At 21 weeks, a woman enters the second half of her pregnancy. This period will not be the easiest: the closer to the date of birth, the harder it will be to carry the baby under the heart. It is necessary to gain strength before the "finish line" right now, when both the state of health and the state still allow it. What is the 21st week of pregnancy for a baby and his mother, we will tell in this article.
How many months is it?
If a woman starts 21 weeks pregnant, this means that the sixth obstetric month has started. In our usual time calculation, 4 months and 3 weeks have passed. Pregnant women quickly get used to measuring time with obstetric months: they differ from calendar ones in that each of them has exactly 4 weeks and not a day more.
The entire pregnancy in obstetric measures lasts 10 months or 40 weeks. Now the second half of the period of bearing crumbs has begun.
From the conception of the baby, 19 weeks went - a solid period, and the fetus has already achieved great success in its development. About 17 weeks have passed since the delay and the first striped test. It sometimes seems to a woman that it was quite recently, and she will have to be pregnant for a long time. In fact, in the second half of pregnancy, time, according to the subjective feelings of expectant mothers, flies much faster. Now every day we live quickly brings a meeting with a new little man - a son or a daughter, or maybe with two or three children at once.
During this period, a lot of interesting things happen to the expectant mother and her baby. Let's talk about this in more detail.
Well-being and feelings of a woman
Pregnancy can no longer be hidden even behind the most loose clothing. The tummy, which is already pretty rounded, is clearly visible to everyone around. While pregnancy is not yet very burdensome for the expectant mother, her health in general remains quite good and light, but already now some moments are beginning to appear that cause inconvenience to the woman and raise many questions.
Stirring fetus
By 21 weeks, only the smallest percentage of women who are pregnant with their firstborn do not feel the movements of their baby. About 93% of expectant mothers in this period already enjoy new sensations and establish full-fledged contact with the baby. It has been proven that a baby can communicate a lot with motor activity - that he is uncomfortable, bored, and requires communication. The sooner a woman learns to understand the baby and his language of movements, the easier it will be for her to navigate further.
At 20-21 weeks, all women who have already given birth, all pregnant women with twins and triplets, almost all primiparous, feel movements. But there are also those who are still just waiting for the appearance of amazing sensations.
If the movements are not yet felt, do not worry. Until 22 weeks, which doctors have determined as the limit for the sensation of the first movements of the baby, there is still time.
Some of the inexperienced primiparous women actually feel the movements, but cannot understand this, mistaking them for intestinal peristalsis, for boiling in the intestines and fermentation of intestinal gases. The first movements are a very subtle sensation, according to expectant mothers, reminiscent of a light touch of a fish fin or a butterfly's wing from the inside... It can be more difficult to notice it for women who lead an active lifestyle, are constantly on the move and are all the time busy with something.
Fat women begin to feel the movements of the belly later, while thin ladies feel them earlier.
Now it is not necessary to count the baby's movements yet; the woman will do this later. But it is still necessary to mentally mark the episodes of movement in order to understand that everything is in order with the baby. Until the end of the formation of the crumbs' brain, the movements are uneven, arbitrary, it will not be possible to identify any definite pattern. However, many pregnant women already say that their sons and daughters are more active at night.
In fact, this is not entirely true. The baby moves with approximately the same intensity both at night and during the day... It's just that during the day mom walks, does business, sometimes does not feel movements, and at night, when the whole body is relaxed, there are more sensations, and their character becomes brighter.
Women are especially sensitive to situations in which the baby is little and rarely makes itself felt. If there are fears, be sure to tell the doctor about them: in his arsenal there are many ways to find out if everything is in order with the baby.
But do not forget about the temperament: even now little boys and girls can be more or less active by nature. They will remain so after birth: some babies sleep well and behave calmly during periods of wakefulness, while others are in a hurry to learn everything, are constantly in motion.
Allocations
At the beginning of the 21st week of pregnancy, a woman may notice that from time to time she has a feeling of constant moisture in the perineum. This is not considered a pathology and a reason to sound the alarm. An increase in the amount of vaginal secretion is a normal reaction of the female body to several factors, including a change in the hormonal background that accompanies the process of carrying a baby, stretching of the ligamentous apparatus that holds the growing uterus.
