How much should a 17 week old baby weigh? Dangers and complications. Ultrasound and important indicators
It is by the 17th week that a woman begins to feel truly pregnant: the fetus moves, the stomach grows, the value system and the environment change. A new phase of life begins!What happens to the baby
16 and 17 weeks of pregnancy - the time of rapid growth of the fetus. But compared to when 2-4 new organs appeared in the embryo almost every 7 days, the child develops only what is already there. And she's getting ready for her birth.
Until now, his body was covered with thin folded skin, through which small and large vessels were visible. By week 17, the skin loses redness and begins to thicken. But it will be wrinkled for another 1-1.5 months. Until the child gains the right amount of fat. The body is slowly overgrown with fluffy hair and covered with original grease. The musculoskeletal system is developing by leaps and bounds, and if 10-14 days ago the posture of the fetus resembled an old man bent by sciatica, now his neck is already even, his head is set straight.
The gonads and spleen are connected to the working intestines, bladder and heart. After 12-14 days, the pituitary and pineal glands, the thyroid and parathyroid glands will start working.
During this period, not only oxygen, vitamins and nutrients are supplied from the mother to the child, but also immune bodies. They form the first, passive immunity - they provide the child's body with resistance to those pathogens that the mother has encountered.
Doctor of Medical Sciences, prenatal psychologist Thomas Verney claims that by the fifth month, the child not only hears well, but also reacts to external sounds. He recognizes the melodies and picks out the ones he likes. T. Verni recommends calming the baby raging in the womb with the music of Antonio Vivaldi, and stimulating activity with the sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Fruit length and weight
The child is still small - only 12-15 cm. But he is gaining weight rapidly: if at week 16 the fetus weighed about 120 grams, then by the seventeenth week it will add another 50-100 grams and pull it by 170-220 grams.
What's going on with mom
The 17th week of pregnancy is a time of changes that are almost invisible outwardly. The hematopoietic organs begin to work in an enhanced mode. They will have to increase plasma volume by 35% and red blood cell count by 25%. In this regard, the load on the kidneys, liver and heart, blood vessels increases. Outwardly, this may appear: - increased sweating;
- uncharacteristically bright blush;
- heartbeat;
- bleeding gums;
- nosebleeds.
The uterus continues to grow upward. Someone already in the first trimester feels how she pulls the ligaments. Someone will feel it only from the fourth or fifth month. The ligamentous apparatus of the pelvic organs (round, wide and own ligaments) stretches gradually and the process, as a rule, is painless. It feels like women compare it with muscle fatigue after abdominal exercises.
The first movements of the baby are added to the sensations of stretching ligaments. They can be so light and subtle that many pregnant women, up to 20 weeks, confuse them with intestinal motility.
Abundant, light and clear discharge from the vagina is a normal reaction of the body to increased production of the hormone estrogen. By the middle of the trimester, they will become less. But spotting at any time, including now, is a bad sign. The second trimester is considered one of the most stable and calm periods of pregnancy, but if traces of blood are found on underwear, you should immediately contact your doctor.
Analyzes and examinations
At the 17th week of pregnancy, no tests are expected, in addition to a laboratory study of urine. Usually, a triple prenatal screening and a second ultrasound have already been done by this time, but if you didn’t have time, have time to take the test before 23 weeks.
Dangers and Complications
In the fifth month, thrush and cystitis often worsen. Both diseases are typical for this period of gestation, but they need to be treated. Obstetrician-gynecologists prefer to treat thrush of pregnant women with local preparations that do not penetrate the placental barrier.
Don't forget to arrange treatment for your partner as well. And even if intimate life is postponed for several months!
Cystitis is not only unpleasant in itself, but also dangerous because over time it can lead to intrauterine infection. If cystitis is caused by a bacterial infection, the inflammatory process has two paths:
- Ascent through the ureters to the kidneys;
- Distribution through the deep layers of the muscle tissue of the bladder.
Both options are more than unpleasant. The first leads to the emergence of acute, and then chronic pyelonephritis. The second is fraught with transformation into interstitial cystitis, which will seriously impair the quality of life both during pregnancy and after childbirth.
9% of women in the second trimester experience ICI - isthmic-cervical insufficiency. Almost half (45%) of pregnant women with recurrent miscarriage are hospitalized with this problem for periods of 15 to 29 weeks. There are several reasons for the development of ICI, but the most common is traumatic: damage to the cervix during a previous abortion, miscarriage, or childbirth. ICI is a serious enough diagnosis so as not to put it “by eye”, therefore, cervicometry is done to confirm - determining the length of the cervix on ultrasound. The optimal period for the procedure is 15-22 weeks. Pregnant women with multiple pregnancies, habitual miscarriage and a history of premature births do cervicometry at 12-15 weeks.
Please note that the length of the cervix in women who have given birth and who have not given birth is different, so for these two categories of pregnant women, the norms of cervicometry will be different!
At this turning point, pregnant women always have a lot of questions: the body behaves unusually, the body changes, and others begin to pay attention to your “interesting position”. How to behave and what to do if .. We will try to answer the most pressing questions!
1. Strong back pain. What's happening?
As well as on the cardiovascular system, the load on the spine during this period increases several times. If a woman used to have back problems or she still wears high-heeled shoes, pain can be explained precisely by this. But during pregnancy, it is better not to guess at health, but to check with the doctor.
2. Already 17 weeks and still no movement. Why?
To feel the movements of the child, as a rule, the tone of the uterus and intestinal spasms interfere. It has not been proven by anyone, but according to the reviews of many pregnant women, full expectant mothers feel the first movements of the fetus a little more blurred. There is nothing terrible in this. Wait 7-14 days and you will definitely feel them!
