Continuing with the pregnancy section week by week we arrive at the week 16 of pregnancy, in the second trimester of pregnancy.
In this week many women have already left behind the hardest symptoms of the first months and it is, therefore, a good time to start doing some exercise, walking and ultimately taking advantage of the good weather leaving home.
As we have done in the other entries, let's take a look at the most important changes that happen to the mother and the baby in this 16th week of gestation.
Changes in the baby in week 16 of pregnancy
In the week 16 It already measures between 10 and 11 cm. The legs are already longer than the arms and some joints begin to differentiate, such as the knees, ankles, elbows and wrists. In addition to moving, as he did last week, now also kicks, although it is a bit early to notice them, because it barely weighs 80 grams. Let's say that at most it can be noticed as a bubbling sensation, as a tickle that may well be confused with other physical sensations of its own.
To learn more about their measurements, tell them that his femur is now about 2.1 cm and that the circumference of his head is about 12.7 cm.
About this time begins to open the fingers of the hands and also begins to close them, in what seems to be the beginning of the grip reflex. Thanks to him he begins to take his feet, the umbilical cord, or his hands with each other. Nails also appear on hands and feet.
It already has more strength in the neck and now holds it better, being able to be more erect. Facial muscles begin to develop, being able to do some expressions now. At the chest level, it seems that he begins to make some movements that could be precursors of the exercise he will do to breathe once he is born.
Changes in women in the 16th week of pregnancy
As we have commented above, some women begin to notice the movements of their babies, although do not despair if not, because it is still too early and because the sensations can still be confusing.
At the level of changes, it is usually the time when moms are prettier. As the blood flow to the skin increases, pregnant women appear to be more dazzling than ever (between the fact that the skin shines more and the hair falls less, it is normal for people to see very beautiful pregnant women).
Some women may notice an increase in salivation, which is secondary to the increase in estrogen levels and that can be treated if it is a very annoying sensation. It may be interesting to go and do the dental check so that the dentist assesses the existence or not of infections or alterations in the gums: when the levels of some vitamins decrease the food stays longer in the teeth and the risk of caries and infections is greater.
Possible diagnostic tests: triple screening
It is possible that by now you have had the triple screening test. If not, it could be now when they did it to you, because so much can be done at the beginning of the second trimester as now, between weeks 16 and 18 (although at this point it is a little less reliable).
This is a blood test in which the values of certain hormones and a protein generated by the fetus are determined, the alpha-fetoprotein, whose objective is to determine the risk of the baby suffering from a neural tube defect (the most typical and known is spina bifida) or some chromosopathy, the best known being Down's Syndrome.
Not all women do it, because the results usually show many false negatives that end up creating anxiety in future parents (out of every thousand women who are tested, 50 get positive results, but of those 50 women only one or two have really a baby with problems). Other women decide not to do it on their own, since it is clear that even if they were positive they would not abort. It's definitely an optional test and each mother must be informed of what it is to make a responsible decision.
Next week: week 17 of pregnancy
Photos | devinf, Kurt Häusler on Flickr In Babies and more | Pregnancy week by week: from conception to birth
