The weight of the baby in this week of pregnancy is approximately 300-370 grams. The eyebrows and eyelids are already fully decorated. At 21 weeks, most likely, the woman already feels the movements of the child. In moments of relaxation and before going to sleep at night, a woman can listen more to herself, so it may seem that the child has become more active. At the gestational age of 21 weeks, the fetus still swims inside the uterus as desired.
Pregnancy calendar: baby changes
Usually the child becomes in a certain position (preposition) at the end of this trimester of pregnancy. True, some children can move freely until later. Somewhere on this date, send to the second ultrasound, which you can find out the sex of the future baby, but for now you can occupy yourself with the Chinese calendar, folk signs, phases of the moon and other ways of determining the sex of the child.
With time, the functioning of almost all organs of the endocrine system begins: the pituitary gland, the epiphysis, the adrenal glands, the pancreas, the thyroid and the parathyroid gland. Hormones, which they stand out, greatly affect the growth and development of the child. It is at this time that the formation of his passive immunity begins at the expense of proceeds to the baby through the placenta of the bodies of immunity of the mother. At 21 weeks of gestation, the brain develops further, the vestibular apparatus is being formed.
Once again about meconium
Meconium - the original feces is the remnants of the amniotic fluid, not digested by the digestive system of the child. This substance differs in color: from black-green to light-brown, it comes out of the colon of the baby for a while before the onset of the birth process, during and after the birth of the child. If he has a contraction of the intestines and meconium penetrated into the amniotic fluid, the newborn can swallow it before delivery or during them. If meconium enters the lungs, it can lead to pneumonia. Therefore, if the midwife sees that the meconium has penetrated the baby's mouth, she quickly removes it by sucking it, using a small tube.
Pregnancy calendar 21 weeks: changes in the future mother
Basically, this week the woman feels comfortable. Her weight gain is somewhere between 4.5 and 6.3 kg. You can relax and enjoy, because ahead of the third trimester, at this time the child will become heavier and with it will not just walk.
But 21 weeks of pregnancy can not do without small troubles: the sebaceous glands are intensifying their work, which can lead to the appearance of acne. Do not forget to wash with soft cosmetic products twice a day, but you should not take medicines, especially hormones. Now there is a tendency to varicose veins. Pregnancy adds weight to the legs and, of course, the veins and increased blood volume and a large level of progesterone, which relaxes the walls of the vessels. If varicose veins appear once, it will worsen with subsequent pregnancies, can occur on the legs, on the vulva.
If the future mother has leg aches, in any case you need to wear tightening bandages, you can improve the circulation of blood by walking on foot and sleeping with legs that are raised on the pillow.
Premature birth
There are a number of reasons that cause premature birth: sexual infections, problems with the placenta, cervix. However, not in all cases, doctors can say what caused the baby to appear before the term. The best option is knowledge of the signs of premature birth and behavior when they occur.
- uterine contractions more than 5 times
- scarlet blood from the genital tract is secreted
- swollen or swollen face or hands, signs of pre-eclampsia
- pain occurs during urination
- the occurrence of acute or prolonged pain in the abdomen (a sign of pre-eclampsia)
- the occurrence of acute or continuous vomiting, diarrhea (a sign of pre-eclampsia)
- suddenly the transparent watery liquid leaves the genital tract
- the appearance of monotonous aching pain in the back or lower back
- the emergence of strong pressure in the pelvis
If you have these symptoms, you should immediately call an ambulance.
The more nondescript baby, which is approaching the long-awaited 37 weeks of pregnancy, the higher the chances of a favorable outcome of labor. Children who were born on 34 - 37 weeks, basically do not experience special difficulties. If childbirth begins before 34 weeks of pregnancy, the maternity hospital staff can try to stop the onset of the birth process, at least for a few days. This time is required to prepare a light baby. Babies who are born on the 24th week of pregnancy will require intensive care and the latest equipment.
Thrombosis in Pregnancy
One of the difficulties of pregnancy, which can be a serious problem, is the appearance of clots in the vessels of the legs. Their symptoms are the swelling of the legs, which is accompanied by pain, burning, redness of the affected area. This complication is called differently: venous thromboembolism, venous thrombosis, thrombophlebitis and others. These diseases - this is not a direct result of pregnancy, but in this period there is a creation of all the prerequisites for their development. They are caused by the fact that the blood circulation changes, the blood flow slows down through the vessels of the legs due to the pressure of the uterus, the blood composition and the effect of thrombus-forming mechanisms change.
Classes at 21 weeks of pregnancy
You can make a list of gifts baby. Even if the future mother does not like to "order" certain gifts, in this case, maybe this is the only way to accept useful gifts instead of various unnecessary trinkets in huge quantities. Two common mistakes: do not need to order children's clothes, because everyone has different tastes. At the same time things like to buy everything for kids, so most likely without a list you can get a large number of sliders, socks, blouses, just do not have to expect that they all like it.
The second - do not be afraid to enter into the list something expensive and large. Most likely, there will be those who want to unite and buy such a gift in a fold.
The most common changes in the respiratory system in pregnant women
Pregnant women have nasal congestion due to hypersecretion of mucus, which is caused by estrogen. The safest solution is a spray for the nose.
List of changes in the respiratory system in pregnant women:
- The frequency of breathing remains the same;
- The breathing volume increases by 0.1 - 0.2 liters;
- Reserve exhaled volume decreases by 15%;
- Decreases the volume of residual;
- The vital capacity of the lungs remains the same;
- The inhaled capacity is increased by 5%;
- The functional reserve capacity is reduced by 18%;
- The volume per minute is increased by 40%.