11 week of pregnancy
The main achievement of this period is a decrease in the symptoms of early toxicosis, an increase in the volume of the uterus. At 11 weeks, the second half of the third month begins, the first trimester comes to an end. Not long ago, the expectant mother, with bated breath, looked at two cherished strips on the test, and after a few weeks her future baby already looks like a little man. All organs are formed in him, and he reacts to the movements of the mother, feels the taste of her food.
Content:
- Fetal development
- What's going on with mom?
- Belly and uterus
- Pain - when to worry
- Discharge and bleeding
- Viral infections and fever
- Proper nutrition
- Attitude towards sex
- Attitudes towards smoking and drinking alcohol
- Screening for pathology of fetal development
- What does ultrasound show?
- Mandatory analyzes
- Examination calendar
- Twin pregnancy
- Tips & Tricks
Fetal development
At 11 weeks of gestation, the fetal brain develops intensively. Active cell division of the central nervous system is combined with the rapid growth of the fetus over the next few weeks. The muscles of the neck are strengthened, thanks to which the unborn child can slightly raise his head, turn it to the sides. His muscle activity has increased significantly due to the development of small joints, ossification of cartilage. The fetus moves freely in the amniotic fluid, helping itself with the legs with the fingers, which have preserved the membranes for now. The handles have already lost them, small fingers can cover the face, grip the umbilical cord.
Fetal parameters:
- Weight - 7-8 g;
- Length - up to 10 cm;
- The coccygeal-parietal size is 5-6 cm.
The baby's heart calmly pumps blood through the body, through the network of blood vessels, and supplies them with oxygen. The first lymphocytes can be found in the blood. These blood cells will guard the immunity of the fetus. The liver at this time takes up to 10% of the total body weight, it begins to actively engage in hematopoiesis.
The small intestine, even in the absence of food, begins the first contractions and movements resembling peristalsis. The kidneys of the fetus excrete waste products into the amniotic fluid, and then it enters the mother's kidneys.
The respiratory system has bronchi, trachea and a network of pulmonary blood vessels, which will not take their first breath soon. The alveoli of the lungs have not yet formed.
The eyes on an overly large head have not yet taken their permanent place, but a colored iris is already forming in them, which subsequently determines the color of the eyes.
The increased need for nutrients will require additional intake of vitamin-mineral complexes from the mother, which the doctor will recommend.
Video about what happens to the fetus at 11 weeks, the feelings of the expectant mother, about the rules of safe nutrition, actions for food poisoning:
What's going on with mom?
At this stage of pregnancy, symptoms of toxicosis gradually disappear - nausea, drowsiness and fatigue, and fluctuations in the emotional state are less felt. A little more, only 1-2 weeks, and you can forget about early toxicosis. Hormonal restructuring still exerts its influence on the psyche of a woman, but these manifestations are already gradually balancing out.
During this period, pregnant women increase their metabolism by 20-25%, which allows them to burn calories faster, leading to increased sweating. Due to the increase in the volume of circulating blood, thirst is constantly felt, which can be easily eliminated by normalizing the drinking regime. If you consume up to 1.5-2 liters of liquid per day, including clean drinking water, then these sensations will not be so pronounced.
In pregnant women at this time, a tendency to constipation begins to appear, which increases with the course of pregnancy.
Causes of constipation:
- Progesterone, acting as a relaxing effect on the muscular walls of the uterus, simultaneously reduces intestinal tone:
- Women with increased uterine tone are afraid to strain;
- Possible congenital pathology - excessively long intestines;
- Unhealthy diet, abuse of carbohydrates, refined foods, lack of vegetable fiber in the menu.
To prevent constipation, you should adjust your menu, avoid a sedentary lifestyle.
Belly and uterus
At 11 weeks, the uterus occupies almost the entire space of the small pelvis. It can already be felt in the supine position, like a dense abdominal visa formation. Sometimes she becomes more toned - a condition similar to mild painless contractions. If the increased tone of the uterus does not cause pain, then there is no need to worry.
The placenta works more and more actively, by the 15th week, it completely takes over the functions of providing the fetus with nutrition and oxygen. It becomes thicker, the network of blood vessels penetrating the placenta increases.
Depending on the characteristics of the constitution, some women already begin to enlarge the stomach, especially in its lower part. It's time to worry about comfortable clothing and underwear that does not restrict movement and blood supply to any part of the body.
