13th week of pregnancy: belly, sensations, discharge
Pregnancy is a special condition, incomparable. Over the course of 9 months, the miracle of the birth and development of a new life occurs, so each new day of pregnancy is unique in its own way. In this condition, some key points can be identified when it is most likely possible to predict what the fetus's chances of life are, whether its development is proceeding correctly or whether there is a risk of serious genetic disorders. This period is the 13th obstetric week of pregnancy.
For expectant mothers, this period becomes a turning point, since doctors conduct examinations to determine the viability of the fetus.
- Feelings
- 13th week of pregnancy - what happens to the baby?
- Examinations - screening
- What should you be wary of when you feel?
- Sex at 13 weeks pregnant
Belly at 13 weeks of pregnancy and sensations
If you are diagnosed with 13 obstetric weeks, how many months is that, how to navigate? Count from the delay of your last period - exactly 9 weeks. This will be the 13th obstetric week, which is also the eleventh week from the day of conception. Therefore, this is the third month of expecting a baby.
Mother's feelings at 13 weeks of pregnancy
How does a woman feel during this period? The majority note an improvement in their health. The following unpleasant “companions” of the first trimester are reduced:
- toxicosis;
- vomit;
- drowsiness;
- apathy (or sudden mood swings).
The woman becomes calmer and gets used to her position. The nausea goes away. Toxicosis at 13 weeks of pregnancy is uncommon. A pregnant woman feels fetal movements for the first time.
Occasionally, there is a pull in the lower back and lower abdomen (typical for days when menstruation was due). On the part of the digestive system, the following are observed in pregnant women:
- flatulence;
The reason is the growth of the uterus, which puts pressure on neighboring organs, especially the intestines. Intestinal motility slows down (due to hormonal changes -).
Other features of the period - the pregnant woman notes a surge of strength, energy, and a desire to act. The belly at the 13th week of pregnancy is rounded. A woman is reviewing her wardrobe and buying loose-fitting clothes. Those around her do not yet notice the changes that are obvious to the woman herself. Exception: twin pregnancy. Then the increase in abdominal circumference becomes more obvious. The breasts are growing and colostrum may be released.
At the 13th week of pregnancy, the sensations in the stomach are not too pronounced, but the expectant mother feels that she is no longer alone: a new life is growing in her. The belly at week 13 (pictured) looks rounded and full.
Unpleasant sensations at 13 weeks of pregnancy include:
- dizziness, heaviness (manifestations of hypotension);
- cramps of the calf muscles (mainly at night).
They do not appear in all pregnant women.
The width of the uterus at 13 weeks is 10 cm, height is 3 cm. It is elastic and soft. There is a gradual rise of the uterus towards the abdominal cavity.
The process of formation of the placenta (the organ responsible for the relationship between mother and fetus, performing the most important life support functions for the fetus) ends. The placenta regulates:
- gas exchange;
- nutrition of the unborn child.
Nutrients reach the embryo through the placenta. Its functions also include protecting the fetus from infections from outside. The fetus at the 13th week of pregnancy is sufficiently protected from the penetration of toxic substances, so the mother can be treated with antibiotics (if necessary).
At 13 weeks of pregnancy, the size of the fetus is from 10 to 12 cm, weight 20-30 g. Currently, doctors know what happens to the baby at the 13th week of pregnancy. The brain develops and reflexes appear. The child may grimace and pull his fingers towards his mouth.
He spends most of his time sleeping, but his periods of wakefulness increase. The skeletal system is being formed, calcium is deposited, and ribs are forming.
Defined:
- chin;
- brow ridges;
- bridge of the nose
There is thin skin without subcutaneous fat.
The baby's respiratory system is developing. The fetus is able to breathe, but the glottis is still closed. At the 13th week of pregnancy, the baby is actively developing and begins to gain weight.
Examinations at 13 weeks
What tests need to be taken at this time? Is it possible to find out if there are any abnormalities in the development of the fetus? Is everything okay with mom? The screening, which must be completed from 11 to 13 weeks, will tell you about this. The result will be informative strictly at this time.
The examination takes place in 2 stages. The first is an ultrasound, the second is a blood test. The order is exactly this, with a minimum interval: a difference of even 3 days or 4 days can distort the results.
The 13th week of pregnancy is the last opportunity to pass, if this has not been done earlier.
Ultrasound is performed:
- transvaginally;
- transabdomial.
The first method does not require preparation. The doctor inserts a sensor into the vagina and examines the uterine cavity. Second, the examination is carried out by contacting the sensor with the surface of the abdomen. You should prepare first: drink 4 glasses of water, do not urinate for an hour and a half. The doctor chooses the method of examination and informs the patient in advance. In practice, they are often combined - first, an ultrasound is performed through the anterior abdominal wall, the woman is asked to urinate, and a transvaginal examination is started.
