If a small belly at 8 months. The belly is small during pregnancy: the main reasons. The future mother's belly increases as the fetus grows
Reading 6 min. Views 4.7k. Published on 14.02.2019
During pregnancy, the uterus is able to stretch and increase several tens of times. After childbirth, the parameters of the reproductive organ return to their previous dimensions.
An increase in the woman's abdomen occurs according to the growth of the uterus at a certain gestational age. Sometimes expectant mothers fear for the health of the baby, believing that the fetus is lagging behind in development. But in most cases, a small belly during pregnancy is not a cause for concern.
What affects the size of the abdomen
There are 2 groups of factors on which the size of the abdomen during pregnancy depends: physiological and obstetric.
The physiological causes of a miniature pregnant tummy include:
- Features of the body structure. In expectant mothers with a wide pelvis, the belly increases more slowly than in women with a narrow pelvis. The development of the abdominal muscles also does not allow the stomach to grow quickly.
- The body weight of a woman. In obese women with body fat, it is difficult to recognize pregnancy by the parameters of the abdomen.
- small fruit. Usually, parents who are not tall are born children with low weight and height.
- genetic predisposition. The growth of the abdomen in a woman is observed at the same time as in her mother.
- Malnutrition, fasting expectant mother.
- Severe toxicosis in the first weeks of pregnancy. In this case, the stomach may appear only after the 24th week of pregnancy.
If a woman is carrying a second or third child, then her belly will increase faster. This is due to a decrease in the elasticity of the abdominal muscles.
Among the obstetric reasons why the stomach does not grow during pregnancy, the following are distinguished:
- embryonic hypotrophy;
- fading pregnancy;
- incorrect position of the child;
- oligohydramnios.
If you feel that your stomach is smaller than normal, consult a gynecologist. He will measure the parameters of the abdomen and find out the cause of possible deviations.
Hypotrophy
Slow intrauterine growth of the fetus requires fetometry - a method that allows you to obtain accurate data on the condition of the baby.
After identifying the cause of such a violation, gynecologists prescribe a number of medications to the woman along with the enrichment of the diet with meat, cereals, and sour-milk products.
An infant who is born on time with malnutrition has lower growth and weight characteristics. With good nutrition, the crumbs' physical parameters quickly normalize.
Fading pregnancy
The most dangerous cause of a small belly is when the fetus dies.
This situation is accompanied by the absence of movements of the child, the appearance of bloody discharge, and an increase in body temperature. If the anomaly is not detected in time, the woman may die.
Wrong position
Such localization of the fetus inside the uterus affects the diminutiveness of the abdomen. Doctors determine the incorrect location of the baby through ultrasound scanning and external palpation.
The transverse position does not pose a threat to the health of the child, but can provoke a premature onset of labor. The tummy will be smaller with the posterior presentation of the embryo.
oligohydramnios
The size of the abdomen during pregnancy is much less than normal if a woman has a lack of amniotic fluid. With such a deficit, the volume of the intrauterine space is reduced. Normally, the amount of amniotic fluid is 1-1.5 liters by 49 weeks.
Insignificant deviations that do not pose a threat to the health of the baby can only be determined through ultrasound scanning.
With a decrease in the volume of water by a third or more, the following occurs:
- a significant decrease in the parameters of the abdomen;
- the appearance of discomfort during the movements of the child;
- pain in the lower abdomen;
- deterioration in well-being.
The higher the risk of developing physical abnormalities in the fetus: curvature of the spinal column, torticollis, clubfoot. In addition, compression of the umbilical cord can occur, leading to the death of the baby.
Preeclampsia, arterial hypertension, infectious diseases, and placental insufficiency lead to insufficient synthesis of amniotic fluid. An ultrasound method is used to determine oligohydramnios.
The dynamics of the growth of the abdomen
The uterus begins to increase almost immediately after fertilization. The growth process is influenced by the growing embryo and the production of amniotic fluid, which fills the space of the organ.
Others will notice that you are “in position” at the 5th month of pregnancy, when the weight of the fetus reaches 100 g, and the length of its body is 12 cm.
A significant increase in the size of the uterus begins from the 6th week of pregnancy, when the organ is similar in parameters to a chicken egg.
Over time, the uterus grows:
- at week 8 it becomes 2 times larger;
- at week 10 - 3 times;
- at week 12 - 4 times;
- after 14 weeks, the uterus passes the boundaries of the pelvis, it can be palpated.
