12th week of pregnancy: sensations, fetal size, gender

The twelfth week of pregnancy is the end of the first trimester according to the obstetric period. In ten weeks of embryonic development, which are counted from the moment of conception, the child has made a huge leap from a fertilized cell to a practically formed human body. In the life of the expectant mother, there comes a time of peace and positivity, when the mood evens out and attacks of toxicosis recede.

External signs of pregnancy

Belly at the twelfth week of pregnancy.

This week, the size of the uterus increases to 10 centimeters in length and it is already crowded in the pelvic space. It rises into the abdominal cavity and begins to bulge. Now the tummy becomes more rounded and noticeable.

Breasts at the twelfth week of pregnancy.

During the first trimester, breasts increase by an average of one to two sizes. Now the glandular tissue stops growing and pain in the mammary glands decreases. The sensitivity of the nipples decreases, and the area around them darkens, and Montgomery tubercles appear.

Weight gain.

Not all pregnant women gain weight by this time. If a woman suffered from severe toxicosis for the entire twelve weeks, then most likely she will not gain, and may even lose, kilograms. For this period, a weight gain of 2 to 4 kilograms is considered normal. Weight increases mainly due to the development of the placenta and additional blood volume. When you gain extra pounds, you need to adjust your diet.

Colostrum release.

A characteristic phenomenon during this period is the release of colostrum. A yellowish viscous liquid may appear in small drops when you press on the nipple, or it may flow out spontaneously if this is not the first pregnancy.

Leading specialists in the management of complex pregnancies in the Southern Federal District

Ermolaeva Elvira Kadirovna is a well-known and recognized specialist in the North Caucasus in the field of diagnosis and treatment of miscarriage, miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage, management of pregnant women with thrombophilia, antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), uterine fibroids, management of pregnancy in young and older pregnant women (after 38 years), management of capricious pregnant women, management of overweight pregnant women. A good obstetrician-gynecologist, a specialist in rational nutrition during pregnancy, a physiotherapist-resortologist, an experienced ultrasound doctor. Women who want to maintain their figure and successfully carry a pregnancy to term. Currently undergoing postgraduate studies at the Research Institute of Resorts and Physiotherapy.

Shchepkin Petr Sergeevich Obstetrician-gynecologist with extensive experience and successful experience in managing pregnancy in women with uterine prolapse, bicornuate uterus, saddle uterus and other malformations of the genital organs, managing pregnant women with livedo, thrombophilia and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), polycystic ovary syndrome. Pregnancy management twins, triplets, quadruples, management of complex pregnancies that require special attention and experience from doctors. Management of pregnancy after IVF, ICSI, after artificial insemination. Management of pregnant women with placental insufficiency. Management of pregnancy against the background of an IUD.

About the doctors of the Clinic in detail...

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION of the reputation and achievements of the Women's Health Resort Clinic in the development and implementation of effective and safe treatment methods and the quality of medical services provided is the AWARDING of the Women's Health Resort Clinic in Pyatigorsk with the SIQS International QUALITY CERTIFICATE in the field of medicine and healthcare. International Socratic Committee, Oxford, UK and Swiss Institute for Quality Standards, Zurich, SWITZERLAND. Read more…

Our Pregnancy Clinic is attended by a good obstetrician-gynecologist who specializes in proper nutrition during pregnancy.

A SPECIALIST IN PROPER NUTRITION during pregnancy WILL SELECT for you the necessary vitamins, HEALTHY FOODS during pregnancy, which will prevent you and your baby from gaining excess weight, and will help organize tasty and NOT HUNGRY FOOD during the trimesters of pregnancy.

In addition, our experienced nutritionist during pregnancy will CALCULATE for you the possibility of eating SWEET during pregnancy that is safe for your figure and will tell you in detail WHAT NOT TO EAT during pregnancy and how to balance foods that are prohibited by public opinion during pregnancy. But the ones you really want!!!

Based on foreign and Russian experience, we have DEVELOPED and successfully time-tested a NUTRITION SYSTEM that allows you to select products during pregnancy depending on the INDIVIDUAL characteristics of a pregnant woman: her build, taste preferences, body weight and height, sex of the fetus and external features...

The pregnancy clinic in Pyatigorsk is open seven days a week and on holidays:

Monday - Friday from 8.00 to 20.00, Saturday - Sunday from 8.00 to 17.00.

Screening during pregnancy and appointment with an obstetrician-gynecologist who specializes in proper nutrition during pregnancy by appointment by multi-channel phone number 8 (800) 500-52-74 (free call within Russia), or +7 (for foreign calls).

