14th week of pregnancy: what happens to the baby and the expectant mother (photo, ultrasound)

Interesting Facts

Your baby is the size of

Apple

80–113 mm Size

25 g Weight

The fourteenth week of pregnancy is the beginning of the second trimester, the quietest period of gestation. The expectant mother has more strength and energy. And the baby continues to actively grow and learn new skills.

Screening

A comprehensive screening test is prescribed in each trimester of pregnancy to assess developmental defects (genetic and chromosomal pathologies). The optimal time for its implementation in the first trimester is 12-14 obstetric weeks. It is during this period that ultrasound can easily determine the presence of Down syndrome and Edwards syndrome - irreversible chromosomal pathologies - based on the state of the collar zone. Second trimester screening is carried out at 15-20 weeks of obstetrics.

In addition to ultrasound, as part of screening, a double test is performed to determine the content of hCG and a specific protein in the blood serum. Elevated values ​​provide grounds for in-depth examination of chorionic villi, placenta or amniotic fluid.

Feelings of the expectant mother

Most likely, at 14 weeks of pregnancy you are inspired, full of strength and energy. The symptoms of toxicosis, eternal drowsiness, weakness and fatigue are gone. I want to eat deliciously, walk a lot, play sports and sex, work and choose children's clothes. Of course, weakness can make itself felt, because the stress on the body is now colossal. But strength is quickly restored after proper rest.

If this is your first pregnancy, your belly is still barely noticeable to others, but you may feel some changes in your waist. And if you lie on your back, you will probably see a small bump just above the pubis. If your stomach itches, this indicates that the skin is stretching. You can use moisturizers and stretch mark oils to reduce itching.

Many pregnant women develop a pigment line that stretches from the pubis to the navel. After childbirth it will disappear on its own.

Weight

By the 14th obstetric week of pregnancy, a woman has normally already gained 2-3 kg. Over the next 7 days, your weight should increase by no more than 500 g.

If a woman follows the rules of nutrition, does not change her diet and follows all the recommendations of the gynecologist, but the weight gained in a week significantly exceeds the established limits, additional consultation is necessary.

Most likely, the doctor will prescribe additional blood and urine tests, and may recommend medical supervision in the form of hospitalization.

In such a situation, it is advisable not to refuse medical care.

Rapid weight gain may be a harbinger of gestosis (late toxicosis).

What happens to the fetus at 14 weeks

Compared to the embryo in the first weeks of gestation, now you have almost a real person inside you. He hears sounds from the outside well, recognizes his mother’s voice, makes breathing and swallowing movements, and reacts to light. Expresses his emotions through facial expressions, grimaces and yawns, sucks his thumb.

The heart works at a speed of 160-180 beats per minute. The gallbladder and urinary system are functioning, and peristalsis is observed in the intestines. Now we know for sure whether it is a boy or a girl.

The length of the arms still exceeds the size of the legs, the head is almost a third of the body. Joints appear, cartilage turns into bone tissue.

Predisposing factors

The chances of having twins increase if:

• there is a hereditary predisposition;
• the age of the expectant mother is more than 35 years;
• before starting to plan a pregnancy, the woman took COCs (in this case, the so-called rebound effect occurs);
• more than one embryo was transferred in the IVF program;
• The woman already has several children. According to statistics, in approximately 30% of cases the fourth pregnancy is multiple.

Tests and ultrasound

After the first pregnancy screening, the doctor and the expectant mother already know about the main parameters of fetal development and the risks of pathologies. If everything is normal, then at week 14 the woman will have to undergo several standard procedures at an appointment with a gynecologist:

• weigh yourself;
• measure blood pressure;
• take a urine test.

The doctor will assess the height of the uterine fundus and the volume of the abdomen, and listen to the fetal heartbeat. An ultrasound at week 14 is performed strictly according to indications: if there is a threat of miscarriage due to bleeding or severe pain in the abdomen and lower back.

If, as a result of 1 screening, risks of fetal development pathologies were identified, additional diagnostic procedures may be prescribed, including amniotic fluid sampling.

Nutrition

Dietary recommendations during the 14th week of pregnancy

At the 14th week of pregnancy (according to obstetric calculations), a pregnant woman should pay a lot of attention to her diet.

The diet should be designed so that the fetus receives all the necessary elements, but the mother does not gain excess weight.

Every day a woman should consume:

• about 200 g of meat: beef, pork, chicken, veal, etc.;
• 600-700 g of raw or stewed vegetables: carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, etc.;
• up to 400 g of fruits: banana, citrus fruits, apples, etc.;
• about 200 g of cottage cheese;
• 1 boiled egg;
• a piece of dark bread made from wholemeal flour;
• dried fruits.

Cooking food for a pregnant woman should be steamed or in the oven. It is better to avoid fried, smoked, salted and dried foods.

It is equally important to maintain a drinking regime. A woman should drink 2 - 2.5 liters of liquid per day.

It is better to drink water, but if desired, you can drink juice (diluted with water), boiled milk, fruit drinks, and compotes.

It is advisable to reduce the amount of salt to a minimum.

Vitamins

Essential vitamins at 14 weeks of pregnancy

At the 14th obstetric week of pregnancy, the gynecologist usually stops taking folic acid and prescribes a multivitamin complex.

If the doctor at the appointment did not indicate the need to take additional vitamins, it is advisable to ask him yourself.

Perhaps, in the absence of pain in the legs, the general positive trend in the course of pregnancy, a woman does not need to take tablet vitamins, but the gynecologist observing the pregnant woman should say this, having assessed the tests, general condition, time of year and other factors.

