12 week pregnant stomach
12 Weeks Pregnant: Belly, Ultrasound, Symptoms
Reviewed by
Kate Shkodzik, MD
Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Former Medical Advisor at Flo
Contents
If you could only see your baby now, you’d be so proud of him or her! You’re just about to complete your first trimester of pregnancy, but in addition to this exciting milestone, your busy baby is also making a great deal of progress with each passing day. By week 12 of pregnancy, almost every part of the fetus is in a state of accelerated development. Your little one will continue to become larger and stronger from now until delivery.
In other good news, by the end of this week the likelihood of miscarriage will be much less than in previous weeks. You may also be feeling a little better now: many women feel more energetic and less nauseated at this point. Oddly enough, it’s not unheard of for even your partner to be experiencing some ‘symptoms’ too like nausea and abdominal discomfort! One way or another, it’s going to be a busy time in your household.
Join Flo as we walk you through the key elements of the 12th week of pregnancy:
Your baby at week 12 of pregnancy
You’re now officially a third of the way through your pregnancy — take a moment to acknowledge how far you’ve come in such a short time! By week 12, your baby is now fully formed inside your belly, but there’s still a long way to go until you reach full term. Fingers and toes are developed, and the fetus can even open and close their hands. Internally, the reproductive, circulatory, and urinary systems are all at an advanced stage of development.
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The baby weighs about 0.49 oz (14 g). His/her vocal cords are forming, and kidneys are starting to produce urine, filling the bladder. Although you cannot feel it yet, the baby can be seen during a sonogram screening (ultrasound).
Here’s what else is going on with your baby:
How big is your baby at 12 weeks pregnant?
Your baby is now around 2 inches (5 cm) long from head to bottom — this is the size of a plum. Its weight of 0.49 oz (14 g) is about the same as three grapes!
Pregnancy week 12 fetal development
It’s only been 12 weeks since your last period, but already your baby is fully formed: all organs, muscles, and bones are in place and the reproductive system is well on its way, too. From this point on, the fetus will continue to grow and mature at a fast pace. Your baby is also very active at this stage, but it’s still too early for you to be able to feel the movement.
It might just blow your mind when you think about it: you first started thinking about your pregnancy only 3 months ago, and now you’ve got a fully-formed baby growing inside you! You’ve probably already visited a doctor or other health professional and may have had your first ultrasound scan by now. And on top of this, you’re probably starting to show a little!
12 weeks pregnant belly
Up until now, you may have been enjoying keeping your little secret while you’ve had little or no bump to show for the new member of your family growing inside. But now, you’ve probably noticed that you’re starting to thicken around your belly. If you’ve had any previous pregnancies, you’ll start to bulge earlier than if this is your first time. Either way, just bear in mind that your bump is on its way!
As your belly starts to expand, it will stretch the muscles and ligaments and this may cause pain in the area. Seek advice from your healthcare professional if this becomes troublesome.
12 weeks pregnant symptoms
Now’s the time that constipation can be a problem for some women. Not everyone experiences this, but it’s pretty common and can be uncomfortable. If you’re having trouble keeping things moving along in your gut, you can blame your hormones. But there are a few things you can do to help: consume a high-fiber diet by including wholemeal bread and cereals and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables; make time for a little exercise every day, and stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.
Stomach pain and cramping can also be troublesome for women at this stage of pregnancy. It’s nothing to be concerned about: it’s usually the result of constipation, gas, or your ligaments growing as your uterus expands. But if the pain is severe or if it’s accompanied by other symptoms like bleeding, then seek your doctor’s advice immediately.
On the whole, most women find that the second trimester is the easiest of the three to cope with, and if this is the case for you make sure you take full advantage! If you’ve been cooped up at home with fatigue and nausea, take the opportunity now to get out and about with friends and family. And do whatever you can to be kind to yourself — you’ll be glad you did in the months ahead.
In most countries, the first scan of a pregnant woman takes place between weeks 8 and 14. It’s usually followed by another scan at 18-21 weeks. This is sometimes referred to as a dating scan because it will give you a reliable idea of your expected due date (EDD) and also confirm how many babies you’re carrying!
You should also be aware that screening tests for a number of serious developmental disorders (including Down’s syndrome) are available to you at this stage. Your healthcare provider has probably already mentioned this to you and put things into motion, but if not feel free to flag it up and ask what arrangements need to be made.