Vaginal secretions are necessary to maintain a balance in the microflora of the genital tract.
therefore light discharge without a pungent odor is the norm. Leucorrhea is also considered the norm - the formation of leucorrhoea, that is, a white or slightly yellowish discharge with a slight sour odor. The physiological phenomenon has its own characteristics: vaginal secretion is a good breeding ground for pathogenic microorganisms and fungi. In order to prevent the addition of infection and inflammation, it is now important to pay special attention to issues of intimate hygiene.
When washing, you should not use toilet soap, because alkalis in its composition can lead to excessive dryness, you should not wipe the intimate area with a hard towel, because now the skin and mucous membranes are most susceptible to injury.
A woman should wear absorbent panty liners and change them regularly. Such hygiene products will help control changes, because the color and consistency of the discharge are clearly visible on them. An immediate visit to a doctor requires a discharge that has become green, gray, brown. They are usually associated with the appearance of an unpleasant odor and itching sensations in the perineum. Such discharge is often a sign of an infectious disease.
A thick, white discharge that resembles granular cottage cheese in consistency, associated with itching and unpleasant burning sensation, may be a sign of thrush. For many women, this ailment accompanies the entire pregnancy, aggravating from time to time. It is necessary to treat thrush during pregnancy in order.
The most dangerous is blood discharge. Even a slight pink or brownish discharge from the genitals can be a sign of placental abruption, problems with the condition of the cervix.
Pain sensations
Pain during pregnancy in the current period can be both physiological and pathological. Distinguishing one from the other is not so difficult. Sharp, pulling and severe pains that have a cramping character can speak of pathology. They are usually accompanied by a deterioration in well-being, the appearance of secretions that are not considered normal for a given period.
Episodic weak pain sensations are completely physiological. The uterus is growing. To hold it, the ligaments and muscles have to adjust to the new reality, the ligaments become denser, they noticeably increase in length. This process is somehow accompanied by weak aches and "stretching" in the left and right sides (in the right, according to women, much more often). Also, expectant mothers begin to feel that the lower back hurts, pulls the back.
Such pains are not permanent. They usually appear after a woman has spent a couple of hours at the stove in household chores, if she has been sitting in one place for a long time, standing or walking. Also in the evening a woman may feel that her knees are aching, there is a heaviness in her feet. Legs hurt due to the load on the limbs, because the uterus, fetus, amniotic fluid, placenta and a woman's own weight, which have grown noticeably, have to be "worn" by the legs.
The woman herself is still unlikely to think about the upcoming birth, but her body begins to prepare for them in advance.
Some women now have pain in the sacrum and pubic bone. It usually manifests itself when climbing stairs, when walking vigorously, and when trying to get up from a lying or sitting position. If this pain does not restrict movement, then a woman just needs to be patient: the pelvic bones soften, become more mobile, diverge, in order to help the baby leave the cozy mother's womb in due time and be born into this world.
Severe pains that prevent a woman from sitting, walking, worse at night, is a reason to visit a doctor. It is possible that the beginning of such an unpleasant, but, alas, common ailment, like symphysitis, is possible.
Headaches at 21 weeks are less common than in the first trimester. The hormonal background has changed, the amount of blood has increased. If the head hurts with enviable regularity, if headache attacks are localized in the occipital and temporal parts, if there are nosebleeds, the pregnant woman should definitely pay attention to the level of blood pressure. Perhaps she has hypertension, and this is very dangerous for mom and baby.
Short-term "lumbago" in the perineum, which women often compare with electric shocks, in the current period may be associated with the fact that the uterus has transmitted certain nerve endings and important nodes. Feelings are not the most pleasant, but not dangerous for the child. To get rid of them, you just need to change the position of the body, walk around. The nerve nodes will be "released" and the "lumbago" will stop.
Emotional and psychological states
The mood and well-being of expectant mothers this week remain fairly stable. For most women, the main tests and examinations were left behind: both the first and the second screenings were passed, anxiety decreased. The likelihood of a spontaneous miscarriage is no longer a frightening threat, because such a probability at 20-21 weeks is negligible. The woman is already completely accustomed to her own new position. Even if she now does not have a very good idea of what her life will be like after the birth of the baby, there are almost no reasons for concern.