3. What does it mean if there were movements, and then they disappeared.
For periods up to 24-25 weeks, the irregularity of tremors is a variant of the norm. This is especially true for expectant mothers whose placenta is attached to the anterior wall of the uterus. Then the child is turned with his face to the spine and pushes with small arms and legs are felt weaker. Although a popular, but proven way to check the activity of a child is to lie down for 10-15 minutes on a flat, hard surface. In a horizontal position, babies usually move more actively, and their pushes and rolls are felt more clearly.
In any situation, the most important thing is not to panic. In general, suspiciousness is typical for pregnant women, but unnecessary fears and worries are unnecessary and completely unnecessary stress for both mother and little person. Take care of yourself!
At 17 weeks pregnant, most expectant mothers feel great. The symptoms of the first trimester have stopped, there is a lot of energy, the risks of complications at this time are minimal. The fetus continues to grow actively, its organs mature, it trains motor skills. Many women already feel the baby pushing in the tummy.
Signs and symptoms of 17 weeks pregnant
At the seventeenth week, the expectant mother may experience some symptoms associated with the increasing size of the baby and hormonal changes in the body:
· Increasing the amount of fluid in the body. This can manifest itself in many ways: in the form of profuse vaginal discharge (not the most pleasant symptom, but it plays an important role as it protects your unborn child from infection), nasal congestion (due to vasodilation and swelling of the mucous membrane), edema on the legs, excessive sweating. This is due to the fact that the expectant mother increases the volume of circulating blood, and pregnancy hormones relax the walls of blood vessels.
· strange dreams. After pregnancy, you will remember them with a smile, but now you are most likely not laughing. Changes in hormone levels and frequent experiences take their toll. Some women dream that they gave birth to a baby squirrel or other animal, or that the real father of their child is the boss at work.
· Itching in the chest and abdomen. It occurs due to the fact that as the fetus grows, your skin becomes thinner, more delicate and sensitive. In no case do not comb itchy places. Through the damaged skin, the infection easily penetrates. Visit your doctor and ask what anti-itch creams you can use.
· Rapid weight gain. Now the expectant mother is gaining mass much faster than in the first trimester, and this is normal. But if the weight suddenly began to grow very quickly, you need to visit a doctor.
· Stretch marks. The tummy of a pregnant woman is becoming more and more noticeable, it is growing rapidly, and the skin often does not keep up with it. Sometimes in the connective tissue that is part of the skin, tears occur, and this leads to the appearance of pregnancy stretch marks. Stretch marks are usually more common in women who are pregnant with twins. Water helps with stretch marks. Drink enough fluids, buy a good humidifier in the apartment.
· Uncertain gait. Have you noticed that sometimes it is difficult for you to keep your balance? This shifted the center of gravity of your body due to the growing uterus with the fetus.
· Pigmentation on the skin. This symptom most likely appeared in you in the previous weeks of pregnancy. Most often, pigment is deposited along a line that runs vertically from the navel down to the pubic bones. Some expectant mothers develop age spots on their faces.
· increased appetite. If you often want to eat - this is normal. After all, your child is already big enough and continues to grow, his body needs a lot of energy and building material. The main thing is to choose healthy food and regularly monitor your weight.
What happens to the fetus at 17 weeks pregnant?
Now your unborn baby is about the size of a pomegranate or a pear. Its body length is 13 cm, weight is 167 grams. The main thing he is doing right now is growing and training different muscle groups. At week 17, the fetus begins to slowly turn into a chubby baby - a layer of adipose tissue begins to grow under its skin. While it is very thin, so the skin of the future baby is almost transparent, blood vessels shine through it. On the palms and fingers appeared a unique papillary drawing: Now your child has their own fingerprints, unlike any other person.
Want to visualize what size your unborn child is now? Look at your palm: at 17 weeks, the fetus will just fit in it.
The baby's face became completely human, especially when eyebrows and eyelashes began to grow on it. His eyes are actively moving under the still closed eyelids. He actively makes sucking and swallowing movements: they are very useful after childbirth. In general, the fetus is currently honing the reflexes that it will need after birth. The ears already hear sounds quite well, and with each subsequent week of pregnancy, hearing will improve more and more.
The fetal heart is still beating very fast - at a rate of 140-150 beats per minute. The process continues in the nervous system myelination. A myelin sheath forms around the nerve fibers, which protects them, acts as insulation for electrical wires, and significantly speeds up the conduction of nerve impulses.
The proportions of the body of the fetus continue to approach the proportions of the newborn. In his skeleton, the process of ossification continues: the soft cartilage tissue in the composition of the bones is replaced by a denser bone. Nipples appear on the chest. A girl's ovaries contain approximately 6 million follicles- vesicles with future eggs. By the time they are born, there will be about one million left.
Ultrasound at 17 weeks pregnant
At the seventeenth week of pregnancy, the antenatal clinic doctor may already prescribe you a second prenatal ultrasound. During the examination, you will be able to see your future baby, his arms and legs, and his face on the screen of the apparatus. If you are lucky, he will show you what movements he has learned, how he plays, puts his finger in his mouth.
How to eat right?
At the 17th week of pregnancy, it is extremely important for the expectant mother to eat well, because the baby in her tummy grows very quickly and needs nutrients. However, you need to remember that your diet should consist of healthy foods.
