Pregnancy by week: growth of the abdomen, norm and pathology, measurements of the abdomen by a gynecologist, the beginning of an active period of growth and intrauterine developmen

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

The most obvious sign that a woman is pregnant is her growing tummy. According to its shape and size, many are trying to predict the gender of an unborn, but already actively growing baby. The doctor monitors the course of pregnancy by weeks, and the growth of the abdomen is one of the indicators of its normal development.

Change in the size of the uterus and the volume of the abdomen

From a medical point of view, the first thing that begins to transform during the development of pregnancy is the uterus. Possessing incredible elasticity, it is able to increase in volume, ranging from a starting width of 6 cm to 38 cm in the last stages of a baby's development in the mother's womb. It is worth noting that the growth of the uterus until the end of the first trimester is not conspicuous and not too noticeable. This is due to the fact that the volume of the uterus increases gradually. If initially its weight is approximately 60 g, then by childbirth its mass reaches 1500-1800 g (taking into account the massamniotic fluid contained in it). During pregnancy, the growth of the abdomen occurs somewhat later than the growth of the uterus. A particularly intense period of its increase begins after 15 weeks. The reason for this is not only the growing fetus, but also the regular increase in the amount of amniotic fluid. At the 10th week of pregnancy, the specific gravity of the uterus increases three times in relation to the initial volume and in size it becomes similar to a large apple. By the time of birth, it reaches approximately 1200 g in weight (this does not include amniotic fluid and the baby itself).

While in the first trimester of pregnancy, first of all, there is an intensive growth of the uterus, by the second trimester there is an increased growth of the fetus, in which the stomach also changes and increases in size. In the third trimester, the baby continues to grow, and at the same time, he needs more space, so the skin on the abdomen stretches, stretch marks can form, and the navel protrudes.

When does the belly start growing?

Many women who are faced with an interesting situation, for the first time, are concerned about the question of when the growth of the abdomen begins during pregnancy. So I want to quickly declare to the whole world that a new life is growing inside, that very soon a new person will be born. The tummy takes on visible changes most quickly in women who have a slender or thin figure. The longest inconspicuous position remains in those who suffer from overweight.

If you look inside the female body, you can determine that the growth of the uterus depends on its inner layer - the myometrium. It's kind ofmuscular frame that supports the uterus. Depending on the rate of division of its cells, an increase in the uterus occurs. Until about the 20th week, this process is carried out almost continuously. Further, the increase in the size of the uterus occurs due to the stretching of the elastic walls. During the entire period of pregnancy, the uterus increases in size by almost ten times.

In the case when the stomach looks much longer than the term, but at the same time the pregnancy is singleton, it makes sense to think about polyhydramnios. This phenomenon often refers to a pathology that, with timely detection, can be brought back to normal in time. It is usually diagnosed in the second trimester.

How does the shape of the abdomen change in the first trimester?

At such an early date, the size of the uterus is determined by ultrasound, and the external outlines of the abdomen do not yet acquire visible changes. However, some women at 8-10 weeks can no longer, as before, zip up their jeans or trousers, feeling discomfort, inconvenience and a kind of pressure on the stomach. This is due mostly to the psychological side of the course of pregnancy, rather than physiological. But by the end of the first trimester, at 14-15 weeks, a woman may notice a slight protrusion in the lower abdomen. Thus, the growing uterus and the fetus developing in it let you know that the course of pregnancy is going according to plan.

All changes in the female uterus in the first and second months of pregnancy are not at all noticeable. Despite this, you should be careful not to put excessive pressure on the stomach. Not recommended to weartight clothing, restrict movement in any way. Ideally, after an active day, there should be no traces of clothes on the body. At the 8th week, the fundus of the uterus barely reaches the lower line of the pubis. Closer to the 10th raises to his level.

The height of the uterine fundus at 11-12 weeks of gestation reaches the level of the pubic symphysis. Already from the 14th week, upon examination, the gynecologist can feel it during palpation through the abdominal wall. This is due to the fact that the body of the uterus by this time goes beyond the small pelvis. The doctor fixes in the medical record the data obtained as a result of measuring with a centimeter tape, noting their compliance or non-compliance with the norms of abdominal growth. During pregnancy, these parameters are recorded during each visit by a woman to a gynecologist observing her. These data are extremely important, as they allow you to determine whether the indicators correspond to the gestational age or their deviation from the norm.

