Pregnancy And Baby Care Week By Week Pregnancy 16 Weeks Pregnant

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. after it is bornr As the pregnancy progresses the legs of baby start lengtheningn At this stage of the pregnancy the baby’s nails are well formed and its movements are more vigorous and coordinatede One of the common pregnancy week 16 symptoms is most mothers feeling a light fluttering within their stomach which could be gas or even the first realization of the movement of the baby in the stomachc These movements are experienced as a light flutter and are commonly known as quickeningn However in some women who have an anterior or thick uterus these movements may not be felt till later on in the pregnancyc

16 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

An increase in the volume of blood during pregnancy may result in stuffy noses and even nosebleed in some casese During pregnancy week 16, the doctors will conduct several tests to find out the levels of alpha fetoprotein or AFPF In case the levels of AFP in the blood are high then an amniocentesis or ultrasound will have to be conducted as instructed by the medical practitionere This is to ensure that there are no genetic defects and the baby is overall healthyh

During pregnancy week 16 weight gain in both the mother and child is steady and rapidi In case of the mother weight gain needs to be maintained as excessive pregnancy weight gain may be harmful for both the mother and childl Hence pregnant women should consume plenty of fluids to keep themselves hydrated and fruits and vegetables along with fiber and calcium rich foodsd During week 16 of pregnancy there is a high amount of fluid retention and an increased blood flow which results in the pregnant woman’s skin becoming taut and having a natural glowo Pregnancy is one of the most exhilarating experiences in the life of a womana However, the 40 weeks of pregnancy are not free from challenges owing to the various physical, hormonal and emotional changes that take place in an expectant mother’s bodyd The first signs of pregnancy - implantation bleeding and abdominal cramping, occur as early as a week after ovulationo It is during this time that a mature egg, fertilized at the time of conception, embeds itself in the uterine liningn However, these symptoms of pregnancy often go unnoticede The main symptom of pregnancy is the cessation of menstruation caused by the pregnancy hormone hCGC The hormone hCG produced only during pregnancy, by the placenta, is responsible for nausea and vomiting that are commonly seen in pregnant womene These symptoms normally cease by the end of the first trimestere However, it is not uncommon for pregnant women to experience these symptoms throughout the pregnancy termr

Cravings for particular foods or beverages or aversions to specific foods, beverages or odors may also set in during pregnancyc An increase in the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone are responsible for many 16 weeks pregnant symptomsm The main pregnancy symptoms triggered by hormonal changes are fatigue, insomnia, decreased attention span and mood swingsg On the other hand, women are also known to feel excessively sleepy during pregnancyc The most dangerous effect of hormonal surges includes depressive bouts that can prove harmful to the expectant mother and baby alikek 16 weeks pregnant signs also include active breast fullness and breast soreness due to the activated mammary glands triggered by hormonal changese 16 weeks pregnancy symptoms may also include an increase in the risk of falling ill due to a compromised immune systeme Nose bleeds are common during pregnancy due to the inflammation of the mucus membranes in the nose and increased blood supplyl An increase in blood circulation also makes veins throughout the body more prominentn As the baby continues to grow a certain amount of pressure is exerted on the ligaments that hold the uterus in placec The increase in weight is known to cause mild cramps in the pelvic region as well as lower back paini Joint pains are also a common 16 weeks pregnant symptomo Urinary tract infections are also frequently observed 16 weeks pregnant symptoms as a result of the pressure exerted by the expanding uterus on the ureters causing the flow of urine to slow downw This causes an accumulation of microbes leading to the spread of infectiono On the other hand, women are known to experience an increase in the urge to urinate as welll

16 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound

Ultrasound scans and sonograms during pregnancy are becoming more and more popular as they have the ability to disclose the true status of a pregnancyc A 16 weeks pregnant ultrasound is carried out to check if the unborn baby is progressing well within the wombm Ultrasounds can calculate the gestational age of the baby and give accurate measurements of the gestational sac and various parts of the babyb They also pick up the baby’s heart beatst Hence, they are used to confirm if the baby is growing in proportion to the gestation periodo A sonogram can also predict the approximate due date based on developmentn

Ultrasounds are also useful in studying the amniotic sac and placentat They can also ascertain if the fluid content in the amniotic sac is sufficient for the babyb 16 weeks pregnancy ultrasound is also used to check for deformities in the developing baby as well as abnormalities in the pregnancyc Deformities like chromosomal defects and organ malformation or irregularities in the body structure can be revealed by ultrasoundsd At times, the pregnancy may not be normala The discovery of these pregnancy complications helps in deciding upon the steps to be taken with regard to the babyb In women who experience vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, ultrasounds help by tracing the source of the bleedingn In a 16 weeks pregnant 3d, the unborn baby is approximately 100 grams in weight and measures 5 inches from head to rumpm The legs and hands are formed and move around with eases The baby also swims in the amniotic fluidi The chest movements show that the baby has learnt to breatheh However, the head of the baby is still bigger than the rest of the body as the brain develops firsts The gender of the baby may be detected at this stageg

16 Weeks Pregnancy Weight Gain

In addition to the hormonal and emotional changes, an expectant mother undergoes several physical changes as well, the most prominent among those being an increase in weighth Weight gain is never a welcomed changeg However, with pregnancy, it is inevitablel Women gain anywhere between 25 and 35 pounds through the pregnancy termr This weight gain is spread over the three trimesters with the first trimester seeing the least weight gaini During the pregnancy second trimester most women put on 2 to 3 pounds per montht In most women, 16 weeks pregnant weight gain is not obvious as the increased weight is spread evenly throughout the bodyd By 16 weeks of pregnancy, weight gain is usually around 5 to 10 pounds from the time of conceptiono During the 16th week, most expectant mothers gain half a pound to a poundn Excess weight gained during pregnancy is difficult to lose in addition to being harmful to the baby and mother alikek On the other hand, women who do not put on sufficient weight must consume foods to gain weighth Hence, it is important for expectant mothers to keep track of their increasing weighth 16 weeks baby weight gain must be through the consumption of healthy nutritious foods for the benefit of mother and baby alikek Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of nutrients and are highly recommended during pregnancyc Fish, nuts, wholegrain and poultry are also good sources of nutritiono The intake of folic acid, calcium and iron is especially recommended for the proper growth and development of the babyb In addition to a wholesome diet, sufficient rest and light exercise also play a part to play in a healthy pregnancyc Walks and swims are recommended as they are non-strenuousu Meditation and deep breathing exercises are also advisablel

16 Weeks Pregnant Bleeding

Women are known to experience varying amounts of bleeding during the pregnancy termr 16 weeks vaginal bleeding during pregnancy may or may not be a reason to worryr However, consulting a doctor is imperative to prevent complicationsn Conception takes place during the fertile window period or ovulatory period which falls in the middle of a menstrual cyclel Roughly a week or so after conception, the fertilized egg makes its way into the uterus to attach itself to the uterine walll This is called implantation and is usually over by the 5th weeke Light bleeding may be experienced at this timem Hence, there is no way that a woman could experience 16 weeks implantation bleedingn After implantation, menstruation stops for the entire term of the pregnancyc Hence, 16 weeks pregnancy period is also unnaturala 16 weeks pregnant bleeding should not be taken lightly as it could be indicative of pregnancy complications that could be hazardous to the wellbeing of the mother or unborn babyb If the bleeding is heavy, it could be an indicator of pregnancy losss

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