The second trimester is considered the most favorable for a woman. But right now, the woman's body is changing dramatically. The fruit is also constantly improving and growing.
How does the fetus change at obstetric week 22?
At 22 weeks of gestation, the baby weighs about 400-500 grams. Its height can vary from 22 to 30 centimeters. Now the baby will not increase its length so quickly. The baby will try to gain weight. Thus, the baby's weight will change daily. The fruit can be compared to a vegetable marrow.
Skin folds gradually begin to smooth out due to the appearance of a fatty layer. The child begins to grow hair on the head. But as a result of a lack of melanin, they have a light shade. In addition to the hair on the child's head, eyelashes grow and a clear visible line of eyebrow growth appears.
The brain of a baby at 22 weeks of gestation weighs about 100 grams. It can already be called complete in terms of cell composition. As a result, the child gradually begins to feel consciously. He can analyze his feelings. The kid already knows how:
- Suck your thumb.
- Make coups.
- Touch your feet, face and hands.
- Make grasping movements.
- Hit the walls of the fetal bladder with handles and legs.
The kid begins to learn to coordinate all his movements. He is able to respond to the stroking of the expectant mother through the stomach.
A child at 22 weeks of gestation has fully formed hearing organs, and he is able to hear the beating of the mother's heart, the movement of her blood flow, the voice of future mothers and fathers. True, sounds from the outside are heard as deaf and distant. But the child still learns to recognize them, and if some noise is unpleasant to him, then he can let him know about it by stirring in the womb.
22 obstetric weeks of pregnancy means approximately 20 weeks have passed since conception. And the following changes occur in the child's body:
- The lungs are actively ripening.
- The size of the heart increases.
- Sweat glands, stomach and intestines develop.
- The genitals are improving. If the parents are expecting a boy, then now his testicles should descend into the scrotum.
- The central nervous system continues to develop.
- The baby's liver constantly produces enzymes that can turn indirect bilirubin, which is considered toxic to the baby, into completely safe direct bilirubin.
The 22nd obstetric week is also significant in that in the event of a premature birth, the baby has a chance to survive. But at the same time, the child will have to be in intensive care for a long time.
What changes occur to a pregnant woman at 22 weeks?
A pregnant woman at the 22nd week of pregnancy very often feels a surge of energy. As a rule, she is in high spirits. A special feeling of happiness and joy is brought by the baby's tremors. This week, a woman should already feel very tangibly how the baby is moving.
But the regime of a pregnant woman and a child does not always coincide. At times, a woman may complain that she is unable to fall asleep or wakes up in the middle of the night due to the child's movements. Strokes, conversations with the baby in a calm tone, monotonous music can calm the playing child.
The interesting position of a woman is already noticeable from the outside. But she herself only enjoys. Now the expectant mother should fully like her condition. After all, the tummy is not yet big enough to cause discomfort. A woman can do household chores with almost pre-pregnancy ease. But don't overwork. Any actions must be safe for mom and baby. Do not go to the mezzanine with a desire to go over everything. Better to delegate this to your spouse.
As a result of the stretching of the skin on the chest, abdomen and thighs, the first stretch marks may appear. Although it depends on genetics, it is still worth maintaining your skin and moisturizing it with special creams, lotions and oils for pregnant women.
At 22 weeks, a woman's weight increases by 5-8 kilograms. On palpation, the uterus is felt at the level of two centimeters above the navel. The woman has an excellent appetite, but she must constantly control it.
Now in the body of the expectant mother, the volume of blood is significantly increased. Plasma cells divide intensively. They are responsible for transporting nutrients in the body. But the very consistency of the blood becomes thinner. As a result, there is a threat of developing anemia.
A pregnant woman should carefully monitor her health. After all, it is in the sixth month of pregnancy that the first signs of varicose veins may appear. It is also worth paying attention to your limbs. Puffiness may appear.
Possible recommendations and dangers at 22 weeks gestation
At this stage of pregnancy, a woman is most often in excellent condition. Toxicosis is long in the past, and the appetite can even be called increased. It is important to control your weight and diet. Indeed, both the health of the expectant mother and the development of the child depend on proper nutrition. Pay attention to foods containing calcium. Do not forget about vegetables and fruits. If a doctor has prescribed multivitamins for pregnant women, then they should be taken daily throughout the pregnancy.
As a rule, during this period there is no need to undergo any examinations without special needs. In the normal course of pregnancy at 22 weeks, only a clinical blood test and urinalysis can be prescribed by a doctor.
Any abnormalities in fetal development and termination of pregnancy at 22 weeks are extremely rare. The woman had to undergo a second planned prenatal screening even before the beginning of the 21st week of pregnancy.
Recommendations for a pregnant woman are standard:
- Don't wear heels. Comfortable shoes and clothing should be preferred.
- Walking in the fresh air every day.
- If possible, you should try to do gymnastics for pregnant women or go to the pool. But before the first visit, it is necessary to consult with the doctor in charge of the pregnancy for any contraindications.
- In no case should you lift weights and overwork.
- Any changes in the body must be reported to the gynecologist who is leading the pregnancy.
Sex at 22 weeks pregnant
It seems to many that it is not worth engaging in sexual intercourse throughout pregnancy. But this is more of a common myth. In the second trimester at 22 weeks of gestation, doctors usually prohibit sex only if there is a threat of termination of pregnancy. In other cases, it is not only not prohibited, but even recommended.
The physical closeness of the parents cannot harm the kid in any way. It is completely protected by amniotic fluid and fetal bladder. In addition, the walls of the uterus are very elastic and strong. And the endorphins that enter the blood of the expectant mother during intercourse will also enter the baby. As a result, he will experience the same feeling of happiness as the woman herself.
Some women note that after intercourse, the child begins to actively move in the abdomen. This comes from an increase in the heart rate of a pregnant woman and from the hormones of pleasure entering the fetus. There is nothing wrong with that.
If at the beginning of pregnancy a woman could experience a decrease in libido to almost zero, now, on the contrary, she may experience increased arousal and sensitivity. In a woman's body, blood flow increases. The blood supply to the genitals also increases. It is for this reason that some women experience an orgasm for the first time only during pregnancy.
It is important to understand that sex should be only at the request of the woman, in a position that is comfortable for her and not be rude.