Your pregnancy may be a challenging time for you, but do your best to follow a healthy lifestyle. This will provide the best support for you and your baby until full term. Your diet should contain a wide variety of foods from all the recommended food groups, including a mixture of fresh fruit and vegetables whenever possible. You should also aim to drink between eight and 10 8-ounce glasses of water (from all sources) a day.
Try not to fixate on the old idea of ‘eating for two’ — in reality you only need around 300 extra calories per day to provide for your baby.
Sex at week 12 of pregnancy
Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, your sex life can continue as normal throughout pregnancy.
Here’s your week 12 pregnancy checklist:
- Once you’ve had a dating scan, you’ll have a very good estimate of your expected due date (EDD). This scan will also confirm how many babies you’re expecting — if you’ve got triplets on the way, it’s best you find out sooner rather than later! Your health professional will also make you aware.
- Now might be the time to start thinking about what kind of delivery you want. Most women deliver in a hospital setting and wouldn’t think of doing it any other way — hospitals typically have the best facilities for coping with perinatal emergencies. However, an increasing number of women are choosing to deliver at home or in other settings — these environments are often much more calming than a hospital. Which options are available for your delivery depends very much upon the healthcare facilities in your location — if you’re considering an unconventional delivery, then seek medical advice as early as possible.
- Try not to worry too much about stretch marks appearing in your skin over the course of your pregnancy. They are usually most prominent on your breasts, abdomen, hips, and buttocks and most women get some during pregnancy. Despite what you’ll hear from the cosmetics industry, lotions and creams won’t make any difference, How much they show depends on your skin's natural elasticity, but they usually fade gradually after delivery.
References
https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/your-pregnancy-week-by-week-weeks-9-12#2 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/12-weeks-pregnant/ https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/week-by-week/1st-trimester/week-twelve/
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See all weeksYou and Baby at 12 Weeks Pregnant
Key Takeaways at 12 Weeks Pregnant
- Those overwhelming first-trimester symptoms may begin to wane. That means morning sickness may start fading soon and the outrageous exhaustion-fog may lift. Hope is on the horizon!
- Have you bought maternity pants yet? If not, it’s time to loosen your purse strings—and your belt. Your belly is expanding and a budding bump is probably visible at this point.
- Baby continues to develop by leaps and bounds every day. Their fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and their eyes, nose and fingernails are forming—so cool!
- Getting a 12-week ultrasound? Your tech might be able to determine the sex of baby at this point, but it’s not guaranteed, nor is it foolproof.
Things are changing fast at 12 weeks pregnant. You’re reaching the home stretch of the first trimester (we know, finally!), which means your hormones are likely to tone things down a bit. It also means you may be ready to share your pregnancy news with family and friends. So exciting!
Baby at Week 12
Your 12-week fetus is almost done developing their body’s important systems and parts, which means it’s all about getting bigger and more mature from here on out. Yep, baby's about to enter the growth and maturation stage, in which organs and tissues will grow and develop rapidly.
Baby at 12 weeks is opening and closing their fingers and curling their toes, and their brain is developing fast!
Baby is now developing reflexes—if you poke your 12-week pregnant belly while looking at baby on an ultrasound, you'll likely see movement. If you’re 12 weeks pregnant with twins, your twosome is developing at a similar rate as singleton babies at 12 weeks. Later on, they’ll have a slightly slower rate of growth.
How big is baby at 12 weeks?
At 12 weeks pregnant, baby is as big as a plum. The average 12-week fetus is about 2.1 inches long and .49 ounces. Now that baby's got pretty much all of their important organs, their main job is to keep on growing. Go, baby, go!
12 weeks pregnant is how many months?
At 12 weeks pregnant, you’re about three months pregnant. Remember, pregnancy is 40 weeks long, which doesn't break down cleanly into nine months. Just two more weeks until you can officially put your first trimester behind you!
12 week ultrasound
You may have one more prenatal checkup before the end of your first trimester. Whether or not you have a 12-week ultrasound may depend on your doctor’s preference and maybe also on what your insurance covers. If you do get an ultrasound at this time, you’ll notice that you can see your 12-week fetus more clearly this time around, which may make you want to start spreading the news that you’re expecting.
Itching to find out if it’s a boy or a girl? We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but on a 12 weeks pregnant ultrasound, the sex isn’t usually revealed. Between 12 and 13 weeks is the very earliest a boy or girl could possibly be seen on an ultrasound, and the anatomy is still difficult to make out with any certainty. Your OB or technician is much more likely to be able to see baby’s sex at the mid-pregnancy anatomy scan, which will happen around week 20. However, if you received DNA blood testing for chromosomal disorders, you may find out baby’s sex when you get those results—if you want to know, that is!