Useful tips for nutrition in the seventeenth week of pregnancy:
Try not to fill up “to satiety” at one time. Of course, you should not limit yourself in food, it is harmful. Just try to eat more often and in small portions. It's easy to control yourself: don't take too big plates and watch the portion sizes you apply. Set a meal schedule for yourself, this will help your digestive system work properly. Avoid snacking on cakes, junk food, and other unhealthy foods. In case you feel like having a snack, you can carry an apple, a banana, and other light and healthy foods with you.
Try to eat whole grain bread. If you do eat with white bread, which is essentially "empty" calories, cut off a small piece.
Try to include greens regularly in your diet. Lettuce, broccoli, spinach - all this is now very useful for you and your unborn child.
· Probably, in your childhood, your mother reminded you more than once that you should definitely eat liquid at lunch? Now this advice is more relevant than ever. Soups with lentils, legumes, tomato soups, light broths and stews are useful.
Do you like going to fast food cafes? Why not, there you can also order some healthy or at least not harmful dishes for the expectant mother. For example, baked potatoes instead of french fries, boiled and baked vegetables, rice.
· Not full? Do you want something sweet? Any cakes and pastries are “empty” calories and should be avoided. Of course, if you do not restrain yourself once and eat a large portion of dessert, nothing bad will happen. But only if occasionally. In other cases, it is better to replace confectionery and muffins with fruits: they are also tasty and quickly cause a feeling of fullness. You can eat yogurt.
Do not deny yourself!
When someone tells you that you can’t eat almost anything delicious during pregnancy, and life turns into a real torture - don’t believe it! You have many opportunities to pamper your stomach, unless there are problems during pregnancy, because of which the doctor put you on a strict diet. You can even go to a restaurant and try exotic cuisine. Here is a sample list of dishes that are not contraindicated during pregnancy:
· Italian Cuisine: baked and stewed fish, chicken, veal, beef with herbs, pasta and pizza with fresh natural tomato sauce, cheese, seafood.
· Japanese food: teriyaki fish and chicken, edamame, miso soup, brown soba noodles, sushi (unless made from raw fish and seafood).
· Indian food: you can eat almost everything except fried foods, especially grilled tandoori, whole grain bread.
· Mexican cuisine: black bean soup, fajitas.
You can eat a lot of things, the main rule is to carefully look at the composition of the dishes on the menu and check with the waiter for cooking methods.
Physical activity
At week 17 and in general throughout pregnancy, it is important for the expectant mother to remain physically active. Ideally, you need to exercise for 30 minutes a day. A fitness center or swimming pool is desirable, but not required. Doing some household chores, such as washing the floor on all fours, or walking in the fresh air, is also physical activity. It contributes to a more favorable course of pregnancy and childbirth, helps to control weight and not gain many extra pounds in excess of the recommended norms.
It is worth remembering that weight gain during pregnancy is a very variable indicator. It varies from woman to woman and even within the same woman at different stages of pregnancy. In the first trimester, many expectant mothers add very little weight, some do not add at all and even lose due to constant vomiting. In the second trimester, the situation changes dramatically. Only the doctor who manages your pregnancy can tell you exactly what kind of increase will be normal in your case, and when it's time to sound the alarm.
The key to a healthy weight during pregnancy is a combination of proper nutrition and physical activity. These two factors are highly interrelated. For example, if an expectant mother weighing 63-64 kg spends all day on the couch, she needs about 1680 calories daily. If she eats more, she will start gaining too much weight. If the same woman were to regularly do housework, exercise and walk in the fresh air, she would need 2100 calories daily. More frequent and intense exercise may require even more calories.
There is a simple and reliable way to track whether the body manages to burn the calories received. You need to buy (if you have not already done so) a bathroom scale and weigh yourself regularly. If the mass is growing too fast, you need to move more or reconsider the diet.
Is it possible to have sex?
Sex at the seventeenth week and in general at any stage of pregnancy is not at all harmful and even useful. It helps a woman to get positive emotions that are so needed against the background of all these experiences, allows partners to once again feel closeness, including emotional. Contraindications occur only in two cases:
If the doctor diagnosed some complications in the future mother and recommended to refrain from sexual intercourse.
· At the latest terms, when the birth is about to begin, sex can provoke their onset.
· Perhaps at the 17th week of pregnancy, the doctor in the antenatal clinic has already ordered you a second ultrasound and biochemical prenatal screening. Don't forget to get tested.
· Dreams have become too stormy and cause a lot of anxiety? Visit a psychologist. It is good if you can find a specialist who specializes in working with expectant mothers.
· Fasten your seat belt correctly when you are driving. Its lower part should be under the stomach, the upper part between the mammary glands.
· At seventeen weeks of pregnancy, your tummy has probably already become very noticeable. Be sure to take a photo. In the future, you will certainly want to look and remember how your body changed during pregnancy. You can get a little creative and draw the number 17 on your stomach with a felt-tip pen, a beautiful picture, a funny face, or write a good wish for the future baby.
Start doing special exercises for the muscles of the pelvic floor. This will help prevent some problems during pregnancy, facilitate childbirth and recover faster after them.
How to deal with back pain during pregnancy?
Some tips will help you:
Use a comfortable chair. When sitting, place a pillow under your back.
· Try not to sit for a long time. At least once an hour you need to get up, walk, stretch a little.
· Avoid high loads on the lower back. If you have to lift a heavy load, do it slowly. Spread your legs wider. Do not bend the lower back: the knee and hip joints should work.
· Wear comfortable shoes. Heels are bad, as are flat soles. The optimal heel height is 5 cm.
· Use special orthopedic insoles.
· Sleep on a firm mattress. You can just put a board on the bed.