Possible complications of pregnancy

If, despite feeling normally, you suddenly experience pain, exercise caution. Pain in the lower abdomen at week 14 may be associated with increased uterine tone. Often the condition is temporary and goes away on its own after proper rest. But sometimes it requires drug treatment in a hospital setting.

Vaginal discharge

During pregnancy, the mucous membrane is especially vulnerable to various fungi. Therefore, many women develop candidiasis. Itching, burning, cheesy discharge with a pungent odor - these symptoms cannot be confused with anything. Urgent treatment is necessary, because the condition is dangerous because the child can become infected during childbirth. Fungi infect the lining of his mouth, making eating painful for him.

If you observe spotting and spotting, do not hesitate to go to the hospital. Bleeding at 14 weeks is associated with fetal freezing, pathologies and injuries to the cervix, but most often with a lack of progesterone. The latter condition is successfully treated with the hormonal drugs Utrozhestan or Duphaston. If you have previously had miscarriages or threatened to terminate a previous pregnancy, discuss with your gynecologist the need to take such medications.

Vaginal bleeding

The appearance of a large amount of bloody discharge, accompanied by cramping pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the lower back, indicates the onset of spontaneous termination of pregnancy.

Possible reasons:

• Placental abruption;
• Fetal development abnormalities;
• Injuries, falls, abdominal bruises;
• Hormonal imbalance.

If you provide a woman with timely medical assistance, you can try to maintain the pregnancy. To do this, you should seek emergency help.

Lifestyle

Our main recommendation for the 14th week of pregnancy is to watch your diet. It should be fractional, 5-6 times and as varied as possible. You and your baby need a lot of nutrients right now. Discuss with your doctor the need to take vitamin complexes. Perhaps, if your diet includes a large number of vegetables and fruits, you are not a vegetarian and like fish and dairy products, you do not need additional vitamins.

Recommended types of physical activity

• Swimming and water aerobics;
• dancing of any direction, but without the risk of falling and injury;
• yoga and pilates;
• specialized classes for pregnant women;
• walking.

Remember that lack of movement will negatively affect both your health and the development of the fetus.

Intimacy

In the second trimester, many pregnant women notice an increase in sexual desire. There are no prohibitions on physical intimacy. The only contraindication is multiple pregnancy and problematic gestation.

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All texts for pages about mother and baby were kindly provided by RAMA Publishing - these are chapters from the book by Svetlana Klaas “Your Favorite Little Man from Conception to Birth”, reviewer Irina Nikolaevna Kononova, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Ural State Medical Academy (Ekaterinburg).

Checklist for 14 weeks of pregnancy

• Choose clothes that do not restrict movement and comfortable shoes without heels.
• Think about how to communicate your new position to loved ones, colleagues and management at work.
• Don't forget about Kegel exercises and breathing exercises for pregnant women. These skills will be especially useful to you during childbirth.
• Talk to your baby and think about good things: both you and your child need positive emotions now.

If you still have questions about what happens to the pregnant woman and her unborn child at 14 weeks of pregnancy, you are confused by the results of the first screening or are worried about any unpleasant sensations, contact the specialists of the Women's Medical Center. Let us remind you that you can contact the gynecologist managing your pregnancy at the MLC at any time convenient for you.

What foods are good for pregnant women?

Every expectant mother knows that her body should have enough calcium, but not everyone knows why. The thing is that a lack of calcium affects primarily the mother herself. And what about the Kid? Nature took care of him: if there is a shortage of calcium, he will get it “from his mother,” or rather, from her teeth and bones. But this is too radical a method! There are also more appropriate ones. So, for the formation of the musculoskeletal system, the Baby needs:

• Dairy products, butter, cheese. Foods in this group are important sources of fat, calcium and protein. The need for calcium increases especially after the third month, when the baby’s bone growth is in full swing. Research has proven that 2/3 of the calcium and phosphorus contained in the body of a newborn is absorbed by him in the last four months preceding birth. True, you can’t overdo it either: an excess of calcium leads to an increase in the strength of the connections of the child’s cranial plates, which during childbirth can lead to additional mechanical trauma to the brain and spinal cord, and also increases the risk of injury to the tissues of the mother’s birth canal.
• Nuts and seeds. The nutritional value of nuts is ensured by their favorable combination of proteins and fats; Nut protein contains many essential amino acids and lysine, which is very important for a growing body - an element that contributes to the normal functioning of a growing Baby. There is more lysine in nuts than in chicken eggs. 100 grams of nuts per day is enough: hazelnuts, walnuts, pine, almonds. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds, are, like nuts, a valuable source of plant protein. In addition, the plant accumulates much more various microelements in the seeds than in the pulp of the fruit - for future offspring.
• Fish and seafood. Fish is an excellent protein that is easily digestible by the body; in addition, fish contains phosphorus, as well as fish oil. Fish oil is extremely important for the unborn child, as it contains not only vitamins A, but also vitamin D in its natural form. Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium, the formation of bones, teeth and the normalization of phosphorus metabolism. Fish is much easier to digest than animal meat; it contains many mineral salts.
• Eggs. Eggs are a rich source of proteins and vitamins. Egg yolk contains approximately 10% lecithin, a lot of choline and vitamin A. The norm for consumption of eggs per week is 2-3 pieces (chicken). Quail eggs are very useful.
• Meat and poultry. Animal meat and poultry are a good source of protein, fats and vitamins. The lightest is poultry meat. However, most of the iron Baby needs is found in lamb and beef. General requirements for meat: lean, fresh (fresh meat that has not been repeatedly defrosted and frozen), baked, stewed with vegetables, boiled.