The gynecologist is obliged to monitor the norms of the increase and location of the uterus in order to know how the belly grows during pregnancy, if there are any deviations in the development of the baby.
Doctors begin to measure the circumference at each turnout already in the 2nd trimester, for this they use a centimeter tape.
Based on the gestational period, the following norms of the abdominal circumference are differentiated:
- 2 weeks - up to 75 cm;
- 22 weeks - up to 78 cm;
- 24 weeks - up to 80 cm;
- 26 weeks - up to 82 cm;
- 28 weeks - up to 85 cm;
- 30 weeks - up to 87 cm;
- 32 weeks - up to 90 cm;
- 34 weeks - up to 92 cm;
- 36 weeks - up to 95 cm;
- 38 weeks - up to 98 cm;
- 40 weeks - up to 100 cm.
With the harmonious growth of the fetus, the abdomen should also constantly increase by 1 cm per week. Slight fluctuations are allowed.
The doctor enters the received data into your exchange card, and constantly monitors the growth dynamics. The height of the uterine fundus is also determined, which indicates the parameters of the abdomen: the higher the fundus of the uterus, the greater the circumference of the abdomen.
Specific norms for the height of the uterine fundus by weeks of pregnancy are determined:
- 16 weeks - 7 cm;
- 20 weeks - 13 cm;
- 24 weeks - 24 cm;
- 28 weeks - 28 cm;
- 32 weeks - 30 cm;
- 36 weeks - 34 cm.
After 38 weeks, the uterus gradually descends to 28 cm, you may notice that the abdomen has become lower during pregnancy. This indicates the imminent start of the delivery process.
All measurements are approximate as every woman is different. The norms may deviate from the indicated values by several centimeters.
If the difference in values is more significant, the doctor will send you for an additional examination. It is not necessary to associate the slightest deviations with pathology. Your job is to let your doctor know about your concerns and stay calm.
The stomach has sharply decreased - what to do?
The parameters of the "pregnant" belly may decrease during the day: become smaller in the morning than in the evening. This is due to increased gas formation.
During the bearing of a child, a large concentration of progesterone is synthesized in the female body. The hormone helps to relax the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract, which slows down the process of digestion of food, provoking an increase in gases.
To fix the problem, adjust your diet, exclude cabbage, confectionery, legumes and grapes from your menu. Women with lactose intolerance should limit their consumption of dairy products.
Insufficient physical activity also leads to increased gas production. Increase the duration of your daily walks, do moderate exercise. It will be useful for you to do yoga, swimming.
If the stomach has significantly decreased, and in the evening it has not returned to its previous parameters, immediately visit a doctor. This condition can threaten the life and health of the baby.
Conclusion
The belly during pregnancy can be of various sizes and shapes, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the woman.
A doctor should monitor the dynamics of the growth of the uterus, only he is able to determine the presence of pathological conditions. Regular monitoring by a gynecologist will allow you to timely identify possible dysfunction, and eliminate it without health consequences.
A small belly during pregnancy is alarming for the expectant mother. She begins to think that something is wrong with the baby and that he is developing with violations. As you know, normally, the belly of a pregnant woman grows in accordance with the timing of gestation. During this period, the uterus increases due to the growth of the fetus. The supporting ligaments also increase in size, a new temporary organ appears in the woman's body - the placenta.
Women who come to see a gynecologist at a antenatal clinic compare their tummy with the bellies of other pregnant women and begin to worry excessively if it is small. A small belly during pregnancy is a rarity, but in most cases there are still no significant reasons for excitement.
Around the 5th month of pregnancy, the belly becomes visible to others. It gradually increases in size until the moment of birth.
The belly of the future mother increases as the fetus grows:
- At 2-3 weeks from the moment of conception, the size of the embryo is 2-4 mm, the tummy during this period is not yet noticeable.
- By about 12 weeks, the fetus occupies all the free space in the uterine cavity. The weight of the embryo at this moment is up to 25 g.
- The abdomen at the 15th week of pregnancy can be noticeably rounded. The size of the fetus is 12 mm, and the weight is about 100-120 gr.
- By week 21, the size of the fetus reaches 24-26 cm, weight - 350-400 gr. From this moment begins the period of the most active growth of the fetus.
- Already at 24 weeks, the baby weighs about 500 grams, and its height is 30 cm.