ONLINE gynecologist in Pyatigorsk can be found at

BOOK ONLINE for an appointment with a gynecologist in Pyatigorsk here.

Obstetrician-gynecologists of the Pregnancy Clinic are ALWAYS READY for patients registered for pregnancy in our Clinic, if it is impossible to contact them in person, to comment on an existing or newly emerging situation by phone and SUGGEST ways to solve it.

Obstetrician-gynecologists at the Women's Health Resort Clinic have accumulated extensive experience in successfully and joyfully managing pregnancy. We love pregnant women!

Journal of Emotions

Send us your emotions that arose during pregnancy. We will launch them into space!

• I really wanted mushroom soup. I cooked it. I couldn’t go into the kitchen until the smell disappeared! And then I didn’t want to eat...
• In the morning I’m already hungry in my sleep.
• It seems to me that during pregnancy, repeated rises at night are specially invented by nature in order to prepare a woman in advance for vigilance and sleepless nights. If you hold your bladder, the uterus will tone up!..
• 12 weeks of pregnancy... A much-awaited and desired pregnancy. The first three months, during which I was even afraid to tell myself about it out loud, have passed. And, judging by the doctor’s words, they went well. It would seem that it would be possible to please my grandmother, sisters, and friend with such great news, but now some jealous feelings are saying “No!” - this is your joy, the two of you. So enjoy it without others! :)) Our joy... Our family, which has never seemed fragile to me over the past two years, has grown many, many times stronger. It’s as if our hearts have become even bigger when we hold hands; an invisible tiny hand squeezes us even tighter. It’s as if the dream has become sweeter, the emotions are clearer, the smiles are wider... If I were told to put photographs in the dictionary next to the word “happiness”, I would without hesitation paste in a photo of a 3D ultrasound of our “baby doll”. How was that? You lie on the couch, look at the screen, trying with all your might to hold back the tears of realizing that you gave life to something beautiful, but so defenseless... You are looking for as much strength as possible in yourself to justify the miracle given to you.
• 13 weeks pregnant. I want to touch the baby's hands. I want that and that’s it! How to deal with this?? I don’t want pickles, I don’t want to smell the rails, I don’t want to eat chalk! I want to feel the baby’s arms and legs! Pat your belly, kiss your forehead. It would be more likely to feel a stirring. I have always been overly emotional... What will happen next? All this is so new, so exciting. Sometimes you don’t even know if you’re doing the right thing, that you attach such importance to every movement. But isn’t that what we live for? We went to the cinema, listened to music, read books - all in order to feel something. So that something will jump into us once again. Now I am overwhelmed with fresh air, greenery, warm rain... wind of change... and everything is for real. The future's in the air I can feel it ewerywhere blowing with the wind of change. Take me to the magic of the momenton a glory night, Where the children of tomorrow dreamaway in the wind of change…
• 14th week of pregnancy. That’s it. At work, everyone started whispering in the corners, asking each other if Marianne was in a position? God forbid this is so, but we don’t know! In general, it’s no longer entirely desirable for me to wander around the city during the working day as much as I usually did, but I need to justify this with something... I had to confess to one person, but in the morning the whole institute was already talking about it! =))And then it all started... I felt pregnant. Everyone around me is interested in how I feel, if I’m feeling sick, if I want something salty to eat. Questions that are banal to the point of pain... But the worst thing is that it was then that I began to want Olivier at one in the morning, pickles from early morning, sleep all the time and listen to music that had previously turned my nose up. No wonder I was silent for so long! =)) Otherwise, toxicosis would definitely not have passed me by so successfully. 14th week of pregnancy... The next ultrasound is still an eternity away, but I still can’t wait to recognize the baby, I stroke my baby every day. I already want to somehow contact my girl or my boy. Well, I wonder who is right?! And I just wish I was healthy. Everything I ask God for every day.
• 15 weeks pregnant. In general, in life I am an alarmist and a skeptic, but due to current events, I am constantly trying to work on myself. Thanks to my husband’s inexhaustible faith in me, in us, in our future, I was able to rebuild my thoughts in a more positive way... But as soon as something goes wrong, the storm wakes up again and it takes enormous willpower not to lose control of myself, but in at the same time and over the situation. During the first trimester, the doctor twice diagnosed me with a detachment of the fifth. Both times I knew that something was wrong, but I convinced myself that we could handle it, that the main thing was to wait out this dangerous time and it would be easier in the future. Today I woke up with the same sensations of aches and pain in my body as those two times. And I was overcome with fear. I cried, but not much, so as not to frighten the baby, calmed down, hugged my husband, who, as always, promised that everything would be fine, and fell asleep. I called my doctor, who advised me to lie down more. Now I’m lying here wondering what I did wrong? Lying next to me is my 5-year-old brother, who brought me an apple with the words “You need to eat vitamins to make you smile and be happy.” I believe my brother, I believe the doctor, I believe my husband. And we'll see there.

