20 week of pregnancy from conception

What happens to the baby at 20 weeks

The organs and tissues of the baby at week 20 continue to improve. There are more and more nerve cells, the body begins to produce important enzymes. Gradually, almost all organs of the endocrine system are included in the work: the epiphysis, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, pancreas, thyroid and parathyroid glands. The child begins to develop passive immunity.

The brain continues to develop, it already contains a complete set of neurons. They allow the muscles to communicate with the brain. Thanks to them, the child learns to understand where his arms and legs are and how to move them.

The baby at the 20th week of pregnancy already has eyelashes and eyebrows, and the first signs of teeth appear on the gums.

The baby freely somersaults inside his mother’s belly, but by the end of the second trimester he will settle into a comfortable position, doctors call this position presentation.

Doctors assure that at this time the child is sensitive to the mood of the mother, to gentle words and affection. He reflects his emotions in his movements, so now is the best time to talk with him and turn on pleasant music for him.

Fetal ultrasound

At the 20th week of pregnancy, a woman can go for a second screening. It will help determine if the child has anomalies, abnormalities in the structure of organs. Many of these can be corrected with surgery.

Ultrasound of the fetus at the 20th week of pregnancy helps to assess the parameters of the child, his height and weight, as well as the volume of amniotic fluid in the mother and the length of the cervix, in order to exclude isthmic-cervical insufficiency.

“Another important aspect of the use of ultrasound in the second trimester is the study of the placenta, which allows you to establish presentation, premature detachment, determine the thickness of the placenta and diagnose various volumetric formations, blood clots, heart attacks or cysts, which is important for determining further pregnancy management tactics,” explains obstetrician-gynecologist Natalya Aboneeva. – It has been established that a decrease in the thickness of the placenta is more often observed with fetoplacental insufficiency and polyhydramnios, and an increase in immunoconflict pregnancy and diabetes.

Photo life

At the 20th week of pregnancy from conception, the fetus already weighs about 500 grams, and its length is about 26-28 cm. It is comparable in size to an eggplant.

– Fetal growth during pregnancy is an uneven process determined by genetics, as well as the state of the mother and placenta (the intensity of the uteroplacental circulation). Tall mothers (164 cm and above) weigh 250 grams more at birth than shorter mothers (158 cm and below). In addition, during the first pregnancy, the weight of the fetus is usually less than during a second pregnancy, says obstetrician-gynecologist Natalya Aboneeva.

For a period of 20 weeks, the bottom of the uterus is 13-14 cm above the pubic joint or 2-3 cm below the navel.

– As for the size of the abdomen in this period, then its “visibility” is individual. For example, in slender women it will be quite difficult to hide such a period, and in ladies with magnificent forms, the stomach can be almost invisible. In addition, in pregnant women with an emerging large fetus, polyhydramnios or multiple pregnancies, the rate of abdominal enlargement will significantly exceed physiological ones, and in case of oligohydramnios, on the contrary, they will be noticeably less, the gynecologist clarifies.

Thus, a photo of the abdomen at the 20th week of pregnancy is indicative only for thin women and ladies of ordinary physique, for women with curvaceous forms, little will be noticeable in the picture.

What happens to mom at 20 weeks

The volume of blood in the body of the expectant mother increases, and with it the condition of the woman may change. In the second trimester, doctors may detect iron deficiency or anemia – a decrease in hemoglobin. This is not very useful for the child, so you will have to adjust the diet, add buckwheat, dried fruits and meat to it. The doctor may also recommend vitamin complexes.

All due to the same volume of blood, nosebleeds or bleeding from the gums can occur. It’s not scary, bleeding from the genital tract looks much more suspicious. With them, you need to immediately run to the doctor.

At the 20th week of pregnancy, changes occur with the appearance of the mother. Pimples can appear on the skin, which means it’s time to stop eating sweet and fatty foods. To get rid of them, doctors advise washing your face twice a day and rubbing your face with herbal decoctions. Be careful with creams and lotions, study the composition, they should be safe for pregnant women.

