Women’s Services
This week, your baby is as big as a cauliflower.
The following information was reviewed by Dr. Chor, Michael
The baby's various senses and activities are gradually maturing, including their eyes and various organs. The baby is ready to interact with their family through their mother's belly at any time.
Your baby can now hear the sounds of the outside world and can touch the mother's belly with his little hands. Loud noises may make him jump or kick his feet. Can you feel it?
Your baby's skin colour is changing, just because capillaries are forming under the skin and filled with blood, causing the skin to appear reddish in colour. They will gradually develop the skin tone they will have for life.
The blood vessels in the lungs are also developing, preparing for the baby's first breath of air. Although the baby's lungs have begun to produce surfactant, a substance that helps the baby expand with oxygen after birth, they are still not fully developed and cannot adequately deliver oxygen to the blood.
As the uterus presses down and blood flow increases, more than half of pregnant women experience swelling in the rectum and itchy veins in the buttocks, leading to haemorrhoids and even rectal bleeding. The best preventive measures are drinking plenty of water and getting enough daily fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Doing pelvic floor exercises and trying not to strain when having a bowel movement can also help.
At this time, due to the growth of the fetus, the weight of the pregnant woman increases and the skin stretches, resulting in red marks on the stomach, breasts, thighs, and calves. These are known as stretch marks. The severity depends on the weight gain of the pregnant woman, the amount of nutrients ingested, the firmness of the skin, and the degree of internal and external moisturising.
Your partner may tell you that you snore a little loudly in your sleep. Don't be nervous, that is normal too, and it is caused by rising oestrogen. The increase in oestrogen will promote blood circulation, cause the nasal mucosa to become congested and swollen, and increase the secretion of nasal glands, affecting the smooth flow of the nasal cavity.
In the second trimester of pregnancy, you may feel unbearable pain when you change clothes, walk, go up and down stairs, lift, or spread your legs? This could be a pubic symphysis disorder. As the concentration of progesterone in pregnant women increases, the ligaments around the pelvis relax, causing the pubic symphysis to separate.
At this point, the mother-to-be's uterus is the size of a football, and skin stretching can cause an itchy stomach. This skin irritation is very common and usually occurs during the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy. Stretch marks can become more pronounced over time, so remember to keep your skin hydrated with a regular moisturiser or calamine lotion. There are some studies suggesting that formulas containing centella asiatica or hyaluronic acid may help prevent stretch marks when used in combination with massage.
Whether you’re planning for an addition to your family or are already pregnant, OT&P’s Maternity Team is here to help.