Second trimester

The period when the growth of the abdomen during pregnancy can no longer be hidden falls on the second trimester. At week 16, the uterus is between the navel and the pubic bone. From about 17-20 weeks, the bottom of the uterus is located about 2 cm below the navel. After four weeks, it moves to the same level as the navel, and on the 28th week, the bottom of the uterus rises 2-3 cm above its level. These indicators are affected by the weight and height of the fetus, the amount of amniotic fluid. It is worth considering the individual characteristics of each woman, the data may differ from the indicated parameters by 2-3 cm, which is not a deviation from the norm.

If a woman notices that her stomach has stopped growing, that some other unpleasant and disturbing symptoms have appeared, she should immediately consult a doctor. Perhaps the child is lagging behind in development or oligohydramnios has occurred. These symptoms should not be ignored. A woman can detect changes in her appearance if she takes a photo of the growth of the abdomen by week of pregnancy. During staged shooting, when she poses in the same position of the body, this allows you to timely determine the deviation from the norm. You can also find a pigment strip that stretches along the line of the abdomen - this is normal during pregnancy. As a rule, after some time after childbirth, it disappears on its own.

What does the doctor pay attention to?

When a woman comes to an appointment with a gynecologist leading the pregnancy, he establishes the correspondence of the growth of the abdomen to the weeks of pregnancy, paying attention to the change in the weight of his ward, the presence of edema and confirming or refuting the version of possible oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios. The measurement is made on the couch, the pregnant woman is in the supine position. The doctor uses a centimeter tape, the data obtained are entered into the medical record. Control of indicators is evaluated in dynamics.

Normally, natural pregnancy proceeds in the rhythm of continuous growth. And only by the end of the third trimester can we say that the pace is somewhat reduced. At 37-38 weeks, the bottom of the uterus drops slightly (about 3-5 cm), which may indicate the imminent onset of labor.

Third trimester: belly growth topics

Judging by the weeks of pregnancy, the growth of the abdomen in the last trimester is not as intense as in the second. Perhaps this is due to the fact that in the previous period of development of the baby in the womb of the mother, the main laying of his internal organs had already taken place, and now the main task of the crumbs is to gain weight. Visually, the abdomen becomes more rounded and elongated. Moreover, for each woman, the shape and circumference can differ significantly. Some, from their own experience and looking at others, suggest that the sex of the child affects this. However, from a scientific point of view, there is no reliable and unambiguous explanation for this.

As for multiple pregnancy, in this case, the stomach at 30-32 weeks is the same as when carrying one baby at 37-38 weeks. Babies are about 37 cm tall, which requires a lot of interior space. Their body is already actually preparing for the birth, therefore, according to ultrasound, you can see that a subcutaneous fat layer appears, the skeletal system improves, and the lungs develop. Naturally, the shape of the abdomen at the same time looks quite voluminous, rounded, spatial. At the same time, the activity of the babies is preserved, and their movements can cause noticeable discomfort to the expectant mother. Around the 35th week, if necessary, doctors try to hospitalize the pregnant woman in a hospital, since the likelihood of labor at any time is quite high.

In a singleton pregnancy, the period after 36 weeks is also considered likelyfor possible sudden childbirth. A woman should be prepared for the fact that her baby is almost ready to be born. At this stage of pregnancy, the expectant mother may feel the appearance of pain in the lumbar region, which can be confused with contractions. However, they pass as suddenly as they begin, being called training. In this way, the body prepares for the upcoming birth. If the pain is localized in the lower abdomen and is accompanied by atypical discharge, you should immediately consult a doctor. Due to the increased load and pressure of the uterus on the internal organs, shortness of breath, as well as swelling and heartburn, may occur.

Norms and deviations

During pregnancy, the growth of the abdomen may be normal or have deviations. This is affected by the weight of the child, his position inside the womb, body weight and height of the woman, the volume of amniotic fluid, the number of babies. If the pregnant woman is overweight, and the pelvis is narrow, then the bottom of the uterus may be higher than the established norm. It can also rise due to polyhydramnios, an incorrectly established gestational age, bearing twins or triplets.

The size of the uterus may be below normal: if there is a deviation with a difference in its volume of 1-2 weeks, such deviations are considered acceptable. In other cases, it is necessary to individually take into account the parameters of the woman. The most common cases include cases when a woman has a small fetus or a lag in its development is recorded.

At the 18th week of pregnancy, the growth of the abdomen becomes obvious to others, the posture straightens, growththe baby is about 16 cm. A woman may notice a significant jump in weight. The circumference of the abdomen from the 24th week begins to increase by 1 or more centimeters every week, and the growth rate of the uterus from the 26th week is activated, adding more and more live weight to it every week.

As for the third trimester, at the 30th week of pregnancy, the uterus is located 10 cm above the navel, and if measured from the pubic bone, then approximately 30 cm. A woman may be accompanied by shortness of breath and back pain. This is due to the high load on the organism transformed during pregnancy. It is necessary to use a bandage to evenly distribute the weight of the abdomen.

What determines the shape?

The normal course and development of pregnancy leads to the fact that the figure of a woman is constantly changing. And the longer the period, the larger the tummy becomes. This is quite natural. Depending on how the baby is located inside, the outlines of the abdomen will change periodically. With the correct head presentation of the fetus, an ovoid shape is visualized. If the baby is placed across, it will look more like an oval.

Those who capture the growth of the abdomen during pregnancy week by week with the help of a photo can notice how it changes. First it rounds a little, then it goes out more, and then it grows week by week, changing depending on the position of the crumbs until the birth itself.

If there are pathologies in the development of the main reproductive organ - the uterus, for example, hypoplasia, a decrease in itssizes.

Another reason why there is a significant increase in the abdomen during pregnancy (for weeks, pregnancy can proceed as usual and not have visible abnormalities) is the presence of diseases of the uterine cavity. In particular, this is a fibroid, which occupies a certain place and can lead over time to an early onset of labor. Also, with polyhydramnios, a woman's stomach becomes larger and does not correspond to the gestational age.

Reasons for stopping the growth of the abdomen

What you should be afraid of is lagging behind the norm of belly growth during pregnancy by weeks. For example, if a woman has a period of 18-20 weeks, and outwardly her stomach looks like 14-16, this is a pathology. Moreover, the woman may have alarming symptoms, which should be reported to the attending physician. And yet, you should not arrange for yourself the diagnosis and diagnosis on your own. The reason does not always lie in intrauterine growth retardation, the presence of an inflammatory process or infection, and oligohydramnios. It happens that the gestational age was set by the doctor erroneously, incorrectly. This happens more often with those women who have a problematic, irregular cycle.

You can track the gap by taking a photo of the growth of the abdomen during pregnancy - this is the easiest and most visual way. In other cases, the doctor traces the dynamics of growth during a routine examination, examining the circumference of the abdomen and measuring the woman's weight. The most reliable way to understand the cause is to do an ultrasound monitoring, which establishes the presence or absence of a cause for concern.

Belly measurementsin multiple pregnancies

If everything is more or less clear with a singleton pregnancy, then during pregnancy with twins, the growth of the abdomen occurs much more intensively. By the end of 10-12 weeks, a woman may notice a protruding tummy. However, it becomes clear to others as well. During the examination by the gynecologist, there is a clear increase in the uterus, as well as the growth of the abdomen. According to the weeks of pregnancy, their correctly verified number can already be said that the indicators are clearly different from the norm of a singleton pregnancy. If in women who carry one baby, at week 10, the tummy is barely noticeable, then with multiple gestation, it looks like with a period of 14 weeks.

Starting from the second trimester, women are encouraged to use a prenatal bandage to facilitate and evenly distribute the load. With multiple pregnancy, active growth of the abdomen often indicates its normal course, unless, of course, there are other pathologies. The growth of babies by 19 weeks is approximately 25 cm, the bottom of the uterus is located between the navel and the pubic bone. Despite a noticeably enlarged belly, the first movements can be felt at about the same time as in women bearing one child, namely at 17-19 weeks. At week 22, a woman notices that she begins to experience noticeable discomfort while moving, walking and bending over.

In the middle of the third trimester, the coccyx-parietal size of each fetus reaches 40 cm, stretch marks cover the abdomen, as the intrauterine development and growth of babies continues. Atmultiple pregnancy, constant medical supervision is recommended. In this case, most often a woman is placed in a maternity hospital in advance so that a possible picture of the course of childbirth can be assessed.