Discharge at 13 weeks of pregnancy
Noticed discharge at 13 weeks of pregnancy
awn? Pay attention to the color. Transparent and white are the norm. Yellow, brown - deviation from the norm. They may contain blood. Even a small amount of blood may indicate the presence of a retrochorial hematoma. With a hematoma (it looks like a bruise on the body of the uterus), sometimes the stomach hurts, sometimes there are no obvious signs, except for brown spots on the underwear, light pulling sensations in the lower abdomen. This is a reason to contact an antenatal clinic (as quickly as possible).
Bleeding and pain are a reason to call an ambulance without delay. A large hematoma threatens miscarriage, small ones resolve. Medical supervision is required in both cases.
The 13th week is an important and responsible period (for the mother) of the child’s development. Don't skip the necessary examinations, tune in for the best. Have an easy pregnancy!
The first trimester of pregnancy ends, and with it the unpleasant sensations associated with toxicosis and hormonal changes go away. The expectant mother becomes calmer and more reasonable. At week 13, most pregnant women have a long-awaited meeting with their baby at an ultrasound scan. It is during this week that up to 90% of all expectant mothers receive referrals for the first prenatal screening, since this week is considered the most informative.
Survey objectives
Ultrasound, performed between 11 and 13 weeks of pregnancy, is part of the prenatal diagnostic complex, which, by order of the Russian Ministry of Health, is carried out on all women registered with the antenatal clinic. An ultrasound at 12-13 weeks is considered the most important, since the fetus is no longer so small that the diagnostician could miss possible deviations in its development.
The purpose of the study is in a comprehensive assessment of the baby’s condition, in search of markers, which may indirectly indicate possible genetic deviations, defects and anomalies. The data obtained is compared with the results of a blood test, which is designed to determine the concentration of certain hormones and proteins inherent in a woman during the period of bearing a child.
Both studies allow you to calculate the potential risks of congenital pathologies in a child. If it turns out that the risk of Down syndrome or Edwards disease is high, the woman is recommended to undergo a more accurate invasive examination, during which chorionic particles with the baby's DNA are taken for analysis.
In addition to the early diagnosis of defects, an ultrasound at the 13th week allows you to determine the exact timing of pregnancy, the rate of growth of the baby, see the problems of pregnancy, threats and risks of spontaneous abortion. The procedure this week is considered very informative, and the screening itself, carried out during this period, is the most important during the entire pregnancy.
13th week of pregnancy - these are obstetric values, which are on average 2 weeks ahead of a woman’s own calculations. Thus, 11 weeks have already passed since conception, and almost 9 weeks have passed since the day of the delay and the first “two cherished stripes”.
How is an ultrasound performed, is preparation needed?
An ultrasound is performed at week 13, most often in a transabdominal way, in which the sensor comes into contact with the skin of the woman’s abdomen, and the doctor gets an overview through the anterior abdominal wall. However, if the expectant mother is overweight or has fatty folds on her abdomen, the doctor may decide in favor of another method of examination - transvaginal.
Internal ultrasound is performed using a transducer in a condom. View through the vaginal wall is considered more accurate, therefore, it is used in all cases where there is a suspicion of a threat of miscarriage, in order to examine not only the child, but also the features of the cervix and uterine wall.
No special preparation is required for an ultrasound scan at week 13. The uterus is already large enough, and the amount of water allows for an examination without a full bladder. Before undergoing a vaginal ultrasound, it is generally advisable to empty the bladder and intestines of contents, and 2-3 hours before the examination, take one dose of a drug that reduces the amount of intestinal gases.
You can drink “Smecta”, “Espumizan” or “Simethicone”. They are harmless for pregnant women.
What can you see at this time?
At week 13, the size of the fetus is 10-12 centimeters, its weight is 20-30 grams. The child still looks disproportionate - the head still remains the largest part of his body, but the features of his small face are already beginning to acquire individuality, the rudiments of baby teeth have formed. this week The baby’s nervous system continues to develop rapidly, his movements are now controlled by the brain, and new muscle-neural connections are formed almost every hour.
The baby's pancreas began to synthesize insulin. From this week, the baby’s head begins to grow more slowly, but the rest of the body “accelerates.” The formation of the external genitalia continues, they are already distinguishable and, under favorable circumstances, the doctor will be able to examine the sex of the child using an ultrasound scan.
The placenta has formed, and this week it takes over the “control” of the baby’s life processes and nutrition. The yolk sac is thus no longer needed and ceases to exist. On an ultrasound at this stage, the baby shows everything that he has learned over the past few weeks - he vigorously moves his arms and legs.
In response to loud sounds and unfamiliar voices, it can react either by increasing motor activity or, conversely, by calming down. He hears everything, knows how to distinguish the usual “safe” sounds - mother’s blood flow, heartbeat, breathing and the voice of strangers, and therefore potentially dangerous - other people’s voices, the hum of equipment, the slamming of a door.
