17 weeks pregnant
At the 17th week of pregnancy, the age of the unborn child is 15 weeks, this is the first week of the fifth lunar month of pregnancy.
Fetal changes
The size of the fetus at 17 weeks of gestation from the crown of the head to the tailbone is approximately 12 cm, it already weighs 130 g, that is, its "dimensions" can be compared with a grapefruit.
At this time, the baby is active, he constantly turns, moves his arms and legs, turns over in the womb. If the pregnancy is the first, then the mother most often does not feel the movement of the fetus at this time, and multiparous women can quite clearly distinguish between the shocks and blows produced by the fetus.
The deposition of calcium in the cartilaginous basis of the fetal skeleton continues, therefore, on ultrasound at 17 weeks of pregnancy, individual bones can be clearly seen; during the study, some of them are measured and compared with average values in order to clarify the correspondence of the size of the fetus to the gestational age.
At the 17th week of pregnancy, the future baby already hears, his auditory analyzer is well developed. But the vestibular part of the inner ear has to be fully formed later.
From the 17th week of pregnancy, the fetus's immune system begins to synthesize immunoglobulins and interferons - protective proteins that help to resist infections.
Big changes are taking place in the endocrine system of the unborn child, the adrenal glands are working intensively, and the pituitary and hypothalamus sections of the brain begin to intensively synchronize the work of each other and of the internal organs.
The fetus at the 17th week of pregnancy still looks elongated and thin, but the so-called brown fat begins to be deposited in the area of the shoulder blades. A distinctive feature of this adipose tissue is that it is very rich in energy, and its brown color is given by many mitochondria, in which energy-rich substances are formed. The brown adipose tissue is designed to support the newborn's strength immediately after birth, when the newborn's digestion has not yet been established. Therefore, it quickly dissolves in the first week after birth.
The heart of the fetus is actively contracting, through the abdomen at 17 weeks of gestation it is possible to hear that the heart rate is 150 - 160 beats per minute.
With the help of ultrasound at the 17th week of pregnancy, you can clearly determine the sex of the unborn child if he does not close the genitals with his legs.
Changes in a woman's body at 17 weeks of gestation
At the 17th week of pregnancy, the uterus changes shape - it is no longer as round as before, but rather ovoid. Due to the growing uterus, the abdomen at the 17th week of pregnancy stands out slightly below, the height of the upper part of the uterus is 2 cm below the level of the navel.
The expectant mother is feeling good, pain at 17 weeks of pregnancy is not typical if everything goes according to plan. The center of gravity of the body is gradually shifting, which makes it difficult to endure prolonged loads on the legs. Doctors advise in this case to rest more often and not to wear high-heeled shoes.
In the second trimester, a woman may be disturbed by heartburn and sour belching, often for the first time such manifestations occur precisely at the 17th week of pregnancy. The reason for this is hormonal changes in the body. progesterone (a pregnancy hormone) relaxes the muscles that close the passage from the esophagus to the stomach. Another predisposing factor is that the uterus grows and presses on the stomach from below. As a result, acidic stomach contents can easily enter the esophagus.
Sometimes a woman is worried about discharge at 17 weeks of pregnancy from the mammary glands. This is not dangerous, the body adjusts to breastfeeding after the birth of the baby. Swelling on the legs should not be ignored, it may be one of the symptoms of gestosis (toxicosis in the second half of pregnancy).
Examination at 17 weeks of gestation
At the 17th week of pregnancy, a woman undergoes routine examinations and examinations. By this time, you should definitely have blood tests for infections such as HIV and syphilis. In the presence of such diseases or carriage, the earlier preventive treatment begins, the more effective it will be for the unborn child.
17 weeks of pregnancy is the time when you need to make a blood coagulogram. This analysis will show the state of clotting, and hence the readiness to stop blood loss during childbirth. Low blood clotting can be corrected as a result of a preventive course of therapy.
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