Pregnancy is a wonderful condition in which a woman feels like a real goddess. Another tiny heart beats under her heart. It will take quite a bit of time and she will meet with her baby.
In the meantime, every week brings something new, there are changes in the body of a woman and a child. Week 18 is one of the most remarkable. It is at this time that many girls feel the first movements of their baby.
What happens to the baby, the size of the fetus
18 weeks gestation is four and a half months. The second trimester continues and brings new sensations for the woman. The fruit continues to grow rapidly.
Its legs and arms are fully formed. A fingerprint pattern appeared on the fingertips. This week, the genitals are fully formed, so during an ultrasound, the future mom can already know the sex of her baby.
At week 18, the immune system and the brain actively develop, and adipose tissue is formed.
Even now, in a tiny organism, immunoglobulin and interferon are being produced, which help to fight various infections and viruses.
The kid has the beginnings of molars, which are much deeper than the rudiments of milk teeth. The eyes of the child are still closed, but he reacts to the bright light penetrating the mummy's tummy.
At week 18, the fetus distinguishes sounds. It is advisable for a woman not to be in rooms with loud music. It's time to start singing lullabies to your baby, listen to beautiful and quiet music more often, talk to your child.
At this period, the length of the fetus exceeds 14 cm, and the weight is almost 200 g. He has enough space in the uterus, so the baby is actively moving, often turning over. Such gymnastics is very useful for him and has a positive effect on the muscular system and brain.
Changes in the body of a woman
At this time, a woman cannot hide her interesting position. The tummy was rounded and the gait changed. The thing is that the center of gravity shifts and the posture changes. This leads to an increase in the load on the spine.
At week 18, the uterus and further increases. In size, it resembles a small melon. The uterus is a couple of centimeters below the navel. Her growth can cause heartburn and shortness of breath.
At this period, a normal weight gain is 4-6 kg. If a woman is gaining more, then you need to adjust her diet. But this can only be done by the attending physician.
At week 18, the future mother actively increases the breast and its sensitivity increases. The shape of the nipples becomes more convex, their color changes. And on the chest appears venous mesh.
Already at this time, the formation of colostrum begins in the mammary glands. If mommy will notice a few drops of translucent liquid on the nipples, then do not panic. Small selections are allowed.
How does the movement?
As a rule, mommy feels the first movements of the fetus at week 20, but during the second and subsequent pregnancies, the tremors of her baby can be heard at week 18. This is the average data. Slender women feel the movement of the baby earlier than plump moms.
A number of factors affect a child's movement activity:
- Times of Day. The child behaves more actively at night and in the evening;
- The psychological state of the pregnant. When mommy feels a sense of fear or is in a stressful state, the baby can lurk or, on the contrary, be too active;
- Physical exercise. The woman feels the strongest pushes when she is at rest;
- Power mommies. If a woman is hungry, the child is actively moving. So it affects the lack of glucose;
- Environment. A baby can respond to too loud sounds with active jolts or, on the contrary, is hiding;
- Inconvenient posture mommies.
Normally, fetal movement may be absent for 3-4 hours. At this time, the baby can sleep. You should constantly monitor the movements of your baby, as it is a kind of indicator of its well-being.
Stormy, even painful, or very weak shocks may indicate acute hypoxia of the fetus. This woman should immediately inform your doctor.
Discharges and pains at obstetric week 18
A growing uterus can trigger disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. Constipation, increased gas formation will lead to abdominal pain. To get rid of them, you need to adhere to proper nutrition.
Also, a pregnant woman may feel nagging pains on the sides of the abdomen. They arise from the stretching of the ligaments, which make it harder to hold the uterus.
In this case, painful sensations occur periodically, most often when rising from a bed or chair, during coughing. A woman feels discomfort rather than a sharp pain. Such manifestations do not carry any danger.
But the aching, pulling pain in the lower abdomen, which does not pass quickly and has a cramping character, is an occasion to consult a doctor immediately. If this is not done on time, then abortion is quite possible.