Buy a special pillow for the body.
· Pain in the muscles of the back helps to reduce the alternation of hot and cold compresses for 15 minutes (the main thing is not to overdo it with the temperature).
· Take a warm shower. The heat combined with gentle water jet massage will help relieve pain.
· Visit a specialist. Some manual techniques for dealing with back pain can be used during pregnancy.
Traveling while pregnant
The seventeenth week of pregnancy, like the entire second trimester, is a great time to travel, including by air. At this time, most women pass all the symptoms of the first trimester, they feel great, full of energy, the risk of complications is minimal.
| In fact, you can travel in the first trimester of pregnancy. But many expectant mothers are not up to it. It is difficult to plan a tour to an exotic country when you suffer from nausea, weakness, headaches and dizziness every day. Contrary to popular belief, traveling long distances does not significantly increase the risk of miscarriage. But many expectant mothers think according to the principle "after - means due." If a woman traveled, and after that an abortion occurred, she begins to believe that her irresponsible behavior is to blame for everything, it was better to stay at home. Actually it is not. In the third trimester, all obstetrician-gynecologists unanimously recommend not to travel far from home. After 34 weeks, even small trips are definitely contraindicated. With multiple pregnancies and an increased risk of complications, you should not travel after 20 weeks. |
If you decide to travel at 17 weeks pregnant, here are some basic precautions to keep in mind:
· Before buying tickets, make sure that your pregnancy is proceeding normally, there are no complications and risks. Placenta previa is especially dangerous. Get an ultrasound.
· Do not travel by boat. No, it's not seasickness, its symptoms won't get worse due to pregnancy. But toilets are usually not in the best condition on ships, and the risk of catching a viral intestinal infection is high.
· You should not travel to countries where sanitary and hygienic conditions are poor, and there is a risk of catching an infection. Try to find out in advance more about the place you plan to go to, about the possible risks.
· Bring copies of all medical records with you. If something happens during the trip, you should have all the information necessary for doctors on hand.
· Always wear seat belts in any vehicle. If the length of the belt on the plane is not enough, contact the stewardess, she will give a special extension cord.
· Drink plenty of water along the way. Dehydration is dangerous for you and the fetus.
・Take comfortable clothes for the trip.
It is more convenient to carry things in a backpack than in a bag. This helps reduce stress on the spine.
What research needs to be done?
At 17 weeks pregnant, your doctor may order a second routine ultrasound and a second prenatal biochemical screening (triple or quadruple test). This is necessary in order to detect abnormalities in the development of the fetus and assess the risk of genetic defects.
In what cases should you see a doctor?
The second trimester of pregnancy is the time when the risk of complications is lowest. However, sometimes there are serious conditions that require medical attention:
· The risk of miscarriage drops sharply after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Rarely, but still it can happen at 17 weeks. The first sign is usually vaginal bleeding. If this symptom occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Any infection can be dangerous for the expectant mother and child. If your body temperature has risen and you feel unwell, this is a reason to call a doctor.
Do not self-medicate if you have symptoms of SARS: nasal congestion, sore throat, cough.
· Pain in the lower abdomen, frequent urination, unusual appearance of discharge from the vagina and urine are possible signs of a genitourinary infection.
· In general, if you experience any unusual symptoms, it is better to play it safe once again and visit a doctor.
Massage during pregnancy: benefits for the expectant mother and baby
Scientific studies have shown that prenatal massage can improve both the health and psychological well-being of the expectant mother. During pregnancy, the load on the spine and lower limbs increases, while some ligaments relax under the action of hormones. This leads to some symptoms. Massage can improve the condition of the expectant mother's musculoskeletal system.
The muscles of the lower back and legs during pregnancy are tense, swelling occurs in them. This leads to compression of the nerve trunks and pain. Many women experience sciatica- Pain that spreads along the sciatic nerve. Massage helps relieve muscle spasm, improve lymph flow.
In the course of some scientific studies, it has been proven that in the body of expectant mothers who attend massage sessions once a week, the level of the “stress hormone” decreases. cortisol and increase the levels of "happiness hormones" - serotonin And dopamine. This helps prevent some complications, including a 75% reduction in the chance of preterm labor that occurs with depression. Another study found that massage for 20 minutes twice a week during pregnancy helps reduce anxiety levels.
How is massage done during pregnancy?
Prenatal massage is different from the usual, it must be done by a specially trained massage therapist. During the procedure, the woman lies on her side. In order for the woman to be comfortable and not have tension in the muscles, pads are placed under her feet. There are special massage tables with a hole for the abdomen - you can lie on your stomach on them. A session usually lasts 35-40 minutes.
Is prenatal massage safe?
There is a common myth that massage during pregnancy can cause preterm labor. If this were true, then massage would be used to stimulate labor in all women with post-term pregnancy.
Massage cannot induce preterm labor if performed by a specialist and the woman does not have pregnancy complications that are contraindications.
Week 17 Amniocentesis - video guide
At the 17th week of pregnancy, women usually feel calm, their movements are measured, unhurried. Expectant mothers become very thorough. There are practically no reasons for unrest, all the risks and dangers of the first trimester have successfully passed. During this period, a lot of interesting things happen with the baby and his mother. We will talk about this in more detail.
How many months is this?
If we count according to the usual generally accepted calendar, then the woman is now in her fourth month of pregnancy. However, obstetric months differ from calendar months. In a calendar month there can be 30 days, and 31 days, and even 18-19 days, and in an obstetric month - always strictly 28 days or exactly 4 weeks.