Around week 12, you might want to know more about baby’s health, so you may have genetic testing done to determine the risk of birth defects or other problems. This can be a little scary—and confusing—so be sure to ask your OB plenty of questions, and know that it’s much more likely that baby is a-okay than anything else.
What does a 12-week fetus look like?
With the first trimester almost done, you may be wondering, “what does a 12-week fetus look like?” New and exciting changes are happening for baby at 12 weeks! The eyes and nose take shape, fingers and toes lose their connective webbing, fingernails develop, teeth buds crop up and organs such as the kidneys and intestines keep growing.
3D Views: My Baby, My Body
See their progress for yourself with our 3D interactive tool.
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Pregnancy Symptoms at Week 12
Here’s the good news about 12 weeks pregnant symptoms: Morning sickness and fatigue may start to fade a bit soon as your hormones start to calm down. The bad? Headaches and dizziness may replace them. We’ll take that trade-off. Here’s more info about what’s happening to your body at 12 weeks pregnant:
Increased discharge
This clear discharge might seem weird, but it’s normal and has an important purpose: to protect your vagina from infection. But if you have yellow, greenish, pink or brown discharge during pregnancy week 12, call your doctor right away. Those colors could be a sign of infection or even miscarriage.
Spotting
Spotting or bleeding during pregnancy at 12 weeks could be worrisome—or it could be nothing at all. For example, your cervix is more sensitive during pregnancy, so simply having sex could cause light bleeding that’s harmless. If you’re spotting or bleeding, definitely tell your doctor. If the bleeding is accompanied by cramping or the flow is heavy, it’s an urgent call.
Headaches
These may start to intensify around week 12 of pregnancy. Headaches may be caused by hormonal shifts, drops in blood sugar, dehydration, lack of sleep or stress. To deal, pay attention to what might be triggering your headaches and try to avoid those culprits. If you notice a drastic increase in headaches or a type of headache you’ve never experienced before (such as a migraine), or if your headaches are accompanied by other weird symptoms, let your OB know.
Dizziness
Whoa! Hormone shifts and blood pressure changes could cause dizzy spells around pregnancy week 12 (and sometimes even earlier!). You can help prevent dizziness by snacking regularly, avoid becoming overheated and drinking plenty of water. Sit or lie down if you’re feeling dizzy or lightheaded and let your doctor know about any severe bouts.
If you’re 12 weeks pregnant with twins, you may still be experiencing morning sickness, while your singleton mom-to-be counterparts are likely starting to see the light at the end of the nausea tunnel. Know that things will likely improve soon.
What should I be feeling at 12 weeks pregnant?
Your body is working hard, and you may wonder, “what should I be feeling at 12 weeks pregnant?” You may not be showing much on the outside yet, but on the inside everything feels like it’s changing! In addition to typical 12 weeks pregnant symptoms, you may start to feel shifts with morning sickness and fatigue. One day you might be exhausted, and another you may feel a burst of energy, while nausea comes and goes. Hang tight—you're getting closer to the second trimester! Make sure you get plenty of fluids and healthy foods for those days when morning sickness makes it rough to keep anything down.
Your Pregnant Belly at 12 Weeks
At 12 weeks, your pregnant belly is probably getting noticeable now. This is one reason many moms-to-be start to tell others they’re expecting around 12 weeks. (Of course, if you’re 12 weeks pregnant with twins, you may have been showing for weeks now, obviously because you’ve got double the babies in there!)
If you haven’t already, start taking photos of your pregnant belly at 12 weeks. Trust us, after pregnancy you’ll want a memento of how much your body changed throughout.
How does your stomach feel at 12 weeks pregnant?
You may already feel the waistband of your clothes getting tighter as your stomach begins to round out. When baby is at 12 weeks, your uterus is expanding to make room for your growing little one. This can also cause a tight feeling in your stomach itself as the stretching uterus puts pressure on the surrounding tissues of your body. Gas or constipation are other common causes of tummy troubles.
“You are moving for two!… Going for a walk, doing your favorite workout or dancing to music, creates better weight management, cognitive development, cardiovascular health and beneficial health outcomes for baby. Remind yourself on your exhausted days that exercising through your pregnancy is going to make this journey easier for you and set your baby up for a lifetime of better health!” - Joanie Johnson Rubin, pre- and postnatal fitness expert and founder of Strong Mom Society
Tips for 12 Weeks Pregnant
Here’s some advice for living your best pregnant life as you finish up your first trimester and move into your second.