Psychologically pregnant women in the middle of the second trimester feel comfortable enough... The difficulties of the first trimester with its toxicosis and the constant balancing act between laughter and tears are in the past and have already been forgotten. I don't want to think about the difficulties of the final period of pregnancy.
Mothers enjoy communicating with their babies, because they already react to the hand placed on their stomach, they can respond to their mother's song with soft and gentle movements.
But not everything is so rosy, in any case, psychologists think so. In the middle of the second trimester, many expectant mothers turn to them for help, because right now there may be problems in the relationship between a woman and her relatives. Experts say the reason lies in an unsatisfied security instinct. For a woman to feel perfect, she needs to feel that she is under reliable protection.... Alas, the husband does not always have time for this, because now he is puzzled by other problems: he is already thinking how to provide for his family, which will soon be added.
A woman's unsatisfied need for security manifests itself on an instinctive level, almost unconsciously. Right now, she can begin to find fault with her spouse over trifles, take offense at him, believe that he does not pay attention to her at all. All this leads to conflicts in the family. You can avoid them if you understand why they happen.
A psychologist, who today is in every antenatal clinic, will help a woman to understand herself, the reception is carried out free of charge.
Changes in the body
Almost all organs and systems of a pregnant woman undergo certain changes. If earlier the changes were mainly hormonal in nature, invisible to the eye, now they are completely obvious. The uterus becomes so large that all neighboring organs, as well as the heart, blood vessels and kidneys, feel it. The processes that are now taking place in the female body have one goal - to create the most comfortable conditions for the baby, who will soon have little space in the uterus.
Dynamics of growth of the uterus
The height of the standing of the fundus of the uterus now has an important diagnostic value. It is his measuring tape that is measured by the obstetrician-gynecologist at each scheduled appointment. If in the first half of pregnancy this size was quite subjective, since it depended on the anatomical features of the woman herself, now, after 20 weeks, it should be approximately equal to the gestational age in weeks.
In other words, at 21 weeks of gestation, the normal height of the fundus of the uterus (its upper part) is 20-21 centimeters. Since the sizes of the pelvis in women are different and the complexion differs, average values are taken as norms. For week 21, VSDM can be considered normal with values in the range of 18 to 24 centimeters.
However, compliance with the norms should be assessed by the doctor, because in a thin woman at 21 weeks with a uterine fundus height of 24 centimeters, the doctor can assume the presence of a large fetus, and in a full mom, at the same time, the same height will not speak of a tendency to a large toddler.
The length of the cervix at this time is normally from 4 to 4.5 centimeters. Its shortening can be qualified as a sign of late isthmic-cervical insufficiency. To reduce the risk of preterm birth, your doctor may recommend an obstetric pessary. which is a silicone ring that fixes the neck in a stable position and prevents it from opening prematurely.
The uterus now resembles a soccer ball in size. During the entire pregnancy, this organ grows 500 times its original size. The length of the muscle fibers increases fivefold. Now the uterus is about 55% of its same size, but in the last weeks of pregnancy.
The uterus is in the abdominal cavity, this week its bottom has leveled at the level of the navel line. The navel itself may begin to protrude forward, stick out.
Weight gain
Weight gain at 21 weeks is inevitable. There are no women who would bring their child to this date and would not add kilograms. Another question is that some people manage to gain 12-15 kilograms by week 21, and this cannot be considered a normal phenomenon.
To understand exactly whether weight gain is going on correctly, you need to know your body mass index before pregnancy. It is deduced by the formula "Weight divided by height squared." For women whose index did not exceed 18.5, that is, slender women with a slight underweight, by week 21, it is "allowed" to gain from 6 to 6.6 kilograms. This will be a completely normal increase.
For women whose body mass index before pregnancy was from 18.5 to 25, that is, women with normal weight or slightly overweight, 6.4 kilograms (maximum) is considered to be the norm as an increase by this time. For women whose body index indicated obesity before pregnancy, the gain at 20-21 weeks should not exceed 3.1 kilograms.
