It takes 9 months from the moment of fertilization of the egg to delivery. Every month, the tummy of a pregnant woman increases in size. In some pregnant women, it becomes noticeable a little earlier, in others a little later. Someone has a large stomach, while others are barely visible. What kind of tummy a woman will have during pregnancy depends on many factors.
Every pregnant woman wants others to notice her situation. Especially if this is the coveted first pregnancy. Some people start buying clothes for pregnant women from the moment they find out about their interesting situation. Others spend a lot of time in front of the mirror trying to see if their tummy is already round or not. There is no definite answer to the question of when exactly the belly begins to grow.
Factors affecting the growth of the abdomen in a pregnant woman:
During the first pregnancy, a woman may notice that her tummy begins to round up after 16 weeks. Of course, for the time being, it will be invisible to others. With the second and subsequent pregnancies, the belly begins to become more noticeable a little earlier. This is due to the fact that the uterus and muscles of the anterior abdominal wall have already been stretched before.
If the expectant mother has a narrow pelvis, her tummy begins to be noticeable earlier than mothers with wide hips. The uterus in such women cannot grow to the sides due to their anatomical features, so it begins to rise above the pubic bone.
An interesting position in thin girls becomes visible faster than in full ones.
For mothers who are expecting the birth of two babies at once, the belly becomes noticeable already in the third month of pregnancy.
An important factor is heredity. If on the maternal side all women during pregnancy went with small bellies, then you should not expect a large tummy.
After 16 weeks of pregnancy, most mothers start thinking about changing their wardrobe. You shouldn't delay buying clothes for pregnant women. Wearing things that tighten the belly is dangerous for the development of the fetus.
At what month do others begin to see the tummy of a pregnant woman?
An interesting position in women carrying their first baby becomes noticeable to those around them closer to the seventh month of pregnancy. For pregnant women, the second time a month earlier. Women take maternity leave at 30 weeks. This is due to the fact that after this mark, the belly begins to grow very quickly. If before this period the baby developed in the womb, now its main task is to gain weight. Closer to the 36th week of pregnancy, a woman becomes difficult to breathe due to a large abdomen, which presses on the diaphragm. This discomfort will go away two weeks before delivery, at 38 weeks.
How do obstetricians-gynecologists measure the belly during pregnancy?
Starting from the 20th week of pregnancy, the obstetrician-gynecologist at the reception will measure such an indicator as the height of the fundus of the uterus. On it, doctors can determine whether the pregnancy and the fetus are progressing well. The height of the standing of the fundus of the uterus is measured from the pubic joint to the top of the uterus. Starting at 24 weeks, this figure should be equal to the gestational age in weeks. When the uterus goes down before childbirth, it decreases and becomes equal to 32 cm.
Norms of the indicator of the height of the standing of the bottom of the uterus:
16 weeks - 6 cm;
20 weeks - 11 - 12 cm;
24 weeks - 24 cm;
28 weeks - 28 cm;
32 weeks - 32 cm;
36 weeks - 34 - 36 cm;
38 weeks - 35 - 38 cm;
40 weeks - 32 cm.
It so happens that in the same woman with several pregnancies, the size of the abdomen is different. Doctors say that every pregnancy is unique. Consequently, there are no completely identical tummies.