- From 36 weeks, the fetus is considered full-term. Weight varies from 2 to 2.5 kg.
- At week 40, all formation processes are completed, and the mother's body is preparing for the most crucial moment - childbirth. The weight of the crumbs can be from 2 to 6.5 kg. These indicators are purely individual, in terms of development, small children are no different from larger babies.
An increase in the size of the pregnant tummy is associated not only with the rapid development of the fetus inside the uterus. Before pregnancy, the uterus has a weight of no more than 80 grams. During the process of fetal development, its weight increases by 10-14 times; by the time of delivery, the organ can weigh 1-1.2 kg.
The change in the size of the tummy of a pregnant woman is also associated with an increase in the volume of anatomical fluid.
The volume of amniotic fluid is:
- at 3 months - no more than 30-50 ml;
- for 4 - 100 ml;
- 37 weeks - more than 1 liter;
- immediately before childbirth, the volumes decrease - no more than 1 liter.
Even if the stomach is small, the expectant mother needs to calm down and go for a consultation with a gynecologist. The doctor after and examination will be able to establish the reason why the tummy is growing slowly.
Why do some pregnant women have a big belly, while others have a small one?
Doctors say that normally the uterus of a pregnant woman should increase by 15-16 obstetric weeks. The belly at the 17th week of pregnancy becomes noticeable to others - for the mother this period is one of the most significant, she can feel the baby.
Signs of a delay in abdominal enlargement
There are no characteristic signs of a lag in the increase in the abdomen, such a deviation manifests itself purely individually, is detected during the examination and measurements of the circumference. Often there is no reason to worry and panic. Danger may be present if the tummy does not grow and at the same time pronounced fetal movements are not felt.
Norms and deviations
Some norms for the growth of the female tummy during pregnancy still exist. The abdomen grows as the fetus develops in the uterine cavity, therefore significant deviations in the normal course of circumstances are simply impossible.
For example, at the end of the seventh month of pregnancy, the norm of the abdominal circumference should not be less than 80 cm, but at the same time - no more than 90. By the fortieth week, the coolant can be up to 100 centimeters, doctors may suspect the presence of malformations if the mother's tummy has sharply decreased or increased. Such changes may be associated with an excess or lack of anatomical fluid - a deviation of this nature is a reason for emergency intervention.
Deviations of the coolant during pregnancy by five to seven cm may not indicate the presence of pathologies in the development of the baby. An increase in centimeters in the abdomen is also associated with a set of kilograms during pregnancy. Significant deviations from the norm of indicators may be associated with severe toxicosis, during such a period women lose weight greatly.
What to do if the stomach does not grow?
The lack of volume of the abdomen cannot be a diagnosis indicating the presence of pathology, in any week. There are no methods of prevention. Much depends on the influencing factor. For example, when oligohydramnios and hypertrophy are identified, measures should be taken to eliminate all risks. In other cases, a neat tummy does not prevent the mother from giving birth to an absolutely healthy baby.
A small belly can appear in the second pregnancy, even if it was of normal size the first time. This condition often scares the mother, but you should not worry, because each baby is individual and develops in different ways.
If your belly gets smaller during pregnancy
If during pregnancy the stomach has become significantly smaller, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist. Such a deviation may indicate hypertrophy or oligohydramnios. Such conditions require hospitalization and the woman's stay under observation.
Prevention
To avoid complications, a woman during pregnancy must:
- Timely register with the antenatal clinic.
- Arrive for scheduled check-ups on the specified dates.
- Get an ultrasound in every trimester of pregnancy.
- Take blood and urine tests.
These research methods will allow the doctor to timely detect abnormalities in the woman's body and prevent dangerous consequences.
An unexpressed increase in the size of the abdomen is often a reason for excitement. Of course, it is impossible to ignore such a deviation, as well as to worry for no reason. An ultrasound examination is a reliable measure that helps to make sure that everything is in order with the baby, therefore, if in doubt, you should ask the gynecologist for a referral for an unscheduled ultrasound.
Only a timely visit to a specialist and an attentive attitude to the changes taking place in her own body will help mommy notice any pathological changes in a timely manner and eliminate them.
