Are you wondering: 22nd week of pregnancy, which month is it? Your partner, sister or friend is just 22 weeks pregnant (21.1-22 BC) and you want to learn interesting facts about the health and well-being of the pregnant woman, and the development of the fetus? Or maybe you are a woman expecting a baby and you want to find out how much your baby weighs in the 22nd week of pregnancy, what it looks like and whether the movements of the baby in the 22nd week of pregnancy should already be counted? What tests should be performed during this time? We invite you to read the post in which we present the course of the twenty-second week of pregnancy.
Week 22 of Pregnancy, which month is it?
Are you worried that you do not know the answer to the question: 22nd week of pregnancy, which month is it? We hurry with the hint!
Pregnancy is a beautiful time, physiologically lasting 9 months. During this time, many changes occur very dynamically (often from week to week), therefore, in the medical nomenclature, the course of pregnancy is monitored taking into account the precise division of this period into weeks.
Thus: 22nd week of pregnancy, which is this month?
The expectant mother is now 5 months old, in the second trimester of pregnancy. The due date is approaching every day, which is why many women are now starting to intensively complete the layette, prepare the baby's room and educate themselves about the course of the delivery and care for a newborn baby.
Despite the rush of things, in the 22nd week of pregnancy, it is worth finding time to rest, as well as small and greater pleasures - cinema, theater, a romantic dinner with a partner or a weekend spent with a friend will allow you to regenerate and enjoy the lifestyle that will soon change dramatically.
Belly at 22 weeks pregnant: can stretch marks be avoided and is pictures of the belly at 22 weeks pregnant a good idea?
The developing baby in the womb makes the pregnancy belly grow at an accelerated pace and it becomes harder and harder to hide it under clothes.
The abdomen at 22 weeks of pregnancy may vary in size, depending both on the anatomical structure of the pregnant woman and whether it is her first pregnancy. In multiparous women (women who have given birth before), the gestational abdomen usually becomes visible much earlier and may be slightly more bulging than in women who are expecting their first child.
A common symptom of pregnancy during the 22nd week of pregnancy is stretching of the abdominal skin , which can lead to the appearance of unsightly stretch marks. Initially, they appear pink and form irregular lines. Over time, stretch marks fade, becoming thinner and less visible, but still present on the skin. The occurrence of stretch marks during pregnancy is often genetic – if they appear on a pregnant woman's mother or sister, it's highly likely they will appear on her as well. However, their severity can be minimized or even completely prevented by taking proper care of yourself.
At 22 weeks of pregnancy:
- Every day we remember about a diet rich in vegetables and fruits and drinking a minimum of 2,5 liters of water for health, but also to improve the condition and elasticity of the skin.
- Regular massage of itchy, stretching skin on the abdomen and breasts using a special peeling glove or a natural bristle brush. This will help improve blood flow and prevent water and lymph stagnation.
- Breast (nipple) and abdominal massage in the 22nd week of pregnancy are performed briefly and gently so as not to stimulate the uterus to excessive contractile activity. In the event of a threatened pregnancy, consult your doctor before performing such a massage.
- After such a massage and taking a bath / shower, thoroughly moisturize the skin of the body, preferably with the use of anti-stretch mark preparations, dedicated to pregnant women.
As a souvenir, it is worth keeping regular photographic documentation of the growing belly - in the 22nd week of pregnancy, photos for the family album can be taken at home or sign up for a professional session with a photographer.
Interesting facts 22nd week of pregnancy
Why can pregnant women have problems with balance and what should the mother's weight be at this stage of pregnancy?
The constantly growing belly shifts the center of gravity forward and slightly upward, which can cause pregnant women to have trouble maintaining balance. Therefore, in the twenty-second week of pregnancy, it's best to avoid wearing unstable, very high-heeled shoes, hanging curtains, or standing on a chair or ladder to get items from the top shelf of a closet . Pregnancy hormones, as well as the pressure of the uterus on blood vessels and the diaphragm, often cause dizziness in pregnant women, which can also lead to dangerous falls. This is why it's best to entrust some household chores to your partner.
