The Second Trimester

What You Need to Know

  • During your 2nd trimester prenatal visits, your health care provider will continue to check on your and your infant'due south health, including monitoring the fetal heartbeat.
  • The second trimester is the almost physically enjoyable for most women. Forenoon sickness usually lessens by this fourth dimension, and the extreme tiredness and breast tenderness usually ease up.
  • Your fetus has now developed all its organs and systems and will at present brainstorm to grow in length and weight.
  • Y'all may be able to experience the movement of the fetus for the first time at around 20 weeks. This miracle is chosen quickening.
  • A fetus built-in at the end of 24 weeks may survive in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Prenatal Visits During the 2nd Trimester

During your second and 3rd trimester prenatal visits, your health intendance provider may bank check the following, depending on your current medical condition and the health of the fetus:

  • Any electric current symptoms or discomforts

  • Your weight

  • Your blood pressure

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

  • Growth, size and evolution of the fetus

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

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

  • Fetal heartbeat

The Second Trimester: What to Expect

The second trimester marks a turning bespeak for the female parent and fetus. You will commonly begin to experience better and start 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 also laissez passer through the umbilical cord to the fetus, then intendance should be taken to avert alcohol, tobacco and other known hazards.

During the 2d trimester, both your body and the fetus go on to grow.

Johns Hopkins Hospital Designated as Baby-Friendly

The Babe-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a global programme launched past 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 offering an optimal level of intendance for babe feeding and mother-babe bonding.

The 2d Trimester: Changes to Your Body

The second trimester is the virtually physically enjoyable for almost women. Morning sickness commonly lessens by this time, and the extreme tiredness and breast tenderness usually ease up. These changes can be attributed to a decrease in levels of homo chorionic gonadotropin hormone and an aligning to the levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones.

The following is a list of changes and symptoms that may happen during the 2nd trimester:

  • Appetite may increase.

  • You may be able to feel the motion of the fetus for the first time around 20 weeks. This phenomenon is called quickening.

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

  • The skin on the abdomen may crawling every bit it grows, and there may be pain downwardly the sides of the trunk every bit the uterus stretches. The lower tummy may anguish as ligaments stretch to support the uterus.

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

  • Your olfactory organ may become congested, and you lot may feel nosebleeds. This is due to the increment in hormones (estrogen and progesterone) and blood menses that affect the mucous membranes and blood vessels in the nose.

  • Your gums get spongier and may bleed easily. This is due to the increment in hormones (estrogen and progesterone) that touch on the mucous membranes in the mouth.

  • Varicose veins and hemorrhoids may appear.

  • Yous may accept a white-colored vaginal belch called leukorrhea. (A colored or bloody discharge may indicate possible complications and should be examined immediately.)

  • The increasing weight proceeds may cause backaches.

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

  • Center burn, indigestion and constipation may go on.

The Second Trimester: Fetal Development

Now that all the major organs and systems have formed in the fetus, the following half dozen months will be spent growing. The weight of your fetus will multiply more than than seven times over the next few months, as the fetus becomes a infant that can survive outside of the uterus.

An illustration showing fetal growth from 8 to 40 weeks.

By the cease of the second trimester, your fetus will be about 13 to 16 inches long and counterbalance about 2 to 3 pounds. Fetal development during the second trimester includes the following:

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

  • The optics take 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 voice.

  • A flossy white substance (chosen vernix caseosa, or only vernix) begins to announced on the fetus and helps to protect the thin fetal pare. Vernix is gradually absorbed by the pare, but some may be seen on babies even after nascency.

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

  • The fetus tin respond to certain stimuli.

  • The placenta is fully adult.

  • The brain will undergo its most important period of growth from the 5th month on.

  • Fingernails have 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.

  • Pare is wrinkly and red, covered with soft, downy hair (called lanugo).

  • Hair is growing on the head of the fetus.

  • Fatty begins to accumulate in the fetus.

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

  • Fingerprints and toeprints take formed.

  • Rapid growth is standing in fetal size and weight.

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

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