Useful video about the growth of the abdomen during pregnancy
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What is the difference between a woman who is expecting a baby and just a woman? Most will immediately answer that the size of the abdomen. But there are those who will object to them, and they will be right. Why do some women have a huge belly, while others are barely noticeable? Although most expectant mothers do not pay much attention to the size of the abdomen, there is an opinion that it is more important to monitor and control swelling, pressure, stretch marks, etc. Each belly is individual and grows according to the schedule. But it is very important that there are no deviations from generally accepted norms. There may or may not be explanations for a small belly. Maybe this is a pathology of fetal development, or maybe your norm is just like that, and at the same time a completely healthy baby will be born.
In the first trimester of pregnancy, the stomach may or may not be, if a woman suffers from toxicosis, then the stomach will disappear and begin to grow only in the second trimester. Everyone probably has a couple of girlfriends whose stomach was small during the entire pregnancy and not everyone even knew that the woman was about to give birth.
In any case, you should not panic right away, you must first go through all the examinations and tests.
Let's look at why the belly is growing?
Nevertheless, in the vast majority of cases, the stomach grows and this is explained by the fact that the uterus grows, in which the child develops and grows. The uterus during pregnancy must contain the fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid, all this must fit somewhere, in addition, the child must be comfortable and safe inside the woman, which is why the uterus grows, changes its shape and location in the abdomen.
The uterus changes already from the earliest stages of pregnancy, firstly, it changes its shape from triangular to round, and secondly, it grows, and very quickly, although this will not be noticeable until a certain time, the fetus grows, amniotic fluid fills the uterus, surrounding the fetus. All changes will not be noticeable until about the 5th month, from that time the stomach begins to grow. In the fifth month, the weight of the fetus is approximately 100 grams, its length is 12 cm. By childbirth, these indicators will increase tenfold and the child can be born with a body weight of 2.5 to 5 kg, a height of 42-60 cm. All indicators will be formed at the 35-36th week of pregnancy.
At each visit to the doctor, the doctor will measure the stomach with a centimeter tape, these figures can approximately determine the duration of pregnancy and the weight of the fetus. Also, for the entire duration of pregnancy, amniotic fluid is constantly changing its volume, it can be from 1000 to 15000 ml, if the pregnancy is delayed, then the volume of amniotic fluid can be reduced to 800 ml.
Consider norms and deviations
Although all women are completely individual, there are some norms that are approximately the same for all pregnancies and deviations from them signal pregnancy problems.
Let's take a look at the description of the uterus throughout the duration of pregnancy.
At the 4th week, the uterus looks like a chicken egg, at the 8th week it looks like a goose egg, increasing in size. At the 12th week, the uterus is the size of a newborn's head; at the appointment, the doctor already probes it through the front wall of the abdomen and measures the circumference of the abdomen. At the 16th week, you can already notice a rounded tummy, if you imagine a place between the pubis and the navel, then the uterus is now located somewhere in the middle. At the 20th week, the belly is already clearly visible to others, this is exactly the middle of pregnancy. The bottom of the uterus is located two fingers below the navel. At the 24th week, the fundus of the uterus has moved to the level of the navel, and at the 28th week, the uterus is already located above the navel. At the 32nd week, the navel is aligned, the baby grows and the bottom of the uterus is felt somewhere between the navel and the xiphoid process. At the 38th week, the uterus rises to the highest level to the costal arches. At the 40th week, the navel already sticks out, and the bottom of the uterus drops again, preparing for childbirth.
During the entire pregnancy, the uterus grows about 20 times. The muscle fibers of the uterus also change. Thickening and increasing in length by 10 times. The vascular network of the uterus also increases. The circumference of the abdomen is a very important parameter during pregnancy, it is measured in the region of the lumbar deflection in the back and the navel in front. The norm is 85-90 cm at the 32nd week, 90-95 cm at the 36th, and 95-100 cm at the 40th week.
If there are nevertheless deviations from the general norms, then the reasons may be the lack of fetal growth, this is the so-called malnutrition (fetal growth retardation), or oligohydramnios. The reasons for this are infectious and inflammatory diseases of the expectant mother, placental insufficiency, hypertension in a pregnant woman. Often the cause may be the incorrect location of the fetus in the uterus, then a caesarean section is necessary. The uterus grows almost from the very first days of pregnancy, if the doctor notices that this is not happening, then an ectopic pregnancy can be diagnosed. This is a pathology of pregnancy, in which the fetal egg develops outside the uterus, but in its tube, for example.
Also, do not forget that each woman has her own constitution, one will have a belly before pregnancy, the other will not have it even with her. It happens that at work with a pregnant woman, no one even suspects that their colleague is pregnant until the woman goes on maternity leave.
