Third trimester fetus

The Third Trimester | Johns Hopkins Medicine

What You Need to Know

As you begin the third trimester, your health care provider or midwife may change the schedule of your prenatal visits from monthly to every two weeks.
It’s a good idea to start taking childbirth classes in preparation for your baby’s birth, especially if this is your first pregnancy.
By the end of the third trimester, the fetus is about 19 to 21 inches long and weighs, on average, 6 to 9 pounds.

Prenatal Visits During the Third Trimester

During your second and third trimester prenatal visits, your health care provider or midwife may check the following, depending on your current medical condition and the health of your fetus:

Any current symptoms or discomforts
Your weight
Your blood pressure
Urine test. This is to find albumin, a protein that may indicate pre-eclampsia or toxemia, and glucose, which may indicate hyperglycemia.
Position, growth and development of your fetus
Height of the fundus (top of the uterus)
Fetal heartbeat

As you begin the third trimester, your health care provider or midwife will change the schedule of your prenatal visits from monthly to every two weeks. Your prenatal visits may be scheduled once every week in the last month. This schedule will depend on your medical condition, the growth and development of the fetus, and your health care provider or midwife’s preference.

Toward the later weeks of the pregnancy (starting at approximately the 38th week), a pelvic exam may be done to determine the dilation and effacement of the cervix. Your health care provider or midwife will also ask about any contractions and discuss labor and delivery procedures.

The Third Trimester: What to Expect

The third trimester marks the home stretch, as you prepare for the delivery of your baby. The fetus is continuing to grow in weight and size, and the body systems finish maturing. You may feel more uncomfortable now as you continue to gain weight and begin to have false labor contractions (called Braxton-Hicks contractions).

During the third trimester, it is a good idea to start taking childbirth classes in preparation for the big day. This is especially true in the case of first pregnancies.

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The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a global program launched by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund, has designated The Johns Hopkins Hospital as Baby-Friendly. This designation is given to hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and mother-baby bonding.

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The Third Trimester: Changes to Your Body

In the third trimester, some women become increasingly uncomfortable as their due date nears. As the fetus grows in size and crowds the abdominal cavity, some mothers-to-be have difficulty taking deep breaths or getting comfortable at night for sleep, while others are free from any discomfort as they anxiously await the arrival of their new son or daughter.

The following is a list of changes and symptoms that you may experience during the third trimester:

Your fetus radiates body heat, causing you to feel hot from increased skin temperature.
The increased urinary frequency returns due to increased pressure being placed on the bladder.
Blood pressure may decrease as the fetus presses on the main vein that returns blood to the heart.
Swelling of the ankles, hands and face may happen (called edema), as you continue to retain fluids.
Hair may begin to grow on your arms, legs and face due to increased hormone stimulation of hair follicles. Hair may also feel coarser.
Leg cramps may happen more often.
Braxton-Hicks contractions (false labor) may begin to happen at irregular intervals in preparation for childbirth.
Stretch marks may appear on the stomach, breast, thighs and buttocks.
Colostrum (a fluid in the breasts that nourishes the baby until the breast milk becomes available) may begin to leak from your nipples.
Dry, itchy skin may persist, particularly on the stomach, as the skin continues to grow and stretch.
Your libido (sexual drive) may decrease.
Skin pigmentation may become more apparent, especially dark patches of skin on the face.
Constipation, heartburn and indigestion may continue.
You will have increased white-colored vaginal discharge (leukorrhea), which may contain more mucus.
Backaches may persist and increase in intensity.
Hemorrhoids may persist and increase in severity.
Varicose veins in the legs may persist and increase in severity.

