14 weeks of pregnancy: what to expect at this stage i which month it is? What is the the size of the fetus i what a baby looks like na photosch USG w 14 weeks pregnant? What changes take place in the female body at this time? Is it possible to feel the baby's movements through the abdomen at 14 weeks?
The 14th week is the beginning of not only the next month, but also the second trimester of pregnancy, which for many women can be the most pleasant stage of waiting for a baby. The resolution of the symptoms of early pregnancy gives you a greater opportunity to focus on the positive aspects of the upcoming motherhood. Future mothers observe the changing abdomen on a daily basis - ultrasound images at 14 weeks allow them to find out what the baby looks like.
14 weeks pregnant: what month is it?
Doctors usually report pregnancy in weeks and days - week 14 starts at 13,1 (week 13 + 1 day) and ends at week 14,0 (week 14 + 0 days). For medical reasons, precision is important, so every expectant woman should also determine the age of pregnancy in this way. When determining the age of pregnancy, it should be remembered that the actual age of pregnancy is estimated by the doctor during the XNUMXst trimester ultrasound and confirmed during subsequent examinations, i.e. XNUMXnd and XNUMXrd trimester ultrasound.
For the public, however, the indication of the 14th week is not entirely clear, hence the frequent questions: 14th week? What month is it? The expectant mother may then reply that she is at the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy i in the fourth month. Compared to the hormone storm at the beginning of pregnancy or the inconvenience of its end, the 14th week of pregnancy and the 4th month is the time many women go through calmly and without complications.
14 weeks of pregnancy: ultrasound of the abdominal wall
By now, every woman should have at least one transabdominal ultrasound (the 14th week is the last chance for the compulsory 13,6st trimester ultrasound - performed up to 14 weeks). It shows the baby's movements, the size of the fetus and most of its appearance. During the 6,7th week of pregnancy, the size of the fetus increases from 8 cm to 93 cm (CRL - parietal length). On average, it then weighs XNUMX g.
Due to the fact that the fetus is getting bigger and better developed, starting from the XNUMXnd trimester, ultrasound also determines other dimensions concerning different parts of the body, e.g .:
- head circumference at the widest point (HC) head circumference) - in the second semester it allows to estimate the age of pregnancy;
- femur length (FL) femur length) - helpful in determining the age of pregnancy and limb length
- the circumference of the abdomen at the level of the liver and stomach (AC) abdominal circumference) - allows you to assess whether the child's development is harmonious.
The condition of the internal organs is assessed during a routine 2D ultrasound - you can then. see also details, e.g. facial features of the fetus and check for so-called hare lip (cleft lip or palate). Obtaining a three-dimensional, clearer image is possible using 3D ultrasound - pictures from the inside of the abdomen in this technique allow you to more accurately see what the baby looks like in the 14th week of pregnancy.
14th week of pregnancy: ultrasound pictures and the sex of the child
In the 14th week of pregnancy, many expectant parents would like to know whether a boy or a girl will be born. Compared to previous weeks, it can be much easier due to the size of the fetus, but it is better not to choose the test with the assumption that the 14th week of pregnancy will provide XNUMX% certain information about the sex. If the ultrasound through the abdomen allows the doctor to see her in the pictures, he asks the parents if they want to know her and provides this information on their request.
It is enough, however, that the picture will not be clear or the child will turn his back so that it is difficult to determine if it is a boy or a girl. Biggest chances to take a lookwhat the child looks like at 14 weeks and what sex it will be, is provided by 3D and 4D ultrasound, but even the most modern equipment and experience of the doctor conducting the examination will not guarantee it.
At this stage of pregnancy, all are educated already baby organs improve and mature. Toenails become visible on the toes and facial features begin to resemble a newborn. The head gradually straightens up and becomes less and less dominant in relation to the rest of the body.
14 weeks pregnant: belly and other changes in mom's body
The uterus and the amniotic fluid weigh in at this stage approx. 0,5 kg. This means that the belly in the bikini photos from 14 weeks of pregnancy will definitely be visible, although under loose clothing it can still be hidden. The uterus, which is approximately 6 cm below the navel at this time, can even be felt through the abdomen.
Enlarging breasts they are still a bit irritable. Pregnancy at week 14 can also be exceptional sensitive gums. That is why it is recommended to check the condition of the oral cavity in advance, because at this stage not all treatments can be performed, and caries attacks extremely intensively. If your gums are bleeding, the prescription is to change your toothbrush to a softer one.
The least pleasant symptoms of pregnancy at 14 weeks include:
- frequent visits to the toilet,
- nose bleeds
- pain in the back and lower abdomen.
Pains in the abdomen and spine are related not so much to the size of the fetus, but to the activity of hormones and the stretching of the uterus while waiting for the growing baby.
14 weeks of pregnancy and the baby's movements
Many women in their 14th week of pregnancy think that their baby's movements are the enlargement and movement of the uterus, which begins to put pressure on the surrounding organs. If we add to this typical of this stage of pregnancy intestinal and digestive problems (including indigestion and flatulence), the 14th week may turn out to be the time when the expectant mother confuses them with the baby's first movements.
In fact, the fetus still has a lot of room in the uterus, which means it can move freely and without pushing through the womb. As for the movements performed at this time, there are quite a lot of them. The fetus swallows amniotic fluid, trains the digestive and excretory systems, makes breathing movements, exercises the legs, can also change facial expressions (facial expressions) and suck the thumb. Although when assessing the size of the fetus on ultrasound in the 14th week of pregnancy, you can see the baby's movements, but not yet feel them through the abdomen, e.g. by putting your hand to it.
No baby movements perceptible by the mother-to-be at the 14th week it is therefore completely natural and no conclusions should be drawn on this basis, for example, concerning a miscarriage.
Recommendations for the 14th week of pregnancy and the beginning of the second trimester
A large number of mothers in the 14th week of pregnancy already have the most tiring symptoms of the first trimester, such as nausea, and the abdomen and the size of the fetus are not yet so large as to interfere with everyday functioning. However, it may happen that the discomforts typical of early pregnancy persist until it is halfway through or even longer.
What is worth remembering when you are 14 weeks pregnant?
- By the end of the 14th week it must be done the second urinalysis during pregnancy - recommended between weeks 11-14. Blood morphology should be checked monthly (4-5 weeks) throughout pregnancy.
- The 14th week of pregnancy is the last chance to perform the PAPP-A test, i.e. measuring the concentration of PAPP-a protein and free beta hCG in the blood of a future mother. It is recommended along with prenatal ultrasound to assess the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetal DNA (trisomy).
- At the beginning of the second trimester in pregnant women energy demand increaseswhich is related to tissue development (enlargement of the uterus and mammary glands, increase in plasma volume, accumulation of adipose tissue). Assuming an average body weight (approx. 65 kg) and moderate physical activity, the diet should provide the body with 285 kcal more per day, compared to the period before pregnancy, when the recommended energy intake is 2200 kcal.
- In the second trimester, future mothers should still take care of a sufficient level of folic acid - the recommended daily dose is then 0,6-0,8 mg.
- When it comes to immunization during pregnancy, the second trimester is the optimal time for vaccination against influenza and Covid-19.
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 in the course of specialization in gynecology and obstetrics, Department 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
Fetal Development, Perinatology.com