Pain - when to worry
Causes of pain at 11 weeks:
- Weak pulling pains that pass after rest - an increased tone of the uterus is considered a non-dangerous condition;
- Severe cramping pains in combination with the discharge of blood from the vagina is a sign of an incipient miscarriage, immediate medical attention is required;
- Pain in the calves of the legs as a cramps is a sign of a lack of calcium and requires special medications.
- Mild side pains radiating to the lower back are not dangerous signs of a sprain in the ligaments that support the growing uterus.
Discharge and bleeding
The combination of bloody discharge with abdominal pain is a sign of an incipient miscarriage, placental abruption. If you seek medical help in a timely manner, the fetus can be saved in a gynecological hospital. If a woman has a history of fibroids or cervical erosion, a small amount of brownish discharge may appear after intercourse.
Another cause of spotting at week 11 is untreated sexually transmitted diseases. It is necessary to find out their cause as soon as possible and carry out treatment.
Normal vaginal discharge at this stage of pregnancy is a transparent or white, small volume, odorless. Their structure depends on the level of progesterone. In the second trimester, leucorrhoea will become thinner due to the increase in estrogen levels in the female body.
A discharge of yellow or green color that looks like cottage cheese or a bubbling structure is a sign of candidiasis (thrush) or trichomoniasis. They are accompanied by itching, hyperemia, edema of the genitals. Both diseases should be treated immediately under the guidance of a physician.
Viral infections and fever
In the first trimester, a subfebrile temperature within 37.2 ° C is considered normal, as a sign of increased metabolism. If it rises to 38 ° C and above, most likely an infectious disease or inflammatory process has begun. His treatment must be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, removing hyperthermia with cool compresses and the use of natural antiviral agents - cranberry juice, rosehip decoction.
On the advice of a doctor, the high temperature is lowered by taking Paracetamol, since severe hyperthermia is extremely dangerous for the fetus.
For the symptomatic treatment of acute respiratory viral infections, inhalation, rinsing the nasal cavity with sea water, rinsing the throat with saline, soda solution, drinking warm milk with figs are used.
A significant increase in temperature may be due to acute cystitis, pyelonephritis (inflammation of the renal pelvis). These pathologies require treatment by a urologist or nephrologist in a hospital setting.
Proper nutrition
The main directions of menu formation are providing the fetus with material for full growth and development, combined with the prevention of constipation in a pregnant woman.
The basic principles of healthy eating at week 11:
- Adequate amount of animal protein (meat, fish, fermented milk drinks, milk).
- The presence of vegetable protein (a small number of legumes).
- The use of fruits and vegetables of different colors to fill the diet with vitamins, antioxidants, microelements.
- Introducing a source of calcium and protein such as cottage cheese and cheese into the menu.
- Limiting refined foods and light carbohydrates to prevent constipation.
- Drinking a sufficient amount of liquid (1.5-2 liters per day).
- The inclusion in the diet of kiwi, bananas, dried apricots, prunes to stimulate intestinal motility, as well as a source of calcium.
Do not overeat, eat for two. It is best to practice frequent small meals. The best cooking method is baking in the oven, steaming. It is better to exclude fried, pickled foods from your menu for now.
Attitude towards sex
Intimate relationships at this period are not at all contraindicated, with the exception of cases of multiple pregnancy, the threat of miscarriage and the appearance of atypical discharge. Increased sexual desire during pregnancy, the need for emotional support will bring new colors to sexual relations. It is important that they are comfortable for a woman without giving her unpleasant sensations.
Infectious diseases in one of the sexual partners, thrush, pain in the lower abdomen are a reason for stopping sexual intercourse.
Attitudes towards smoking and drinking alcohol
Attitudes towards smoking and drinking" /> Attitudes towards smoking and drinking >
Nicotine and alcohol will surely get into the bloodstream to the fetus, and he will feel their taste. It is dangerous not only active, but also passive smoking, that is, being in the same room with people who smoke. Despite the fact that at this stage of pregnancy all the organs of the unborn child have already formed, toxins can make a negative contribution to its development. At 11 weeks, the baby's brain is developing intensively, and no mother would want to have a child with intellectual disabilities.
Even if a child is born without physical pathologies, his nervous system will suffer, and the number of connections between neurons in the brain will decrease. Subsequently, this can lead to hyperactivity, antisocial behavior.