On an ultrasound, the baby’s heartbeat can be clearly heard, and the mother is required to listen to it. Every day the baby looks more and more like a human in terms of external parameters. An ultrasound sensor can detect and examine all of the baby's internal organs.
Decoding the results
The results should be deciphered by specialists, but expectant mothers are very curious and inquisitive people, and therefore questions are often asked about what the ultrasound protocol issued in hand might mean and whether everything is okay with the child. Unfortunately, the doctor does not always have time to explain to each pregnant woman what abbreviations and numerical values he uses to describe the child’s condition, because screening takes place on a first-come, first-served basis. That is why a detailed transcript is provided below.
First of all, the doctor notes the date of the last menstruation so that obstetricians have the opportunity to calculate the expected date of birth. He then indicates the method by which the examination was performed - transvaginal, transabdominal, or both if the examination required the use of two methods.
Following this, the number of fruits is indicated. If a woman is expecting twins, the doctor will note whether vital signs are present in each child. These signs include heartbeat and motor activity.
The position of the child in the uterine space is also subject to description - it can be cephalic, transverse and pelvic, at this stage this is not significant, since the baby is still free and spacious in the mother’s womb, and he is constantly spinning, tumbling and changing his position.
From the 13th week, doctors no longer measure the coccygeal-parietal size; it is no longer considered informative. More useful data is now called fetometric. These are the BPR (bipariental size of the head - the segment between the temporal bones), LZR (fronto-occipital size - the segment from the frontal to the occipital bone), as well as the length of the paired bones - the femur, shin bone, forearm and humerus.
Not all of these measurements can be practically achieved at 13 weeks. The table of normal fetometry values at week 13 (12-13 weeks) is as follows:
The baby's abdominal circumference at this stage averages from 61 to 69 mm. The yolk sac, like the CTE of the fetus, is no longer measured this week. Heart rate norms this week average between 147 and 171 beats per minute. Markers such as the thickness of the collar space and the length of the nasal bones are important for diagnosing possible genetic abnormalities. These parameters are assessed once during the first screening ultrasound. The table for TVP and length of the nasal bones at week 13 is as follows:
The amount of amniotic fluid at this stage is not measured. In addition to the development of the child, the doctor describes the features of women's health - the size of the uterus, ovaries, the condition of the fallopian tubes and other indicators.
Gender determination is not included in the screening, and therefore this service will be paid. It should be noted that the probability of error in determining gender at this stage is quite high - boys are confused with girls if they cover their genitals with their legs, and girls can easily be mistaken for boys if the umbilical cord passes between the legs.
Therefore, at the 13th week, doctors do not speak with certainty about the sex of the babies; more accurate answers to an important question for parents can be obtained at the next examination, which is carried out from 18 to 21 weeks.
Possible problems
Ultrasound can reveal a wide variety of problems. At this stage, taking into account the specifics of the examination, most often expectant mothers find themselves in confusion and panic due to the discrepancy between the size of the baby’s head and the obstetric stage of pregnancy, as well as due to questionable results in identifying markers of chromosomal disorders.
If the BPD and LZR of the fetus are significantly less than normal, doctors can talk about intrauterine growth retardation, and also that the child may have genetic abnormalities. Exceeding the size of the head also requires a separate medical “investigation”. It is possible that there was an error in determining the timing of pregnancy- this often happens in women with an irregular menstrual cycle and late ovulation.
An increase in the thickness of the collar space, as well as the absence of nasal bones, which is shown by ultrasound - reason to contact a geneticist, as well as conducting a control ultrasound examination in about a week.
At week 13, it is believed that the dangerous period in terms of the likelihood of early miscarriage is already behind us. However, the diagnostician can still see the increased tone of the uterine walls, and then the obstetrician will prescribe the woman treatment to maintain the pregnancy.
The detected low placentation does not pose a serious problem at this stage, because the uterus still has to grow, and together with its walls, the placenta is likely to “migrate” higher.
Pictures
Ultrasound images at week 13 will allow the mother to examine her baby in more detail in a calm home environment. She will be able to see the baby’s profile, his chest and tummy, and the structure of the brain.
With a 3D ultrasound, you can already see the tiny person more holistically and imagine what he looks like. Twins look like this during this period.
You can see what happens to mother and baby at 13 weeks of pregnancy in the following video.
Week 13 – end of the 1st trimester of pregnancy. During this period, significant changes occur in the body of the expectant mother and child. Ultrasound examination allows diagnosing problems during pregnancy and deviations in fetal development.
The ultrasound machine is equipped with a sensor, which is a generator of ultrasonic waves, and a monitor on which the image is displayed. Special gels are used to contact the sensor with the patient’s body. The ultrasound procedure at 13 (15 obstetric) weeks is absolutely painless and does not cause discomfort.
If the pregnancy progresses favorably, doctors prescribe 3 scheduled ultrasound examinations for women: one every three months.