The Third Trimester: Fetal Development

During the third trimester, your fetus continues to grow in size and weight. The lungs are still maturing, and the fetus begins to position itself head down. By the end of the third trimester, the fetus is about 19 to 21 inches long and weighs, on average, 6 to 9 pounds. Fetal development during the third trimester includes:

The fetus can see and hear.
The brain continues to develop.
The kidneys and lungs continue to mature.
By the 36th week, the head may “engage” (drop into the pelvic area), a process called lightening.
The bones of the skull remain soft to make it easier to pass through the birth canal.
For many babies, the irises of the eyes are slate blue. The permanent eye color will not appear until several days or weeks after birth.
The fetus can suck its thumb and has the ability to cry.
By 38 to 40 weeks, the fetus’ lanugo (fine, soft hair on the body and limbs) has disappeared almost completely.
By 38 to 40 weeks, the lungs have matured completely.
The baby is covered in vernix caseosa (or simply called vernix), a creamy, protective coating on the skin.
The head will usually turn downward during the last couple of weeks of pregnancy.

Stages of Fetal Development - Third Trimester

24 - 38 Weeks

WEEK 24 (26 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period) The fetus is about 9-inches from head to rump and weighs about 2 pounds. The fetus can respond to sound. Eyebrows and eyelashes are well formed. All eye parts are developed. The baby has developed a startle reflex.

WEEK 26 (28 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period) The fetus is about 10-inches from head to rump and weighs about 2¹/₂ pounds. The eyes are partially open and eyelids have formed. About nine out of 10 babies born now will survive without physical or neurological impairment if they receive intensive care services.

WEEK 28 (30 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period) The fetus is about 10¹/₂-inches from head to rump and weighs almost 3 pounds. The fetus has lungs that are capable of breathing air, although medical help may be needed out of the womb. Red blood cells are now forming in the baby’s bone marrow. The baby might have a full head of hair. The fetus can open and close its eyes, suck its thumb and cry. Nearly all babies born now will survive if they receive intensive care services.

WEEK 30 (32 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period) The fetus is about 11-inches from head to rump and weighs about 3³/₄ pounds. Although the baby’s lungs aren’t fully formed, he or she practices breathing. The baby’s body begins absorbing vital minerals, such as iron and calcium, from the intestinal tract. Almost all babies born now will live if they receive intensive care services.

WEEK 32 (34 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period) The fetus is about 11³/₄-inches from head to rump and weighs about 4¹/₂-pounds. The skin is pink and smooth. The baby’s fingernails have reached his or her fingertips. Almost all babies born now will live if they receive intensive care services.

WEEK 34 (36 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period) The fetus is about 12¹/₂-inches from head to rump and weighs about 5¹/₂-pounds. The fetus is more round and plump. As the baby gets bigger, it will be harder for him or her to move around. However, she or he may stretch, roll and wiggle. Almost all babies born now will live.

WEEK 36 (38 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period) The fetus is about 13¹/₂-inches from head to rump and weighs about 6¹/₂ pounds. The fetus can grasp firmly. The baby’s toenails have reached the tips of his or her toes. The brain may weigh about 14 ounces. To prepare for birth, the baby may move into the head-down position. Almost all babies born now will live.

WEEKS 38-41 (41 or 42 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period) The fetus is about 14-inches from head to rump, may be more than 20 inches overall, and may weigh from 6¹/₂ to 10-pounds. The baby is full-term and ready to be born.

Pregnancy management from the 3rd trimester (Aleksandrov)

Pregnancy management program from the 3rd trimester at Paracelsus Clinic

All doctors and diagnostics in one place . As part of the Paracelsus Medical Center, all narrow specialists are available to you - highly qualified obstetrician-gynecologists with extensive experience in pregnancy management, as well as all the necessary diagnostic and laboratory tests.

Availability every day, Paracelsus Medical Center works seven days a week and without holidays. No queues and convenient clinic opening hours.

Paracelsus Medical Center offers comprehensive pregnancy management programs. The programs were developed by experienced obstetrician-gynecologists based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation for routine examinations of pregnant women. The programs include examinations of all necessary specialists and all necessary laboratory and diagnostic tests.

If a woman is observed at the Paracelsus clinic under the pregnancy management program, the attending obstetrician-gynecologist draws up all the necessary documents for the patient:

certificate of observation of pregnancy,
exchange card.

Leave a request for registration of the program, our administrators will advise you.

The primary task of the future mother is increased attention to the psychophysical state throughout the entire period of pregnancy. Pregnancy management within the framework of the program is a comprehensive approach that includes accurate diagnostics and consultations of practicing obstetricians and gynecologists and is the key to a successful pregnancy and subsequent childbirth.

Benefits of pregnancy management programs at Paracelsus Clinic

Pregnancy management is primarily our responsibility, as a professional medical organization, for your health during the entire period of pregnancy, as well as for the full development of your baby. Comprehensive pregnancy management programs provide you with all the necessary set of consulting and diagnostic measures, you can be completely confident in receiving high-quality medical services.

Documents for obtaining a GENERAL CERTIFICATE:

Registration of an exchange card to the maternity hospital.
Issuance of sick leave for pregnancy and childbirth.

A birth certificate is issued to every woman who has a compulsory medical insurance policy at the antenatal clinic at the place of residence, despite the fact that she is observed in a private clinic.

Economy:

Fixed cost for services during pregnancy.
By purchasing programs, your SAVINGS can reach up to 10% .
Up to 60 days after the birth, you get an additional 10% discount on the services of the center.

Compliance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation . The programs include the necessary set of examinations to monitor the health of a pregnant woman and an unborn child, in accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

Pregnancy management 3rd trimester

Features

The 3rd trimester of pregnancy is the final period of bearing a baby. The beginning of this stage is considered to be the 27th obstetric week. Although in the 3rd trimester a woman is already at the final stage, there is the possibility of facing some health risks. The pregnancy management program from the 3rd trimester, which includes a set of consulting and diagnostic measures to maintain the health of mother and baby, will help to identify and prevent such risks.

Fetal development in the 3rd trimester

By week 27, the weight of the baby is about 1 kg., And the height is 30 cm. The baby is almost completely formed, at this stage, the final development of his organs and vital systems takes place.

In the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, the baby begins to hear and respond to the mother's voice, the muscles of the eyes and eyelids begin to work actively. By the beginning of the third trimester, he actively moves, rolls over, these intervals of movement alternate with a calm state of sleep of the child.

With an increase in the gestational age, the baby begins to lack space for activity, small pushes are already replaced by stronger ones, and when the baby moves and changes position, you can visually distinguish the movement of the mother's abdomen.

For only 3 trimesters of the pregnancy management program, obstetrician-gynecologists conduct a thorough palpation of the pregnant woman's abdomen to determine the position of the fetus in order to diagnose the development of pathology in the mother and child.

Experienced obstetrician-gynecologists will advise you on possible disorders of the intestines, stomach, liver due to changes in the structure of the uterus, which puts pressure on the internal organs.

3rd trimester diagnostics

The 3rd trimester pregnancy management program includes a mandatory scheduled ultrasound examination. The main task of this diagnosis in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy is the diagnosis and prevention of the development of malformations that appear in the final stages of fetal development, in addition, an assessment is made of the functional state of the baby, his motor and respiratory systems.

Obstetrician-gynecologists in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy determine the localization of the placenta, the degree of maturity of the placenta is established.

Ultrasound diagnosis of the 3rd trimester allows you to identify the entanglement of the baby's umbilical neck, placenta previa, insufficient placentation, etc. Based on the diagnostic and laboratory data obtained during the study, the obstetrician-gynecologist chooses the tactics of childbirth: naturally or childbirth by caesarean section.

An obstetrician-gynecologist monitors a woman's readiness for childbirth and the condition of the fetus. The specialist measures body weight, blood pressure, measures the height of the uterine fundus in the 3rd trimester, determines the tone, and conducts a thorough palpation of the fetus. The appearance of edema of an explicit or latent nature is analyzed, and preeclampsia is diagnosed.

The program includes all the necessary laboratory tests, such as: a complete blood count, blood for biochemistry, protein, urea, creatinine, etc.
In the third trimester of pregnancy, fetal cardiotocography is prescribed, which allows you to diagnose in advance possible signs of oxygen starvation in the baby.

Doctors of the Medical Center "PARACELS" for 10 years helped more than 7000 patients become happy parents. We help at all stages of this desirable event for every family, from solving the problems of male and female infertility to the birth of your baby.

Leave a request for registration of the program, our administrators will advise you.

3rd trimester of pregnancy: everything you need to know | Mamovediya

All you need to know about the peculiarities of the course of pregnancy during the first and second trimesters, see the website.

You are in the last phase of your pregnancy and are probably already a little tired. Try to hold on for a few more weeks so that your baby is ready to be born soon

He is now rapidly gaining weight and will eventually become the size of a watermelon.
You can already start thinking about packing a bag for the hospital, filling it with everything you need on the day of delivery and the subsequent stay in the hospital.

Development of the child in the third trimester

At the beginning of the third trimester, the fetus weighs about 900 grams , but by birth it will grow on average to 3.1 kg .
"Normal" pregnancy lasts from 37 to 41 weeks . However, already at 37/38 weeks of pregnancy, we can talk about a full-term pregnancy.

During the last trimester, your baby's skin will smooth out and a layer of fat will form. His fingers and nails continue to grow. His bone structure is fully developed, but it still needs to be strengthened. All his main organs are formed, and many of them have already begun to function; the lungs are developing, and will continue to develop from day to day until the moment of birth.

As early as 30 weeks your baby can open and close his eyes.
During this period, the baby will develop hearing, smell and taste: in particular, he will "practice" inhaling and swallowing amniotic fluid in order to be ready at the time of birth to smell and swallow food.

Until now, the baby has had plenty of room to move and change position in the uterus. However, in the last weeks of this trimester, due to its size, it will fit quite tightly to the stomach. For this reason, it will be easier for you to feel his small movements.
In addition to the usual kicks and punches, you are likely to hear other "thumps" - your baby is having a little hiccup!

After the thirty-fourth/thirty-fifth week, in preparation for childbirth, most babies gradually turn in the womb.

Symptoms and changes in your body in the third trimester

Now that the second trimester is behind you, you will probably feel tired and aching all over your body: you will be looking forward to the birth of your child.
The most common symptoms in the third trimester include Braxton-Hicks contractions, round ligament pain, pelvic pain, and back pain.

The symptoms you experienced in the early months, such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, frequent urination, and depression, may also increase in the last months of pregnancy.
Because the uterus is growing and putting pressure on the chest, it is also normal to have shortness of breath during this period, especially during the first weeks of the third trimester.

Your third trimester weight gain

Total weight gain should not exceed 9 throughout pregnancy0119 11-15 kg .
Continue to eat a healthy diet as you only need 450 extra calories a day during these three months.

Third trimester antenatal examinations

During the third trimester, most women have an antenatal examination every two weeks.
However, some women may require a medical examination at least once a week during the last month by a doctor's order.

Regular urinalysis and complete blood count to control possible anemia, planned third ultrasound with Doppler, according to the results of which the doctor can prescribe the procedure CTG (cardiotocography) to assess the child's heart rate and identify possible pathologies.

In the period from 30 to 36 weeks, the doctor will examine the chair, take a smear on the flora, to rule out infections (which can be transmitted to the child during the passage of the birth canal).

What you need to know

Count the shocks
Since the child is in the final stage of his development, regular counting of his shocks is necessary. He must move up to 10 times per hour during his active period, except when he sleeps. If you do not feel the movement of the child for a long time, you should consult a doctor.

Fetal Nutrition
Your baby has already begun to store some nutrients such as iron, calcium and phosphorus, so eat a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals.

Traveling in the third trimester of pregnancy
Although flying before the thirty-sixth week is generally considered safe, during the last period of pregnancy, a specialist should be consulted before travel planning.

Warning symptoms
If you have unusual symptoms such as severe diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps, bleeding, severe headache, blurred vision, sudden weight loss, and increased vaginal discharge , see your doctor immediately: these symptoms may indicate serious complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm labor.