25 weeks pregnant
The 25th week of pregnancy marks the beginning of the seventh obstetric month, each with exactly 28 days. It is already difficult to call this period small, but there are still 15 weeks ahead, during which the body of the unborn child will undergo important changes.
Content:
- Fetal development at 25 weeks gestation
- Ultrasound at 25 weeks of gestation
- What happens to the uterus?
- What happens to the stomach?
- Causes of pain at 25 weeks
- Discharge at 25 weeks of gestation
- Sensations
- Intimate life
- What tests will be required at 25 weeks of pregnancy?
- The principles of good nutrition
- Weight at 25 weeks
- Answers to popular questions
Fetal development at 25 weeks gestation
A baby at 25 weeks is already quite well developed, and his appearance is becoming more and more similar to that of a newborn. Nevertheless, he is not yet ready for an independent life outside his mother's body.
The main characteristics of fetal development at 25 weeks of gestation:
- The weight of the unborn child is about 0.7 kg, and the height can reach 34-35 cm.
- Alveoli are forming in the lungs, but there is still no surfactant in them. It is necessary so that during breathing there is no adhesion of the walls of the alveoli.
- The auricle continues to form. Incidentally, the degree of her maturity allows you to assess the level of development of the child in the event of his premature birth. At the same time, the inner ear matures, which provides orientation and position of the body in space.
- If earlier the liver and spleen were responsible for the function of hematopoiesis, now it is taken over by the bone marrow.
- The child is sensitive to the mother's condition and notices all her mood swings. If a woman is in pain, the baby frowns and frowns, and when the mother is happy, the child smiles.
- During intrauterine development, the fetus cannot sniff, as it is in the amniotic fluid. However, a child is born with an excellent sense of smell, which by the 25th week of pregnancy is already fully formed.
- Bones get stronger every day, muscles get stronger. A woman can tell by how much more palpable the tremors in her stomach have become.
- The boy's testicles should already descend into the scrotum, and in girls, the vagina is forming at this time.
- The weight of the crumbs is actively added due to the fact that adipose tissue begins to arrive. It is thanks to her that the baby acquires rounded cheeks and subcutaneous folds. However, at 25 weeks, there is still very little subcutaneous fat in the fetus.
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The unborn child is already trying to coordinate his actions. He can play with the umbilical cord, cover his face with his palms, suck his thumb. This can be observed during the ultrasound examination if it is scheduled for the 25th week of pregnancy.
Ultrasound at 25 weeks of gestation
The second planned ultrasound scan is usually performed earlier - at 20-24 weeks of pregnancy. Nevertheless, it often happens that the timing of the study may be slightly shifted, and then it will be done at 25 weeks.
During the procedure, the doctor will assess the development of the fetus, its condition and the correspondence of physiological characteristics to the real time. This will eliminate various pregnancy defects.
The average indicators of normal fetal parameters at week 25 are as follows:
- Chest - 63.1 mm;
- Abdomen - 64.2 mm;
- Head - 62.3 mm;
- Heart rate - 140-150 beats per minute.
Most likely, during the study, it will be possible to determine the sex of the child. Although sometimes children "hide", and you can never be 100% sure of the received data.
Also, in the process of ultrasound, the doctor assesses the condition of the woman herself. First of all, he is interested in the thickness of the placenta, which should now be 26.22 mm, and its location. When the doctor says that the placenta is low, you should not worry. Most likely, it will begin to rise right now.
Also, the doctor assesses the quantity and quality of amniotic fluid, the size and location of the uterus. If everything is in order, then the next scheduled ultrasound will be the last - prenatal.
What happens to the uterus?
To really estimate the size of the uterus at 25 weeks of gestation, you can imagine a soccer ball. Its upper part or the so-called "bottom of the uterus" rises above the pubis by an average of 26 cm. If the uterus is lower, then this may indicate an insufficiency of the placenta, and if higher, then polyhydramnios or multiple pregnancies.
Although the size of the uterus is already quite solid, it will continue to grow. Also, a woman can periodically feel her contractions. Sometimes they are accompanied by mild pain. Normally, such training contractions are short-term or even single and do not require medical attention. However, if the pain continues to intensify, then you must definitely go to the hospital.
What happens to the stomach?
Now the belly continues to grow. It grows in size by about 10 mm every week. Most often, it is from the 25th week of pregnancy that women note that the growth rate of the abdomen has increased. This is actually the case, because the baby is actively gaining weight and height.
Since the center of gravity shifts to the stomach, the gait of the expectant mother changes, and posture may worsen.
As the uterus grows, the pressure on the internal organs increases:
- Pressure on the intestines can lead to constipation;
- Pressure on the stomach leads to heartburn and belching;
- The pressure on the bladder provokes increased urination;
- Pressure on the diaphragm and lungs leads to shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
To get rid of digestive problems, you need to eat right, eating beets, fermented milk drinks, and prunes. To prevent constipation, you need to move as much as possible, and even better - perform special physical exercises for expectant mothers.
If an enlarged abdomen is already affecting posture and causing back problems, then you need to consult with a specialist about wearing a prenatal bandage.
Causes of pain at 25 weeks
In addition to the fact that abdominal pain can occur due to training contractions, it can also be caused by increased stress on the back and spine.
To avoid discomfort, the following guidelines must be followed:
- You need to sit on chairs that have a back.
- Legs should not be thrown over each other.
- Get out of bed carefully. First, you need to roll over on your side, then raise your upper body, and then put your feet on the floor and stand up.
- You need to spend as little time as possible in a static position - sit and stand. But walking for a long time is also not recommended.
- High-heeled shoes must be discarded.
- Compression stockings should be worn on the legs to prevent varicose veins.
- Gymnastics for pregnant women is a very useful activity that allows you to get rid of many problems.
Sometimes a woman may experience pain in the hypochondrium, which is provoked by the movements of the crumbs. There is nothing you can do about it, you have to endure. If the baby begins to kick very hard, then it is worth trying to change the position of the body - perhaps this will allow him to calm down.
An exacerbation of hemorrhoids or an anal fissure is indicated by pain in the anus. In parallel, symptoms such as itching and burning occur, and blood may appear during the bowel movement. Hemorrhoids must be treated, and you should start with getting rid of constipation.
Headaches themselves can be caused by overwork and hormonal changes in the body. To get rid of them, you need to rest as much as possible and spend time in the fresh air. If the head hurts too often and severely, then you need to pay attention to whether swelling occurs against the background of pain, whether the stomach hurts, whether there is too much weight gain. The combination of these signs may indicate preeclampsia, a formidable complication of pregnancy that requires hospitalization.
Any abdominal pain should not be ignored, as it can signal the onset of premature labor or placental abruption, which requires an ambulance call.
Discharge at 25 weeks of gestation
Allocations for this period should remain unchanged. Their color should be whitish, or they may be completely transparent. The discharge should not emit an unpleasant odor, and should not be accompanied by discomfort.
Sometimes the discharge may become larger, in this case you need to make sure that the reason for the increase in their volume is not the leakage of amniotic fluid. They can come out in small portions, but unlike normal secretions, amniotic fluid is slightly yellowish in color. Leakage of amniotic fluid is dangerous, so the woman must be hospitalized.
When curdled clots appear in the discharge and a sour smell begins to emanate from them, this indicates the development of thrush. Other signs of candidiasis are redness of the skin of the external genital organs, the appearance of a burning sensation and severe itching. You need to get rid of thrush before the onset of labor so that the baby is not infected while passing through the birth canal. In order to prevent the development of thrush in the future, it is necessary to follow a diet, refuse to use baked goods and confectionery.
The risk that a woman will develop an infectious disease of the reproductive organs increases with a change of sexual partner. Therefore, if the discharge becomes earthy, green or yellow, it is necessary to seek medical help as soon as possible. The baby is that many bacteria can pose a danger to the fetus, as they are able to penetrate the placental barrier.
If, after examination by a gynecologist or after intimacy, a woman discovers a little blood in the discharge, this should not scare her. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to consult a doctor again, since it is possible that a pregnant woman develops cervical erosion. The threat of termination of pregnancy is indicated by profuse bleeding, which is accompanied by cramping pain in the abdomen and lower back. In this case, the ambulance team must be called without delay.
Sensations
The usual way of life will now have to be slightly disturbed, because significant changes are taking place in the woman's body. For example, the problem of blood clots and varicose veins may arise. To minimize all possible risks, you need to rest as much as possible, placing a roller or a small pillow under your feet. To prevent varicose veins, doctors recommend wearing compression stockings, and sometimes special medications are required to strengthen blood vessels and prevent thrombosis. It is imperative to continue walking, but you should not walk too long.
During active fetal movements, a woman may experience discomfort. When the baby turns over, you can observe how the skin on the belly of the expectant mother stretches.
Already, doctors do not recommend sleeping on your back. The safest position a woman should take while sleeping is on the left side. And the expectant mother herself will definitely notice that the child becomes uncomfortable in the stomach if she lies down “wrong”. Most often this is expressed in increased activity of the crumbs.
Intimate life
Despite the increased size of the belly, it should not be an obstacle for the couple to have sex. Sexual life at the 25th week of pregnancy will be prohibited only if such recommendations are given by a doctor.
However, even if there are no medical restrictions, the spouses need to be careful. It is important that during intimacy there is no pressure on the stomach, it is also worth giving up deep penetrations and sudden movements.
It is impossible to harm a child during sex, he is reliably protected in the womb. As for the woman herself, she can experience a new range of sensations and emotions, because during pregnancy, the blood flow to the genitals increases several times. This makes the orgasm much brighter.
What tests will be required at 25 weeks of pregnancy?
The woman still visits the gynecologist once a month. During a routine examination, the doctor gives directions for passing standard tests - this is a general analysis of urine and blood, a blood test for sugar, for coagulability and a hemostasiogram. If a woman recently passed all these tests, and they turned out to be normal, then the doctor is unlikely to recommend to undergo the tests again.
It is possible that a woman at the 25th week of pregnancy will show signs of iron deficiency anemia, including dizziness, increased weakness, increased heart rate, the appearance of dark circles before the eyes, etc. In this case, it will be necessary to donate blood to determine the level of hemoglobin and undergo appropriate treatment.
The principles of good nutrition
For a child to develop and grow properly, he needs nutrients. The lack of even one element can adversely affect the health of the baby. Therefore, a woman's diet should be varied.
It is important that every day there are fresh fruits and vegetables, meat or fish, and cereals on the menu. This will saturate the body with useful trace elements and vitamins, and will also provide an opportunity to get rid of many digestive problems, for example, constipation and heartburn. In case of difficulties with stool, it is imperative to include boiled beets, prunes, kefir and other products that have a laxative effect in the menu.
You need to eat food in small portions, but often. You can sit down at the table every 2-3 hours, since you cannot go hungry during pregnancy. However, you should not lean too heavily on high-calorie foods, since extra pounds will come very quickly, but getting rid of them will be problematic. Therefore, fatty, fried, smoked, flour, sweet and spicy foods should be restricted.
As you know, iron deficiency anemia is a real scourge of pregnant women. In order to prevent its development, it is imperative to include liver (beef, chicken), buckwheat, oatmeal, legumes, bran in your menu.
Drinking enough water is equally important. You can replace it with fruit drinks and compotes, but you should be more careful with herbal decoctions.
Weight at 25 weeks
Normal weight gain by 25 weeks of gestation is 6.5-7 kg. A slight deviation from the norm is not critical. It is best to control your weight daily or at least weekly. The indicators must be recorded, since the shortage and overkill in kilograms will negatively affect the health of the mother and child, and can also complicate childbirth.
Answers to popular questions
- I underwent an ultrasound scan at the 25th week of pregnancy, according to its results, everything is in order with the child, but it seems to me that he moves very little. How often should this happen? Now a woman should experience at least 3 movements of the child in 60 minutes. If their number is less, then it is necessary to inform the doctor about it.
- By the end of the 25th week of pregnancy, dizziness began to bother me, and I also became more tired. This is normal? Mild dizziness at 25 weeks of gestation is an ordinary phenomenon. For example, they can occur after a long night's rest or a sudden rise from a place, as well as when changing body position. Frequent and intense dizziness requires medical advice, as they indicate vascular or nervous pathology.
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.
