20 week of pregnancy: what happens to the baby and mom

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

The development of a baby is an interesting and complex process. With the body of his mother, certain changes also occur every week. What to be prepared for during pregnancy, it is important to know in advance. A woman should understand what sensations and symptoms are considered normal, and what should alert. What features marked the 20th week of pregnancy will be discussed in detail below.

General characteristics

At the 20th week of pregnancy (ultrasound photo is presented below), the expectant mother undergoes the second scheduled ultrasound examination. This period is a certain boundary in the process of bearing a child. Labor activity usually begins at 40-41 weeks. Therefore, 20 weeks is the middle of pregnancy.

This is one of the most tremulous periods in the life of future parents. Indeed, in the process of conducting an ultrasound, the doctor will already be able to determine the sex of the child. It will be possible to begin preparations for the birth of the baby: purchase the necessary furniture, clothes, decorate the children's room, etc. For the son, blue, green, brown shades are suitable when choosing things. The girl's parents will prefer pink,purple tones.

At this time, mommy's body is still undergoing changes, although not as violent as before. The uterus gradually increases. The tummy can already be quite clearly visible. You can no longer remember about a thin waist. However, nothing paints a woman like an interesting position. Ending the 5th month of pregnancy.

What happens to the baby at 20 weeks? He is now actively growing, gaining weight. The doctor on ultrasound, the gynecologist during the examination will be able to determine how the fetus develops. But first things first.

Mom feeling

What happens to mom at 20 weeks pregnant? She can already see her rounded tummy. At this time, the navel may already protrude. This is fine. After giving birth, he will return to normal. The hips become wider in girth. However, this does not cause discomfort to a woman.

May feel low due to low blood pressure. There are also dizziness. You need to pay attention to your diet. It should be rich in foods that are needed for proper blood formation.

At this time, all mothers can already feel the baby moving. At first, his movements are like fluttering butterflies. However, at night, you can feel quite strong kicks and movements of the baby. This is especially true at night. If mommy lies down to rest, the baby will also become more active. At this point, more oxygen enters his blood. So he starts moving. You can clearly feel the “dancing” of the crumbs after drinking a glass of milk before going to bed. itgives the baby energy. Soon the biorhythms of the mother and her little sons or daughters will be synchronized. The crumb will not interfere. Over time, he will fall asleep with his mommy.

At the 20th week of pregnancy, many women experience a surge of good mood. There may even be an increase in libido. The growth of hormones is no longer so rapid. This allows you to feel all the delights of your position.

Physiological changes in the maternal body

A woman at 20 weeks pregnant (photo below) feels an increase in the load on her legs. At the same time, there are no big changes in her body. The load on the internal organs also gradually increases. However, they are doing their job well so far.

This week may cause pain in the legs. Mom's weight is increasing. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the right choice of shoes. Also, don't walk too long. If you have to travel long distances on foot, you need to take frequent breaks. Arriving home, you need to lie down with your legs up. So blood circulation in the limbs is normalized.

There are frequent cases of cramps in the calf muscles at night or in the morning at the 20th week of pregnancy. It hurts quite badly, especially if you stretch in bed. You need to get out of bed and pull the sock towards you. So the cramp will pass. However, you can remove discomfort by adding certain vitamins and foods to the diet. The gynecologist will tell you which products must be included in the menu. Lack of vitamins and minerals can adversely affect he althbaby.

Stretch marks may appear on the skin of the abdomen. This is due to the intensive growth of the tummy. In this case, the skin can constantly itch, itch. You need to purchase a special tool that will need to periodically treat the surface of the skin with stretch marks. These formulations include natural oils and nutrients.

What's going on with the baby?

What happens at 20 weeks pregnant with a baby? Now he has already gained half the height that he will have at birth. While he is sitting in his mother's tummy, his height is about 15 cm. Weight at this time is 250 g.

The baby's heart beats distinctly. This can be heard already with a conventional stethoscope. When visiting a gynecologist, he will listen to mommy's tummy. At this time, the baby already has hairs on the head, as well as nails on the fingers. The rudiments of molars are laid.

The formation of the skin also ends. It now has four layers and is quite thick. It is covered with a layer of white grease.

Baby already distinguishes between the times of day. He may be active at night. He sleeps more during the day. During the moments of wakefulness, the child can play with his umbilical cord, he can suck his finger. He also likes to spin and can swallow amniotic fluid through his mouth during the game. This makes him hiccup. This condition is not abnormal.

Eyes may also open slightly. At the same time, the hearing is already quite good. The baby hears sounds that come from outside. Hemay be frightened if he hears a sharp noise.

Fetus at 20 weeks pregnant is already getting more attractive facial features. His skin is still a little wrinkled. Ears and nose are more clearly visible.

At this time, the formation of the immune system of the crumbs ends. This enhances the body's resistance to various infections. The brain is already almost formed. Furrows, convolutions appear. Already at this period, the child distinguishes intonation, perceiving it to understand the information that was said.

Belly and uterus

At the 20th week of pregnancy, the size of the uterus is already about 20 cm. The gynecologist takes a measurement over the abdomen. Therefore, ultrasound data may differ slightly. The uterus is now already approximately at the level of the mother's navel. In this case, the muscles may contract slightly. These are false contractions that prepare the body for the upcoming birth. If they are not strong, this should not be a concern.

Belly at 20 weeks pregnant is already visible. He rounded and rose, betraying the position of a woman. At this time, the waist disappears. This also increases the weight. He must be carefully monitored. If you gain more than 16 kg before the end of pregnancy, childbirth can be difficult. At this time, the weight usually increases to 3-4 kg. It is permissible to gain up to 5 kg. Weekly weight should increase by 500 g. Much attention is paid to proper nutrition.

Selections

What happens at the 20th week of pregnancy with a woman's body? The hormonal system is not yet loaded as much as in the firsttrimester. Vaginal discharge should be homogeneous. They have a whitish tint. The smell should be slightly sour. This indicates the normal state of the flora.

Should alert the appearance of lumpy white discharge. This indicates the onset of thrush. Especially often this condition occurs against the background of a decrease in immunity, hypothermia, and other infections. You should also be alert for foul-smelling discharge. They may be greenish in color. You should immediately contact the women's consultation. Infection needs urgent treatment.

Otherwise, it will interfere with the normal course of pregnancy. At week 20, the development of the baby, as in all other periods of his growth, is completely dependent on the state of he alth of his mother. If any deviations appear, timely actions must be taken to eliminate the pathology.

If there are pulling pains in the lower abdomen, as well as brown or bloody discharge, you need to contact the doctor. This is one of the symptoms of a miscarriage that has begun. Therefore, it is necessary to act quickly in order to avoid negative consequences. If spotting appears after intercourse, this may indicate the appearance of cervical erosion.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound at 20 weeks of gestation is one of the standard studies. In addition to determining the sex of the unborn child, the doctor will be able to evaluate a number of other important indicators of the development of the baby. At this time, in the process of ultrasound examination, the condition of the placenta is assessed. The amount of amniotic fluid is also measured.

Also, other physical indicators are measured during the examination. The height of the child is determined. The indicator is compared with the standard. We also study the correspondence of the age of the fetus at this stage of pregnancy. This allows you to determine the developmental delay and exclude possible pathologies.

The internal organs of the baby are also examined. The doctor looks at the stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs, intestines, urinary and gallbladder of the child. Particular attention is paid to the heart of the baby. At this time, if the child is awake at the time of the examination, you can see his movements, somersaults and games in the mother's tummy.

Tests

A baby at 20 weeks pregnant is already very active. Usually, tests at this time are not required. In some cases, it is necessary to take a blood test. This allows you to identify some deviations in the course of pregnancy and eliminate them in time. This, for example, can be anemia (this is confirmed by morning cramps in the calf muscles) or an increase (decrease) in sugar levels. If the discharge indicates an infection, you will also need to undergo appropriate tests.

Common urinalysis allows you to monitor the work of the kidneys. Also, during the examination by a gynecologist, the height of the fundus of the uterus and the volume of the abdomen, as well as blood pressure, are measured. The level of hCG at this time gradually decreases. Now it can range from 4,700 to 80,100 mIU/ml.

In some cases, your doctor may recommend a triple test on a blood sample. He will allowdetermine the level of hormones (hCG, estriol, alpha-fetoprotein) in the mother's blood. This is a less accurate way to detect chromosomal abnormalities in a fetus. It is possible to accurately determine such pathologies by taking a sample of amniotic fluid. However, this will require a puncture of the abdomen and amniotic sac. Due to the high risk, this procedure is rarely prescribed.

What can affect the baby?

The 20th week of pregnancy is characterized by the development of the placenta. At this time, she is already able to protect the baby from various adverse effects. Therefore, mom is allowed to take some medications if necessary. However, there is a whole list of toxic substances that can penetrate the placenta. They should be avoided throughout pregnancy and lactation.

Ethanol primarily belongs to such substances. Drinking alcohol in any quantity is strictly prohibited. Its effect on the baby's body can be unpredictable. It is better to protect the baby from this poison. Not even a small amount of beer, wine or champagne is allowed. Harder drinks are out of the question.

Also, women who smoke should give up this addiction at the stage of pregnancy planning. Smoking while carrying a baby will definitely affect its development. Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are weaker than their peers. They develop more slowly both physically and mentally. Smoking causes a lack of oxygen supply and the substances necessary for the child. As a result, he is deprivedability to develop fully. If a mother does not stop smoking, her child's life will be affected.

You should avoid inhaling the smell of varnish, paints. It is necessary to abandon the use of any potent chemistry. During pregnancy, women working in hazardous industries should be transferred to gentle labor.

Steroids are banned. Visiting the X-ray room is also prohibited. Only in case of emergency carry out such manipulations. In this case, the genitals, the stomach should be covered with special shields. Radiation at any stage of pregnancy can cause fetal abnormalities.

Recommendations

At the 20th week of pregnancy, you need to follow all the previous recommendations. You should eat right, avoid stress in your life. Also, do not lift weights. Shoes and clothing should be comfortable. You need to eat vegetables, fruits, protein foods. It is especially important to supplement the diet with meat. It shouldn't be greasy. Products must be properly prepared. It is necessary to bake dishes or cook them for a couple. Cooked foods are welcome.

Sweets and too many starchy foods cause rapid weight gain. Now this is unacceptable. Therefore, you need to properly make a diet for every day. Foods that can cause allergies should be avoided (large amounts of citrus fruits, honey, some exotic fruits, etc.). S alt should be consumed less. However, you should not completely abandon it.

At this time, sex is not prohibited. This is one of the quietest periods of pregnancy. The ban could beassociated with placenta previa or other abnormalities. During this period, if mommy feels good, sex will bring a lot of positive emotions. Pressure on the abdomen and deep penetration should be avoided.

Physical activity should be moderate. You can not load the body with intense training. However, you can’t sit on the couch all day. Need to walk more. You can sign up for pregnancy fitness or yoga classes. Pool access is also welcome.

Following such simple recommendations, as well as knowing the peculiarities of the course of this period of pregnancy, the expectant mother will be able to properly organize her lifestyle. This will benefit both her and the baby. The middle of pregnancy is one of the best periods for carrying a baby.