17th week of pregnancy – ailments, child development, tests

By the 17th week of pregnancy, the fetus is quite large. The baby can measure 12-14 cm and reach a weight of 140 g. However, consider that in the coming months it will gain much, much more and at birth it will weigh 2800-3800 g! So there is still a long way of development ahead of him.

Pregnancy 17th week – child development

If you saw the baby now, you would have the feeling that he is asleep. His chest rises and falls regularly, making it seem as if he is breathing. Actually, the respiratory muscles are just preparing for their debut and are developing intensively, and the amniotic fluid enters the child’s lungs. This is because the baby begins to push out the swallowed amniotic fluid. If he does it too greedily he can get it hiccups. You will feel it as regular pops. A child may have hiccups several times a day. Immediately after birth, the amniotic fluid will be replaced by clean air.

His eyes also give the impression that he is asleep because the eyeballs under his eyelids are moving intensively. Some scientists even say that in the 17th week of pregnancy, the baby actually has a lot primitive dreams.

Around this time, adipose tissue begins to develop. Your baby will need it very much right after birth, when his metabolism will not be able to maintain adequate body temperature yet. “Ordinary” fat is not enough to warm a baby. It is now also being produced in the body of the fetus brown fat. This is a special type of tissue that is located between the shoulder blades of a newborn baby. This fat is not an energy store, and is directly used for generating heat.

At 17 tc, no new organs are formed in a child’s body, but organs continue to grow and specialize. The tiny heart works so fast that at this stage it pumps approx 30 liters of blood!

The genitalia continues to develop and in the 17th week of pregnancy the testes move downwards in the abdomen. Girls have labia already formed and even vagina unobstructed.

Although the skin of the fetus at 17 weeks gestation is still as thin as parchment, many changes take place. Most of all, it wrinkles. Fingerprints are also created, which in the future the child will be able to see in the form of a unique fingerprint. Characteristic furrows also form on the inner parts of the hands, in which the fortune tellers see the future of a human being.

The sense of touch and the grasping reflex are already well developed in the child. He can already clench his hands using his thumb. A child often grabs the umbilical cord with its hands or sucks its thumb from a clenched fist.

At 17 weeks, the fetus is also able to respond to stimuli from outside your body. For example, he may get frightened by loud noise. However, you don’t need to isolate yourself. This is where the baby gets used to the sounds that he will be exposed to every day after giving birth.

This week your baby’s joints are strengthened and the bone structure hardens. This process will continue in the following weeks until your baby is ready to function on its own outside of your body.

What to do when your baby is too young: Fetal hypotrophy

17th week of pregnancy – changes in the female body

At the 17th week of pregnancy, you are still struggling with heartburn, gas and constipation. We don’t have good news. As your child grows, these discomforts will get worse. Therefore, despite the increased appetite, try not to eat large meals and eat smaller portions regularly. This will help to alleviate the symptoms a bit.

Also drink FOR PREGNANT WOMAN – herbal and fruit tea that reduces nausea and vomiting, relaxes and makes it easier to fall asleep, but also has a positive effect on the urinary system and its work.

The expanding uterus, which is about four fingers below the navel, can put more pressure on the diaphragm. This, in turn, may cause trouble catching the breath. At such moments, you should first of all rest.

The first backaches may also appear at this stage, usually in the lumbar region. Exercise adapted to the 17th week of pregnancy can help to alleviate them. Almost every fitness club currently offers classes for pregnant women. Swimming is also perfect.

Your body is constantly changing, and sometimes pedestrians are two sizes larger by 17 weeks of gestation. This is absolutely normal. The glandular tissue grows, thus preparing for its function, i.e. milk production.

If you are allergic, you may be more sensitive than usual to the factors you are allergic to. In addition, the condition is aggravated by the fact that even women who are not allergic struggle with a constant runny nose.

