Most of your baby’s critical initial development is done, skin is very thin and translucent, arms and legs can bend now as your baby floats around in the amnionic fluid.
Delicate structures like nails have developed and your baby is about the size of a Kumquat. Although you may be consumed with thoughts of your baby, it is a good time to think about taking care of yourself. Consider checking out our Go-to-Topics on healthy eating, exercise during pregnancy, and other topics that will help you enjoy your pregnancy while taking care of yourself too.
Although you may be consumed with thoughts of your baby, it is a good time to think about taking care of yourself.
How my Baby Grows
- Growth is really fast now, and the baby is about 1.5 inches long
- He/she has working arms joints
- Cartilage and bones are forming
- Because the initial crucial development is done now, your baby is focusing mostly on growth
Symptoms Mama may Feel or Experience
- Pregnant women have an increase in circulating blood volume
- This may cause some visible veins especially in the breasts and abdomen as the blood reaches these areas of the body
- The increased blood volume and relaxation of smooth muscle may also lead to sensations of dizziness, another reason to make sure that you stay well hydrated
- The uterus is stretching and the ligaments supporting it are being pulled in uncomfortable ways as the pregnancy enlarges
- Round ligament pain may not start until later in the pregnancy but can be quite uncomfortable and is described as a sharp pain in the lower abdomen usually on one side or the other depending on where the baby is laying
- The uterosacral ligament attaches from the cervix to the lower part of the spine, this ligament may cause a pulling sensation in the lower back as the pregnancy advances
Thoughts to Consider
One decision that you will be asked to make somewhere around this week is if you would like genetic testing and if so, which tests you would like to receive
- If you are in a category of women giving birth at or over 35 you are considered to be “advanced maternal age”, surely a man came up with that diagnosis
- This means that you are at increased risk for chromosomal disorders
- Down Syndrome also called Trisomy 21 is the most common genetic disorder that we are able to screen for during pregnancy
- Another category of women at increased risk are those with a personal or family history of a genetic disorder, and women who have achieved their pregnancy through infertility procedures
- If you are in one of those categories, you may be offered a genetic counseling appointment if this is available in your community, it is your choice to meet with a genetic counselor or pass
There are several commonly offered options
- Early genetic screening called non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)
- This test is very expensive, and some insurances do not cover it or they require a fairly large co-payment
- It can be done any time after 10 weeks and screens for trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome), trisomy 18, trisomy 13 and others
- This test can also provide gender (boy or girl)
- Other common genetic screening that you can elect to do separately are cystic fibrosis or spinal muscular atrophy
- The final common screening is done for neural tube defects like spina bifida or anencephaly
- This can be done as an alfa-fetal protein (AFP) only at 15-20 weeks if the NIPT was done earlier in the pregnancy
- It can also be done as a later screen between 15-20 weeks as a quad screen
- This will test for the trisomy disorders mentioned above
- It will also screen the AFP for neural tube defects, many women choose this single test that is usually covered by insurance
- Of course, a morphology scan done at 20 weeks is also capable of picking up anomalies as well
- There are no perfect tests that will screen for all genetic disorders
- It is possible for any of the results to be falsely positive or negative sometimes leading to undue stress or anxiety
- Based on your personal and family genetic history there are additional tests that can be offered if needed but these are usually not simple blood tests and would be done at an infertility or perinatology office
- This is a decision that you should discuss with your partner and make as an informed decision which means that you should have a chance to take home the printed materials on genetic screening and think about it before deciding
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Let’s talk about seafood (fish and shellfish)
Pro
- seafood can be a great source of protein as well as zinc and iron which are all crucial to your baby’s growth and development
- Many fish also have the omega-3 fatty acids like DHA that promotes brain development
Con
- Large fish like king mackerel, shark, tilefish and swordfish contain high levels of mercury
- Mercury can accumulate in your blood stream over time and although it is not a concern for most adults, there are cautions in pregnant women because the accumulation of mercury can damage your baby’s brain and nervous system
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend that pregnant women eat at least 8-12 ounces of seafood per week from fish in the lower mercury group
- Seafood low in mercury and high in omega-3 fatty acids are salmon, anchovies, herring, pacific mackerel, freshwater trout and sardines
- Other seafood that are considered safe during pregnancy are shrimp, pollock, tilapia, cod, catfish and canned light tuna
- Overall recommendations:
- Heed local fish advisories when available
- Avoid large predatory fish
- Skip uncooked fish and shellfish
- Cook seafood properly