It is necessary to monitor the weight in the most careful way, since its unmotivated and sharp increase can be the only symptom of the onset of such a dangerous complication of pregnancy as gestosis. It is recommended for a woman to weigh herself once a week on the same day.
Training contractions
False contractions, which are popularly called training contractions, and in medicine - Braxton-Hicks contractions, can begin in a woman this week. They are not harbingers of childbirth or signs of labor, they do not lead to the opening of the cervix, and therefore do not conceal any danger in themselves.
They are manifested by the tension of the smooth muscles of the uterus, small pulling sensations in the lower abdomen and in the lower back. Many women compare them to feelings during menstruation. A pregnant woman without experience of such contractions may become alarmed, but only at first. Then women get used to the training contractions of the uterus.
If you lie down, relax, take a warm shower, such false contractions usually recede. They appear rarely and irregularly. In the overwhelming majority of pregnant women, they appear closer to the third trimester, in multiparous - a few weeks before the date of birth.
Only a small number of expectant mothers begin to feel Braxton Hicks contractions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The woman does not need any treatment. The presence of false contractions must be notified to the attending physician.
Arterial pressure
At 21 weeks, a woman's heart muscle mass slightly increases, which is associated with an increased load on the organ that supplies blood to the entire body. Now, in addition to the large and small circles of blood circulation that are in the body of any person, a pregnant woman has another circle - the placental.
The blood circulation between the uterus and the placenta, as well as the placenta and the fetus, is very intense, up to half a liter of blood can pass through it in a minute. In this regard, the blood pressure on the walls of the vessels of a pregnant woman can be somewhat reduced.
The decrease, if you look at it in numbers, is quite tangible - by 4-5 mm. rt. Art decreases systolic pressure by 15 mm. st - diastolic. And the pulse increases by 10-15 beats per minute, and this is also completely normal.
For the most part, nature has provided compensatory mechanisms, and a woman does not often feel a decrease in blood pressure during the period of bearing a baby. However, there are exceptions.
If hypotension was always characteristic of the expectant mother, then right now she may begin to experience attacks of dizziness, nausea, episodes of loss of consciousness. In this case, she needs supportive treatment, which will be prescribed by the doctor in charge of the pregnancy.
Chest
Most pregnant women are very happy with the size of their breasts at this time. Lush, beautiful, sensitive breasts are appreciated by the second half of expectant mothers. Usually in the middle of the second trimester, severe pain, burning, aches in the mammary glands no longer bother a woman. The main growth rates of the glandular tissue occurred in the first trimester, and now the processes taking place in the breast have slowed down somewhat, but have not completely stopped.
This is why breasts can still change. The appearance of dark spots, bumps on the nipples should not be confusing... All these cosmetic manifestations of internal processes will pass after childbirth.
Colostrum at 21 weeks shouldn't be alarming either. The liquid secreted from a woman's nipples is a prototype of the future breast milk. Colostrum appears more often in women who have given birth and breastfeed earlier than women who are going to become mothers for the first time.
It is not recommended to squeeze out colostrum already because when the nipples are stimulated, the hormone oxytocin is produced, which tones the uterus. It is quite enough to just take care of your breasts: use cosmetics for stretch marks, wash your breasts with warm water twice a day, and wear a comfortable and practical bra with wide straps.
Fetal development
During the first half of pregnancy, the baby has come a long way. It was a collection of dividing cells - an embryo. From the 8th week, he began to be considered a fetus and is still it.
Starting from the 21st week, the baby will continue to develop, but it will slow down somewhat, its growth will no longer increase as rapidly as it did before. Of course, expectant mothers, regardless of what kind of pregnancy they have, are very interested to find out how the baby looks now and what he can do. Let's talk about this in more detail.
Appearance
Now the baby grows in length more slowly, but its weight begins to increase. The growth of a baby at 21 weeks of gestation is 24-28 centimeters, it weighs almost 400 grams, and these dimensions are quite comparable to the size of a small doll. Outwardly, the baby has noticeably prettier: his skin is no longer red or purple, the sweet on it begins to gradually smooth out.
