As soon as a woman finds out about her "interesting position", she involuntarily begins to peer furtively into her reflection in the mirror - is her tummy growing? Common sense, of course, says that there is still a long time before the belly appears, but curiosity is stronger. The growth rate of the abdomen during gestation is monitored and tracked by indicators such as the abdominal circumference of the expectant mother and the height of the uterus. They are measured by the doctor at each visit to the antenatal clinic. What these sizes can say, why the belly does not grow or is too large, this article will tell.
Physiological rationale for growth
The belly does not grow by itself during pregnancy, this process is due to the rather rapid growth of the genital organ - the uterus. As soon as the test showed two strips, the uterus is very small in size with a volume of 5 ml and a weight of about 50-60 grams. But already in the second month of pregnancy, there is a gradual and systematic increase in the number of muscle fibers. This is necessary so that the female reproductive organ can grow and increase in size, and the uterus will have to stretch significantly - about 500 times in relation to its size before pregnancy.
By the 9th week of pregnancy, the uterus reaches the size of a goose egg. And while it fits within the pelvis, there is no belly, it does not grow. As the reproductive organ grows and rises above the small pelvis higher into the abdominal cavity, the abdomen becomes noticeable. And after 14-15 weeks of pregnancy, it is easy to determine such a size as WDM - the height of the fundus of the uterus. It is this part of the (wide) uterus that rises into the abdominal cavity, and the growth of the WDM index grows with each week of pregnancy.
The belly increases significantly after the 16th week of pregnancy, and for many by this time it is already becoming visible... The growth rate of the abdomen is very individual, and depends on the constitution, the size of the small pelvis, the presence or absence of excess weight. And also the place of attachment of the placenta plays a role, and the number of fetuses, and their estimated weight.
Therefore, the abdominal circumference during pregnancy is a very individual value, because even before pregnancy it is different for every woman. But the height of the uterine fundus is a more average indicator. Therefore, the doctor measures both the coolant and the WDM at the same time, and after each admission he enters the data into the exchange card of the expectant mother.
Resizing by time - norms
The uterus grows continuously, but gradually. She leaves the borders of the small pelvis at about 13 weeks of gestation, and until that time it is quite possible to lie on her stomach without fear of harming the baby. From the same period, the measurement of WDM begins - the height to which the reproductive organ rises above the bosom. And if for a woman, observing the growth of the abdomen is more entertainment in nature, then for medical workers, it is the WDM - the same size that shows whether the uterus is enlarged normally, are there any prerequisites for polyhydramnios or low water, a large fetus, is there any reason to suspect intrauterine growth retardation of the baby.
The abdominal circumference is measured with an ordinary measuring tape along the line of its most protruding part, and WDM - in the supine position from the pubis to the borders of the fundus of the uterus (the doctor gropes them). To change, you can use both a tape measure and a special obstetric pelvis meter.
As already noted, each lady has an individual coolant, so it is important not how many centimeters in which week, but how the girth of one and the same woman increases over time. But there are certain norms for WDM.
Table WDM by weeks during pregnancy.
From the presented table, it is clearly seen that the growth rate of the height of the uterine fundus is observed only at the end of the last trimester, when the abdomen descends - the child presses his head against the internal os of the cervix, exerting additional pressure on it and leading to its gradual preparation for childbirth.
With the lowering of the abdomen, it becomes easier for the expectant mother to breathe, heartburn decreases, the ribs hurt less, but the downward pressure increases, which leads to frequent urination.
In thin and asthenic individuals, the stomach becomes noticeable earlier; in obese women, the stomach is sometimes not visible until the very late dates. The girth of the abdomen relative to its initial size changes on an individual basis.
Why is the belly growing slowly?
The slow growth of the abdomen is a rather subjective concept. The belly does not grow slowly, the woman herself simply perceives this as an existing problem and begins to worry. In this case, it is best to contact your doctor and discuss your concerns with him. If the fetus meets the norms of fetometry for the current period, then there is no reason for worry. Most likely, there are some prerequisites for your tummy to not look "deeply pregnant" for a long time.
Let's consider a list of these prerequisites.
Muscles of the press are strong, trained, a woman before pregnancy regularly went in for sports and had a beautiful flat tummy. In this case, the abdominal wall stretches much longer.
The woman has wide hips, due to which the space of the small pelvis is also larger, so the growing reproductive organ manages to occupy its usual place in the small pelvis longer.
Placenta attachment site on the back wall provides a later visual manifestation of the abdomen.
Small amount of water... The amount of amniotic water (their index) is below normal. This condition is dangerous in itself, so the slow growth rate of the tummy is not at all the main cause for concern.
Excess weight... If a woman has extra pounds and fat deposits in the abdomen and thighs, then her condition will become noticeable to everyone much later.
The expectant mother's upcoming birth is not the first... The more births, the weaker the muscles, the more prone to stretching the anterior abdominal wall. Therefore, the belly in the third birth always becomes noticeable much earlier than in the first.
