Small belly during pregnancy: the main reasons

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

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 big belly while others have a small belly during pregnancy?

No one will object that the body of each woman is individual, so the stomach can grow in different ways. It is very important at this moment to make sure that there are no deviations from the norm.

A small belly during pregnancy can be for many reasons, for example, with the pathological development of the fetus, or perhaps this is the norm for a particular woman, and the baby will be born completely he althy.

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 a woman is pregnant.

In any case, there is no reason to panic, it is necessary to undergo regular examinations and tests to make sure that the gestation is proceeding according to plan, even if the belly is small during pregnancy.

Due towhy does the belly grow?

Basically, however, it grows, this can be explained by the fact that the uterus grows, where the child develops. The uterus contains the fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid, for this all you need enough space so that the baby can develop properly and feel comfortable. As the fetus and water increase, body volumes increase.

Fruit size

Determine the size of the fetus using ultrasound. Thanks to transvaginal ultrasound, it can be detected 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 fruit diameter 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 the level of 2.2 cm.
• 12th week is characterized by a fetus length of 6-7 cm, weight 20-25 g.
• 16th week corresponds to a length of 12 cm, a body weight of 100 g.
• 20 weeks characterized by fetal length 25-26 cm, weight 280-300 g.
• At the 24th week - 30 cm and 600-680 g respectively.
• 28 weeks - size 35cm and weight 1-1.2kg.
• 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 length of the fetus is 48-49 cm, and body weight is 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 on a rounded shape, and at the beginning of the 3rd trimesterbecomes ovoid. If there is a small belly during pregnancy, then it means that the uterus does not increase in accordance with the norms.

The weight of the uterus before pregnancy is 50-100 g, at the end - 1 kg.

Amniotic fluid

The volume of water is increasing unevenly. At the tenth week of gestation - 30 ml, on the 13-14th - 100 ml, on 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 may decrease to 800 ml.

Why is my belly small during pregnancy?

It may grow slowly for several reasons.

Uterine size may be smaller than expected due to oligohydramnios. Many believe that the belly 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. You can determine the water using ultrasound. As the gestational age increases, so does the amount of fluid. Oligohydramnios is not the norm, it occurs with pathologies, such as hypertension, infectious diseases, preeclampsia, placental insufficiency, and others. Therefore, if the 19th week of pregnancy is already underway, a small belly may well be.

The next reason is fetal malnutrition, it occurs due to a violation of placental metabolism. Maternal malnutrition can also lead to slow growth. Under such circumstances, the baby is born with a weight of 2.5 kg. However, even ultrasound cannot accurately determine the weight of a child, so it can only be known for sure at birth, itcan vary by 500g both ways.

The constitution of a woman's body also plays a role. Petite and skinny moms tend to have more prominent bulges than larger women.

A fertilized egg can attach to the back wall of the uterus, in which case the child is located outside the box - across the pelvis. Under such conditions, the belly grows inward and does not stick out, then there will be a small belly during pregnancy, and it may not even be noticeable to outsiders.

Due to hereditary characteristics, it may also be smaller. If the parents are petite, then the baby is likely to be small, so the belly may increase slightly.

If a woman has a well-trained abs, then the muscles will keep their shape and tone, and the stomach will not grow much.

Signs of lagging belly enlargement

At each visit to the gynecologist, the circumference of the abdomen, as well as the height of the uterine fundus, are measured using a centimeter tape. These measurements can tell a lot about the doctor. If the indicators have not increased or even decreased, then this is the reason for an unscheduled ultrasound. The doctor will be especially alert if this is the 39th week of pregnancy, a small belly, combined with a decrease in indicators, may require other fetal studies.

What to do if the belly does not grow?

Lack of volume growth is not a diagnosis, whether it is a small belly at 30 weeks of gestation or at21st. There are no methods of prevention, as with diseases. It all depends on the factors that affect the increase in abdominal circumference. If oligohydramnios and malnutrition have been identified, then measures should be taken to minimize the risks. In all other cases, you don’t need to worry about this if you have a small belly during pregnancy (30 weeks), because even under such conditions he althy babies grow up.

The main thing is to visit the doctor regularly to detect any abnormalities in time or just to make sure that the pregnancy is going well.

It happens that there is a small belly during the second pregnancy. That is, during the gestation of the first-born 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 in different ways.

Norms and deviations

Although the body of each woman is individual, nevertheless, norms were adopted that are approximately the same for everyone, deviations from which should be a signal of problems during gestation. You can judge a lot by the increase in the uterus.

At the 4th week, the uterus looks like a chicken egg. In the 8th week, it grows and becomes the size of a goose egg. At the 12th week - like a baby's head, 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 andnavel. At the 20th week, it becomes noticeable to others. 21 weeks pregnant - a small belly is not yet a cause for concern. 24th week - the uterus moves to the navel, and on the 28th is above it. At week 32, the navel begins to level out, the bottom of the uterus is palpable between the xiphoid process and the navel. 38th week - the uterus is at its highest level near the ribs. At the 40th week, the navel protrudes, the bottom of the uterus descends, starting preparations 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 belly during pregnancy (30 weeks and beyond), then the doctor should determine what the reason is - malnutrition or oligohydramnios.

The uterus begins to increase almost from the very beginning of gestation, and if this does not happen, then an ectopic pregnancy may occur. In this case, the fetus develops outside the uterus, in the tube.

With regular visits to the doctor, deviations from the norm will be instantly established. If necessary, a pregnant woman can be admitted to a hospital for treatment, in this situation, the probability of having a he althy baby increases dramatically.

Pregnancy planning

If you are planning a child in advance, you must first pass all tests, cure all diseases before pregnancy, since any, even the most harmless infection, can cause complications. It is also necessary at the rootreconsider your diet, lead a he althy lifestyle, give up bad habits. If all the rules are followed, your baby will be born he althy and will not have problems in the future.

Do not forget to eat fresh vegetables and fruits, take vitamin complexes - all this will contribute to better growth of the baby.