Frightening thinness disappears, the stomach, arms and legs begin to "grow" with pleasant roundness. All these changes are becoming possible due to the fact that subcutaneous fat is now in full swing. It not only changes the appearance of the baby, but also helps its internal organs to keep warm, performs thermoregulatory functions.
The kid is now thickly covered with a grayish damp grease. It is needed in order for the baby to maintain the desired temperature, as well as to protect its delicate skin from the amniotic environment, in which it has been swimming for five months (and there are still as many to swim in it). So that the primordial lubricant does not disappear anywhere from the skin, vellus hair grows on it - lanugo, which hold it.
Both lanugo and grease will gradually fade. By the time of childbirth, the baby will get rid of them completely, although sometimes children are born with lanugo that has not completely disappeared, and then the thin blond hairs on the skin gradually disappear in the first weeks after birth.
There is now more proportionality in your child's appearance: the head, although still the largest part of the body, no longer makes up half the area of the entire body. Closer to childbirth, it will be in proportional terms to be about one fifth of the, while the head accounts for about a quarter of the entire body.
The limbs have grown noticeably. The arms and legs became proportional. The belly of the fetus has grown considerably, and now the baby makes a more pleasant impression: it is already becoming like a newborn.
The baby's face, neck, fingers, nails and even fingerprints are already fully formed. Eyelashes and eyebrows have grown, there are even hints of dimples on the cheeks and chin, if, due to the genetic characteristics of the child's appearance, they are destined to appear there.
On a three-dimensional ultrasound at this time, you can easily see who the child looks like, because the characteristic features of his appearance are already being determined.
Nervous system
At this time, it is the nervous system that undergoes the most extensive changes and metamorphoses. Its formation continues every minute, even if the baby is asleep. Hundreds of thousands of nerve cells - neurons - are formed every second. Right now, simple and complex neural connections are being laid, which ensure the work of the nervous system as a whole and its individual components in particular.
In the brain, the growth and development of the cerebral cortex continues, convolutions and grooves are formed at an unprecedented rate. The baby becomes more "smart" in any case, at the physical level, this is already easily determined by how well he learned to control his hands and head. The central nervous system gradually takes control of all parts of the baby's body, all organs and systems.
The "debugging" of reflexes continues: the baby sucks, swallows, grabs what is in the area of the palms. Recent studies have shown that it is already 100% defined and clear who the child will be - right-handed or left-handed. Those who are destined to be right-handed (their overwhelming majority) now prefer to suck the finger of the right hand, and left-handers are "nicer" to the fingers of the left hand.
The activity of the centers responsible for speech perception is recorded in the baby's brain. Such activity in the temporal and frontal lobes is manifested when the mother listens to loud music, especially if the headphones are placed directly on the stomach, "sending" a sound signal inside.
One can argue indefinitely about whether the fruits dream at this time and whether they have a soul. There are many opinions. One thing is obvious - the development of the nervous system allows the baby not to get bored: he learned to yawn, hiccup, spit, suck his fingers, play with the umbilical cord, catch his leg and push it into his mouth, and this is not a complete list of all the skills of a belly-resident.
Internal organs
In the development of internal organs, nothing new happens at 21 weeks. All organs are formed, they grow and gradually master their functional "duties". The stomach accepts amniotic fluid, digests the small particles that are in them.
He is unable to digest the particles of the epithelium and lanugo, they are sent unchanged to the intestines, where they are deposited as the original feces "meconium". The dark green color of meconium is attributed to bile, which is already produced by the gallbladder, and part of which enters the intestines.
The heart and muscles of the crumbs are already partially subject to the nervous system. During wakefulness, the baby's heart rate increases, he moves more actively. But at least 19-20 hours a day, the baby is in a state close to sleep, at this time his heart beats more measuredly, and the movements are rare and involuntary. The heart rate at this time is normally 146-168 beats per minute.
The baby already has passive (maternal) immunity, begins to develop its own immunity. There are leukocytes in the blood of the fetus, there are a lot of them, but they are still immature.
Kidneys, liver, bladder work normally, endocrine glands function. The kid swallows more than 500 ml of amniotic fluid per day, pees every 40 minutes or an hour.
