenta previa or other deviations. During this period, if mommy feels good, sex will bring a lot of positive emotions. Avoid pressure on the stomach and deep penetration.
Physical activity should be moderate. You can not load the body with intense training. However, you can’t sit all day on the couch. You need to walk more often. You can sign up for maternity fitness or yoga. Swimming pool access is also welcome.
Performing such simple recommendations, as well as knowing the features of the course of this period of pregnancy, the future mother will be able to properly organize her lifestyle. This will benefit both her and the baby. Mid-pregnancy is one of the best periods of gestation.