For women with chronic diseases or unsuccessful previous pregnancies, ultrasound diagnostics are indicated more often than for the majority of expectant mothers.
In the absence of complications in earlier stages, an ultrasound examination at week 13 may be the first. The doctor will determine the duration of pregnancy, the number of fetuses and their vital signs, and the ability of the expectant mother to carry the baby to term, confirm or rule out the presence of severe defects.
Mother's condition and how the fetus develops?
At the 13th week of pregnancy, changes occur in a woman’s body: drowsiness and toxicosis disappear, health improves, and an enlargement of the mammary glands is observed. Pain in the lower abdomen may be felt due to an enlarged uterus.
Important! To avoid the threat of pregnancy, if you experience discomfort and brown discharge, you should definitely consult a doctor who is managing your pregnancy!
A natural reaction to changes occurring in the body may be itching in the chest and abdomen. You should not comb it!
By this time, the baby’s organs and systems are formed and actively developing. The size of the head is even larger than the size of the body. The average length of the fruit is 7-8 cm, weight is about 15-30 grams.
The child moves and sucks his finger, his hearing aid can recognize sounds from the outside. The body produces bile and insulin, the baby’s bones become stronger, muscle tissue is formed, and baby teeth begin to grow.
Attention! The expectant mother should forget about bad habits! The taste of amniotic fluid that the child feels depends on the food the woman eats.
What does the study show?
An ultrasound examination at week 13 allows the doctor to determine how the baby is developing and whether the development of the embryo meets the norm. And also draw a conclusion about the possibility of spontaneous abortion and the presence of signs of hereditary diseases.
Based on the results of the ultrasound, the doctor can detect the presence of the following anomalies:
- Edwards syndrome. Occurs 1 in 7000 cases. Most often - in children whose mothers are over 35 years old. The study reveals an infrequent fetal heartbeat, one umbilical artery, and the nasal bones are not distinguished.
- Triploidy. The anomaly is accompanied by numerous fetal malformations. Characterized by a triple set of chromosomes.
- Cornelia de Lange syndrome. It is observed in 1 case per 10,000. A hereditary disease in which the patient exhibits growth retardation and mental retardation.
- Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. The disease is associated with metabolic disorders. The result is developmental delay, mental retardation and autism. Occurs in 1 case out of 30,000.
- Down syndrome. One of the most common genetic diseases. It is observed in 1 case in 700 births.
Is it possible to see the gender of the baby?
With a suitable positioning of the baby, it is possible to determine its gender from a photo as early as 13 weeks. His activity can interfere with determining the gender of the child. All that remains is to wait for the next scheduled ultrasound in the second trimester, which will most likely show whether the expectant mother is expecting a boy or a girl.
How do they do it?
Ultrasound diagnostics can be carried out in 2 ways:
- abdominal;
The first method involves diagnosis through the patient’s abdominal wall. The sensor is in contact with the subject's stomach.
The second diagnostic option is carried out using a vaginal sensor, which is inserted into the vagina. This method is more informative.
Both research options take no more than 10 minutes.
How to prepare for the examination?
Before an ultrasound scan, a woman needs to have a bowel movement to prevent gas formation. A day or two before your appointment, you should exclude from your diet carbonated drinks, dried fruits, plums, cabbage, flour and other products that cause fermentation and gas formation.
Half an hour before an abdominal ultrasound, you need to drink about 0.5 liters of water; before a vaginal ultrasound, you should empty your bladder.
Reference! The mother's anxiety is reflected in the baby's behavior in the womb. Due to excessive worries, the results of the study may be distorted.
Screening at 13 weeks of pregnancy: what are the norms?
The first screening raises many questions for the expectant mother. How they do it, what the norms are and what this study should show are some of the main questions.
Screening at week 13 includes: Ultrasound and blood sampling (biochemical analysis). The main task is to determine the presence of chromosomal diseases in the fetus.
Congenital malformations may be indicated by a thickness of the baby's collar zone of more than 3 mm. Suspicions of abnormalities in fetal development (Down syndrome) may arise if the nasal bone is not visible.
According to the results of a blood test from a vein, the main indicators of the norm at the 13th week of pregnancy are as follows:
- hCG: 14.1 – 114.6;
- RARR-A: 1.02 – 6.03.
What can be seen in the photo of the fetus?
In the picture you can already see the outlines of all parts of the body (not very clear), including the baby’s facial features.
In the photo at 12, 13 weeks, the fetus already looks like a baby, only very small. The head already corresponds to the size in relation to the body. Tiny fingers can be seen on the arms and legs.
If the position of the fetus is successful during the examination, it will be possible to see the genitals and find out the sex of the child. The baby may grimace, and if you're lucky, the photo will capture the moment he yawns or smiles.