Give sore breasts some TLC
Your body’s hormones are getting you ready for breastfeeding, which can make breasts sore or tender. Soothe pain by wearing comfortable clothes that don’t irritate the body, trading in underwire bras for maternity or nursing bras with soft support or using ice packs for temporary relief.
Wear sun protection
One 12 weeks pregnant symptom that can occur for many women is melasma, or the “mask of pregnancy,” where dark spots appear on the face. It’s caused by those active hormones, but melasma can be made worse with sun exposure. Protect your skin with a mineral-based sunblock and a wide-brimmed hat, and stay in the shade or indoors during the day whenever possible.
Don’t give into junk food temptations
If your appetite starts to return as morning sickness fades, don’t feed it with lots of sugar, fats or processed foods. Healthy eating is good for you and baby, and it also helps you achieve a healthy weight gain moving forward. While it’s totally normal to not gain any weight in the first trimester (or even lose a few pounds), women of normal pre-pregnancy weight should plan on adding a pound or two a week during the second trimester
Think about getting physical
Pretty soon, you’ll have more energy, so make sure to talk with your OB about a safe exercise plan for the rest of your pregnancy. Regular workouts may help manage weight gain, make your heart and lungs strong, decrease pain and potentially reduce risk of issues such as gestational diabetes.
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Pregnancy Checklist at 12 Weeks Pregnant
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How the belly grows - articles from the specialists of the clinic "Mother and Child"
Bagriy Alexander Tarasovich
Anesthesiologist-resuscitator
Clinical hospital "AVICENNA" GC "Mother and Child"
Let's say right away that how the belly looks and grows during pregnancy depends on many reasons: the physique of a woman, the structure of the pelvis, the state of the muscles, height uterus and baby, the amount of amniotic fluid. Therefore, for some, the belly grows faster, for some it is slower, for some mothers it is large, for others it can be almost invisible. But still, there are some general patterns of growth and size of the abdomen during pregnancy.
Growth rate
1st trimester
As a rule, in the early stages of pregnancy, the belly does not increase in size or increases very slightly. This is due to the fact that the uterus is still very small and takes up little space in the pelvis. So, for example, by the end of 4th week the uterus reaches only the size of a chicken egg, by the 8th week increases to the size of a goose, but most importantly, at this time it still does not reach the pubic articulation (located in the lower abdomen ). That is why in the early stages no increase in the abdomen is visible. And only after 12th week (end of the first trimester of pregnancy) the fundus of the uterus begins to rise above the womb.
II trimester
At this time, the child is rapidly gaining height and weight, and the uterus is also growing rapidly. That is why, at a period of 12-16 weeks, an attentive mother will see that the stomach has already become noticeable. True, others will pay attention to the new position of a woman at about 20-q weeks, especially if she wears tight-fitting things.
III trimester
By the beginning of the third trimester, no one doubts pregnancy. The abdomen is clearly visible even if the woman is wearing loose clothing.
Sharp, round, various
Approximately from the second trimester of pregnancy, during each examination, the obstetrician-gynecologist determines the height of the uterine fundus and measures the circumference of the abdomen at the level of the navel. Why does the doctor so carefully monitor the increase in mother's tummy? The fact is that this is the easiest way to control the growth and development of the unborn baby.
One of the formulas for estimating fetal weight by fundal height (FHH): the shape of the abdomen often tried to determine the sex of the child. It was believed that a round belly portends a girl, and an elongated, oblong, “sharp” one portends a boy. However, these predictions did not always come true, since the shape and size of the abdomen do not depend at all on the sex of the child.
- In large, tall women, the belly may be small and not very noticeable until advanced pregnancy, and in thin, petite women (especially with a narrow pelvis or large baby), the belly seems very large.
- Significant influence on the shape of the abdomen has a state of muscle tone of the anterior abdominal wall and uterus. During the first pregnancy and good muscle tone, the abdomen may look more "tight" than in subsequent pregnancies. In addition, with repeated pregnancies as a result of reduced muscle tone of the anterior abdominal wall, the child does not take the final position until the last month of pregnancy. Because of this, the shape of the abdomen can also be "stretched".
- If a woman is expecting twins, her belly will be larger than with a single pregnancy.
