Contents
Week 20 is a kind of milestone that completes the first half of pregnancy and symbolizes the end of the fifth obstetric month of 28 days. Now the baby for the expectant mother is not just an indefinite object: he moves, has a sleep and rest regimen, and responds to various influences.
Fruit – norms, sensations, activity
The facial expressions of the fetus are improving, now he knows how to blink, yawn and grimace. His mouth periodically opens, the baby makes swallowing movements, drinking some amniotic fluid. Subsequently, its components form the primary feces – meconium, which is released in the first days of a child’s life.
Fetal parameters at week 20:
Weight – 270-300 g;
Body length – 25-27 cm.
The baby’s skin now consists of 4 layers, so it is no longer transparent and smooth. Folds appear on its surface, it still retains its red color. The sebaceous glands work intensively, secreting a secret for the original lubricant, which protects against the macerative effect of the amniotic fluid. The whole body of the baby is covered with fluff, in place of hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, it grows more intensively. Fingernails and toenails have already formed.
The lungs of the child are at the stage of development, after a few weeks this will allow the child to imitate the first training breathing movements. This skill will be useful to the baby when he has to take his first breath.
The nervous system of the child develops and matures, his skills are improved – at this stage of pregnancy, he can already touch his face and torso with his fingers, suck them, take his hands on the umbilical cord, and move around in the uterine cavity.
At week 20, the auditory and visual apparatus of the unborn baby continues to form. He distinguishes loud sounds and even recognizes the mother’s voice by the timbre. The eyelids are already able to blink, although until this time the eyes were constantly closed. The first photoreceptors are born on the retina of the eyes.
The heartbeat of the fetus is clearly audible with a conventional stethoscope. All internal organs function properly.
Diagnosing a missed pregnancy
Fading pregnancy can occur at any time. The cause of this pathology is hormonal disorders, fetal developmental defects, the conflict of Rh factors in the blood of the mother and child. If in the early stages of pregnancy, her fading was difficult to immediately diagnose, then with the advent of movements, a woman can sound the alarm herself. It is important not to confuse the fading of pregnancy with a decrease in fetal activity during sleep.
Ultrasound, listening to the fetal heartbeat, will help confirm or refute the diagnosis. If the tragedy did happen, the woman is removed from the dead fetus and examined to determine the cause of the pregnancy fading. Then antibiotic therapy and psychotherapeutic treatment are prescribed. The recovery period can take from 6 months to a year.
Pregnancy with twins
The abdomen at the 20th week of pregnancy with twins increases significantly, as both children are actively developing and growing. The consequence of this is an increased load on the spine, frequent urination due to squeezing of the bladder. The psychological state of the pregnant woman improves significantly, as the threat of miscarriage decreases at this time.
On an ultrasound performed at this stage of pregnancy, you can already see how one baby hugs another and even takes him by the hand. Regular walks, wearing a bandage, an optimal diet when a pregnant woman eats in small portions, but often, will help to endure this difficult period much easier.
Optimal weight at 20 weeks
For the entire period of pregnancy, weight gain of no more than 15-17 kg is allowed. No wonder body weight is monitored throughout the prenatal period, a woman is weighed at each visit to the antenatal clinic. Excessive fullness can significantly complicate the course of childbirth, so weight must be monitored. Normally, the difference between body weight in the first weeks of pregnancy and at week 20 should not be more than 3-6 kg. From this period, the optimal weight gain is no more than 500 g per week.
Nutrition recommendations
This part of the lifestyle of a pregnant woman is extremely important for the formation and development of the fetus. It is important to provide the child with material for growth and at the same time not to gain excess weight. Therefore, when forming a diet, you should follow the recommendations of a doctor. Most likely, he will advise building a menu mainly on light protein foods, including lean meat and fish, dairy products, herbs, fruits and vegetables.
Marinades and pickles, smoked meats and fatty semi-finished products, canned food are excluded from the diet of the expectant mother. The use of alcohol, products with dyes and preservatives, factory-made carbonated drinks is completely excluded.
To optimize the drinking regimen, weak tea with milk, berry fruit drinks, fresh fruit and dried fruit compote, and clean water are used. To provide all the needs of the body will help the daily rate of at least 2 liters of fluid per day. There is no need to be afraid that such a drinking regimen will provoke edema. Excessive salt intake is responsible for their appearance and increased blood pressure.
Salt negatively affects the condition of the walls of blood vessels, contributes to the concentration of excess fluid in the body, so the presence of salt in food should be limited. When overweight appears, you need to reconsider your diet, include more vegetable fiber in it, less simple carbohydrates. But complex carbohydrates will only benefit a pregnant woman. They are obtained from bran bread, cereals, legumes.
The main way of cooking is boiling, steaming, baking. Fried and smoked foods provoke heartburn and excess weight.
Intimate life
At week 20, sexual relations may well continue, although not with the same intensity as before pregnancy. Do not be afraid that the child may be harmed. It is reliably protected by the uterus and amniotic fluid. Contraindications to sexual relations may be the threat of miscarriage, placenta previa, twin pregnancy.
Special problems at 20 weeks pregnant
Despite the fact that most women have an easy pregnancy at this time, sometimes there are special problems:
Leakage of amniotic fluid. If you pass amniotic fluid within a few hours, you should seek emergency medical attention. Treatment in a hospital will help maintain pregnancy and prevent infection of the fetus.
Constipation. The pregnant uterus compresses the intestines, thereby increasing the likelihood of constipation. An additional cause of defecation disorders is hormonal changes. To prevent constipation, you should drink plenty of fluids, introduce more vegetable fiber into the diet, eat dried apricots, prunes.
Decreased hemoglobin level. At the 20th week of pregnancy, there is a high probability of the appearance of physiological anemia in pregnant women, when the level of hemoglobin decreases due to an increase in the volume of circulating blood, which occurs against the background of a decrease in its density due to an increase in the proportion of liquid components. In this way, the blood of mother and child is better supplied with oxygen and nutrients. However, the level of hemoglobin, reduced to 110-115 g / l, requires special therapy – taking iron-containing drugs, introducing liver, beef, pomegranate fruits and juice from it, apples into the diet.
Isolation of colostrum from the mammary glands. The release of a sticky substance from the nipples can begin as early as 16 weeks. This is how the mammary glands are prepared to produce milk after childbirth. In no case should you express colostrum, so as not to provoke an increase in the tone of the uterus. You should wear bras made from natural materials, put special pads in them.
Video about the dangers of household appliances and electromagnetic radiation for pregnant women, varicose veins, features of fetal development: