The term “Teenage Pregnancy” means bearing of pregnancy by a girl who has not attained adulthood, usually between the ages of 13 – 19.  In some countries, it is due to child marriages, rape, poverty, but in other countries, it may be the result of long time dating. It is the result of voluntary or involuntary sexual intercourse between a girl and boy. Usually, the average age of menarche in various countries including U.S.A is 12 years old, but the age is descending. Presently, a girl can get pregnant at the age of 10 or 11 also. Teenage pregnancy pours lots of problems for the expecting mother in any country. Society behaves with the expecting girl with extreme indignity. Therefore, it is becoming a social issue on which many studies and campaigns are prevalent. Many women institutions are raising this issue at large scale to make the population aware about its ill-effects, thus trying to reduce or stop teenage pregnancy.

The sign of pregnancy can be diagnosed by urine test. It can be also detected by pelvic examination by a gynecologist, who declares purple coloration of vaginal walls with enlargement of uterus and further ultrasound is done to confirm it. It carries risk to the body of the expecting mother, as they do not know about prenatal care. They are prone to high blood pressure, alcohol drinking, smoking, and unscheduled eating patterns resulting in low weight of child. They are frightened to tell their parents, and thus, face more difficulties such as confusion, fear, lack of sleep, frustration, and isolation.

The expecting mother should take quick decision in this stage of pregnancy. They have to either abort or offer the child for adoption. As abortion is possible only till 3 months or 12 weeks of pregnancy, she should talk to the family without any fear or go to any women centre to seek advice and help as it is the question of life and death of two people – the expecting mother and baby.

At the stage of pregnancy when a woman is 26 weeks pregnant, her blood pressure starts rising rapidly, swelling in the hand and feet, she feels more pressure at the back, blurry vision, abdominal pain, headaches, pain in the ribs due to weight gain of the baby and sleep disorder. Change in the weight takes place by passage of time every day.

Woman should visit the doctor regularly in the 26 weeks pregnancy. Regular check-ups are a must with the doctor, who should check the pregnancy health, blood pressure, and weight of the expecting woman on every visit. Anti-tetanus shot should be given and another ultrasound is done to check the complete growth of the baby. Also, blood tests are done to know about the presence of prenatal diabetes or presence of any genetic defects, if any, in the baby. All these regular check ups are essential and should not be postponed at any cost to avoid risk to the fetus or the bearer in future.

In the 26 week pregnancy, expectant mother should make a bag comprising of baby clothes, diapers, baby milk bottles, towel and other baby products so that she should carry these immediately at the time of delivery. She should take frequent small protein diet but low fat diet.  Woman should avoid sitting for long intervals at a stretch and not do frequent bending at the waist. She should also start thinking about keeping a nurse at home to take care of the baby on his arrival and paste beautiful pictures of babies with good face and tinkling blue eyes.

The different on line pregnancy related web sites are great sites telling about the development of baby week by week. They give a concrete knowledge to the expecting parents. To become more knowledgeable about the ways and means to go about when going through pregnancy, the pregnant woman must visit the site for current articles and discussions.

The end period of second trimester is defined as 26 weeks pregnant, with baby growing to 15 inches in length. The pregnant woman’s fetus starts adding a little fat to his bones and development of heart continues to grow. The heart beat can be heard through a stethoscope placed on the stomach of the expecting mother. Pumping of blood in the heart begins. The lungs of baby start developing blood vessels to make him prepare for life after coming out of mother’s womb. Organ maturation takes place and baby develops good sense of touch and sound.

The baby will start jumping every now and then in the womb on hearing loud music. Some parents therefore start enjoying reading books to them at this time. Eyes development is complete and baby will enter into the field of opening and blinking of eyes. Network of nerves to ear completes and blood circulation begins in the body of baby and placenta grows almost to the size of him. The umbilical cord thickens due to filling of nutrients in it. Fingernails and toenails develop and become prominent. Baby continues to breathe in the amniotic fluid and baby boys experience more growth as their testicles begin to descend in the scrotum. Baby shows movements in the mother’s body.

In the stage of 26 weeks pregnant, owing to increasing pregnancy health the normal clothes do not fit to woman as the uterus of the woman grows to 2.5 inches above belly button and has sensations under the ribs. She feels heartburn, weight gain, cramps in the muscles. She starts feeling slight contractions in the uterus which is called as Braxton-Hicks Contractions. Woman should, therefore, need to relax more. She should engage herself in light works and regularly do walking and stretching, as this will prepare the body for labor and birth.

Many tests are also performed during 16 weeks pregnancy such as AFP test, which is a blood test to detect abnormalities like Down’s Syndrome. Amniocentesis is done in women above the age of 35 years to detect birth defects, if there is an earlier history of it. This test helps in finding out the chromosomal defects, if any, in the fetus. Ultrasound is also done to check the complete development of baby. Gender detection test can also be performed at this time of pregnancy.

16 weeks pregnancy is the stage of thinking for ‘parents to become’. They have to start preparing their lives by thinking about how to welcome the coming family member, making their wills, getting life insurances and other money saving patterns. They have to also register their name in some hospital for birth and care of the baby. They should start decorating their baby nursery with colorful things.

Healthcare providers recommend a pregnancy health tip that during 16 week pregnancy, women should sleep on one side as lying on the back can increase the pressure on the vena cava, the blood vessel returning blood to heart. She can also use a full-length body pillow which helps in side sleeping more easily. Back pain is the common complaint at this time. So the pregnant woman must take care that the back ache does not aggravate to an unbearable level. In case it happens, one must seek the counsel of an expert medical practitioner.

The details mentioned at the various pregnancy information sites gives week by week growth of the fetus and help the ‘would-be’ parents to know and learn more about the changes and developments in their baby as well as the woman. To get more knowledgeable, the 16 week pregnant woman visit this site and read or surf on the current articles with complete details.

The pregnancy health of a woman entering into 16 weeks pregnancy is termed as second trimester, which has an increase in the growth of the baby size to 5 inches with a weight of 4 ounces. The uterus and placenta of woman has also grown to 8.75 ounces to accommodate the growing baby in it.

The baby, in this stage, can hold his head erect; its eyes and ears have moved to their exact position. The development of circulatory and urinary system has taken place. The amniotic fluid is increasing surrounding the baby. His fingers and toes become more defined and he becomes playful by doing acts of pulling the umbilical cord, sucking his thumb, somersaulting and grabbing in the womb.  He can smile, frown and open his mouth and respond to visual speculation. Muscles in the back gains strength and baby can straighten himself. Baby looks bony as there is no development of a layer of fat. Body of baby is covered with fine hair known as ‘lanugo’.

16 weeks pregnancy brings many changes in the women also. She starts enjoying her pregnancy as it is the most favorite time of pregnancy, energy levels increases, milk glands starts producing milk resulting in tenderness and swelling of breasts, heart beating becomes louder, increased blood flow, frequent urination, constipation, lustrous hair due to increased levels of estrogen, bleeding gums, nasal stuffiness.

As the child shows first fetal movements during this stage, women may feel some fluttering in the stomach which she may confuse it with the gas bubbles. A growing belly with a bump can be observed, but the growth varies from one woman to another. Women have to start buying maternity clothes from now onward. She has a shiny and glowing face due to secretion of more hormones and increased blood flow, but she becomes prone to common cold and flu.