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• Thoughts and emotions
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What happens to the fetus

In size, the fruit now resembles a medium-sized lemon. Its height reaches 82 mm, and its weight is about 19 grams. The baby’s body proportions have not yet leveled out, but his facial features are becoming more and more clear. The nose gets bigger. The ears are separated and the hearing organs are formed. The eyes are now in the correct position from the bridge of the nose and are closed with the eyelids. The formation of the retina, lens and cornea continues. Hair appears on the head. The fingers are fully formed and marigolds have appeared on them.

Gender of the child.

At the twelfth week, the sex of the fetus is formed. The genital tubercles in boys enlarge and transform into the penis, while in girls they smooth out, forming the labia. It is still very difficult to distinguish between a boy and a girl on an ultrasound; it will be possible to more accurately determine the gender a little later.

Nervous system.

The child's brain now consists of two hemispheres, the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata, and continues to grow rapidly. Reflex connections continue to develop. The baby can clench its fists, swallow water and suck its thumb. While the brain is developing, the spinal cord receives the main impulses.

Internal organs.

The diaphragm has formed. Now the intestines are in the abdominal cavity and continue to train peristalsis. The stomach passes amniotic fluid further through the digestive system, simulating a full meal. The urinary system is working at full capacity. The baby empties his bladder regularly.

What he can do.

The baby develops new reflexes and skills every day. At the twelfth week of pregnancy, the child can already:

• move legs and arms;
• swallow amniotic fluid;
• to yawn;
• clench your fists and perform grasping movements;
• grimace.

attitude to alcohol

Ethyl alcohol toxins can penetrate the fetus’s body, causing intellectual impairment, developmental defects, and even alcohol addiction. Even if a child is born outwardly healthy, he may still experience minimal damage to brain structures, which subsequently leads to persistent poor performance at school and antisocial behavior. To do this, it is enough to take a minimum dose of alcohol during the formation of the central nervous system of the fetus.

Feelings of the expectant mother

At the twelfth obstetric week, most pregnant women stop suffering from sudden mood swings, nausea and vomiting. Hormonal levels stabilize. Now the placenta is responsible for producing the hormones necessary for bearing a child. Every day the load on the female body increases, so drowsiness and fatigue persist. An increase in blood volume forces the heart, liver, kidneys and lungs to work harder.

Increased appetite.

The high content of progesterone in the body of the expectant mother causes increased appetite. Many women have to show their will to keep their weight at a normal level and follow all nutritional recommendations. This may be a reason to develop new healthy eating habits.

Increased libido.

By the end of the first trimester, the woman's general condition improves. She has already become accustomed to the changes that have occurred. Under the influence of changed hormonal levels, desire increases in pregnant women. The growing volume of blood helps to increase its flow to the genitals and erogenous zones during moments of arousal, which allows you to experience new sensations.

Problems with stool.

Progesterone relaxes the uterine muscles to protect the fetus. Along with the uterus, the intestines relax, which leads to constipation, gas or diarrhea.

Nasal congestion.

Pregnancy hormones cause swelling of the mucous membranes, which is the cause of nasal congestion. In the second trimester, the swelling decreases and this sensation goes away.

Uterus and belly

At this stage of pregnancy, the uterus begins to rise above the level of the womb, since it no longer fits in the pelvis. A pregnant woman will immediately feel these changes, since the uterus no longer puts so much pressure on the bladder, and the frequent urge to urinate stops. Now a new problem may appear - due to the growing uterus, intestinal motility is disrupted and constipation appears.

The width of the uterus at week 12 is approximately 10 cm. The hormonal background of pregnancy is completely supported by the placenta. The hormone estradiol is produced in a volume 5-6 times higher than the same indicators before pregnancy. Estradiol and progesterone ensure the growth of the uterus and reduce its contractility.

A pregnant woman's belly is not yet visible, although in thin women carrying a child for the first time, roundness below the waist is already noticeable. During the second and subsequent pregnancies, as well as in the case of twins, an increase in the abdomen can be noticeable by clothes that suddenly become tight.

Ultrasound at the twelfth week of pregnancy

During the period from the 11th to the 14th week, screening is carried out to identify chromosomal abnormalities and pathologies of fetal development. The examination includes a blood test from a vein and an ultrasound. Based on the screening results, the doctor makes a conclusion about the baby’s developmental state and the presence of pathologies. There are two visual markers of developmental anomalies: the thickness of the collar zone and the length of the nasal bones.