Normal for the 18th week of pregnancy from conception are moderate, dairy or light discharge. The increase in estrogen levels in the female body during this period may lead to an increase in the amount of secretions.
But their character should not change. Gray-green, yellow color, the presence of pus and foamy structure - this is a pathology, which may indicate the presence of infection of the genital tract.
The disease may also be accompanied by itching and burning in the genital area.
This woman must necessarily report to the doctor, who will prescribe the appropriate tests and treatment.
Ultrasound, tests and examinations
At this time, the attending physician may prescribe a second scheduled ultrasound scan. During the survey, Mommy can already be told the floor of her baby. But ultrasound, first of all, is performed to identify pathologies and congenital heart defects, Down syndrome.
It also assesses the condition of the placenta and the timely detection of possible abnormalities. The ultrasound determines the weight of the child, the circumference of its head and tummy.
At week 18, only a general urine test is performed to monitor kidney function. But this is provided that the pregnancy proceeds normally.
Possible hazards
At this time, the greatest danger is a frozen pregnancy, that is, the fetus dies, but remains in the uterus. In this case, the body does not give any signals, so the woman may not immediately know about the trouble that has happened.
Of course, the most dangerous period for the development of the fetus is the first trimester, but in the period of 16-18 weeks, missed abortion is very common.
The most common causes are bad habits, exacerbation of chronic diseases, infections, intake of strong medicines. At this time, it is very difficult for a woman to identify a missed abortion, especially if she has not yet felt the movements of the child.
On the death of the fetus may indicate the presence of brownish discharge and aching pain in the lower abdomen. Pregnancy can be determined by ultrasound.
If such a misfortune has occurred, it is necessary to urgently carry out curettage of the uterus in order to avoid the occurrence of inflammatory processes. After missed abortion, a new attempt to have a baby can be made only after 6-12 months.
18th week sex
The second trimester is the ideal time to renew intimate relationships with your husband if you have abandoned them for the period of toxemia.
The size of the tummy is still quite small, so it will not interfere during intimacy, Mommy's well-being has improved, so there are no obstacles for the new sensations.
Sex should be abandoned if a low location of the placenta is diagnosed, amniotic fluid is leaking, there are other factors of abortion.
Nutrition pregnant
By week 18, strong appetite replaces toxicosis. But it’s not worth eating “for two”, a quick weight gain will not bring benefit to anyone.
The child is no longer considered an embryo, but a fetus. For its development and active growth, the nutrition of a woman should be balanced. The future mom should refuse to accept too fatty foods, smoked foods and alcoholic beverages.
To a minimum you need to reduce the amount of sweets and flour. This will avoid the development of diabetes in pregnant women.
In the diet it is necessary to include foods with a high content of folic acid, iron and vitamin C.
Meals should be fractional doses, do not overeat, especially at night. The future mother should pay special attention to foods high in calcium, but you should not forget about vegetables and fruits either.
If you adhere to proper nutrition, then the weight will remain normal, and the fetus will receive all the necessary substances and trace elements.
To meet the body's need for iron, buckwheat cereal, beef liver and tomato juice should be included in your diet. A large amount of folic acid is found in apple-celery juice. Most of all calcium - in cottage cheese, hard varieties of cheese, sea fish.
Mom should stop eating exotic fruits, vegetables of bright color and berries. It is better to opt for seasonal vegetables and fruits. Dairy products, meat and fish should be present on your table every day. More benefit will bring dishes, steamed or grilled.
It is also necessary to include in the diet unrefined sunflower and olive oil, which contain saturated amino acids. Porridges, pureed vegetables, mashed soups are considered useful at this time.
Dishes of this consistency are well absorbed and do not give a special load on the digestive system.
Week 18 is the best time to establish psychological contact with your baby, talk to him, read fairy tales to him, sing lullabies. Enjoy your beautiful position.
Also about the 18th week of pregnancy additional information can be found in the following video.