Photo of a boy
Photo of a girl
Decoding the norm
During the study, the following indicators are assessed:
- fetal heart rate (FHR);
- coccygeal-parietal fetal size (CTF);
- collar space thickness (TNT);
- biparietal fetal size (BFS);
- abdominal circumference;
- length of the nasal bone;
- thigh length.
Table: normal indicators for week 13
Where do they make it and how much does it cost?
Ultrasound examination is available in any locality. An expectant mother can have an ultrasound done for free at the clinic where she is registered with a gynecologist, or go to one of the commercial centers for a fee. Prices vary from 500 to 2000 rubles.
Conclusion
Following the doctor’s recommendations and paying close attention to your own health will help minimize the risks associated with improper development of the child or complications for the mother. A timely visit to the ultrasound room will delight you with the first pictures of the baby.
At the turn between the 1st and 2nd trimesters of pregnancy (13th obstetric week or 14th embryonic week), a period begins that expectant mothers call the best time or “golden time.” And there are good reasons for this. Now completely unpleasant signs of toxicosis are becoming much weaker, or even disappearing: nausea, weakness and dizziness, emotional instability.
At the thirteenth week, the expectant mother already feels much better and can fully enjoy her new status and position. Waking up in the morning becomes easy and without annoying nausea and vomiting. The reaction to odors becomes less strong. Blood pressure doesn't increase and you don't feel dizzy.
A pregnant woman begins to feel a surge of strength, an increasingly positive mood, and positive emotions. Sleep and appetite are normalized. The feeling of constant fatigue and drowsiness disappears.
And the best thing now is the opportunity to go shopping for yourself, purchasing maternity clothes for your wardrobe. Narrow and tight clothes and stiletto heels will now have to wait in the closet for quite a long time.
An exciting activity is already emerging - looking at your slightly rounded tummy in the mirror and imagining what the long-awaited future baby looks like inside.
At this stage, many women notice how their appearance, tormented by toxicosis, gradually turns into simply blooming. Although the expectant mother is not yet burdened by a large belly, she is already beginning to move differently: more smoothly and carefully. This is a natural reaction of the body - it tries with all its might not to harm the unborn child and protect it from possible injuries.
Fetal development at 13 weeks of gestation
By the end of the 13th obstetric week of pregnancy, the fetus becomes comparable in size to a peach. This is approximately 6.5 - 7.8 cm from the crown to the tailbone, 10-12 cm of total height. The future baby now weighs about 20-30 grams. The head increases in diameter to almost three centimeters.
At this stage, the embryo is already protected by the placenta, which not only protects the fetus, but also produces substances necessary for normal development and growth - estrogen and progesterone.
Now the thickness of the protective cocoon is approximately 16 mm. The placenta allows blood to flow from the mother to the fetus, but acts as a filter to retain all harmful substances that can negatively affect the development of the embryo.
What happens to the baby at the thirteenth week of pregnancy:
- The face is already clearly visible. Ultrasound images can show the features of the unborn baby. True, the eyes are still set quite far apart and are gradually moving closer together. The eyeballs are already covered with eyelids. The head is already slightly raised above the sternum, so the chin, nose and brow ridges are visible. The auricles and earlobes have already been outlined.
- The skin is still very thin; blood vessels can even be seen through it. The baby's skin is now wrinkled. This is because there are no fat cells yet. But on the surface of the skin the embryonic fluff is already visible, which will remain for some time after birth.
- The bone skeleton is actively developing and strengthening. Calcium is deposited, arms and legs become longer, the skull and spine harden. The ribs lag behind, they form and strengthen a little late.
- The brain is developing by leaps and bounds. This progress is noticeable in the behavior of the embryo: the fetus moves and moves more and more. During periods of wakefulness (and they are not very long, because the baby sleeps more and more), the baby reflexively clenches his fists, makes grimaces, wrinkles his nose and pulls his finger into his mouth.
- During this period, baby teeth are formed - there are already about twenty such rudiments.
- The respiratory system has practically formed. The diaphragm makes training movements that will allow the baby to inhale air at the time of birth. Now the mouth is still closed, but it happens that the baby swallows amniotic fluid. Especially when he lacks oxygen.
- Significant changes also occur in the gastrointestinal tract: the pancreas begins to produce insulin. And villi appear in the intestines.
What complications may arise at 13 weeks of pregnancy?
Basically, all possible complications at this stage can be caused by insufficient amounts of certain useful substances and microelements in the expectant mother’s body. So, for example, a lack of calcium (and the fetus now actively takes it for the development and strengthening of bones) can negatively affect a pregnant woman - varicose veins are dangerous and not so easy to treat later.
Pay attention to vitamin D - its deficiency may well provoke rickets in a baby.
Changes in a woman’s body at 13 weeks of pregnancy
The hormonal storm has subsided, the restructuring of the female body to carry a pregnancy is almost complete. All that remains is to wait and prepare for an important event - the birth of a child. At this stage, all the organs of the unborn baby are already formed. The embryo grows and develops, and the bond between mother and fetus becomes stronger.
The entry into the female body of substances that suppress the immune system (to avoid fetal rejection) is stopped. The embryo is already firmly established in the uterus, it is surrounded by a protective membrane - the placenta. The uterus itself grows along with the baby, so the tummy is steadily increasing and the figure is rounded.
A hormone such as somatotropin helps improve the appearance of a pregnant woman. This substance seems to highlight facial features and give the expectant mother an attractive appearance.
At the thirteenth week of pregnancy, the breasts increase in size, and in some cases very significantly. The mammary glands are preparing for feeding. The nipples remain very sensitive. The areola around them becomes large and darkens.
It is worth saying that at this time the body is almost ready for pregnancy. The main task now is to provide the fetus with everything it needs for its normal development. This is why blood volume increases significantly. After all, it is through the blood that the fetus receives beneficial substances from the mother. Also. The rate of metabolism in the body of the expectant mother also increases.
Tests and medical examinations
Usually, by this time, a diligent pregnant woman has already registered for pregnancy at the antenatal clinic. After all, after the 12th week, a woman already loses the right to receive a lump sum pregnancy benefit.
By the 13th week, the pregnant woman has already passed the entire necessary set of tests, and now all that remains is to come for examinations as prescribed by the gynecologist. At this time, you can also make visits to doctors of other specialties (ENT, dentist, therapist, endocrinologist, ophthalmologist, etc.). This is especially important if you have any chronic diseases. Doctor’s supervision is a kind of safety net against all unwanted complications.
At 13 weeks, the doctor will measure the pregnant woman’s weight and abdominal circumference. Controlling your weight gain is important. After all, the current good appetite can lead to unwanted fullness and even obesity.
Blood pressure may jump. A slight fluctuation in the indicators is not dangerous. But sharp jumps in blood pressure are a reason to seek advice from a specialist.
At this time, the doctor may prescribe additional examinations. Such, for example, as a double biochemical test to determine PAPP, ultrasound or a blood test for b-hCG. These studies will show how high the risk of any genetic or chromosomal abnormalities or diseases is.
Sometimes a biopsy (sampling of chorionic villi tissue) or amniocentosis (puncture of the amniotic sac with sampling of amniotic fluid) is prescribed. However, it is worth remembering that these tests carry certain risks, because there is direct intervention in the uterus. Therefore, such studies are prescribed only strictly according to medical indications and only with the written consent of the woman. The results (which, however, take quite a long time to determine) will reveal the presence of many serious pathologies (Down syndrome, for example). But early diagnosis will allow you to correct the development of the fetus and reduce the risk of even greater complications.
A test for the level of hCG in the blood may also be prescribed. But it should be remembered that now the number of units is gradually declining. The norm at this time is 20900-291000 mIU/ml. a decrease in hCG leads to a reduction in the unpleasant sensations of toxicosis in pregnant women.
Ultrasound at 13 weeks of pregnancy
An ultrasound scan at the 13th obstetric week of pregnancy is prescribed upon registration at the antenatal clinic. During this period, the ultrasound specialist will look to see if the placenta is positioned correctly, listen to the heart rate of the embryo, and check whether the motor activity of the fetus is high enough.
Now an ultrasound examination is used to determine the collar zone. After all, this is an important indicator for identifying genetic abnormalities.
To diagnose isthmic-cervical insufficiency, the condition of the uterine pharynx is examined.
Now the whole life of a pregnant woman is focused only on how to carry and give birth to a child without complications. The expectant mother is preparing both physically and mentally for the fact that now she will do everything only for the benefit and normal development of the fetus. After all, every mother wants her baby to be born healthy and strong.
As already mentioned, the formation of all fetal organs has already occurred. Now the main thing is to provide the embryo with all the substances necessary for growth and development. Therefore, special attention is paid to proper and nutritious nutrition.
Take the time to sit down and create a diet for yourself in accordance with the recommendations of doctors and nutritionists.
Pay attention to vaginal discharge. They should normally be transparent or slightly whitish, perhaps a little more abundant than before. But the appearance of an unpleasant odor, curdling, itching, discoloration, inclusions of blood - this is a reason for an immediate visit to the doctor.
Prohibitions and contraindications during pregnancy
All bad habits remain prohibited as before. And although the placenta now protects the fetus, it will not be able to filter out all harmful and toxic substances entering the blood. Therefore, definitely no alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, toxic paints, aggressive household detergents and cleaners, or ionizing radiation exposure.
Of course, no one conducted experiments on pregnant women that could show in what doses alcohol would not harm the unborn child. However, observations of children born to mothers who abused cigarettes and alcohol show a rather depressing picture. Agree, it’s simply scary when a newly born baby is already experiencing “withdrawal” from a lack of ethanol or nicotine in the blood.