- And often the belly can be large simply because a woman ceases to limit herself in nutrition, eats "for two."
- If the baby grows quickly or is large, then the mother's belly can grow faster and be larger.
- Babies are located in the uterus in different ways. With some types of presentation, the stomach will be less noticeable, with others it will begin to grow earlier and will appear larger.
Feeling the belly
The belly of the expectant mother changes not only externally. From the 20th week of pregnancy, the mother begins to feel movements of the baby . At first, they look like light flutters, over time, the movements become more intense, because by the end of pregnancy, the mass and size of the child increase, and now it is not as spacious in the uterus as before. The number of movements gradually decreases, but their strength grows.
The movements of the crumbs, especially intense ones, can cause unpleasant sensations in a woman, especially in the right or left hypochondrium .
This is explained by the fact that during cephalic presentation (the baby is located in the uterus head down), the blows of the baby's legs are projected into the region of the mother's internal organs: the liver, stomach, intestines and spleen. Such sensations and even pains are natural and do not require treatment.
And sometimes pains appear in the lateral sections of the abdomen.
They occur due to the fact that during pregnancy the ligaments that support the uterus and ovaries are stretched.
In addition, changes occur in the fallopian tubes (they thicken, blood circulation increases in them), in the ovaries (they increase somewhat in size, cyclic processes stop in them, and the position of the ovaries changes due to an increase in the size of the uterus). Slight pain in the lower abdomen may occur several times during the day, but, as a rule, they quickly disappear if the woman takes a position that is comfortable for her. Sometimes periodic discomfort in the lower lateral parts of the abdomen appear with constipation, which is also common in pregnant women: during pregnancy, hormones are produced that relax the uterus, they have a similar effect on the intestines: its peristalsis is disturbed, resulting in constipation.
The belly can be large or small, bulging forward or as if swollen, low or high - everything will depend on the individual characteristics of the pregnancy.
How the belly grows and looks during pregnancy depends on many factors: the physique of the woman, the structure of the pelvis, the condition of the muscles, the growth of the uterus and the baby, the amount of amniotic fluid.
Most often, the belly begins to grow after the 12th week of pregnancy, and others will be able to notice the woman's interesting position only from the 20th week. However, everything is strictly individual, there is absolutely no exact definition of the timing of the appearance of the abdomen, it is simply impossible to predict.
Don't be upset if the shape or size of your belly does not match the average, because everyone is different. Focus on your constitution, the work of your body and the development of the baby.
REFERENCE
At 4 weeks, the uterus reaches the size of a hen's egg.
Goose egg at 8 weeks.
At 12 weeks, the uterus reaches the upper edge of the pubic bone. The belly is not visible yet.
At 16 weeks, the abdomen is rounded, the uterus is in the middle of the distance between the pubis and the navel.
At 20 weeks, the abdomen is visible to others, the fundus of the uterus is 4 cm below the navel.
At 24 weeks, the fundus of the uterus is at the level of the navel.
At 28 weeks, the uterus is already above the navel.
At 32 weeks, the navel begins to smooth out. Abdominal circumference - 80-85 cm.
At 40 weeks, the navel protrudes noticeably. Abdominal circumference 96-98 cm
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12 weeks pregnant - what's going on, fetal development, feeling, what the belly looks like
WHAT'S HAPPENING
As before, at a period of 11-12 weeks of pregnancy, the size of the fetal body is disproportionate and the head is still much larger than the rest of the body. The baby's eyes are covered with eyelids, and fluffy hairs appeared on the place of eyelashes, eyebrows, upper lip and chin.
At the 12th week of pregnancy, a unique skin pattern (“imprint”) is formed on the fingertips of the fetus. The intestines have taken their place and periodically contract, the kidneys produce urine, the liver secretes bile. The pituitary and thyroid glands produce hormones. In addition to erythrocytes, leukocytes appear in the baby's blood.
At this stage, the nervous system continues to develop, muscles become stronger, bone tissue matures, vocal cords and salivary glands begin to form.
The 12th week of pregnancy is the period when the maturation of the thymus (thymus gland) is almost completed. It is one of the main organs of the immune system responsible for the production of lymphocytes. And by the end of this week, the formation of the sex of the child is coming to an end, and, perhaps, during the next visit to the ultrasound, you will find out whether you will have a boy or a girl. True, this is not yet visible on a conventional device. But equipment using 3D technology allows you to examine the fetus in more detail.
