What changes in the 11th week of pregnancy regarding the abdomen and fetal size? What month is it, and why is gestational age still reported in weeks? Does an 11-week ultrasound reveal the baby's gender ? What about the risk of miscarriage?
It will take more than half a year to wait for a baby, but in the 11th week of pregnancy, the new organism moves from embryonic to fetal phase, which will continue until birth. The curiosity of future mothers about what the baby looks like at 11 weeks can be satisfied to some extent thanks to ultrasound images.
11 weeks of pregnancy: ultrasound still using the vaginal method
In about a week, the fetus will be large enough for a transducer scan to be performed through the abdomen. At 11 weeks of pregnancy, ultrasound is still performed with a vaginal probe – this method is also used later, for example, to assess the length of the cervix or placenta. An ultrasound at 11 weeks will reveal that the fetus is 33-42 mm long, measured from the crown of the head to the buttocks (the CRL measurement does not include the length of the still-curled legs) and weighs 45 g . As in previous weeks, knowing the fetus' size at 11 weeks of pregnancy allows for a fairly precise date of conception.
In the first weeks of pregnancy, the ultrasound does not show "what the baby looks like", but the 11th week is the time when the mother can see her future offspring quite clearly. It is also worth taking pictures of the abdomen to document changes taking place in the body in this way.
11 weeks pregnant: what month and trimester is it?
The size of the fetus increases by 1 mm or more per day – the difference is noticeable from day to day, not to mention week to week. Later in pregnancy, the fetus's size does not change as rapidly, and its body is properly formed – however, knowing the month is not enough. To accurately time all observed symptoms and ailments and communicate this information to a doctor, the expectant mother should be aware at every stage not only of the month but also of the week of pregnancy she is in. Week 11 is already the third month – thus, the end of the first trimester is approaching. It is important to remember that the actual gestational age is determined not only by the date of the last menstrual period , but primarily by a first-trimester ultrasound.
In professional terminology, the baby about to be born at 11 weeks of pregnancy is no longer an embryo, but a fetus. It has already developed all its organs, including the reproductive organs. However, the frequently asked question, "Can the baby's gender be seen at 11 weeks?" is usually answered negatively at this stage. At 11 weeks, boys' penises lengthen , and their testicles begin producing testosterone. Girls' ovaries form. The fetal brain is formed at this stage, and neurons begin to form rapidly. A baby at 11 weeks of pregnancy has eyelids, a tongue, and vocal cords. It can swallow and may even begin sucking its thumb.
Is the sex of the baby visible in the 11th week of pregnancy?
In most cases, the sex of the baby is not yet visible at 11 weeks of pregnancy. The fetus has reproductive organs, but still no more than millimeters in size, so they are difficult to see on an ultrasound image. With high-quality apparatus, good visualization and favorable positioning of the fetus, the doctor may try to assess its gender, but in the first trimester it will not be 100% certain. The size of the fetus is not related to gender.
In 2014, a study conducted in Iran demonstrated that there is a reasonable chance of discovering the baby's gender at this stage of pregnancy. Of 150 women who underwent ultrasound examinations at 11 and 12 weeks of pregnancy, one-third were unable to determine the baby's gender. However, of the babies whose gender was determined, it was later confirmed for 87.6% of boys and 96.8% of girls . Nine babies were misdiagnosed, and 53 were unable to determine the gender. This means that at 11 weeks of pregnancy, the baby's gender cannot be determined with certainty.
If future parents are very keen to meet her as soon as possible, they can be advised to undergo a free fetal DNA test from the mother's blood , which allows determining the gender in the 11th week of pregnancy or even a week earlier.
11 weeks pregnant: the belly begins to grow
At 11 weeks pregnant, a woman's belly will still be clearly visible only in tight or revealing clothing. Very slim individuals will notice an increase in its circumference more quickly. Furthermore, at 11 weeks pregnant, the belly is larger in expectant mothers who are having a second child and in those with multiple pregnancies. In a loose blouse, for example, at work or in photos, the belly will likely remain invisible. Abdominal pain in 11 weeks pregnant is still more likely to be related to the growing uterus than to the size of the fetus.
In addition to abdominal pain, expectant mothers may also notice a vertical dark line running from top to bottom through the navel. Its cause isn't fully understood, but it's related to the increased amount of pigment in the skin during pregnancy. Pigmentation in the 11th week of pregnancy can also manifest itself as darkening nipples or discoloration (chloasma) on the face.
Besides the belly that is slowly growing at 11 weeks gestation, there are others possible symptoms:
- nausea,
- pregnancy cravings,
- frequent visits to the toilet,
- dental problems, more intense salivation than before,
- flatulence
- dizziness.
Not every woman will develop the same symptoms - the above-mentioned ones are among the most common in expectant mothers at this stage of pregnancy.
11 weeks of pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage
The risk of miscarriage cannot be completely ruled out throughout pregnancy, but around the 11th week of pregnancy, it becomes significantly lower. The fetus has settled into the uterus, its organs are formed, and toxins and other harmful external factors have become less threatening than before, when the embryo had no protective barrier. The longer the pregnancy lasts, the lower the risk of miscarriage. Of course, if severe, cramping abdominal pain or bleeding occurs, medical evaluation is necessary as soon as possible. Only an ultrasound and fetal heart rate monitoring can confirm or rule out a negative scenario.
What else is worth knowing?
- An ultrasound performed from week 11 onwards - or more precisely between weeks 11,0 and 13,6 weeks - is sometimes called "Genetic ultrasound" and it is the first of three "compulsory" ultrasound examinations for the entire period of pregnancy for every expectant mother. If necessary or specific medical indications, they should be performed more often. The first trimester ultrasound allows not only to assess the structure of the fetus, but also to estimate the risk of its defects.
- Although in the 11th week of pregnancy, prenatal testing is already performed, the criterion determining the possibility of conducting it and assessing the risk of chromosomal defects of the fetus is a CRL above 45 mm - optimally, the test is performed through the abdomen in the following week. The cut-off value for the test is a CRL of 84 mm which the fetus reaches around 13,6 weeks of gestation.
- Starting from the 11th week of pregnancy, a general urine test can be performed - the second recommended for expectant mothers.
- More intensive salivation and deterioration of the teeth condition require regular inspection and, if necessary, dental treatment. In this case, please inform your doctor about the pregnancy.
Consultation:
Ph.D. n. med. prof. IMID Tadeusz Issat - Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic at the Institute of Mother and Child;
Maria Krowicka-Wasyl – resident physician during specialization in gynecology and obstetrics, Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Institute of Mother and Child.
Źródła:
Fetal Size and Dating: Charts Recommended for Clinical Obstetric Practice, ULTRASOUND, August 2009, Volume 17, No. 3
Estimating Fetal Gestational Age, Radiology Key
Gharekhanloo F. The ultrasound identification of fetal gender at the gestational age of 11-12 weeks. J Family Med Prim Care. 2018 Jan-Feb; 7 (1): 210-212.
Fetal Development, Perinatology.com