So, what is prohibited for a expectant mother in the thirteenth week of pregnancy:
- Bad habits (alcohol, smoking, drugs)
- Uncontrolled use of medications and self-medication in the event of any disease. The same, by the way, applies to folk remedies - herbs and tinctures
- Harmful working conditions
- Physical fatigue
- Stress
- “Wrong” foods in large quantities: fatty, salty, fast food, etc. Don't overeat on sweets, which will cause unnecessary wrinkles on your sides and stomach.
Sex at 13 weeks pregnant
The ban applies only to those cases where there is a risk of miscarriage or placenta previa is observed.
If everything is normal, toxicosis has gone away, then why not enjoy the pleasant sensations of sex. Moreover, many pregnant women say that sexual relations now seem to take on new colors and emotions and become more intense.
Sports and physical education
We continue to engage in moderate physical activity. We do yoga or gymnastics for pregnant women, swim in the pool.
The main thing is that there should be no overwork and overload. Therefore, stop extreme sports and professional sports.
Vitamins and medications at 13 weeks of pregnancy
As mentioned above, taking medications is not recommended now. Or only for strict medical reasons and after consultation with a doctor. Medicines can cause enormous harm if taken uncontrolled.
As for folic acid, the 13th week is the last week when it should be taken. Vitamin complexes or iodine-containing preparations are not prohibited. You just have to make sure that there is no excess of substances - hypervitaminosis.
Your tadpole is gradually becoming more and more like a small baby. From the 13th week of pregnancy, mostly his body will grow, so that by the end of pregnancy he will become five times larger than his head.
Fetus at 13 weeks of gestation: gender, weight and dimensions
The future baby can already do a lot: he smells the food his mother eats, sucks his thumb, tumbles, moves his arms and legs, opens and closes his fists. Start communicating with your child: he hears you, feels pain, responds to stimuli, reacts to changes in temperature and lighting, and even smiles, frowns, yawns! And how good he feels in his mother’s tummy: the muted twilight, warmth, softness, comfort, and the muffled sounds coming from afar are so soothing!
At the 13th week of pregnancy, the digestive and skeletal systems are most actively developing, “sketches” of the first ribs have already been made, and bone tissue is laid in place of the limbs and head. All 20 baby teeth of the baby have finally formed and will now wait in the wings. The placenta has completely taken over its functions. The pancreas began to produce insulin.
Sexual differentiation also occurs: in a boy, the prostate gland begins to develop, and the genital tubercle lengthens into the penis; in a girl, the ovaries located in the abdominal cavity descend into the pelvic area, and the genital tubercle bends downwards - the clitoris is formed from it. Surprisingly, girls’ ovaries are already filled with eggs: there are now more than 2 million of them!
A 13-week fetus weighs between 15-25 g and has an average “height” of 7-8 cm. It’s hard to believe, but this baby’s heart pumps 23 liters of blood per day!
Expectant mother
Meanwhile, your uterus grows rapidly, rising higher into the abdominal cavity, and gradually begins to press against other organs. More and more is pouring in. By the end of pregnancy, each of them will weigh from 400 to 800 g, and after childbirth even more. All your shapes are generally smoothed out and rounded, now your waist has disappeared, and your old clothes are clearly too small. Let's start pregnancy shopping!
Feelings at 13 weeks of pregnancy
Your health is already much better than before, anxieties and fears about the threat of miscarriage are gradually fading away, the fetus is actually safer than before and is subject to significantly fewer risks. But there is no need to relax. If you have a tightness in your lower abdomen, it is most likely due to stretching of the uterus, but it is better to play it safe and lie down until it gets better.
All the horrors of toxicosis are most likely a thing of the past, the nausea and vomiting have stopped, high spirits and the ability to enjoy life and future motherhood are returning.
The waist gradually becomes smoother and the belly becomes more and more visible. During this period, many women are already switching to a new wardrobe - “maternity clothes”. If this has not been done before now, it’s time to worry about purchasing comfortable, loose-fitting clothes, especially since old jeans and trousers probably no longer meet at the waist, and T-shirts and blouses treacherously fit the body.
By the 13th week, the problem of constipation may first appear: the muscle tone of the digestive tract is reduced, and on top of that, the uterus squeezes the intestines, worsening its peristalsis. Remember that taking laxatives during pregnancy is unacceptable! To avoid constipation and to regulate the frequency of stool, you will have to pay special attention to your diet, as well as maintain physical activity.
Be sure to monitor your diet and ensure that all necessary substances are supplied to your body. Calcium is very important even at the 13th week of pregnancy, but it is better to give preference to plant sources: green vegetables, apples, persimmons, kiwi, lentils. If you have any problems, you should pay attention to this issue immediately.