Safety of intercourse during pregnancy
In the 22nd week of pregnancy, on the Internet forum, future mothers often ask about the safety of intercourse during pregnancy. In physiological pregnancy, when the attending physician does not see any medical contraindications, sex can be continued until the very birth, taking into account the well-being and comfort of the pregnant woman.
Weight gain in pregnancy
Another question is often asked on the Internet: "Moms-to-be, how much did you gain in 22 weeks of pregnancy?" Increased appetite and more frequent fatigue contribute to the reduction of physical activity and the intake of excessive amounts of calories. It is good to remember that a woman in the 22nd week of pregnancy should consume only about 250-500 kcal more than before. It is worth that this energy surplus does not come from sweets or salty snacks, but from healthy, wholesome products.
The mother's weight in the 22nd week of pregnancy increases gradually, about 200-450 grams per week. Within a month, the weight gain of a pregnant woman in the second trimester should fluctuate within 1-2 kg, but it depends, among others, on from the weight of the woman before pregnancy.
Baby's movements at 22 weeks gestation: should they be monitored regularly?
At this time, the fetus still has a lot of room for physical activity in the uterus, so the expectant mother senses its movements as irregular movements / tickling in the abdomen. If, by the 22nd week of pregnancy, the woman still does not feel her baby moving, she should report it to her attending physician, who will check the fetus' well-being by carrying out more detailed examinations.
A baby in the 22nd week of pregnancy already has its own daily rhythm: it sleeps about 20 hours a day and spends the rest of the time awake, swallowing amniotic fluid (into which it then urinates), playing with its hands and umbilical cord, and moving all its limbs. It may also occasionally hiccup: such movements of a baby in the 22nd week of pregnancy are felt by the expectant mother as painless, rhythmic abdominal tremors.
The baby's physical activity is most regular only towards the end of the second trimester, and especially in the third trimester. Monitoring and recording the baby's movements begins not at week 22 of pregnancy, but only from week 28. Such observations are then conducted after main meals, while the mother is lying on her side. If the baby's movements are disturbing at 22 weeks of pregnancy: very rapid (accompanied by vaginal spotting and severe abdominal pain), or the pregnant woman does not feel any movement of the baby in the uterus throughout the day and is very concerned, she should go to the hospital.
22nd week of pregnancy: baby's weight and appearance
At this time, the fetus has developed arms and legs and begins to take on its individual, genetically determined features of appearance. During the ultrasound in the 22nd week of pregnancy, you can already see the baby's upturned nose, closed eyes and a high forehead. The eyelids are covered with eyelashes, there are eyebrows above the eyes, and more or less lush hair begins to grow on the head, which at that time is still colorless - without pigment.
How much does the baby weigh in the 22nd week of pregnancy?
Its body weight is now approximately 420-460 grams, the skin is becoming less transparent, and the amount of fat tissue stored beneath it is increasing. The baby's weight at 22 weeks of pregnancy begins to depend on both genetic and environmental factors (including the mother-to-be's physique). At this time, the fetus measures approximately 24-26 cm from head to toe. However, in the uterus, it is not erect but curled up in the so-called fetal position.
What tests should be performed in the 22nd week of pregnancy?
First and foremost, it's important to remember that, according to the Polish Gynecological Society (PTGiP) recommendations, between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, a crucial second-trimester ultrasound (also known as mid-trimester) should be scheduled . This examination thoroughly assesses the overall development and anatomy of the fetus, the condition of the placenta and uterus, and confirms gestational age. Therefore, 22 weeks of pregnancy is the last time to perform this ultrasound at the recommended date. Before visiting her doctor, a pregnant woman should also undergo a general urinalysis and a complete blood count.
Between weeks 21 and 26 of pregnancy, women with negative IgM antibody results should have this test repeated, while pregnant women with a negative blood group factor (Rh-) should have their anti-D antibody levels re-measured within this timeframe. At 22 weeks of pregnancy, it is also worth scheduling a blood glucose test (after oral administration of 75 g of glucose) to be performed at the recommended time (i.e., between weeks 24 and 26).
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.
