The second trimester of pregnancy
The second trimester of pregnancy may be your best trimester. From weeks 14 through 27, your morning sickness will likely end, and you won’t be as tired as you were in the first trimester. Your baby bump will pop out during these weeks, and you will probably feel your growing baby move for the first time around week 20. Our Austin and Dripping Springs OBGYNs offer the compassionate care you need to make the most of the middle part of your pregnancy.
What to expect at your prenatal visits
If you have a routine pregnancy, you usually see our OBGYNs every month. Even though the pregnancy visits during these weeks are usually quick, they are giving your physician important information about you and your baby.
Usually, our team will check your weight and blood pressure. They also check for a fetal heartbeat and measure your abdomen to see how the baby is growing. At some visits, you may need to provide a urine sample.
During the second trimester, our team orders lab tests, including hemoglobin testing, antibody screening if you are Rh-negative, and glucose tolerance testing to detect signs of gestational diabetes. We also order an ultrasound around 20 weeks that can detect the baby’s sex and any fetal abnormalities in your growing baby.
Changes you might experience in the second trimester
During pregnancy, your body is always changing. Even though the middle weeks are usually good ones, you may notice several changes.
An itchy bellyNasal congestionSpongier, softer gums that may bleed easilyIncreased appetiteA decrease in the constant need to urinate that you felt in the first trimesterBackachesContinued constipation, indigestion and heartburnHemorrhoidsVaricose veinsChanges in your skin pigmentation on the abdomen and/or faceStretch marks
You may also notice a white-colored vaginal discharge. That is normal. If you notice a bloody or colored discharge, call our Austin and Dripping Springs OBGYNs.
What happens to your growing baby from weeks 14 through 27
By week 14, all of your baby’s major systems and organs have formed. By the end of the second trimester of pregnancy, your baby may be able to survive a premature birth. A lot happens with fetuses during this time.
They move and kick.
They develop vernix, the creamy substance that protects their skin in utero.
They can hear voices and sounds.
The placenta is completely developed.
They grow fingernails and toenails.
They begin to have sleep cycles.
Their hair grows.
They grow rapidly, both in height and weight.
Our Austin and Dripping Springs OBGYNs provide expert pregnancy care
Hopefully, you will enjoy the second trimester of pregnancy. It’s a time of development and change for you and your growing baby. Our OBGYNs provide the care you and your little one need from preconception to the postnatal period. Contact us to make an appointment.