The 17th week of pregnancy by obstetric standards is counted from the beginning of the last menstruation. Hence, this is 15 weeks from conception, more than 90 days have passed since the start of the delay. The fifth obstetric month has begun, the "equator" of pregnancy is rapidly approaching - its golden mean.
Speaking of 17 weeks, it is understood that a woman is now a full 16 weeks, so 16 weeks and 3 days, 16 weeks and 4-5 days - this is all 17 weeks of pregnancy. 16-17 weeks is the second trimester.
Feelings of the expectant mother
Feelings at week 17 can be different, in general they are quite pleasant and not burdensome.
Appetite
Women do not complain about appetite at week 17: it is usually good, and for some it is even too good.
At this time, it is important to be very careful with the diet: do not overeat, do not eat at night, do not eat before bed. Extra pounds, which will definitely appear with such a diet, obviously will not benefit the mother and baby.
Food "quirks" gradually cease to torment a woman. If during the first trimester she wanted only cranberries and cucumbers, now such pronounced strange food combinations are no longer so necessary for a woman, and she can start planning a normal, balanced diet, if for some reason she didn’t do it earlier.
Fetal movements
The beginning of the 17th week of pregnancy for a third of multiparous women is usually associated with an important milestone - the feeling of the baby moving. Women who have already experienced the joy of motherhood, as a rule, distinguish such movements within themselves well and do not confuse them with the movement of intestinal gases.
Women who are primiparous may not feel anything yet. If the pregnancy is the first, then the movements usually begin to be recognized by the expectant mother for a period of about 20 weeks, but there may be exceptions, for example, in thin and slender girls, fetal movements begin to be recognized earlier.
It is not easy to answer the question of how the first movements of the baby are felt. Usually women describe this sensation as a light touch from the inside, the movement of a fish or a butterfly. There are no jerks and coups right away, because the baby is not yet so big as to push and kick in the uterine cavity - it is spacious for him and he rarely touches its walls.
Toxicosis
For most women, toxicosis of the first trimester has already ended: they do not feel sick, there is no vomiting in the morning, smells are perceived more calmly, which a few weeks ago were very unpleasant and caused bouts of nausea. This is due to the fact that a sufficient amount of hormones has accumulated in the body of a pregnant woman, necessary to preserve and continue bearing a child.
Now the production of progesterone, for example, has slowed down, and hCG has completely declined since the 13th week of pregnancy. As a result, the state of health has improved markedly.
However, it is at the 17th week of pregnancy that some expectant mothers may show the first symptoms of late toxicosis, which is also called preeclampsia. It will be more difficult to guess about it than about early toxicosis, since preeclampsia rarely manifests itself as nausea and vomiting, its main signs are swelling.
If the puffiness is visually distinguishable (wrists, ankles, face swell in the morning, lips swell, the shape of the nose changes, favorite worn-out shoes are pressed, the wedding ring is not removed), then there will be no problems with the diagnosis.
It is much more difficult to recognize internal edema when fluid accumulates in the tissues. You can guess about them by pathological weight gain, as well as by the presence of protein in the urine. That is why it is important not to ignore the urgent requests of the attending physician to give urine before each visit to the antenatal clinic for an appointment.
Psychological and emotional state
The woman has already fully adapted to her new status - pregnancy is obvious to everyone, there is no need to hide anything. Anxiety, which previously no-no and even overcame even experienced mothers, is now gradually receding. A woman has more confidence in her own strengths and capabilities, which will definitely allow her to give birth and raise a little man.
Most women admit that they are now in some kind of euphoria: they want to contemplate natural phenomena for a long time, their thoughts are unhurried, there is increased absent-mindedness and forgetfulness. In the people, this phenomenon is often called "brain edema of pregnant women." There is some truth in this comparison, because under the influence of hormones there is indeed some swelling of the mucous membranes, but “inhibition” does not trigger this, but the processes that occur in the brain under the action of hormones: progesterone, estrogen, hCG.
Inhibition begins to prevail over excitation with good goals - to protect the growing small organism from the negative effects of the outside world. If the mother perceives everything that happens to her less emotionally, the child will also be calmer.
Striking mood swings, capriciousness and tearfulness usually recede by week 17, and now the woman herself and her loved ones can relax and gather strength before the difficult third trimester. The sleep of women, which has recently improved, may become worse again this week, but now not due to hormonal changes in the body of the expectant mother, but due to the fact that sleeping peacefully does not make it necessary to choose a suitable position in a dream - growing the tummy no longer gives much freedom of choice.
Many women now, more than before, are beginning to need help and attention from their loved ones, relatives, and friends. The husband and other members of the household should remember this, but do not turn care into overprotectiveness, because a woman can still do a lot of things herself, and so far she needs support mainly psychological and emotional. It is important for her to feel that she is loved.
Pain and common complaints
There should not be any pronounced pain during a normal pregnancy for a period of 16-17 weeks. But slight pulling and aching pains can occur, and they have a very good reason: the uterus grows, and with it the ligaments that hold the main female reproductive organ stretch and become thicker. Because of this, women complain that their lower back and back hurt, their legs “buzz”, especially in the evening.
The load on the lower limbs increases every day, because the weight grows, the uterus increases, the center of gravity changes. In addition to the fact that from time to time it pulls the lower back, a woman may experience short sharp backaches and tingling inside - this is a consequence of pinched nerve nodes. A woman already feels the uterus perfectly, movements cease to be easy, more and more often she has to choose a position for comfortable sitting and lying.
Frequent urination this week is unusual. The hormonal background has become more stable, and the uterus is not yet large enough to squeeze the bladder. If now the woman again begins to frequently visit the toilet for small needs, then she should pass urine for analysis. Perhaps, against the background of pregnancy, her problems with the urinary system worsened.
Headaches no longer plague the pregnant woman. With the alignment of the balance of hormones, they cease to annoy.
If the head hurts at week 17, then this is a good reason to measure blood pressure. If a woman has it elevated, then she should definitely inform the doctor about it.
Among the digestive disorders, diarrhea and gas formation, which often tormented a woman in the first trimester, now occupy far from the first place. Constipation takes the lead. The muscles of the intestine under the action of hormones are relaxed, which causes violations of peristalsis, "stagnation". Also, a woman may be disturbed by severe heartburn.
Dizziness this week may accompany a drop in blood pressure. A decrease in blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels is a normal phenomenon for the middle of pregnancy, because the amount of circulating blood in the body of the expectant mother has increased significantly, another circle of blood circulation has appeared - the uteroplacental one. If the head is spinning rarely and not for long, you should not worry.
If attacks of dizziness are accompanied by loss of consciousness and nausea, you should contact your doctor and ask for treatment for symptoms of hypotension.
Gait
From this week, all pregnant women, regardless of body size and weight, begin to walk especially - “like a duck”, slightly waddling. This is due to the fact that the uterus has entered the abdominal cavity, and the load on the legs has increased. The woman now walks "from the hip" is not possible, no matter how hard you try. The body adapts to the changed center of gravity, trying to create the most comfortable and safe conditions for movement.
The "duck" gait, despite the apparent absurdity, is very popular with men. Right now, the husband of the future mother can begin to show more attention to her and surround her with care, because the unhurried and waddling spouse really looks very touching.
Runny nose
Difficulty in nasal breathing in the early stages is common. At the same time, a runny nose exists separately, there are no other symptoms of a cold or other disease. Such rhinitis is called physiological, as it is associated with the effect of progesterone on the mucous membranes. By week 17, the physiological runny nose usually recedes.
If now a runny nose has appeared for the first time, and the woman feels a general malaise (headache, sore throat), then she probably has acute nasopharyngitis, which has nothing to do with the physiological runny nose of expectant mothers. In this case, a doctor's consultation is required.
Changes in the body
Outwardly, a woman is changing very dynamically: the waist is rounded, the hips have become wider, the tummy can no longer be hidden, except perhaps in very spacious clothes.
Uterine dimensions
The height of the fundus of the uterus this week makes a sharp "jump" forward. If a week earlier it was only about 12-13 cm, now the WDM is from 14 to 19 centimeters. As the belly grows, the uterus is already in the middle between the pubic bone and the navel line. The length of the cervix averages from 40 to 45 mm, its shortening is considered an alarming symptom, the "short" neck needs qualified medical care - suturing or an obstetric pessary so that a woman can carry the pregnancy to the end.
If a woman has a second or third pregnancy, the uterus stretches and grows somewhat faster, the tummy appears more clearly than in nulliparous women. The expectant mother can now feel the boundaries of the uterus herself, since they clearly protrude.
Weight gain
It is very important to control your increase during this period. Many pregnant women do this daily and record the results in a pregnancy diary. Daily weighing is optional. It will be enough to weigh yourself on the same day, for example, on Monday or Wednesday, once a week.
At week 17, lean girls may find that they have gained more than 4 kilograms. Such an increase for them is completely normal for the current period. Women with normal weight and a slight excess at week 17 should normally add no more than 3.5 kilograms to their original weight before pregnancy. Overweight women whose body mass index implies obesity should not add more than 1.8 kilograms.
Weight gain is inevitable, but it should not go beyond the norm by more than 100-200 grams.
If the increase is higher, you should visit the doctor ahead of time to exclude the possibility of developing preeclampsia and get recommendations for correcting nutrition.
Breast
The mammary glands have ceased to hurt, because their growth is now not as intense as before. The breast now continues to increase somewhat in size, so there may be a feeling that it itches. Now it is very important to wear a special bra with wide supportive straps. This will avoid stretch marks on the chest and ease the load on the back - it will become noticeably easier to walk.
If colostrum is released from the breast at week 17, there is nothing strange about it. It does not need to be squeezed out if it stains clothes and underwear - it is worth changing the bra to a bust for nursing mothers (it has special places for absorbent liners).
Discharge and sweating
Many women at this time begin to sweat more intensely, and also note that vaginal discharge has become more abundant. This is completely normal, as the body of a pregnant woman reacts to a new hormonal background. Sweating, of course, is not a very pleasant phenomenon, but it lends itself perfectly to hygienic correction. Allocations, if they do not have an unusual color, blood impurities, "flakes" and streaks, do not need any treatment.
The appearance of green or brown discharge at this time may indicate the presence of an infection, and white discharge with itching may "signal" the manifestation of thrush. Normal secretions are light or slightly yellowish, odorless or with a subtle sour smell, homogeneous.
Pigmentation
This week, the face, back and arms of a pregnant woman may “bloom” with bright freckles, if she has a tendency to such a phenomenon, or become covered with age spots of various sizes. This is also a variant of the norm, because the synthesis of melatonin in the body increases.
There is no need to “remove” such spots, there is no medicine or cosmetic product for them. Pigmentation will disappear some time after childbirth.
Baby development
This week, the baby for the first time becomes larger than the placenta - now its weight is 115-160 grams, and it has grown to 17-20 centimeters. It can be compared to a large elongated pear. He has not been an embryo for a long time, and from the 17th week he begins to resemble a newborn more and more.
