Ninth month of pregnancy
The last month of the third trimester, the final month of pregnancy, is all about him, about the final stage of a long journey of 9 months long. Now the woman is having a hard time - she is overcome by doubts about whether the birth will go well, it seems that not everything is ready for the appearance of a new family member, and the impressive size of the stomach significantly limits activity. Now you need to take care of your well-being with doubled activity, sleep more, walk, rest, getting ready for childbirth.
Content:
- How to calculate the due date?
- Harbingers of childbirth at 9 months of pregnancy
- What happens to the fetus?
- Sensations
- 9 month doctor visit
- Possible pregnancy problems
- Formation of the diet
- Intimate relationship
How to calculate the due date?
This date depends on the period of fertilization of the egg, but since it is not possible to establish it exactly, the gestation period is counted from the first day of the last menstruation. With this method, pregnancy lasts an average of 40 weeks, or 280 days. Deviations in the 38-42 week range are considered normal options.
There are two ways to calculate your due date by your period:
- Add 280 days, or 10 obstetric, or 9 calendar months to the first day of menstruation;
- From the first day of the last menstrual period, count back 3 calendar months, and then add 7 days.
With an irregular cycle, this technique does not work, moreover, a woman may not remember the date of her last menstrual period. Another method for determining the due date is focusing on the time of the first fetal movement. During the first pregnancy, the onset of perturbation is 20 weeks, during the second and subsequent - 18 weeks. This method is not entirely accurate, since a woman's sensations can be subjective, depending on her sensitivity and constitutional characteristics.
When using an ultrasound scanner, the exact date of birth is determined by examining the size of the fetus in early pregnancy - up to 12 weeks. At a later date, the parameters of the fetus may differ significantly from woman to woman.
Harbingers of childbirth at 9 months of pregnancy
During the ninth month, the uterus sinks lower, and its bottom is at the level of 32 weeks - in the middle of the distance between the navel and the xiphoid process.
A woman will definitely feel it on the following grounds:
- Breathing has become easier;
- Heartburn has decreased or completely disappeared;
- It became easier to sit on a chair;
- Frequent urination;
- From time to time, pain occurs in the lower abdomen.
The last two signs are caused by the fact that the head of the child is lower than more recently, it entered the pelvic area.
The excitability of the uterus at this time has increased markedly, it is increasingly weak and irregularly reduced. These preparatory (preliminary) contractions are accompanied by mild painful sensations, they prepare the uterus for the upcoming labor. Even a specialist will not be able to determine the fine line between these and real fights. Excitability of the uterus, lasting more than 1-2 days, requires treatment in a specialized department of the maternity hospital. A prolonged preliminary period is harmful to the fetus and can lead to a deterioration in its condition.
On the day of delivery, or a few days before it, a mucous plug leaves the cervical canal of the cervix. This is a sign that the neck is softening, it is ripe for labor. "Cork" consists of light mucus, sometimes there are bloody streaks in it.
Another sign of approaching labor is a decrease in body weight by 1-2 kg a couple of weeks before the alleged event. This phenomenon can be explained by a change in the balance of hormones, a decrease in the amount of fluid in the body, and a decrease in appetite.
At this stage of pregnancy, almost all women have already decided on the maternity hospital in which their child will be born.
Now you should always have the following documents at hand:
- Exchange card of a pregnant woman with the data of the last ultrasound and fresh test results entered into it;
- Insurance policy;
- The passport.
Each time you leave the house, you need to take these documents with you, because in case of the onset of labor, a pregnant woman who has not undergone a complete examination will be placed in the observational department of the maternity hospital or in a specialized infectious maternity hospital.
Video about preparing for childbirth, about partner childbirth, about changes in a woman's body, lifestyle requirements:
What happens to the fetus?
In a fetus at 40 weeks of gestation, all the parameters inherent in a mature newborn are determined:
- Body length - from 48 to 54 cm;
- Body weight - from 2.6 kg to 5.0 kg;
- Convex chest;
- Elastic cartilage of the nose and ears;
- The tips of the nails reach the fingertips;
- The head has hair up to 2 cm long;
- The umbilical ring is located midway between the xiphoid process and the pubic bone;
- Boys' testicles descend into the scrotum;
- The labia minora in girls are covered with large lips;
- There are no vellus hair on the body;
- cheese-like lubricant is available only on certain parts of the body.
The child's digestive system is fully ripe, he has a developed sucking reflex, the lungs are already trained to perform breathing movements. His body is proportionally folded, the skin is pink, underneath there is an evenly spaced fatty tissue, which gives an infant roundness.
The baby's intestines contain meconium - the original feces, consisting of transformed blood cells, skin and intestines, waste from processed amniotic fluid. Iron for hematopoiesis in the first year of life has accumulated in the liver of the fetus, the nervous system is also formed almost completely. The baby's heart is ready for independent autonomous work; immediately after childbirth, a hole in its central septum will close. This will be a signal for the beginning of air circulation through the lungs, including them in the blood circulation system.
The immune system of a baby preparing for birth is still far from perfect. While the child receives the antibodies he needs through the placenta from the mother's body. After birth, he will receive them from breast milk. That is why every effort should be made to maintain breastfeeding.
Sensations
The ninth month of pregnancy is considered a difficult period, in particular due to the fact that often a woman has to experience a feeling of pain: in the lower back, lower abdomen, due to cramps in the legs, due to uterine contractions. In addition, she becomes distracted and forgetful. Immersion in one's own thoughts periodically changes to hyperactivity, aimed at preparing for the appearance of a child.
Although the uterus has already sunk into the pelvic area, it has not stopped pressing on the abdominal organs. This leads to bloating, a tendency to constipation, the risk of varicose veins, edema. Vaginal discharge becomes thicker, after sexual intercourse and a gynecological examination, bloody streaks may appear in them.
The abdomen can itch a lot, the risk of stretch marks on the surface of his skin, on his chest and thighs is still high. To prevent the appearance of stretch marks (stretch marks), the skin in problem areas is treated with special means.
Part of pregnant women at 9 months old suffer from "vena cava syndrome". This vein runs behind the uterus and can be pinched by pressure on it. Then the woman feels dizzy due to lack of oxygen, she may faint. To prevent discomfort, you need to try to sleep not on your back, but on your side.
9 month doctor visit
A visit to the doctor at this stage of pregnancy is planned every week. Before visiting the antenatal clinic, you should take a urine test to determine sugar and protein in it.
After the obstetrician-gynecologist asks a woman's well-being, he assesses the following parameters:
- Weight;
- Blood pressure indicators;
- The presence of edema;
- Fetal heartbeat;
- The height of the standing of the fundus of the uterus;
- Presentation and size of the fetus.
Before giving birth, the doctor may be interested in the condition of the cervix, its maturity and readiness for labor. When the optimal term of labor is “crossed”, the cervix is re-examined, and, in the absence of changes, the woman will be shown artificial stimulation.
At the beginning of 9 months, a smear is examined for the purity of the vaginal flora, if necessary, the identified problems are treated.
Possible pregnancy problems
In the absence of health problems, a pregnant woman can stay at home until the very due date. Possible deviations are recommended to be treated in a hospital setting. A complication of pregnancy such as gestosis, or late toxicosis, is especially dangerous.
The main symptoms of gestosis:
- The appearance of protein in the urine;
- Increased blood pressure;
- Severe edema.
Gestosis can be complicated by eclams, expressed by convulsions, loss of consciousness, cerebral edema. Eclamsia is dangerous because it can be fatal for a woman and a child. Do not be alarmed when slight edema appears, weight gain is a natural phenomenon for half of women at this stage of pregnancy. To eliminate small edema, it is enough to limit salt, excessive fluid intake, and follow a diet.
A significant problem for hospitalization can be breech presentation of the fetus. In this case, specific methods of labor management are planned.
Indications for preliminary hospitalization at 9 months:
- History of complicated previous labor;
- Pregnancy with twins, triplets;
- Age over 40;
- Large fruit;
- A scar on the uterus after a previous cesarean section;
- Low placentation;
- History of miscarriage and infertility (pregnancy after IVF);
- Narrow pelvis;
- Pathology of the reproductive organs.
Even in the absence of indications for early hospitalization, you should immediately seek emergency help with the following symptoms:
- Weak fetal movements;
- Bloody vaginal discharge;
- The appearance of amniotic fluid is light green (may be mixed with blood);
- Severe painful contractions;
- The appearance of severe edema, a decrease in the amount of urine excreted;
- A jump in blood pressure, headache.
Bleeding can be a symptom of placental abruption. If it is severe, the woman undergoes an urgent caesarean section. Minor bleeding may go unnoticed and will not cause significant damage to the course of pregnancy.
Formation of the diet
Food at this stage of pregnancy should be light and nutritious. There is no place on the menu for fatty and fried foods, canned foods, dishes containing allergens. The main filling of the diet is lean meat, fish, cereals, salads dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, not mayonnaise.
The use of pickles, sweets, muffins, fatty foods is excluded. It is worth reconsidering your attitude towards foods containing calcium. If this element was vital at the stage of fetal formation, now its excess can lead to premature ossification and closure of the fontanelle in the baby, an increase in intracranial pressure. The daily rate is 150 g of cottage cheese or a couple of glasses of kefir. To improve digestion and prevent constipation, you can drink a glass of cool, still water before meals.
Intimate relationship
The question of whether sexual relations between spouses at 9 months of pregnancy are allowed or not is still not clear. In women with a predisposition to abortion, intimate contact can cause premature birth. If there is no danger in the form of a low location and the threat of placental abruption, pregnancy with twins and triplets, leakage of amniotic fluid, intimate relationships can be carried out with extreme caution.
It is believed that such contacts between spouses can stimulate the onset of labor during pregnancy that lasts longer than expected. The reason for this is the prostaglandins contained in male sperm. These substances, once in the vagina, help soften the cervix, stimulate its contractions.
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.