The doctor also evaluates the formation of the child’s internal organs, the thickness of the placenta and the features of its location. During the study, the heartbeat and motor activity are recorded and the main parameters of the fetus are measured.

• KTP - coccygeal-parietal size;
• BPR—bipariental, or transverse, head size;
• DBK - length of the femur;
• chest circumference;
• Head circumference;
• abdominal circumference.

At the twelfth week, on the monitor of the ultrasound machine you can see how the baby moves, yawns and grimaces. You can take the first photo of the baby.

The cervix, cervical canal and ovaries are checked for pathologies to eliminate the risk of miscarriage.

Temperature increase

Progesterone still affects the woman’s health and increases her body temperature to +37+37.5°C. If a general blood test, which a woman takes regularly when visiting a gynecologist, shows an increased level of leukocytes and a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, then the temperature is due to a latent infectious process or an exacerbation of somatic diseases.

Hyperthermia can jeopardize pregnancy and cause miscarriage, so this condition should not be ignored. The temperature is reduced by wiping with a damp cloth, and minimal doses of paracetamol are taken.

Video about the causes of miscarriage, the condition of the fetus at 12 weeks:

Dangerous symptoms

It is believed that until the twelfth week, healthy children are born and the danger of miscarriage due to gross pathologies has already passed. Nevertheless, you should carefully monitor your condition.

Stomach ache.

They remain an alarming symptom. Hypertonicity of the uterus with pain in the rectal area may be a sign of a threatened miscarriage.

Bleeding.

Scarlet blood is the first sign of an incipient miscarriage. Call an ambulance immediately.

Brown discharge.

Abundant brown discharge accompanied by increasing abdominal pain may indicate fetal rejection. This situation is dangerous for the development of inflammation and sepsis.

Vaginal discharge

The appearance of discharge at this stage of pregnancy is determined by the action of hormones - progesterone and estrogen. The discharge is small in volume, transparent or milky white, homogeneous, and practically odorless. Deviations from the norm, the appearance of pus, mucus in the discharge, the addition of an unpleasant odor, changes in structure are a sign of infection of the vagina, a symptom of an STD or candidiasis. All pathologies must be treated as soon as possible, since waste products of pathogenic bacteria can penetrate the placental barrier.

Lifestyle of a pregnant woman

Correct diet.

The basis of the diet of the expectant mother should be formed by the principles of healthy eating. To maintain normal weight and provide energy to your body and your baby’s body, nutrition must be balanced in the content of all necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements. A particularly important element for mother and baby is calcium, which is found in fermented milk products, dried fruits, and nuts. We must not forget about fresh vegetables and fruits, fish, lean meat and herbs. Train yourself to eat five small meals a day. A proper diet will help get rid of heartburn and reduce intestinal problems.

Vitamins and supplements.

The lack of certain vitamins during pregnancy is determined by the doctor based on characteristic signs. Most often, pregnant women are prescribed iron and folic acid supplements to prevent anemia.

Intimate life.

Sex has a beneficial effect on the psychological state of a pregnant woman and strengthens family relationships. Doctors fully support healthy intimate relationships, unless there are pathologies that threaten termination of pregnancy. The main condition should be mutual consent and comfort.

Physical exercise.

They have a beneficial effect on overall tone, saturate the blood with oxygen, help prepare for childbirth and quickly get back into shape after. The types of loads can be any, the main thing is that they become regular and bring pleasure. The most accessible type of physical activity is yoga. A properly selected set of exercises helps strengthen muscles, helps relieve stress on the spine and remove swelling. Swimming also does not require special training, but at the same time it forces almost all muscle groups to work.

The most difficult period of pregnancy is over. You can enjoy the changes that have occurred. Try to walk more, travel and get bright, pleasant impressions. This is a great time for parents to become aware of the upcoming changes.

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Viral respiratory diseases

Colds accompanied by high fever can affect a pregnant woman due to a temporary weakening of the immune system. Complications of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections can negatively affect the health of the fetus, cause hypoxia, and spontaneous abortion. You should not self-medicate colds, as some medications are contraindicated during pregnancy.

Possible treatment measures:

• Bed rest, ensuring rest;
• Drink plenty of water - tea, lingonberry and cranberry fruit drinks, currant infusion;
• Treatment of cough with warm milk with honey or Borjomi mineral water;
• Rinse the nose and rinse the mouth with saline solution.

Complications of a cold in the form of a severe cough, high fever, and headaches are treated in a hospital setting.