Another very common problem during this period of pregnancy is headaches. The ban on medications is relevant in this case, therefore, we fight headaches using safe methods tested by time and experience. This is rest in a cool, semi-dark, well-ventilated room, applying cool compresses to the temporal area, and, if possible, a short, restful sleep. In order to eliminate pain, it is also possible to take decoctions based on soothing herbs - lemon balm, mint, chamomile. But you shouldn’t get too carried away with mint: this herb has blood-thinning properties, which can contribute to bleeding. In cases where the headache is no longer bearable, a one-time use of paracetamol-based medications, for example, Efferalgan, Panadol, is acceptable. But taking painkillers that contain aspirin is strictly contraindicated during pregnancy.
Already now, without waiting for the active growth of the abdomen, mommy should take care of the issue of preventing the occurrence of stretch marks. Start using it. Risk areas: chest, abdomen, thighs, buttocks. It's time to take care of your beloved self. After all, now you are especially feminine and beautiful!
Belly at 13 weeks of pregnancy: tugs, hurts
And how much you don’t want to spoil this femininity and beauty by “the machinations of the body” in the form of increased gas formation and the inability to go to the toilet “for the most part”! It is problems with digestion and emptying that are perhaps not the first cause of abdominal pain at the 13th week of pregnancy. This means that in order to prevent them, it is better to study in advance what and in what quantities you can and should eat now. Eliminate from the diet, for example, black bread, legumes, raw cabbage, but at the same time drink a glass of decoction of prunes and dried apricots every day, do not forget about kefir and beets.
Abdominal pain may be associated with stretching of the ligaments holding the uterus. In this case, pain is observed on the sides of the abdomen, occurs from time to time, does not cause long-term inconvenience to the woman and does not pose any danger.
But if the stomach hurts and pulls, the pain is spasmodic in nature, the stomach seems to ache, most likely, we will talk about increased tone of the uterus. Perhaps the doctor will not see the need to immediately go to bed with such symptoms for preservation, and will allow you to “endure” the tone at home. At the same time, she will definitely tell you that now, more than ever, the expectant mother needs peace and relaxation, the absence of any emotional turmoil. Perhaps he will prescribe suppositories with papaverine, No-shpu, Ginipral.
However, if aching, cramping pain in the abdomen is accompanied by the appearance of bleeding, medical care and hospitalization in a hospital cannot be avoided. Thus, abdominal pain against the background of bloody discharge indicates an incipient miscarriage; if the reaction is immediate, specialists can save the pregnancy. Therefore, if you suddenly encounter a nagging, nagging pain in the abdomen, the pain does not go away within 2-3 hours, and there is also bleeding, immediately call an ambulance or ask your spouse to immediately take you to the hospital.
Discharge
By the end of the 13th week of pregnancy, discharge from the genital tract may change in nature. During the week, no changes associated with the discharge are observed, but closer to the beginning of the second trimester, the discharge may become thinner and, perhaps, somewhat more abundant. There is no need to worry about this - progesterone, which was dominant up to this point, gave way to estrogen, which caused the liquefaction of secretions.
If the changes concern not only the abundance and density, but also the color, smell, and consistency of the discharge, perhaps the expectant mother should be wary. So, if the discharge acquires an atypical green or yellow tint, mucus or pus, flakes or cheesy lumps appear in the discharge, and to all this is added an unpleasant odor and itching, burning of the genital tract - it’s time to go see a doctor. This picture usually explains the development and progression of a sexually transmitted infection, which should be identified and treated as soon as possible.
Of course, you should immediately go to the doctor if you notice bloody discharge, which, “in conjunction” with abdominal pain, indicates an incipient miscarriage. Timely medical intervention gives a chance to save the pregnancy, but action must be taken immediately to achieve this.
By the way, bloody vaginal discharge does not always indicate a threat of premature termination of pregnancy. If spotting and spotting is not accompanied by abdominal pain, but appears more and more after sex with a spouse or examination by a gynecologist, most likely the cause is cervical erosion or some other cervical disease. In addition, spotting can be explained by placenta abruption or placenta previa, which is the result of a fall or blow to the abdominal area, weak vessels bursting under the pressure of the increased blood volume. Be that as it may, the cause of the bleeding must be determined by a specialist, who should be contacted when blood appears.
Ultrasound at 13 weeks of pregnancy
Since the period of the first planned ultrasound covers the period between 10 and 14 weeks, it is possible that the doctor will determine the optimal option for conducting the study on any of the days of the 13th week.
An ultrasound at the 13th week of pregnancy will clearly show the outline of the baby, tell you about its size, and show how the baby moves, bends and straightens its arms and legs. When conducting an ultrasound examination, the doctor will also be able to assess the condition of the uterus, placenta previa and placenta previa, and determine the approximate date of the upcoming birth.
Ultrasound is also necessary to identify possible fetal malformations in early pregnancy or severe congenital anomalies. You just need to remember: the results of an ultrasound examination can in no case be interpreted as a final diagnosis. This is just a reason to conduct an in-depth extended examination and, possibly, consult a geneticist.
Especially for- Elena Kichak