There are also prerequisites that do not directly depend on the woman. Quite often, such a feature as a small belly during pregnancy is inherited by a girl from her mother. In this case, don't worry.
Do not "get hung up" on the fact that the belly does not look as big as in other women, in comparison with them it is barely visible. WDM is of much greater importance. If this size is normal, there is nothing to worry about. The circumference of the abdomen, its girth, in this case, does not matter.
Growing too fast
Some ladies complain that the belly appeared very early, already at the beginning of the second trimester it was not possible to hide it from prying eyes.
Do not be afraid, usually this phenomenon has very specific reasons.
The expectant mother has narrow hips... This provides an earlier exit of the fundus from the small pelvis into the abdominal cavity, so the growth of the tummy becomes apparent earlier. A narrow pelvis can be a direct indication for delivery by cesarean section, but it is in no way dangerous for the baby during pregnancy, does not affect his development and well-being.
Pregnancy is not the first... This circumstance is a rather weighty argument in favor of early growth of the abdomen, since with each subsequent birth the muscles of the press weaken - such is the inevitability, a kind of retribution for women for the happiness of motherhood.
A pregnant woman has not one, but two or more babies growing under her heart, while the uterus grows somewhat faster, but the size of each of the fetuses is slightly lower than the average standards.
High amniotic fluid index (polyhydramnios) also provokes faster growth of the uterus and an increase in the number of muscle fibers.
In a woman, the placenta is located on the front wall..
The thinness of a woman makes the belly more visible.
If WDM does not meet the deadline
If the belly does not grow at the rate at which the lady herself imagined it, but the development of pregnancy does not cause complaints from the doctor, then there is no need for additional examinations. But a decrease or increase in BMR is a more specific signal for action. And your doctor should act.
If the height of the standing of the fundus of the uterus deviates from the normal average statistical values, based on this fact alone, of course, no one will make any diagnoses. The patient is only recommended some additional examinations, the main one of which is an ultrasound scan with a Doppler (ultrasound examination, which allows to assess not only the size and development of the crumbs, but also the speed and quality of blood flow in the umbilical cord, placenta).
If the BMR is lower than provided for by the norms for the timing, then this may be a sign of an error in determining the duration of pregnancy... This can happen in the following cases: with an irregular cycle, if the woman does not remember the date of the last menstruation, after IVF, during pregnancy that occurred while breastfeeding the previous child. At the same time, the development of the baby as a whole corresponds to the norms, and the Doppler does not show violations of the blood flow between the mother and the fetus.
Often, VDM decreases with oligohydramnios, with an incorrect position of the fetus in the uterine cavity (for example, across, obliquely).
With a lag of 2 centimeters or more, they talk about a possible delay in fetal development. There are many reasons that can cause this condition. This is a rhesus conflict, and a violation of blood flow in the placenta and umbilical cord, and malnutrition of the expectant mother. In this case, the true cause is identified, eliminated, if possible, after which the baby quickly "catches up" with its terms.
If the VDM is exceeded by 2 centimeters and above, a large fetus is suspected first of all. At the same time, it is recommended to do blood sugar tests to rule out diabetes in the mother.
By such a size as WDM, today they do not judge whether a pregnancy is singleton or multiple. Earlier, when there was no ultrasound, obstetricians used this indicator to make assumptions about multiple pregnancies, and later they groped for two heads, and they often made mistakes.
Today, the task of diagnosing multiple pregnancies is perfectly performed by ultrasound diagnostics, and already at 7-8 weeks of pregnancy, a woman will be able to find out if she is expecting one baby or more.
Myths and truths about the growth of bellies
Much attention has been paid to the tummies of pregnant women at all times. There is a lot of acceptance and superstition, assumptions that still live among women.
Here are the most famous ones.
By the shape of the growing belly, you can determine the gender... The shape of the abdomen, as well as its size, depend on the individual characteristics and constitution of the woman. It does not depend on the sex of the baby. Therefore, the assertions that a “sharp little” belly is for a boy, and a round one for a girl has no scientific justification and is far from the truth. In situations where a woman is carrying twins of different sexes (a boy and a girl at the same time), she has the same belly shape throughout her pregnancy.
Do not let strangers touch the stomach, the baby may suffer - this is a myth.... Another question is that such intrusive attempts to violate her personal boundaries may be unpleasant for the expectant mother. In this case, you do not need to endure, even out of politeness. Immediately let others know that their actions are unpleasant to you, boldly stop attempts.
If you want to hide your "interesting position" from employees, classmates, neighbors for a longer time, then you should not wear tight clothes and squeeze your growing belly from the outside. It is much safer to upgrade your wardrobe in favor of loose tunics, dresses without a waist, and so on. At any time, your belly should remain free, and blood circulation should be full.
Small bright accents, for example, a noticeable bright hat or a bright scarf, will help to distract the attention of the people around and switch it from the belly. If such details are used simultaneously with loose-fitting clothes, then pregnancy can be hidden from prying eyes for a very long time if you do not like them.
More information about the growth rate of the abdomen is in the next video.