Sense organs
By the 21st obstetric week, most babies have a clear idea of the time of day, a certain frequency of changes in darkness and light. A semblance of a daily routine begins to develop. It will not necessarily coincide with the mother's, although by the end of pregnancy, the baby usually begins to "adjust" to the mother.
The kid continues to discover the world of big sounds. Previously, he was guided by the vibration created by sound waves, now all parts of the hearing organs have completed the formation, the baby has the opportunity to perceive the sound as we, adults, hear it. Of course, you need to make allowances for the thickness of the mother's abdominal wall, for the amount of amniotic fluid that “conceals” some of the sounds from the outside world. The rest of the baby hears.
He loves his mother's voice and the beat of her heart, many crumbs at this time recognize the voice of his father. It is better for a woman to stay away from noisy places, large concerts with loud sound now: too loud unfamiliar sounds frighten the baby.
Your child is learning to blink. The corresponding reflex is now being formed, and very soon he will begin to open his eyes. He distinguishes between the peculiarities of tastes: the waters can be sweetish if the mother ate sweet, and salty if she ate pickled cucumbers. Children already now appreciate sweet waters and wrinkle their displeased faces from sour and bitter tastes.
Sex determination
At 21 weeks of gestation, sex determination is not difficult. And it is not at all necessary to do an ultrasound scan by the most highly qualified specialist, using precise modern equipment. Even an old scanner at the local antenatal clinic will almost certainly help the doctor determine whether to wait for a boy or a girl.
The external genitals are fully formed, the gender of the child cannot cause doubts, but only if he "wants" to show his "charms"... Some babies stubbornly do not want someone to look at them, and therefore turn their back to the scanner, hide the penis between the legs, and then parents may mistakenly "predict" the birth of a girl. Girls, too, are "with imagination", they clamp the umbilical cord so that its rings very much resemble a penis, and then future parents will be mistakenly informed about the imminent birth of their son.
In fact, the likelihood of an error in gender determination at 21 weeks is less likely than at any other time.
Previously, the likelihood of error increased due to small genitals, later the child "curls up", it becomes cramped, and the view of the genitals may become inaccessible. Now the accuracy of sex determination by ultrasound is approaching 90-95%.
In boys, the testicles at this time began to migrate to the small pelvis, in order to then start moving from there to the scrotum. In girls, the sex glands are already located in their places in the pelvic area.
Your baby is on ultrasound
An ultrasound scan this obstetric week may be the second scheduled. The time allotted for the second prenatal screening is coming to an end. If a woman in the second trimester has not yet been in the ultrasound room, now is the best time for this.
In addition to the baby's mobility, the mother will be able to see his heart on the monitor, which beats very intensely. The diagnostician will make basic measurements of the child's body parts. The so-called fetometry of the fetus is a complex of important sizes that allow you to add an idea of the proportionality of the child and the rate of its growth. The period under consideration is characterized by such parameters.
Fetal size chart at 21 weeks
The pelvic, transverse presentation of the fetus should not yet inspire fears in the expectant mother, because the baby is actively spinning and spinning, its position relative to the exit from the uterus before delivery will change more than once.
Possible complications and dangers
If now something unexpected happens and the baby is born, he most likely will not be able to survive. His weight has not reached 500 grams, and the gestational age has not yet crossed the 22 week mark, after which the fetus is considered a child. Now the birth of a baby will not be considered a premature birth, it will be a miscarriage. Therefore, you need to make every effort to prevent such an outcome.
This week, a woman may have the first signs of late toxicosis, called gestosis and characterized by edema, high blood pressure and the appearance of protein in the urine.
If in the morning the face "floats", it is impossible to put on your favorite rings on your fingers, and worn out old shoes begin to squeeze - these are the first signs of edema. It is imperative to inform your doctor about this.
The immunity of the pregnant woman is reduced, this mechanism is necessary for the body to "reason" the immune defense, not to let her get rid of the child in the early stages. Now the decrease in protective functions has reached its maximum, so the woman is practically defenseless against viruses, bacteria, fungi and other pathogens. Even a common cold can give her a lot of unpleasant symptoms.