At a period of 11-12 weeks of pregnancy, the baby's weight is about 14 g, and the length from the coccyx to the crown is 6-9 cm. The child is very active: he moves his arms and legs, somersaults, sucks his finger, turns his head, reacts to external stimuli (vibrations, loud sounds, bright lights, etc.). But you still don't feel it moving.
YOUR WELL FEELING
At the 12th week of pregnancy, you can feel a welcome improvement in your overall physical condition. The uterus continues to grow and already reaches 10 cm in width and up to 12 cm in length. The stomach does not create discomfort yet, but your weight is gradually increasing: the normal indicator for this period is an increase of up to 3.5 kg. But if you had severe toxicosis and didn’t manage to gain the cherished kilograms, don’t worry - very soon you will make up for everything.
As before, at 12 weeks pregnant, your breasts are still very sensitive. Due to the increase in the volume of circulating blood, you may be bothered by a rapid heartbeat. And due to the fact that the hormone progesterone relaxes smooth muscles, constipation is possible. For the same reason, mild heartburn sometimes appears.
Not uncommon for pregnant women and abdominal pain. If discomfort occurs only from time to time, and painful sensations are localized on the sides of the abdomen, occasionally radiating to the lower back or groin, this is not dangerous. These symptoms are due to distension of the uterus. A cause for alarm during the 11th - 12th week of pregnancy should be aching, pulling or cramping pains in the lower abdomen. Especially when they are accompanied by brown or bloody spotting. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor, because such symptoms may be a sign of a threatened spontaneous abortion.
As for the emotional state at the 12th week of pregnancy, it is still subject to the action of hormones. Therefore, your mood is still very changeable: joy is replaced by anxiety, just a little - tears well up in your eyes. Learn to relax and think more about your baby.
RISK FACTORS
By the end of the first trimester, when 12 weeks of pregnancy are behind you, the risk of losing a child decreases every day, and you can breathe a sigh of relief. However, there are always risks associated with injury, poisoning and stress. Also, the expectant mother should be wary of colds and fever.
Sometimes a missed pregnancy is detected at this time. Characteristic signs of such a pathology are a sharp cessation of toxicosis and soreness in the mammary glands, a decrease in basal temperature, bloody discharge, abdominal pain, and leakage of amniotic fluid. If you notice any of these symptoms during the 12th week of pregnancy, contact your doctor immediately.
MEDICAL SUPERVISION
At the 12th week of pregnancy, the first mandatory screening is carried out. In addition to ultrasound and a biochemical blood test, at this time you may be prescribed other tests: for HIV infection, hepatitis B, syphilis, to identify blood type, Rh factor and blood sugar levels.
The most exciting moment is an ultrasound examination, during which the doctor will examine the condition and tone of the uterus, see the location of the placenta, determine the size and dynamics of the fetus, and set the estimated date of birth.
Ultrasound at the 12th week of pregnancy allows you to determine the risk of chromosomal abnormalities and congenital pathologies. However, it must be remembered that the results of an ultrasound examination cannot be regarded as a final diagnosis: if the specialist has any suspicions, you will need to pass additional tests and undergo an in-depth examination.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Continue to adhere to proper nutrition, when the 11th - 12th week of pregnancy expires. Eat often, but little by little, if possible, exclude sweets, fatty, smoked and fried foods, it is better to boil or steam foods. During pregnancy, you should not get carried away with vegetarianism, because animal proteins, phosphorus and amino acids, which are not found in plant foods, are vital for the fetus. 12 weeks of pregnancy is a good time to include meat, seafood, cereals, milk and dairy products, fresh vegetables, fruits and greens in your diet. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids. Give up alcohol: at this stage, the development of your baby's brain continues, and alcohol can cause irreparable damage to his nerve cells, up to the complete destruction of some of them.
Keep your body clean during the 11th to 12th week of pregnancy. If you suffer from excessive sweating, shower as often as possible (you don't have to use soap every time). And in connection with the increased vaginal discharge, pay special attention to the hygiene of the genital organs. It is recommended to abandon the usual toilet soap in favor of children and switch to special gels for intimate places.
Do not forget to carefully monitor the oral cavity. The skeletal system of a child is built from calcium, which is taken from your body. Because of this, the teeth suffer greatly. To keep them healthy, visit your dentist regularly.
The 12th week of pregnancy is the time to inform the employer about your situation: this will help to avoid misunderstandings in the future. When preparing for a conversation, think through all the nuances so that there is no misunderstanding between you and your superiors.
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