The 2nd Trimester

What Yous Need to Know

  • During your 2d trimester prenatal visits, your health care provider will go along to check on your and your baby's health, including monitoring the fetal heartbeat.
  • The second trimester is the nearly physically enjoyable for most women. Morning sickness unremarkably lessens by this time, and the extreme tiredness and chest tenderness usually ease up.
  • Your fetus has at present developed all its organs and systems and will now begin to abound in length and weight.
  • Y'all may exist able to experience the move of the fetus for the first fourth dimension at around xx weeks. This phenomenon is called quickening.
  • A fetus born at the end of 24 weeks may survive in a neonatal intensive care unit of measurement.

Prenatal Visits During the Second Trimester

During your second and third trimester prenatal visits, your health care provider may check the following, depending on your electric current medical condition and the health of the fetus:

  • Whatsoever current symptoms or discomforts

  • Your weight

  • Your blood pressure

  • Urine exam. This is done to find albumin, a protein that may bespeak pre-eclampsia or toxemia, and glucose (which may indicate hyperglycemia).

  • Growth, size and development of the fetus

  • Size of the uterus. After approximately 12 weeks of gestation, the uterus tin be felt through the abdominal wall.

  • Height of the fundus (elevation of the uterus), starting at twenty weeks of gestation

  • Fetal heartbeat

The 2d Trimester: What to Look

The second trimester marks a turning point for the mother and fetus. Yous will usually begin to feel amend and beginning showing the pregnancy more than. Your fetus has now developed all its organs and systems and will now begin growing in length and weight.

During the second trimester, the umbilical cord continues to thicken as it carries nourishment to the fetus. Nevertheless, harmful substances as well pass through the umbilical cord to the fetus, so care should exist taken to avoid alcohol, tobacco and other known hazards.

During the second trimester, both your body and the fetus proceed to grow.

Johns Hopkins Infirmary Designated every bit Baby-Friendly

The Infant-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a global program launched by the World Health Organization and the United nations Children's Fund, has designated The Johns Hopkins Hospital as Baby-Friendly. This designation is given to hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and female parent-infant bonding.

The Second Trimester: Changes to Your Body

The 2nd trimester is the nearly physically enjoyable for most women. Morning sickness normally lessens by this time, and the extreme tiredness and chest tenderness normally ease up. These changes can be attributed to a decrease in levels of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone and an adjustment to the levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones.

The post-obit is a list of changes and symptoms that may happen during the second trimester:

  • Appetite may increase.

  • You may be able to feel the movement of the fetus for the showtime time effectually 20 weeks. This phenomenon is called quickening.

  • The uterus grows to the height of the umbilicus around 20 weeks, making the pregnancy visible.

  • The skin on the belly may itch as it grows, and there may be pain down the sides of the torso as the uterus stretches. The lower tummy may ache equally ligaments stretch to support the uterus.

  • The need to urinate ofttimes may decrease as the uterus grows out of the pelvic cavity, relieving pressure level on the bladder.

  • Your nose may become congested, and you may experience nosebleeds. This is due to the increase in hormones (estrogen and progesterone) and blood menstruum that affect the mucous membranes and blood vessels in the nose.

  • Your gums go spongier and may bleed easily. This is due to the increase in hormones (estrogen and progesterone) that affect the mucous membranes in the oral fissure.

  • Varicose veins and hemorrhoids may appear.

  • You may have a white-colored vaginal discharge called leukorrhea. (A colored or bloody discharge may point possible complications and should be examined immediately.)

  • The increasing weight proceeds may cause backaches.

  • Skin pigmentation may change on the confront or abdomen due to the pregnancy hormones.

  • Heart burn, indigestion and constipation may continue.

The 2d Trimester: Fetal Development

Now that all the major organs and systems have formed in the fetus, the post-obit 6 months will be spent growing. The weight of your fetus will multiply more than seven times over the next few months, equally the fetus becomes a baby that can survive outside of the uterus.

An illustration showing fetal growth from 8 to 40 weeks.

Past the end of the 2nd trimester, your fetus will be about 13 to sixteen inches long and counterbalance about two to iii pounds. Fetal development during the 2nd trimester includes the following:

  • The fetus kicks, moves and can plough from side to side.

  • The eyes have been gradually moving to the front of the face, and the ears have moved from the neck to the sides of the head. The fetus can hear your vocalism.

  • A flossy white substance (called vernix caseosa, or simply vernix) begins to appear on the fetus and helps to protect the thin fetal skin. Vernix is gradually absorbed by the skin, but some may exist seen on babies even after birth.

  • The fetus is developing reflexes, similar swallowing and sucking.

  • The fetus can reply to sure stimuli.

  • The placenta is fully developed.

  • The encephalon volition undergo its well-nigh important flow of growth from the fifth calendar month on.

  • Fingernails accept grown on the tips of the fingers and toes, and the fingers and toes are fully separated.

  • The fetus goes through cycles of sleep and wakefulness.

  • Skin is wrinkly and red, covered with soft, downy pilus (chosen lanugo).

  • Hair is growing on the head of the fetus.

  • Fat begins to accumulate in the fetus.

  • Eyelids are first to open, and the eyebrows and eyelashes are visible.

  • Fingerprints and toeprints have formed.

  • Rapid growth is standing in fetal size and weight.

  • The 20th calendar week marks the halfway betoken of the pregnancy.

A fetus built-in at the terminate of 24 weeks may survive in a neonatal intensive care unit.