|
In comparison to the first and third trimester, life during the second trimester pregnancy is much easier. This is the time period between week 14 and week 26. You will have the best time of your pregnancy term in this trimester. The intensity of morning sickness will greatly reduce. You will in fact probably feel a burst of energy. The changes experienced during the first trimester will disappear during this stage. However, many changes will continue to take place inside your body, as your baby is growing faster, putting on weight and you are getting closer to labor. Following is a brief rundown on the changes happening week by week during the second trimester pregnancy.
Pregnancy Week 16
The baby's legs have grown now and you will start experiencing a lot of kicking and twisting. With all the organs almost completely formed, the baby has now become very active. Your abdomen will start to get heavier with every passing week now on-wards. When you visit your doctor during this week, make sure that you also talk about amniocentesis. It is a process that tests your amniotic fluid in order to check any possibility of birth defects in the baby.
Pregnancy Week 17 - Pregnancy Week 19
You will gain much more weight because your baby is growing day by day. From the eighteenth week, the baby's digestive system will start functioning. The baby is also capable of opening her eyes now during second trimester pregnancy. By the end of the nineteenth week, a waxy substance covers the baby in order to provide her protection from her wet surroundings. This layer plays a very important role at the time of birth because the baby comes out of your vaginal quite easily. The changes that you may experience during this week may include boils and rashes, dry skin, and mood swings.
Pregnancy Week 21 - Pregnancy Week 23
The 21st week will not bring any new changes, but if there are twins, you are likely to experience swelling of feet. This happens mainly because of edema. During the 22nd week, the sex organs and brain of the baby starts developing while the other organs are also almost completely developed now. Since the baby is still growing, it may exert increased pressure on your abdomen that may cause lower back pain during second trimester pregnancy. By the end of the 23rd week, the baby will become hyperactive. This is the time when you should be very watchful of symptoms like contractions, spotting, or bleeding. It may be an indication for pre-term labor. You should contact your doctor immediately as soon as you notice such symptoms.
Pregnancy Week 24 To Pregnancy Week 26
There are several things that you need to do during the last three weeks. For example, you should visit your doctor for a prenatal check up. The objective is to avoid any chances of gestational diabetes. The back pain may get severe by the end of the 26th week because the baby is still growing, developing spinal column, veins and arteries. The respiratory system of the baby is also almost completely formed.
You are now moving to the third and final stage of pregnancy from second trimester pregnancy, which is also sometimes referred to as baby stage. |