Appearance
Soon, the thinness that is now inherent in the baby will be over. This week, he begins to produce the first subcutaneous fat. But you won’t be able to immediately feel the difference - the process of deposition of subcutaneous fat is quite long, so for the time being the baby continues to look very thin and very wrinkled. Thin as parchment, the skin forms folds all over the body with the exception of the face.
As the fat layer accumulates, it will thicken, cease to be transparent, bright red and wrinkled - everything will smooth out and become rounded.
The body of the crumbs is covered with fluffy hair, which is called lanugo. They are colorless and very thin. Their appearance is a sign of the beginning of the work of hair follicles. Together with the original lubricant, which now also covers the entire body of the crumbs, lanugo will protect the delicate thin skin from the effects of the aquatic environment for the time being. By the time of birth, lanugo disappears, but some children are born with its remnants and get rid of it in the first weeks after birth.
The child's head begins to acquire normal proportions and outlines, the bones of the skull harden, the neck appears, which is already doing its job well: the baby turns his head, can keep it straight. In the embryonic period, this was not available to him.
The features of a small face are already individual, they clearly show the father's nose or mother's lips, on a three-dimensional ultrasound, you can already try to consider this if the angle is convenient. All parts of the face are fully formed. The facial and jaw muscles are very well developed, so the baby does not skimp on a variety of faces, grimaces and smiles, however, most of them are involuntary muscle contractions during the formation of the nervous system.
The legs and arms grow, they become more proportional in relation to each other, whereas earlier the arms were much longer than the lower limbs. There are nails on small fingers, they grow constantly, and an individual unique pattern has already formed on the fingertips - prints. On the head of many babies in the current period, the hair flaunts - the hair is thin and colorless, until the pigment that will color them is produced.
sense organs
All the foundations for the five senses in a child have been laid, most of them are already functioning. So, the ears, the formation of which was completed a few weeks ago, are already taking their place. The outer part of auditory analyzers - the auricle - is exactly the same as in adults, only very small. The inner ear continues to develop, so the child's hearing is now based on the perception of vibrations that create sound waves of different ranges and frequencies. At week 17, acquaintance with the world of sounds expands somewhat: the inner ear begins to capture and convert the first sound waves into signals.
This process will take about 2-3 more weeks, very soon the child will hear in the same way as all people hear, but only adjusted for the fact that he is still in the water. The fact that now the perception is more vibrational in nature does not in the least prevent the baby from perfectly distinguishing the mother’s voice from the voices of strangers, and familiar sounds from unfamiliar ones.
Vision is still absent, although all the structures of the eye and the optic nerve are formed. The eyeballs are covered by already divided into upper and lower eyelids. Now, through thin eyelids, the baby is able to capture only bright light. Soon he will learn to open his eyes and blink. At week 17, the fetal eyes begin to make rapid movements under the eyelids. This is how the oculomotor muscles are trained, say supporters of physiology. And neonatologists for the most part assure that this is how the baby reacts to the first dreams. No one will say what a little man dreams about, most likely, this is his usual habitat: the umbilical cord, his mother's voice, his own feelings.
The baby has well-developed tactile abilities, he touches. He learned to distinguish shades of tastes a long time ago, and now this is a familiar phenomenon for him. But he still cannot distinguish smells, because there is no nasal breathing, and the baby receives oxygen through the placenta from the mother's blood.
Nervous system
At week 17, the baby begins to coordinate the movements of the arms and head well, both individually and in combination. Now he can start sucking his fist, not because he accidentally ended up in his mouth, as it was before, but quite consciously - simply because he wanted to. At the current time, the cerebral cortex is developing most actively. The gray matter consists of six layers, and some of them have already formed. This week, the baby can safely “boast” of the first furrows and convolutions.
The development of reflex connections continues. Now the baby is demonstrating the instinct of self-preservation: when external circumstances change (for example, with a loud sharp sound), he gets scared and shrinks into a ball. He knows how to suck, swallow water, push off with his legs and arms from obstacles, for example, from the wall of the uterus, if he swims too close to them. If liquid enters the mouth, he can not only swallow it, but even spit it out.
Internal organs
The placenta is fully formed, now its average thickness is 19.4 mm. The baby is closely connected with it by a reliable and elastic umbilical cord, its length is almost 0.5 meters, its diameter is more than 2 centimeters. It is the placenta that now provides the baby with everything he needs: nutrients, minerals, oxygen. Its degree of maturity is 0.
Almost all organs function normally: the kidneys produce urine, the stomach holds swallowed water, the intestines contract, the liver is involved in hematopoiesis and digestion, the heart pumps more than 23 liters of blood per day. The baby's heartbeat is now easily heard through the most ordinary stethoscope, and now the obstetrician-gynecologist will listen to it through the mother's anterior abdominal wall at each visit. The heart rate averages from 150 to 170 beats per minute, which is almost 2 times higher than the maternal heart rate.
The gallbladder produces bile, some of it enters the intestines. It is due to bile that the original feces, which will be deposited in the rectum, will be colored dark green, almost black. The pancreas produces insulin, the thyroid gland produces thyroid-stimulating hormones, the endocrine glands, sweat and sebaceous glands work properly.
Sex determination
Gender is fully determined, organs are formed, the probability of getting an accurate answer from an ultrasound specialist to the question of what gender the child is at 17 weeks is close to 90%. True, for this the baby must be located comfortably, intimate places should be accessible for inspection by an ultrasonic sensor.
Girls develop a little faster than boys. They already have sex glands - ovaries - descended into the small pelvis. In boys, the sex glands - the testicles - while they continue to remain in the abdominal cavity, they will begin to descend into the scrotum very soon, and this process should normally be completed by childbirth. But so far only boys have their own sex hormones - they produce testosterone. In girls, while estrogens are not produced, they have to be content with maternal hormones, which are now quite enough in the body of a pregnant woman.
Ultrasound errors in sex determination this week are rare. It is more difficult to confuse a boy with a girl, but anything can happen to little princesses - the umbilical cord, sandwiched between the legs, is often mistaken for the penis. Less common are especially “shy” boys who heal their male “dignity” between the legs, and they mistakenly consider him a daughter. With good visualization on a modern device, the probability of error is minimal.
What can the baby do?
This week, the baby adds more movements to the skills acquired earlier. Now he sleeps a little less than before, and is actively engaged in something while awake. He plays with the umbilical cord. Now he not only squeezes it in a fist, but can also wind it around his hand. As the legs have grown, the baby begins to catch them and try to drag them into his mouth. This newborn skill will be demonstrated for quite a long time after birth.
Your son or daughter already knows how to stretch and yawn, spit and write, swallow water, hiccup, make disgruntled mines if he did not like the taste of water. He actively studies the sounds coming to him, as well as the noise background of the mother's body: the beat of her heart, the work of the intestines, the sounds of blood flow. The baby loves to feel herself very much, and also touchingly hugs herself by the shoulders in a dream. The twins, by the way, at this time begin to hug each other in a dream, as evidenced by ultrasound images.
baby on ultrasound
Obligatory diagnostic examination of ultrasound at week 17 is not considered. The woman will go to the second prenatal ultrasound screening a little later, but for now there may be other circumstances for scanning: the occurrence of a threat, atypical pain, strange discharge.
Also, a woman has every right to visit an ultrasound diagnostic room at her own request, in order, for example, to determine the sex of a child or find out how it grows.
The growth rates this week are indicated by fetometric data - the main dimensions that are subject to mandatory measurement during the procedure, regardless of the purpose for which the expectant mother came to the ultrasound room. For 17 weeks, the following parameters are characteristic:
The head and tummy of the fetus at 16-17 obstetric weeks
The length of the bones of the limbs at 16-17 obstetric weeks
Nasal bones at 17 obstetric weeks
An ultrasound diagnostic examination this week allows you to determine the location of the fetus, the height of the "children's place" relative to the internal os, the length of the cervix, determine the tone of the uterus, if any, and also evaluate almost all the internal organs of the child. It is still not easy to draw diagnostic conclusions about the correctness of the formation of the lungs and brain - their formation has not yet been completed.
The rest of the organs are examined carefully and carefully. The KTR (coccyx-parietal size) of the baby is no longer determined, because the child has grown noticeably.
Dangers and risks of week 17
Now the woman does not want to think about the possible risks at all, because the first trimester full of worries is already far behind, and she wants to relax. Indeed, the likelihood of a threat of termination of pregnancy is now minimal. But it is impossible to underestimate the risks, to consider them mythical, because they are quite real. The slightest change in the state of health of a pregnant woman should be a reason to immediately consult a doctor.
And do not be afraid to look like an alarmist in the eyes of others, it is better to play it safe in matters of maintaining pregnancy. What dangers can now threaten the expectant mother and baby?
Frozen pregnancy
Week 17 refers to the critical period for the risk of fetal fading. Science is still completely unknown the true reasons why the baby simply stops developing and dies. This can happen at any time up to 28 weeks. However, doctors have noticed that there are three most risky periods: 3-4 weeks, 8-10 weeks, and then 16-18 weeks of pregnancy.
To guess that something irreparable has happened, a woman can change her state of health. Some symptoms of pregnancy as such may disappear. If the expectant mother has already begun to feel the movements of her child, then the main sign of an undeveloped pregnancy is the complete cessation of movements. If there are no movements yet, and there is no toxicosis or there was not at all, then it will be very difficult to guess about the fading of the fetus.
The appropriate diagnosis is established on the basis of ultrasound diagnostics. The doctor does not detect signs of the baby's heartbeat, does not register motor activity. Save in this situation, unfortunately, the baby is no longer possible. The woman undergoes a mechanical cleaning of the uterine cavity, particles of fetal tissue are sent for genetic testing to try to find out if any genetic or chromosomal abnormalities caused the death.
After a frozen pregnancy, there are chances to conceive and normally endure and give birth to a baby, they are high, it’s just that pregnancy will be considered complicated by an obstetric history from the very beginning. Control over the woman will be more thorough, tests and examinations for her will be prescribed according to an expanded list.
Haemorrhoids
Violation of blood circulation in the lower veins, including hemorrhoidal, often leads to the development of hemorrhoids in the second trimester. This ailment is very delicate, and women are often embarrassed to talk about it. However, it is not worth keeping silent or treating hemorrhoids in the second trimester with folk remedies, otherwise there is a high probability that the disease will become chronic.
Modern pharmacology can offer a fairly large number of medicines for the treatment of pregnant women, especially since there are much more such drugs in the second trimester than in the first.
But self-treatment is dangerous for the child and mother! Be sure to consult a doctor and together choose a specific drug or several drugs as part of complex therapy.
Prevention of constipation will help to avoid hemorrhoids and cure it at the initial stage. To do this, a pregnant woman’s diet should contain a sufficient amount of raw vegetables and fruits rich in fiber. Be sure to drink enough water, lead a moderately active lifestyle, do gymnastics, walk on foot.
