16th week of pregnancy - what happens?

So, 16 weeks of pregnancy has begun, we will consider what happens at this time with the woman's organism and the fetus.

This waiting period can be called carefree for mom. If the pregnancy is normal, then the woman has a toxicosis, there are no pains in the lower abdomen, the chest hurts less and the appetite improves.

What happens to the baby?

The second trimester is different in that the size of the fetus begins to increase significantly, and at 16 weeks of pregnancy, mom already notices that her tummy is growing rapidly, because the length of the baby's body has reached 108-116 mm.

Many women, when the 16th week of pregnancy comes, feel the fetus for the first time . Cranking crumbs are still weak, so during this period, mom needs to listen carefully to her body to feel the light movements of her baby.

When the pregnancy reaches 16 weeks, the development of the fetus becomes more noticeable:

• the kid holds his neck, turns his head;
• bones are strengthened, marigolds are already formed;
• the eyes, ears are clearly visible, the contour of the nose is determined;
• the muscles of the face were formed, facial expressions appeared;
• the heart pumps 25 liters of blood per day;
• the liver participates in the digestive process;
• in the intestine a feces is formed, which consists of bile;
• Kidney and bladder process liquid;
• the blood was formed, and it is possible to determine its group, Rhesus factor;
• The body is covered with lanugo - downy, which will protect the tender little body of the baby.

At the age of 16 weeks of pregnancy, the sex of the child is still difficult to determine, because the external genitalia are still forming.

What happens in the mother's body?

If the pregnancy develops well, then the woman feels a surge of energy, activity. Poor health, abdominal pain, bloody discharge should be a reason for visiting a doctor. Bleeding at the mum can also be caused by the following reasons: physical activity, intra-abdominal pressure with constipation, sexual intercourse, hot bath or sauna.

At a period of 16-18 weeks, the risk of fetal death increases. The reasons can be different: intrauterine infection of the child, the impact on it of negative factors, rhesus-conflict between mother and baby, etc.

The doctor must constantly monitor the changes in the woman's uterus. This will make sure that the fetus develops well. The uterus at the 16th week of pregnancy increases in weight to 250 g, and its height reaches half the distance to the navel. Mum's tummy increases. Especially strongly, it protrudes, if a woman has not the first child. Reaching 16 weeks of pregnancy, the weight of the fetus is 100-200 g. At this time, the mother may feel bloating, heartburn and constipation. This is due to the fact that the uterus begins to put pressure on the intestines.

For a successful intrauterine development of the baby, the placenta plays a great role, because it transfers the nutrients and vitamins from the mother's body to the baby, and supplies it with oxygen. The placenta at the 16th week of pregnancy is fully formed, but will grow to 36 weeks. One of the pathologies is low placentation, when the embryo is attached to the lower part of the uterus, that is closer to the pharynx. If the "child's house" is displaced even more and blocks the exit from the uterus, then this indicates another pathology - placenta previa. In these cases, the woman has vaginal bleeding, pain in the lower abdomen, and, accordingly, the threat of miscarriage increases. Therefore, throughout the pregnancy, the gynecologist should monitor the placenta. It should be said that low placenta often passes on its own in the third trimester.

In any case, the expectant mother should monitor her health and go through scheduled ultrasound on time.