In the 17th week of pregnancy, you may also feel discomfort from copious vaginal discharge. As long as it does not have an unusual color or an unpleasant smell – do not worry about it. Also, do not try to remove it by force, because in this way you deprive yourself of the natural barrier against pathogens, which you especially need during pregnancy. Panty liners will help to maintain hygiene.

During this period, you may feel out of breath, it is a signal that you should slow down your current pace of life. There may also be cramps and pain in the lower abdomen. It is a consequence of stretching of the uterine ligaments or a collision of the enlarging uterus with its neighboring organs.

Check what exercises you can do while pregnant: Exercises for pregnant women

17th week of pregnancy – belly

Although the baby is still relatively small, the placenta weighs twice as much, and the uterus is constantly growing in size, which in combination makes it difficult for you to hide the characteristic roundness (especially if you were thin before pregnancy). Your uterus is in size a small melon, but the changes taking place in it are so large that it ceases to fit in the pelvis and begins to take place in the abdominal cavity. Your weight may even increase by 4 kg during this period.

So, in the 17th week of pregnancy, your tummy can attract a lot of attention. If you feel like it, you can let your belly touch it – it won’t hurt your baby in any way. Remember, however, that you have every right not to wish to do so and can politely decline.

Also read: cream for stretch marks in pregnancy

17th week of pregnancy – oral cavity

Oral hygiene during pregnancy is very important. Any inflammation, especially caries, may adversely affect the development of the fetus. It is very important to check the condition of the teeth at the dentist’s office, and any problems should be treated as soon as possible.

Gum bleeding may occur during this stage of pregnancy. This is due to the hormonal and vascular changes that occur during pregnancy. Gums, which are heavily supplied with blood, swell and can be damaged more easily, e.g. when brushing. Inflammation in the lesions can infect the fetus. If you observe gum bleeding not only while brushing your teeth, report it to your doctor. This may indicate a blood clotting disorder. Then he will refer you to appropriate research. It is very important that you ensure proper blood circulation during the day. You can do this by lying down with your legs up for a while.

Diet in the 17th week of pregnancy

You should gain 2-3 kg by now. But you have a ravenous appetite, and everyone around you keeps saying that you should eat for two. This is completely not true. Above all, don’t overeat. It is natural that you gain more kilos during pregnancy, but greed at this stage can not only ruin your figure after giving birth, but most of all harm your baby.

It should be remembered that at the 17th week of pregnancy, the blood volume is much greater than before pregnancy. Therefore, it is worth ensuring that the diet contains adequate amounts of iron and vitamin C in order to prevent the development of anemia.

If you want to know more about diet during pregnancy, read: Healthy diet in pregnancy

17th week of pregnancy and sex

Many women, when they find out that they are pregnant, give up sex life for fear of miscarriage. Well, if the pregnancy is developing properly and the gynecologist does not see any contraindications, you can have sex. During intercourse, the child protects the mucus plug that closes the entrance to the uterus. In addition, during this period, you may experience greater libido than before. Bloodshot genital organs conduct stimuli better, which increases the intensity of sensations.

Tests in the 17st week of pregnancy

The laboratory tests you should do between 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy include:

1. body weight measurement,
2. blood pressure measurement,
3. morphological examination,
4. general urine test,
5. pap smear,
6. testing of immune antibodies (anti-Rh).

In the 17th week of pregnancy, if the genetic ultrasound or the PAPP-A test showed any abnormalities in the development of the fetus, you can perform amniocentesis. It is an invasive test of an amniotic fluid sample to determine the health of your baby.

Check: when to do 4D ultrasound?

Can you feel your baby move when you are 17 weeks pregnant?

If you are pregnant for the first time You should feel your baby’s first movements between 17 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. Initially, it will be a gurgling sensation or a strange overflow in the stomach. When you feel your first movements, remember this day. This information will be necessary and will be written down by your midwife or attending physician on your pregnancy record.

An interesting fact about the 17nd week of pregnancy

Your little one has their own fingerprints already in the 17th week of pregnancy. Although if someone wanted to download them now, he would have to examine them with a magnifying glass.

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.