Some women start to grow hair in unexpected places. Don’t worry, it’s all hormones, after giving birth everything should return to normal.

A brown pigment begins to be deposited on the face, nipples and skin around them. The reason for this is hormones, under the influence of which a pigment close to melanin is synthesized in the adrenal glands.

– Under the influence of this pigment, as well as against the background of mechanical stretching of the skin, pinkish-red pregnancy stripes appear, localized around the navel, in the lower abdomen, often on the hips and mammary glands. Unfortunately, they do not disappear after childbirth, but take the form of silvery-whitish scars, says the doctor.

In 2/3 of pregnant women, angiomas (“red moles”), telangiectasias (spider veins or spider veins), nevi (“moles”), as well as palmar erythema (reddening of the skin on the palms) may appear.

“These changes have no clinical significance and in most women they disappear immediately after childbirth, as a result of an increased level of estrogen,” explains gynecologist Natalya Aboneeva.

What sensations can you experience in 20 week

– By this stage of pregnancy, as a rule, drowsiness, tearfulness, increased irritability, nausea and vomiting in the morning, which manifest themselves in early pregnancy, gradually disappear in women. However, at the same time, the growing uterus begins to push back neighboring organs. For example, the stomach moves up and back, which, along with the effect of progesterone and the associated relaxation of the esophageal sphincter, contributes to the appearance of heartburn, says obstetrician-gynecologist Natalya Aboneeva.

Trouble can deliver constant urge to the toilet in a small way or constipation. Both are related to the pressure of the uterus on the bladder and intestines, respectively.

“Together with the gradual displacement of the abdominal organs, the vertical size of the chest also decreases and the frequency of respiratory movements increases, which means that a pregnant woman will breathe more often, her breaths will become less deep than before, and slight physical exertion can cause shortness of breath,” explains the gynecologist.

However, among the sensations there are also pleasant ones. This, of course, is the fetal movements that a woman will feel until the very birth.

– It is known that in primiparous these sensations begin from 18 weeks from conception, and in multiparous – from 16 weeks of pregnancy from conception. For a period of 19-20 weeks, they are still rare, but gradually their frequency should increase, the doctor clarifies.

Monthly

There can be several reasons for spotting at the 20th week of pregnancy from conception:

• placenta previa or ingrown placenta
• premature detachment of the placenta,
• rupture of the presenting vessels of the umbilical cord, soft tissues of the birth canal or uterus.

In addition, bleeding may be associated with increased sensitivity of the cervix. It can be irritated during an examination by a gynecologist or during sexual intercourse.

To figure out what exactly caused the bleeding, you should definitely consult a doctor. Rushing can save your baby’s life.

Stomach ache

– Throughout pregnancy, women may experience irregular, weak uterine contractions that improve blood circulation. Their activity normally increases after the 36th obstetric week of pregnancy. These rehearsal bouts are called Bragston Higgs. It is believed that in this way, under their influence, the cervix is ​​u20buXNUMXbgradually preparing for childbirth, – explains obstetrician-gynecologist Natalya Aboneeva. – For some women, these false contractions may appear even earlier, starting at XNUMX weeks.

According to doctors, unlike true labor pains, rehearsal rare and irregular contractions last up to a minute and can be repeated after 4-5 hours.

– Such contractions are often painless and are accompanied by slight pulling sensations in the lower abdomen and lumbar region. If you put your hand at this moment to the stomach, then you can clearly feel the uterus, which is denser than usual, – the gynecologist explains.

Brown discharge

Cinnamon discharge from the genital tract means that blood has clotted somewhere in the body. Like any bleeding, they should be an alarm for mom.

When such secretions appear, the pregnant woman should be sent to the hospital. There, she will undergo an ultrasound scan to establish the absence or presence of a detachment of the fetal egg, and hemostatic drugs will also be administered.

If abdominal pain is added to brown discharge, do not wait for an appointment with a doctor, it is better to call an ambulance right away.

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