Screening for pathology of fetal development
In each trimester of pregnancy, fetal health screening is carried out - a set of diagnostic measures to identify possible deviations from normal development. These studies do not categorically state the presence of pathologies, they simply assume the likelihood of their occurrence.
First trimester screening is done between 11 and 16 weeks of pregnancy. The optimal time is the beginning of this period, since up to 12 weeks the ultrasound clearly shows the parameters of the collar zone of the fetus.
In addition to ultrasound, the first trimester screening includes a "double test" of a biochemical blood test to determine the level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and the level of plasma A-protein (PAPP-A) to determine the risk of Down syndrome and Edwards syndrome. Their average value should not be less than 0.5 units, a value over 2.0 units, when combined with the norm of other studies, is a normal result.
Video about first trimester screening, interpretation of its results, useful products:
What does ultrasound show?
The thickness of the collar space is an indicator of the presence or absence of Down syndrome. Additionally, the proportions of the body and limbs of the fetus, the shape of the head, the number of fingers and toes are assessed.
Ultrasound parameters assessed during screening:
- The thickness of the collar space (neck fold) is not more than 3 mm;
- The presence of a nasal bone, its absence is a sign of down syndrome;
- The presence or absence of blood flow in the venous duct;
- The size of the bladder, with down syndrome, it is enlarged;
- The size of the upper jaw, with Down syndrome, it is more than normal;
- The number of umbilical arteries, if there are not 2, but 1, is a sign of a chromosomal developmental abnormality.
A positive result is a reason for consulting a geneticist and applying specific research methods.
Mandatory analyzes
When you visit the antenatal clinic at the 11th week of pregnancy, you will be offered to take:
- Blood test for hormones,
- General urine analysis to determine the level of leukocytes and protein.
A deviation from the norm in the level of protein and leukocytes may indicate an inflammatory process in the body.
The level of hCG in a woman's blood reaches its peak for 11 weeks. This hormone during the entire 1 trimester provided the necessary levels of estrogen and progesterone, maintaining the normal course of pregnancy. From this point on, the placenta performs the functions of hCG.
Examination calendar
The optimal time for ultrasound is 11-14 weeks of pregnancy. The study will show if the unborn child does not have Down syndrome, in what condition his neural tube is. In addition to the ultrasound results, the woman will be offered to donate blood for the determination of genetic pathologies. If there is a suspicion of possible developmental defects, the pregnant woman is sent to study the chorionic villi, which confirms or refutes the assumption.
Prenatal screening:
- 5-6 weeks - ultrasound to confirm uterine pregnancy;
- 11-12 weeks - ultrasound of malformations (Down syndrome, fetal neural tube defect, Edwards defect);
- 11-14 weeks and 16-18 weeks - blood test for genetic pathologies.
Twin pregnancy
The course of a multiple pregnancy at 11 weeks is almost the same neither in the feelings of the mother, nor in the condition of future babies. The only significant difference is that if a woman has symptoms of early toxicosis, it is possible that they will be felt longer than during a normal pregnancy - up to 16-18 weeks. The body's resources run out faster with such a pregnancy, so the expectant mother of twins should tune in in advance that the pregnancy may not be able to be brought to 40 weeks, and the newborns will have a slightly lower weight.
At 11 weeks, both fetuses have the same rate of development, height and weight as a fetus in a singleton pregnancy. The increased size of the uterus will make the abdomen noticeable earlier, especially since at this time the growth rate of each fetus will increase.
Tips & Tricks
- Increased tearfulness, resentment, mood swings, unfounded fears are a reason for contacting a psychologist.
- To improve bowel function and replenish calcium stores, you should include more fermented milk products in your diet - cheese, cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk, etc.
- Weakness and fatigue are possible symptoms of iron deficiency, so you need to be tested for hemoglobin and, if necessary, take measures to combat anemia, including in your diet beef, liver, pomegranates, apples, and iron supplements recommended by a gynecologist.
- To improve health, it is advisable to spend more time in the fresh air, do breathing exercises and feasible exercises, walk, admiring the views of nature.
- Do not be upset about deteriorating hair and nails. After giving birth, their appearance is normalized.
- If the work of a pregnant woman is associated with physical and mental stress, it is necessary, in agreement with the management, to switch to more favorable working conditions.
The main thing now is a positive emotional climate in the family and in the work collective. It is important to remember that all negative experiences affect the well-being of the unborn child.
The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist
Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.