You should not be afraid to get sick in this period. The placenta already reliably protects the baby, the consequences for him will be minimal, but it is better to avoid diseases by all means, since an extra load on the body of a pregnant woman is now not welcome.
Hypertonia, which can also be diagnosed, is a pathological tension of the smooth muscles of the uterus. This phenomenon can occur with women who are very nervous, in an unfavorable social and psychological environment.
Both infections and increased physical activity can cause hypertonicity. That is why it is important to follow all the recommendations, take the tests on time and in no case refuse the treatment prescribed by the doctor, if necessary.
Analyzes and examinations
At week 21, the second prenatal screening ends, or rather one of its components - an ultrasound examination, because a blood test as part of this prenatal examination is usually taken by women earlier - from 16 to 19 weeks of pregnancy.
If the screening results are good, then no further tests will be prescribed for the expectant mother. If the screening report does not inspire optimism to the doctors, then the woman will be prescribed amniocentesis or cordocentesis - procedures in which umbilical cord blood or a sample of amniotic fluid is “extracted” from the uterine cavity with a thin needle.
For those who do not want to risk the health of the baby, and invasive diagnostics, which include cordocentesis and amniocentesis, are quite dangerous and traumatic, a non-invasive prenatal DNA test using maternal blood can be recommended, but its cost is quite high.
At 21 weeks, women who go to see a doctor should not forget to pass a general urine test; now, special control will be established for the condition of the woman's kidneys and urinary system.
Recommendations for the expectant mother
To the list of general recommendations for pregnant women, which include walks in the fresh air, a healthy lifestyle, taking vitamins and a balanced regime of work and rest, at week 21, the following tips are added.
Gymnastics. If a woman has not yet started doing special exercises for expectant mothers, now is a great time to master these simple and very useful exercises that will prevent excess weight. Weight will now grow faster, and without physical activity, the gain can become pathological.
Sex. You can have sex if the doctor has no other opinion on this matter. At 21 weeks, women experience a surge of sexual energy, intimate relationships can bring a lot of pleasure to partners. However, you should be more careful with the choice of postures, avoiding mechanical compression of the abdomen and too deep penetration.
- Nutrition. Due to the fact that the baby began to gain weight intensively, now the woman should increase the calorie content of the daily diet by about 500 Kcal. The daily requirement of the expectant mother for this period is now 2800-3000 Kcal. Gaining calories should not come from sweets and chocolate, and even more so not from fast food. You can add cereals, increase the fat content of dairy products, add another meal with vegetables and fruits.
Clothes and footwear... It will be useful for a woman to walk barefoot at home, and it is better to go outdoors in flat-soled shoes. Clothes should not be tight, make breathing difficult, and promote sweating. To do this, choose models made from natural fabrics.
- Shopping for baby... Now a woman can still afford to go shopping, a little later shopping will become a very difficult occupation. If you want to buy beautiful suits, undershirts and hats for your baby, then it is best to do it right now, when your stomach is not too constraining for movements, and the weight allows you to walk for a long time and not get tired.
Toilet and intimate hygiene. Don't sit on the toilet for long periods. Defecation at this stage of pregnancy should take no more than five minutes. Otherwise, the likelihood of developing such an unpleasant and very painful ailment as hemorrhoids sharply increases. Watch your diet, avoid constipation.
After a bowel movement, use water instead of toilet paper - wash yourself and change your daily sanitary napkin.
Reviews
According to the reviews of expectant mothers, at 21 weeks, one of the most common complaints is heartburn and frequent urination. The growing uterus presses on the stomach from below, which causes gastric juice to back up into the esophagus. Frequent trips to the toilet are associated with pressure from the uterus on the bladder and kidneys. These unpleasant symptoms should simply be experienced, gradually the woman will get better: the compensatory mechanisms of the human body are large enough, and the woman's body has the ability to gradually adapt to the growth of the uterus.
Many expectant mothers note that their appetite has increased markedly at 21 weeks. Some of the pregnant women are trying to catch the sea as long as their strength allows. Doctors warn: you should be careful with sunbathing.
About what happens to the fetus and the expectant mother at the 21st week of pregnancy, see the next video.
