Everything You Wanted To Know About Second Trimester Pregnancy

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. Many changes will still continue to take place inside your body, as your baby is growing faster, putting on weight, and you are getting closer to labor.

Here 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. You will start experiencing a lot of kicking and twisting! With all the organs almost completely formed, the baby will become very active. Your abdomen will start getting heavier with every passing week.

When you visit your doctor during this week, 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 grows day by day. From the eighteenth week, the baby's digestive system will start functioning. The little one 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 protect her from the wet surroundings.

This layer plays a very important role at the time of birth because the baby comes out of your vagina quite easily due to the waxiness. The changes you 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. If you are carrying 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 start developing. The other organs are also almost completely developed now. Since the baby is still growing, that might exert an increased pressure on your abdomen that could cause lower back pain during the 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 preterm 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 should 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 towards the third and final stage of pregnancy from second trimester pregnancy, which is also sometimes referred to as the baby stage.