Inside Your Body

Your baby is now over 2kg and 48cm in height.  He/she is accumulating fat underneath his/her skin and gaining a lot of weight.  This will continue until term.  This fat will prevent him/her from developing low body temperature after birth by the releasing calories.

Your baby is very active and moves in the uterus whenever he/she is awake.  However, your baby is sleeping around 16-18 hrs each day.  So don’t be scared if you don’t feel him/her kicking. By the way, as your amniotic fluid reduces, the impact of your baby’s movement will seem to be firmer and more aggressive.  As there is less and less room for your baby to move, he/she will start curling up in a fetal position.

Your baby is developing his/her own immune system.  However, you will be glad to know that you are also contributing to his/her immunity too by passing on antibodies.

Your Signs And Symptoms

You are gaining about 450g each week going forward.  Don’t worry, your baby will be sharing this weight gain with you equally.  Unfortunately your symptoms may be getting worse, increased constipation, vaginal discharge, itchiness, difficulty sleeping, backaches, leg cramps, heartburn, bloating, varicose veins and the list goes on…….Keep your chin up, you have something (or more precisely, someone) to look forward to.

What Tests To Expect

Some tests that most doctors advise are:

• Urinalysis to check for any signs of urine infection
• Blood group, so that blood can be arranged in emergency, in case of any mishap.
• Depending on your life-style, your doctor may advise you to do certain serological testing of different viral and bacterial agents (e.g. Hepatitis B, Hep C, HIV, herpes) to make sure the birth passage is safe for the baby.
• Blood sugar levels to rule out Gestational Diabetes
• Blood Pressure readings to rule out Gestational Hypertension
• Weight gain during each week

Your doctor may also review your medications and supplements for adequacy and appropriateness.