Everything to know about the second trimester of pregnancy
Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful feelings for a woman. The mere thought of carrying a life inside one’s body is an emotion that can’t be shadowed by anything else. However, even though this entire period of nine months is filled with beautiful moments, unforgettable memories, and more, there is no denying that pregnancy is tough. From mood swings to back pain, swelling of the feet, food cravings, and so on, are some of the significant difficulties a woman has to go through.
Moreover, being a mother for the first time is full of challenges, owing to the absence of help and guidance. As you will have so many questions in mind with almost no answers for them, tackling the pregnancy won't be easy. Owing to this reason, we have explained here some of the facts that you must know about the second trimester of pregnancy- the transition period from finding out that you are pregnant to prepare for childbirth.
Duration of the second trimester of the pregnancy
Usually, the second trimester of the pregnancy lasts for fourteen weeks, starting from the 4th month or 14th week to the 6th month or 27th week of the entire gestation period. Sometimes, the duration may change, but that entirely depends on the specific case.
A few common physical changes during the second trimester
During the second trimester, your body will undergo many changes, mainly physical transformations. These happen as your body starts preparing itself to accommodate the growing baby, formation of the placenta and developing the amniotic sac, and widening the uterus and cervix. Owing to all these, some of the changes that you must keep an eye on are:
You can see your feet and ankles swell due to more water accumulation and the bodyweight you will put on.
Expect to put on more body weight due to the female sex hormones that will add fat to some areas like the thighs, hips, stomach, face, and more.
You may occasionally find your legs suffering from cramps as you start progressing towards the third trimester.
Even though it is rare, some women can feel sudden, shooting pain in their lower abdomen or throbbing pain in the lower back.
Sometimes, your BP may get lowered because your body will push more blood to the embryo’s growth through the placenta.
Due to an increase in weight, you may suffer from varicose veins in your calf muscles.
Baby's growth during the second trimester
During the second trimester, your fetus will grow the most, with the nails, hair, and skin developing further, arms and feet growing, etc. You can often feel little kicks and jabs after the 21st week when your baby will start to move around. Around the 22nd week, your baby's sense organs will ultimately develop. The baby will open its eyes in some cases even though there won't be any vision. If you go to the ultrasound around the 20th week, you can hear the heartbeat clearly, bringing a massive smile.
A brief checklist for a happy and safe second trimester
Establish a proper routine for frequent and periodic checkups with the doctor, follow-ups, and more.
Schedule the ultrasound to check the baby's growth rate, health, placenta formation, and amniotic sac.
Make sure to go for a blood test to examine the blood glucose level, bilirubin and biliverdin, and other parameters.
Do get immunized with all the necessary protection you will need, especially for typhoid, tuberculosis, jaundice, and influenza.
Conclusion
There is no denying that the second trimester is the busiest as you go through so many drastic changes in your lifestyle and health. To deal with all these shifts, you must stay in constant physical monitoring and live a healthy lifestyle. Make sure to maintain the diet, exercise regime, and safety precautions. You can visit Medipulse hospital for the best gynecological treatments.