15 weeks pregnant: what's going on, fetal development and how it feels

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

It is believed that at the 15th week of pregnancy the most dangerous period is over and you can relax a little. If the toxicosis still has not passed, most likely, there is still a week to wait. Most women notice an improvement in their condition only at 16 weeks. In the meantime, it remains to be patient and get used to your new status.

15 weeks pregnant is how many months? This is approximately three months and one week, if counted from the moment of conception, the obstetric period is a little more - 17 weeks (it is counted from the first day of the last menstruation).

Fetal development at 15 weeks gestation

At this time, your baby looks almost like a real man. Its weight is almost 70 grams, and the length from the tailbone to the top of the head is 10 cm. It has very thin translucent skin, and even a light fluff has appeared. The ultrasound clearly shows that the limbs of the baby are not yet proportional. This is evidenced by too long arms in relation to the legs and a large head.

But the most important thing at 15 weeks pregnant isthe beginning of the process of formation of the cerebral cortex. Such a complex process will last the whole month, but starting from this week, convolutions and grooves appear on the hemispheres. The central nervous system begins to control the body, nerve cells are actively dividing and their number is increasing every minute.

The main organs, namely: the heart, gallbladder, kidneys are working at full capacity. The endocrine system of the baby at the 15th week of pregnancy is already active, the boys even begin to produce testosterone. The sebaceous and sweat glands are in full swing. Your little one has taste buds so they can taste the food you eat.

Another important thing that happens at 15 weeks pregnant is the improvement of the respiratory system. The baby swallows the amniotic fluid and spits it out, thereby exercising the lung tissue.

At 15 weeks of gestation, the development of the fetus can be considered complete. Nothing new will grow in him anymore, from now on all organs will only improve.

Mom Feelings

Until the 15th week of pregnancy, the baby and mother are undergoing tremendous changes that could not but affect the woman's well-being. Fortunately, the most difficult period is almost over. Nausea at the 15th week of pregnancy is practically no longer a concern, many women notice an improvement in mood and a surge of strength. Although, on the other hand, drowsiness, irritability and absent-mindedness are possible.

At 15 weeks pregnantfrequent bleeding from the nose and gums. This is due to an increase in the volume of circulating blood. It is for this reason that most pregnant women experience nasal congestion. If unpleasant symptoms persist or are overly aggressive, a doctor should be consulted.

At the 15th obstetric week of pregnancy, you may notice increased pigmentation in yourself. This is evidenced by the fading of the skin on the face, the darkening of the areolas on the nipples and the appearance of a strip on the abdomen.

Chest continues to grow and get heavier. Frequent headaches, fainting and cramps in the calves are quite possible. If you have these symptoms, you may need to take vitamin complexes.

Belly

Slowly but surely your tummy is growing. It may not be noticeable at 15 weeks of gestation, especially for women with a thin physique, but very soon it will begin to round.

The uterus rises and now its bottom is located 7 cm below the navel. It is easily palpable, and at the next examination, the midwife will be able to easily determine how much she has grown, although this is completely invisible to you. Unless, of course, this is not the 15th week of pregnancy with twins. In this case, the stomach will grow much faster. And this is not surprising, because more space is needed for the development of two babies.

Despite the fact that your baby is constantly moving and somersaulting, you will not yet be able to feel movement at the 15th week of pregnancy. Now he is still too small and the mother cannot feelhis tiny thrusts. But it will take a few more weeks, and you will be able to fully feel the movements of your child. Recently, many mothers began to take memorable selfies in order to remember in the future what kind of belly they had at the 15th week of pregnancy.

Physiological pain

The second trimester of pregnancy is considered the safest and easiest period of the entire pregnancy. It is recommended not to postpone important matters for the last trimester, because on the eve of childbirth, there will not be enough time and energy for many things.

In the meantime, at the 15th week of pregnancy, although the pains appear, in most cases they are physiological in nature and are quite correctable without the participation of doctors. Symptoms that a pregnant woman may experience:

• Heartburn. The uterus grows and presses on the stomach, from there the gastric juice splashes into the trachea and causes irritation and heartburn. In such cases, it is recommended to drink milk or click seeds. If these products do not help, you do not need to endure the discomfort and it is better to contact your gynecologist so that you can be prescribed a medicine.
• Constipation. The cause of constipation during pregnancy is the same - the growing uterus presses on all organs. This is an extremely dangerous problem that needs to be addressed immediately, otherwise chronic constipation can provoke hemorrhoids and prolapse of hemorrhoids.
• Headaches. This is a fairly common occurrence during pregnancy. Before resorting to medicines, you should try to just relax. A walk in the fresh air can also help,snack, warm shower.

All other pains and ailments are best discussed with your doctor.

Pain requiring medical diagnosis

It's a completely different matter if there are alarming "bells" signaling serious problems. So, for example, about any pain in the abdomen and the lumbar region, you must notify your doctor. Of course, the growing uterus can be the cause of such pain, but still, excessive caution never hurts.

This is especially true for pain accompanied by bloody or brown discharge. Miscarriages at this time occur, although not so often, but the threat of termination of pregnancy always exists, so excessive vigilance can sometimes save the child and mother.

Tests

Usually, at the 15th week of pregnancy, a woman takes routine tests: a general examination of urine and blood. Nothing more is required. Unless, of course, the amount and quality of discharge causes concern to your doctor and he decides to take additional tests at the 15th week of pregnancy, which is extremely rare.

Screening

Second trimester screening occurs between 15 and 17 weeks of pregnancy. This test includes an ultrasound and a biochemical blood test. According to the results of the study, we can talk about genetic abnormalities.

It should be understood that even if the results are borderline, this by no means means that the child is 100% likely to be born sick. Just in this case, the risk of having a baby withchromosomal abnormalities are slightly higher than others.

In general, in fairness, it must be said that risks always exist, regardless of the results of the tests. And screenings, in fact, are considered uninformative and more likely to drive women into a panic than really help.

Multiple pregnancy

At the 15th week of pregnancy with twins, there are no significant differences in the well-being of a woman. The tummy may be slightly larger compared to a singleton pregnancy. However, a mother needs to remember that two babies are growing inside her, and, therefore, twice as much vitamins and microelements are required. Now more than ever, mom-to-be needs to eat right and move more.

Almost always, multiple pregnancies develop iron deficiency anemia and calcium deficiency, which can cause tooth decay. Therefore, do not neglect preventive measures, include dairy products and as many vegetables and fruits as possible in your diet.

It is believed that pregnant women need to move a lot, but in this case, excessive activity is contraindicated. With multiple pregnancies, it is worth refraining from excessive physical exertion and more time to rest.

Cold

Now that you know how many months it is 15 weeks of pregnancy, it is not difficult to guess that the dangerous period is over and more or less stable time has come. The placenta is quite well developed and takes over everythingprotective functions.

However, no one is safe from colds. Unfortunately, fever can lead to premature detachment of the placenta, and viruses can cause irreparable harm to the fetus. Therefore, you should be extremely careful and monitor your he alth.

But, if a cold could not be avoided, and the virus attacked the body of a pregnant woman, before using any medications, including seemingly harmless ones, you should definitely consult with your doctor.

What can a pregnant woman do at week 15 to alleviate the condition:

• stay in bed or at least get more rest and avoid stress;
• increase your intake of vegetables, fruits and seafood;
• if your throat hurts, you can gargle it with decoctions of sage or chamomile;
• inhalation and rubbing help when coughing;
• in case of nasal congestion, rinsing the nasal passages with saline is recommended.

Food

Everyone knows that every person should eat he althy food. And a pregnant woman is simply obliged to adjust her diet and exclude everything that can harm the fetus, namely: any carbonated and colored drinks, various fast food, chocolate, convenience foods, canned food and smoked meats.

The opinion that a pregnant woman should eat for two is fundamentally wrong. Excessive passion for food can lead to obesity, which in turn contributes to the difficulty of labor, in addition, after childbirth it will be very difficult to lose excesskilograms.

For the full growth and development of a child in the womb, it is necessary to eat enough protein, fats and carbohydrates. Therefore, in addition to vegetables and fruits, be sure to eat meat, eggs, dairy and seafood.

Do not forget about vegetable fats, they strengthen the walls of the placenta. Therefore, season ready meals and salads with a variety of cold-pressed oils.

Sex

Sex life at 15 obstetric weeks of pregnancy, in principle, is not contraindicated. As you know, when having sex, endorphin is produced, which is called the hormone of happiness. Such sensations will be most welcome for the expectant mother and child. In addition, uterine contractions during orgasm perfectly train muscle tissue. Naturally, a loving couple is advised to avoid rough action and too deep penetration.

In some cases, the doctor may impose a ban on sexual activity. Usually such a ban is necessary when there are clear threats of miscarriage, for example, if there is a low placentation, cervical insufficiency or spotting.

Selections

At this time, the risk of spotting is much less than at the beginning of pregnancy. However, it can happen. It is important to remember that any spotting, even in very small amounts, requires immediate medical advice. The same applies to discharge streaked with blood and brown. The doctor will definitely take a smear for analysis and send the pregnant woman for an additional ultrasound.diagnostics.

The following highlights are less dangerous, but still require attention:

• very abundant;
• curdled;
• green, beige, pink;
• having an unpleasant odor;
• heterogeneous consistency.

Any discharge accompanied by itching, frequent urination, burning or swelling of the external genitalia is a reason to immediately contact a gynecologist.