The term 12 weeks of pregnancy is transitional for every expectant mother. After all, it is this period that means that the first trimester is over. At the same time, it becomes much easier for a pregnant woman, since the first wave of toxicosis passes. There comes a time when one can completely surrender to the nascent maternal feelings.
What happens to the baby’s body? 12 weeks of pregnancy are of great importance for your future baby. The fact is that at this stage the laying of all organs ends - in the future they will only develop.
The fetal heart is reduced with a frequency of 110 to 160 beats per minute and can be heard using a special device.
Your baby begins to have new skills. Firstly, it begins to move actively, although coordination is absent. The chest muscles begin to contract, simulating respiratory movements. And the skin on the feet of the baby becomes sensitive.
A child at 12 weeks of gestation already weighs approximately 8-14 grams and is 9 centimeters tall. At this stage, peristaltic bowel movements begin to appear. At first it is represented by chaotic solitary movements, but by the end of the first trimester it is already possible to trace full-fledged waves of contraction. Sometimes the baby swallows a small amount of amniotic fluid, thus training the digestive system.
The kidneys of the unborn child already fully produce urine, which is subsequently excreted in the amniotic fluid. The process of production and excretion of bile acids is already beginning in the liver.
12 weeks of pregnancy means that the baby’s skeleton is already fully formed and now the process of bone formation and the replacement of cartilage by it begins. The fingers of the limbs are already fully formed and the child begins to move them.
The development of the nervous system is active. At this stage, the hypothalamic-pituitary system begins to function, which in the future will control many of the most important body functions. In addition, the maturation of the thymus, which takes a direct part in the formation of leukocytes, ends, so white blood cells can already be found in the blood of the fetus.
What happens to a pregnant woman? At this stage, there is a decrease in the corpus luteum and a gradual loss of its functions. The production of the hormone progesterone completely takes the placenta. This explains the disappearance of toxicosis. The absence of nausea and weakness positively affects the mental balance of a woman and makes it possible to fully enjoy the future motherhood.
The uterus greatly increases in size and rises into the abdominal cavity. In the body of the expectant mother, the blood volume increases, as a result of which the blood pressure indicator may slightly increase and the pulse rate may increase .
The abdomen at 12 weeks of gestation is still not too large, especially if this is your first pregnancy. Therefore, special clothes for pregnant women are not yet needed. But if this is not the first child you bear, then it is likely that the stomach is already very rounded. Sometimes a dark line may appear on the stomach, which stretches from the pubic bone to the navel.
In addition, the period of 12 weeks of pregnancy is accompanied by a significant increase in breast volume - the mammary glands begin to develop intensively, preparing for the birth and feeding of the baby. Sometimes it can be accompanied by an itch. It is worth remembering that proper breast hygiene, contrasting showers and massage are very important for normal breastfeeding.
12 weeks of pregnancy: recommendations. As a rule, it is during this period that a pregnant woman is sent for the first ultrasound. The doctor will be able to examine the body of the unborn child, determine its weight and height, sometimes even gender. By the way, based on the size of the fetus, it will be possible to make assumptions about the date of future births, however, it is quite approximate.