What is the difference between an ordinary woman and a pregnant woman? Most will say that the size of the abdomen. However, many are ready to object to them, and this will also be correct, since the situation is not always noticeable.
Why do some have a large, while others have a small stomach during pregnancy?
No one will mind that the body of every woman is individual, so the stomach can grow in different ways. It is very important at this moment to ensure that there are no deviations from the norm.
The abdomen is small during pregnancy, for many reasons, for example, with the pathological development of the fetus, and perhaps this is the norm for a particular woman, and the baby will be born completely healthy.
During the first trimester, it may or may not be noticeable. If the mother has toxicosis, the stomach will grow only from the second trimester. Sometimes it happens that others do not even suspect that the woman is pregnant.
In any case, there is no reason for panic, it is necessary to regularly undergo examinations and take tests to make sure that the gestation proceeds according to plan, even if the stomach is small during pregnancy.
How does the stomach increase?
Basically, it still grows, this can be explained by the fact that the uterus grows, where the child develops. The uterus holds the fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid, for this all you need enough space so that the baby can develop correctly and feel comfortable. As the fetus and water increase, body volumes increase.
Fetal size
Determine the size of the fetus using ultrasound. Thanks to transvaginal ultrasound, you can find it in the second or third week of development. Pregnancy starts from the 1st day of the last menstruation and is about six to seven weeks. At this moment, the diameter of the fetus is 2-4 mm.
How does the fetus develop?
- At the 10th week, it can be noted that the diameter of the fetus fluctuates at 2.2 cm.
- The 12th week is characterized by a fetal length of 6-7 cm, weighing 20-25 g.
- The 16th week corresponds to a length of 12 cm, body weight - 100 g.
- 20 weeks is characterized by a fetal length of 25-26 cm, weighing 280-300 g.
- At the 24th week - 30 cm and 600-680 g, respectively.
- 28 weeks - size 35 cm and weight 1-1.2 kg.
- 32 weeks - 40-42 cm and 1.5-1.7 kg.
- 36 weeks - 45-48 cm and 2.4-2.5 kg.
By the end of pregnancy, the fetal length is 48-49 cm, and body weight - 2.6-5 kg.
The size of the uterus in a pregnant woman
Throughout pregnancy, the uterus increases in size. In the first weeks, it has a pear-shaped shape. At the end of the second month of pregnancy, it doubles and takes a rounded shape, and at the beginning of the 3rd trimester it becomes ovoid. If a small abdomen is observed during pregnancy, then, the uterus does not increase in accordance with the norms.
The mass of the uterus before pregnancy is 50-100 g, at the end - 1 kg.
Amniotic fluid
The volume of water increases unevenly. In the tenth week of gestation - 30 ml, in the 13-14th - 100 ml, in the 18th - 400 ml and so on. The maximum volume at the 37-38th week is 1-1.5 liters. At the end of the term, it can decrease to 800 ml.
Why a small belly during pregnancy?
It can grow slowly for several reasons.
The size of the uterus may be less than expected due to oligohydramnios. Many believe that the stomach grows only at the expense of the fetus, but amniotic fluid plays an important role in this process. With insufficient water, it looks smaller than expected. Determine the water using ultrasound. As the gestational age increases, the volume of fluid also increases. Shortage of water is not the norm, it occurs with pathologies, for example, hypertension, infectious diseases, gestosis, placental insufficiency and others. Therefore, if the 19th week of pregnancy is already underway , a small stomach may well be.
The next reason is fetal malnutrition, it occurs due to impaired placental metabolism. Malnutrition of the mother can also lead to slow growth. Under such circumstances, the baby is born with a weight of 2.5 kg. However, even an ultrasound scan cannot determine the baby’s weight precisely, therefore it can only be recognized at birth, it can change by 500 g in both directions.
The constitution of a woman’s body also plays a role. In miniature and thin mothers, the bulge is more noticeable than in women of large physique.
The fetal egg can attach to the posterior wall of the uterus, in which case the baby is placed non-standardly across the pelvis. Under such conditions, the stomach grows deep and does not bulge out, then there will be a small stomach during pregnancy, and it may not even be visible to outsiders.
Due to hereditary features, it may also be smaller. If the parents are tiny, then the baby is likely to be small, so the stomach can grow slightly.
If a woman has a well-trained abdominal muscles, then the muscles will retain their shape and tone, and the abdomen will not grow much.
Signs of lag in belly enlargement
At each visit to the gynecologist, a measurement is made using a centimeter tape around the abdomen, as well as the height of the uterine fundus. These measurements can tell the doctor a lot. If the indicators have not increased or even decreased, then this is the reason for an unscheduled ultrasound. The doctor will be especially guarded if this is the 39th week of pregnancy, a small belly in combination with a decrease in indicators may require other fetal studies.
What if the stomach does not grow?
Lack of volume growth is not a diagnosis, whether it is a small abdomen at the 30th week of pregnancy or at the 21st. There are no methods of prevention, as with diseases. It all depends on factors that affect the increase in abdominal circumference. If oligohydramnios and malnutrition have been identified, measures must be taken to minimize risks. In all other cases, you do not need to worry about this if you have a small stomach during pregnancy (30 weeks), because even under such conditions healthy babies grow.
The main thing is to regularly visit a doctor in order to identify any abnormalities in time or just to make sure that the pregnancy is proceeding well.
It happens that there is a small stomach during the second pregnancy. That is, during the gestation of the firstborn in a woman, he met all the parameters, and there was no reason for concern. A small tummy during the second gestation may alert the mother, however, each baby is individual and develops differently.
Norms and deviations
Although the body of each woman is individual, nevertheless, norms were adopted, approximately the same for everyone, deviations from which should be a signal of problems in bearing. By the increase in the uterus, one can judge a lot.
At week 4, the uterus looks like a chicken egg. At week 8, it grows and becomes the size of a goose egg. At the 12th week - like the head of a baby, during this period the gynecologist probes it, also measures the circumference of the abdomen. At the 16th week, the tummy is rounded, the uterus is located in the area between the pubis and the navel. At the 20th week, he becomes noticeable to others. 21 weeks of pregnancy - a small stomach is not yet a reason for worries. 24th week - the uterus moves to the navel, and on the 28th it is above it. At 32 weeks, the navel begins to level out, the bottom of the uterus is palpated between the xiphoid process and the navel. 38th week - the uterus is at the highest level near the ribs. At the 40th week, the navel protrudes, the bottom of the uterus drops, starting preparation for childbirth.
Tummy circumference is an important parameter that is measured from the lumbar deflection to the navel. The following parameters are considered normal: 32nd week - 85-90 cm, 36th - 90-95 cm, 40th - 95-100 cm. If you still have a small stomach during pregnancy (30 weeks onwards), then the doctor should determine whether the cause is malnutrition or low water.
The uterus begins to grow almost from the very beginning of gestation, and if this does not happen, then an ectopic pregnancy can occur. In this case, the fetus develops outside the uterus, in the tube.
With a regular visit to the doctor, abnormalities will be instantly established. If necessary, a pregnant woman can be put in a hospital for treatment, in this situation, the probability of having a healthy baby increases dramatically.
Pregnancy planning
If you are planning a baby in advance, you must first pass all the tests, cure all the diseases before pregnancy, because any, even the most harmless infection, can cause complications. It is also necessary to radically revise your diet, lead a healthy lifestyle, abandon bad habits. If all the rules are followed, your baby will be born healthy, and in the future he will have no problems.
Do not forget to eat fresh vegetables and fruits, take vitamin complexes - all this will contribute to the best growth of the baby.