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At week 22, the sixth calendar month of the second trimester of pregnancy continues. According to the obstetric method, five and a half months of the gestational period has passed. Behind the equator of pregnancy, that is, its middle, all the tissues and organs of the unborn child are formed. Many mothers have already passed the mandatory screening of the second trimester and made sure that their baby is developing without pathologies. There is the most cloudless period of pregnancy.
Fetal development at 22 weeks
The nervous system of the baby is improving, new convolutions are formed on the surface of the brain, additional connections appear between neurons and different segments of the spinal cord and brain. A more mature nervous system provides more opportunities for motor activity. The child is no longer chaotic, but purposefully moves his arms and legs.
Now he can take his hand by the leg or by the other hand, wrap his hand around the umbilical cord. On ultrasound, you can see how identical twins at this stage of pregnancy touch each other and even hold hands. It is possible that this happens by accident, but to see such an interaction is very touching. In addition to a positive effect on the development of movements, the maturing nervous system helps the child to better feel the impact of the world around him. The baby feels a touch on the stomach from the outside, reacts to loud sounds and the bright light of a lamp brought too close.
Fetal parameters:
Weight – 350-400-450 g;
Height – 25-27 cm;
Heart rate – 140-160 beats per minute.
The skeletal system becomes more perfect, which allows the baby to show its presence quite noticeably for the mother. Changes occur in the structure of the spine at week 22 – intervertebral discs and vertebrae are formed, an increasing amount of calcium is deposited.
The heart is actively working, pumping blood through the vessels with high intensity. His beating at this time can be heard by simply putting your ear to the belly of a pregnant woman. Do not be upset if relatives cannot hear the child’s heartbeat – clear sensations will appear when the baby takes a certain position.
Nails, hair on the body and on the head of the fetus, eyebrows and eyelashes also grow. There is still too little melanin in thin and transparent hair, so it is still difficult to determine their color.
Viability outside the environment of the mother’s body in such a baby is extremely low. In medical practice, there are cases when children who were born at 22 weeks as a result of an interrupted pregnancy, with modern equipment and proper care, still survived.
Pain and its prevention
The most common cause of pain at the 22nd week of pregnancy is an increased load on the spine and back muscles due to an enlarged abdomen and a shift in the center of gravity of the body.
To relieve and prevent pain, the following measures should be taken:
Limit long walking and physical activity;
Choose a comfortable chair with an orthopedic back and use only it;
Do not wear shoes with heels and shoes with absolutely flat soles;
Do not sit continuously for more than an hour;
Perform a daily set of gymnastics exercises for pregnant women.
Lower back pain can be a sign of diseases of the urinary system, which is experiencing an increased load during this period. These are pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, complications of cystitis. If a woman is observed in a antenatal clinic, the manifestations of these pathologies will necessarily be reflected in urine tests. A gynecologist will recommend treatment by a urologist, because kidney problems are extremely dangerous for the normal course of pregnancy and childbirth.
Another problem of this period of pregnancy is hemorrhoids, which occurs due to the fact that the pregnant uterus compresses the vessels and impairs the blood supply to the pelvic organs. For its treatment, candles are used, which should be selected by a specialist, taking into account the condition of the woman. To stimulate intestinal motility, it is desirable to use foods high in fiber in the diet.
Intimate Relationships
Due to the increased blood supply to the pelvic organs, a woman at week 22 may feel an increased sexual desire. Do not give up sex, fearing for the health of the fetus. It is reliably protected by the uterus and amniotic fluid from physical influence from the outside.
Contraindications to intimate contacts at this time:
Low placentation;
Increased tone of the uterus;
twin pregnancy;
Inflammatory diseases of the reproductive organs;
Risk of miscarriage.
A gynecologist will definitely tell you about these contraindications.
Optimal weight at 22 weeks
Considering that before giving birth, a woman should gain no more than 11-16 kg, by week 22 the difference between the initial and gained weight should not exceed 8 kg. This mass includes the weight of the baby, placenta, amniotic fluid, enlarged uterus, increased blood volume, and total body fluid. The weekly weight gain is approximately equal to 300-500 g, and the weight is normally added not in jumps, but evenly.
How to arrange proper nutrition
To control weight, you need to properly compose a daily diet. The source of complete protein is lean meat, fish, and dairy products. To replenish calcium reserves, you should more often include kefir, fermented baked milk, hard and soft cheeses, cottage cheese, natural yogurts in the menu. The same products with the additional use of prunes, dried apricots and other dried fruits will help solve the problem of constipation.
To prevent edema, you need to consume less salt, which retains water in the body. Marinades, pickles, smoked meats should be excluded from the diet, since increased salt rates are used for their preparation.
Sweets, sugar, pastries made from wheat flour are foods with a high content of carbohydrates. They contribute to excessive weight gain, can provoke the development of diabetes in pregnant women. It is better to include sources of carbohydrates in the diet, such as cereals, bran bread or whole grain bread.
An obligatory part of the menu is vegetables and fruits, which are consumed both fresh and stewed, boiled and baked. It is best to eat fractionally – in small portions, but often, including the most high-calorie foods in the breakfast and lunch menu.
Special Issues
Although late toxicosis most often appears in the third trimester, sometimes it occurs in the second half of pregnancy.
Its main features:
The appearance of protein in the urine;
Edema of the extremities;
High blood pressure.
Preeclampsia is very dangerous not only for health, but also for the life of the mother and child. It can be provoked by pathologies of the cardiovascular and urinary system of a woman, when pregnancy provokes an exacerbation of diseases. Late toxicosis also appears in healthy women if they are overworked, malnourished, exposed to toxins, have bad habits or a hereditary predisposition.
Treatment of preeclampsia is carried out in a hospital in bed rest. Body weight, protein content in urine, blood pressure, fetal condition are monitored.
In order for the pregnancy to pass without complications, you should follow the doctor’s recommendations, eat right, and prevent edema, varicose veins and constipation.
Video about the benefits of yoga for a pregnant woman, about the development of the baby’s nervous system, about the parameters of the second trimester ultrasound: