Week 20 is a kind of milestone. Half of the pregnancy has already passed, and in the normal course of pregnancy there is exactly the same amount ahead. This means that toxicosis and sudden mood swings are a thing of the past, and new sensations await a woman.
What does the fetus look like at obstetric week 20?
The weight of the child at this time is on average 300 grams, and his height is on average 25 centimeters. In terms of parameters, the kid can be compared to a small coconut.
In the middle of pregnancy, all the internal organs of the baby are already fully formed. Now the main tasks of the fetus are gaining mass and improving the internal systems of a small organism.
At a period of twenty weeks, the baby is only eighteenth week old. The arms and legs of the child are cavity-formed and when viewed on an ultrasound machine, you can see marigolds on small fingers. The baby's skin becomes more and more dense. Although the face is still rather wrinkled, if you compare it with the past weeks, you can already see how it is smoothed out.
This week, the baby is already producing a special secretion from the sebaceous glands, which protects the baby's skin. It is also noteworthy that already at this time a unique pattern appears on the baby's fingers.
The heart has long been fully formed and now it beats at a frequency of 120-140 beats per minute.
Baby's bones are getting denser. The expectant mother needs to remember that herbal foods containing calcium should be present in her diet. It is also necessary to pay attention to products that can increase hemoglobin.
The eyes of the fetus gradually begin to open. On ultrasound, you can even see cilia on small eyelids. In the study, it is even possible to determine with a high degree of probability what hair color the child will have. In any case, you can easily understand the dark-haired head of a child or a fair-haired child will be born.
If you look at the menstruation calendar, you can see that about 18 weeks have passed since conception. But the baby has already learned a lot during this time:
- Move your arms and legs.
- Squeeze tiny fingers into a fist.
- Suck your thumb.
- Roll around inside the fetal bladder and choose your favorite position. During the day, the child can change his position several times. But more often than not, his favorite position is the head-down position.
- React to the light, sounds and taste of food that the expectant mother eats.
- Grimace, frown, smile and grimace.
The baby can play with the placenta. On average, at the time of wakefulness, he can make about 20 movements. Those who are especially frisky can increase the number of movements up to 60 in one hour.
In addition to the development of the child himself, active changes in the placenta also occur during this period. It protects the baby, is responsible for many functions and must be appropriate for the gestational age. When the sixth month of pregnancy comes, the thickness of the placenta with a normal pregnancy becomes 20 millimeters. Also, the placenta increases in size so that the child is not cramped.
What does a pregnant woman feel at 20 weeks?
In the middle of the term, a pregnant woman already has a rather large belly. General health should be good. A woman is in a positive mood most of the time. True, in some situations, mood swings are still possible. Now comes the time when bearing a child brings only happiness. All possible problems go into the background. And a working woman will soon have maternity leave.
At 20 weeks, almost all women already feel the movement of the fetus inside. Some fathers-to-be may also feel the jolts of the baby. To do this, it is enough to put your palm on the woman's tummy at the moment the child is active. But the baby can calm down at this moment and not make itself felt. If you did not manage to feel these movements today, then you should not be upset. Perhaps tomorrow the kid decides to kick his dad with his foot.
In the twentieth week of pregnancy, due to the growing abdomen, the expectant mother may feel a heaviness in the back. The lower abdomen may also pull slightly due to the stretching ligaments and the enlarging uterus. Its height at this time is 20-21 centimeters. Visually, it is approximately at the level of the woman's navel. As a result of such changes in size, the internal organs of the expectant mother are displaced and she can feel:
- Shortness of breath.
- Heartburn.
- Severity.
- Inability to eat a large amount of food at the same time.
- Frequent desire to go to the toilet in a small way.
- Constipation.
What to look for at 20 weeks of gestation?
A small organism growing inside a woman needs oxygen. That is why you need to try to walk every day. In addition, any physical activity will help you not to gain excess weight. At this time, the increase per week on average should be 500 grams. Although the fetus accumulates subcutaneous fat, if the weight gain is rapid and excessive, then as a result, the baby may have health problems.
For many reasons, a woman needs to monitor her diet. Already at the very beginning of pregnancy, she had to exclude some foods that she should not take even now:
- Alcoholic drinks.
- Carbonated drinks.
- Fast food.
- Food containing trans fats.
- Reduce foods containing fast carbohydrates as much as possible.
- Reduce consumption of highly allergenic foods.
The expectant mother, if she has problems with stool, needs to reconsider her diet and add foods to it that help defecate. For example, in case of constipation, eat prunes or compote from this dried fruit.
A woman, as in other weeks, needs to closely monitor her secretions. And if suddenly they turn brown or scarlet, then immediately call an ambulance.
The same goes for pain. If the stomach just pulls, then you can calm this feeling just by resting, or by drinking no-shpu. But if a woman feels acute or cramping pain, then it is immediately necessary to call an ambulance and go to the hospital. At least half of the pregnancy is over, but the baby is not yet mature enough to be born.
Now there is a period when the appearance of edema on the legs and arms is not at all uncommon. Most likely, the woman will already remove the rings so that they do not crush her fingers. And massages will help to relieve heaviness and swelling of the legs. But it is also necessary to tell the obstetrician-gynecologist about edema. The doctor will review the condition and give recommendations.
Another possible problem at this time can be leg cramps with severe pain. This is a sign that the body is lacking an important micronutrient. Namely calcium or magnesium. To reduce pain, it is necessary at the time of convulsions to pull the toe of the finger towards you and stretch the muscle with your hands. You need to tell the doctor about seizures and he will prescribe a drug that will remove this negative sign.
Ultrasound at the 20th week of pregnancy
As a rule, the woman has already done the second ultrasound screening a little earlier and now there is no point in the study. But if for some reason it was not carried out, then now is the deadline when you can see if the baby has any visual pathologies. Also, ultrasound can be prescribed if for a long time the mother does not feel the baby's movements, and the doctor cannot listen to the heartbeat. Then an ultrasound scan is prescribed in order to determine if the fetus has died. Although for such a period it is rather a rarity.
If earlier the future parents could not find out the gender of the baby, then now is exactly the time when it is quite easy to do this. The external genitals are already formed and if it is a boy, then the parents will be able to see the baby's penis on the ultrasound image. If a girl grows in the belly, then you can see the clitoris and labia.
