What’s Your Little One Doing During the Second Trimester?

It’s time to announce to the world about the secret you have been keeping to yourself! Most moms-to-be announce their pregnancy to friends & relatives at the beginning of the second trimester. You are entering the honeymoon phase of pregnancy.

Month 4, 5 and 6 is usually called the second trimester. This trimester also includes ultrasound scans, prenatal tests, and other routine lab tests to monitor blood sugar and cholesterol levels in the mom’s body.

Before we move on to understand what’s happening with your tiny tot inside your womb, let’s take a brief look at why most doctors suggest prenatal testing.

Why is Prenatal Screening Necessary During This Trimester?

Prenatal Screening tests offer parents-to-be a complete idea of how the baby is growing inside the womb. What milestones have been achieved? Apart from the growth milestones, these tests also help detect if your baby has any genetic conditions.

1)  Genetic tests: A simple blood test can help diagnose if your baby is prone to any genetic disorders like spina bifida etc. These tests are non-invasive. Your doctor may take a look at the reports and then let you know if further testing is required.

2)  Ultrasound: Most of us are familiar with ultrasound scans. These are part of regular tests during pregnancy. At each stage, doing these scans periodically helps your doctor understand how your baby is growing & how their organs are developing. Hey, it’s gives you a chance to say hello to your baby as well!  You get a sneak peek at what your little nugget is doing!

3)  Blood tests: These blood tests are done to monitor your iron levels and to keep an eye on blood glucose levels. This is done to screen for diabetes that can develop during pregnancy known as ‘gestational diabetes.’ Between Week 24 to Week 28, your doctor may ask you to get a blood test done to check your blood group and if you are Rh positive or negative.

Make sure to inform your doctor about your daily routine, test reports, and you still feel nauseous. Don’t ignore even the slightest of the changes. Nothing is unimportant when it comes to your and your baby’s health, mom-to-be!

Baby’s Growth During Second Trimester:

The second trimester starts from week 13 and ends at week 27.  In this trimester, baby’s development continues with some growth every week making that baby bump more visible as days go by. Take a look at how your baby grows inside your womb in the second trimester:

1)      Week 13 to Week 17:

Your baby now learns the art of sucking the thumb. This action is in preparation for the breastfeeding as soon as they arrive into this world. Around week 16 to week 18, you may feel tiny flutters inside your belly. Yes! That’s your little one rolling and happily doing those somersaults. At Week 17, your baby’s glands are busy producing a greasy substance called ‘vernix.’ This acts as a protection to your baby’s skin.

2)      Week 18 to Week 23:

With the arrival of week 18, your baby’s ears begin to appear on the sides of the head. It’s time to sing those lullabies that you plan on singing after they step foot into this world. Your baby can hear sounds now! By Week 19, baby’s genitals start forming.

At Week 20, your halfway mark of pregnancy, your baby would have developed regular sleep and wake cycles. You can make out when they are awake mostly by their kicks. By Week 22, your baby’s hair becomes visible. Eyebrows, eyelashes are visible. Your baby weighs approximately 500grams by the end of Week 23.

3)      Week 24 to Week 27:

24 weeks into your pregnancy, your baby’s skin now gives a pinkish appearance because of the visible blood in capillaries. At 25 weeks, your baby will respond to your voice. They can now start identifying different sounds. So make sure all your family members start talking to your belly! From Week 25 to Week 27, the lungs start to develop and continue to develop until week 26. By the end of the second trimester, your baby’s nervous system is continuing to mature and the baby’s skin is getting smoother as they put on weight, thus gaining fat!

Around Week 18 to Week 22, your doctor may suggest an anomaly scan. Hold on to that, because it’s a chance to see your baby smile at you! Babies start developing facial reflexes in the second trimester.

We hope you enjoyed reading about your baby’s growth in the second trimester!

If you have any queries regarding prenatal tests, be sure to contact the best diagnostics in the industry. LifeCell Diagnostics offers comprehensive prenatal screening tests which allow you to stay informed about your baby’s growth. They also inform you if your baby is at risk of developing genetic conditions.

LifeCell also offers free genetic counselling by trained professionals who explain your reports in detail. They offer support and guidance to those parents-to-be whose reports indicate a risk of the baby developing genetic conditions.

Eat healthy & Stay Happy: Dear Mom-to-be!

Disclaimer : Content presented here is for information purposes only, please consult with your doctor for any health queries

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