For any suspicions, deviations from the norm, the expectant mother should always consult a doctor, only he can make the correct diagnosis and try to save the pregnancy, even with all its possible problems. If there are any problems, then you need to go to the hospital and be treated, the likelihood of recovery and the birth of a healthy child is very high. Do not delay with registration and delivery of all necessary tests. Ideally, all your illnesses should be cured before pregnancy, any harmless infection or bacterium can cause complications during pregnancy. It is necessary to eat right before conception and during pregnancy, lead a healthy lifestyle, it is advisable to give up all your bad habits, from smoking and alcohol, and ending with eating chocolate at night.
And of course, a woman should listen very carefully to her body, which almost always signals any problems. It is also necessary to have a positive attitude and believe that everything will definitely be fine and you will have a healthy baby!
Author of the publication: Eduard Belousov Many girls, having become pregnant, almost from the first day of delay, examine themselves in the mirror in the hope of seeing a rounded tummy. Waiting in line to the gynecologist, now and then they compare their belly with the "neighbors". And it happens that the size of the belly sometimes does not meet the expectations of young mothers. What is the reason for this difference and why are there small tummies during pregnancy?
An increase in the volume of the tummy during pregnancy is an individual course, primarily depending on the structure of the mother's body. Often, petite women have a large belly, and larger women have a slightly smaller belly.
With toxicosis, a pregnant woman reacts sharply to aromas, food, when “a piece does not fit into the throat”, and each meal is accompanied by vomiting - the stomach may even become smaller in size.
A small belly during pregnancy, as experts explain, is inherent in primiparous girls, whose abdominal muscles are not yet stretched.
According to folk signs, if the belly is small during pregnancy, a girl will be born, a large, strongly protruding one - a hero.
Causes of a small belly during pregnancy
There are several reasons for a small belly during pregnancy: physiological, obstetric. One of the aspects that explains the miniature tummy, as mentioned above, is the structure of the woman's body. So, in plump women with a wide pelvis, the belly is smaller in size than thin women with narrow pelvic bones. Sometimes a pregnant belly hides fatty deposits. These are the physiological causes of a small belly.Obstetric factors affecting the size of the abdomen:
- fetal hypotrophy;
- incorrect position of the child;
- oligohydramnios.
A small tummy during pregnancy may be due to oligohydramnios - a deficiency of amniotic fluid. The production of the amount of fluid during pregnancy is uneven: in the first weeks, the amount of fluid is approximately 30 ml, at 36-38 weeks it fluctuates within a liter and a half, by the end of the term it is 800-900 ml. If the amniotic fluid is 500 ml or less, this is a sign of oligohydramnios. As a rule, a decrease in the amount of fluid causes preeclampsia, high blood pressure, placental insufficiency, and a number of infectious diseases. You can determine oligohydramnios by superficial palpation and ultrasound examination.
The transverse position of the baby inside the womb also explains the reason for the miniature tummy of the pregnant woman. It is possible to investigate the incorrect location of the child through an external examination and ultrasound. Pregnancy in the transverse position proceeds calmly, there is no threat to the health of the mother and child.
Although in this situation, premature birth or delivery through a caesarean section is possible.
Norms for tummy enlargement
The dynamics of the growth of the tummy during pregnancy is supervised directly by the leading gynecologist. With the beginning of the second trimester, each scheduled examination is not complete without measuring the girth of the abdomen and the height of the uterine fundus. Measurement indicators are entered into the "Exchange card". Referring to the data, the doctor focuses and monitors the growth rate of the tummy, respectively, the dynamics of the baby's development.The growth of the uterus is observed from the 6th week of pregnancy: the organ is similar in scale to a chicken egg. By the 8th week - the body of the uterus grows 2 times, by the 10th - three times, at the 12th week the uterus increases 4 times and already passes the limit of the pubic bone. At the stage of 14-16 weeks, the body of the uterus extends beyond the boundaries of the pelvis and is palpated by palpation. For a healthy pregnancy, the following norms for the height of the uterine fundus are typical:
- 16 week - 6-7 cm;
- 20 week - 13 cm;
- 24 weeks - 20-24 cm;
- 28 weeks - 24-28 cm;
- 32 weeks - 28-30 cm;
- 36 weeks - 32-34 cm (peak height of the uterine fundus);
- 38-40 weeks - 28-32 cm (the uterus descends).
