What's happening
At 17 weeks of pregnancy, the heart divides into chambers. In girls, the uterus begins to form. The child's movements become more coordinated. He can stretch, spread his fingers and clench them into fists - and all this can be seen on the monitor during an ultrasound.
At the 17th week of pregnancy, the fetus's hearing will be almost completely formed, and it will already be able to hear the sounds around it: the mother's voice, the beating of your heart, the "rumbling" in the stomach, the gurgling in the intestines, music. Now is the time to start talking to your child out loud and reading fairy tales to him. Then, after birth, the baby will recognize its mother’s voice. The baby already feels your emotional state well, and if you are upset, he gets upset too, and his heart beats faster. Rub your belly and talk to your baby in a calm voice: this will help your baby feel protected during the 17th week of pregnancy.
Feelings at 17 weeks of pregnancy
During this period of pregnancy, a woman’s body experiences heavy stress, undergoes significant hormonal changes, and may face a lack of microelements and vitamins. This is where unpleasant sensations arise.
At week 17, the expectant mother may experience such an unpleasant symptom as bleeding gums. Its occurrence is due to a lack of vitamins. Adequate nutrition and taking prenatal vitamins prescribed by a specialist can help you avoid the manifestations of periodontitis. Even pronounced signs of gum inflammation are not a big cause for concern; they usually disappear within 1-2 months or after childbirth.
At this stage of pregnancy, the expectant mother is not bothered by the symptoms of toxicosis, she eats well and is in a good mood. Sometimes the serene picture of her life is spoiled by insomnia. You can get rid of difficulties with falling asleep if you take a walk before bed for 30-40 minutes and move as much as possible during the day.
At week 17, a woman may notice the appearance of age spots and moles on her body. Such spots are caused by hormonal changes in the body. They usually go away on their own. It is best to avoid tanning during this period of time and be in the bright sun as little as possible.
The most unpleasant symptom that a woman may encounter at 17 weeks of pregnancy is constipation. Intestinal problems sometimes cannot be avoided even with proper nutrition and drinking plenty of fluids per day. Constipation should not be allowed to become the norm. If difficulties with bowel movements are observed regularly, you should contact a specialist who will recommend the safest drug.
17 weeks Your baby is the size of a turnip.
How you feel
If this is not your first pregnancy, then you already feel the baby quite well. Its slight movements resemble the fluttering of a butterfly's wings, the swimming of a fish, or the movement of air bubbles. At first, you may confuse these sensations with gurgling in the intestines, but soon you will be able to clearly distinguish them.
By the 17th week of pregnancy, your belly has become rounder and your “interesting” position becomes noticeable. Your mood improves: your psycho-emotional background has stabilized, and you are looking forward to the birth of your baby.
Fetal growth and development
The fetus at the 17th week of pregnancy reaches a length of 11-13 cm, and its body weight can range from 100 to 140 grams. During this period, the baby is actively gaining weight.
Baby size now
Like an orange
Height13 cm
Weight140 g
At this stage, the following occurs in the fetal body:
- The process of formation of subcutaneous fatty tissue intensifies, the baby looks more developed, his body becomes more proportional.
- The swallowing process is activated. A child can swallow up to 400 g of amniotic fluid during the day, as a result of which he occasionally experiences hiccups.
- The baby reacts strongly to loud sounds, so a pregnant woman should refrain from listening to loud music or attending concerts.
- In girls, the uterus is actively developing. In boys, the external genitalia are sufficiently formed that the sex of the fetus can be determined by ultrasound.
- The process of laying permanent teeth occurs.
- The fetus’s own immune system is activated, so the child at this stage is well, although not 100%, protected from infections.
- Fetal movements become more intense, but during the first pregnancy the woman usually does not feel them at 17 weeks. Therefore, if the expectant mother does not yet have movements in her tummy, there is no need to worry, especially if this is not the second or third pregnancy. Everything has its turn, and the baby will still have time to express himself with his first movements.
If we take into account that the 17th obstetric week of pregnancy is only 15 weeks of development of the fetus itself, then we can answer the question of how many months it is. The 17th week is 3.5 calendar months of fetal development from the moment of conception or almost 4 calendar months starting from the first day of the last menstruation.
Risk factors
Early toxicosis has already passed, but it is often replaced by “late” toxicosis - gestosis. And at first, a pregnant woman may not notice it. The danger of gestosis is that in this condition the child has a lack of oxygen. Late toxicosis is characterized not by nausea and vomiting, but by edema. At first they are not visible, but frequent weighing at 16–17 weeks of pregnancy helps to detect the problem: rapid weight gain in excess of the norm is one of the symptoms of the initial stage of gestosis, which can be treated at home. At the second stage, swelling becomes obvious: shoes become tight, you have difficulty removing rings from your fingers. This degree of illness requires immediate hospitalization.
A frozen pregnancy at 17 weeks is a rare occurrence. If this occurs, the cause may be intoxication, infection and fetal malformations. Premature birth or miscarriage also occurs. Placental abruption is possible, causing abdominal pain and bleeding. It is necessary to monitor your feelings and control your discharge when you are 17 weeks pregnant. If you have the slightest suspicion, call a doctor. Timely medical care is a child’s chance to survive.
What happens at 17 weeks of pregnancy
During this period of time, noticeable growth of the fetus is observed compared to previous weeks. The size of the baby at the seventeenth week of pregnancy on average exceeds 12 cm, weight is 100 g. At the 17th week, changes occur in the mammary glands. The nipples of the breast swell and become more sensitive to touch. It is recommended that the expectant mother acquire new, spacious underwear made from natural fabric and buy a belly band. During this period of time, many women are under the influence of the hormone progesterone, may experience memory difficulties, become absent-minded and forgetful.
At the beginning of the seventeenth week, a woman may be bothered by nagging pain in the lumbar and lower abdomen. This condition is not considered a deviation from the norm. Lumbar pain is caused by stress on the lower part of the spine. Pain in the lower abdomen is associated with gradual muscle stretching.
Medical observation
At the 17th week of pregnancy, it is mandatory to donate blood (to determine the color index, the amount of hemoglobin and markers of fetal abnormalities) and a urine test. If indicated, a blood test for hormone levels or a vaginal smear may be prescribed.
A routine ultrasound is not performed at 17 weeks of pregnancy. But if for some reason it is carried out, you will be able to see how your baby has grown since the previous study. In addition to measuring growth, the specialist will listen to the fetal heartbeat, assess its motor activity, the condition of the uterus, placenta, amniotic fluid, and also rule out chromosomal abnormalities and malformations.
The mood of the expectant mother
As for a woman’s mood at 17 weeks, in general it is much better compared to the first month of pregnancy. The expectant mother is in a state of calm and tranquility. She is no longer afraid of tears and sudden mood swings characteristic of the first trimester.
In general, the mood of a pregnant woman depends on many factors. Her environment plays a big role in this. It is known that women carrying a desired child are calmer and more confident. The expectant mother, like no one else, needs the support of loved ones, so you should not neglect pleasant words and compliments addressed to her during this period of time.
Many women experience increased libido at this stage of pregnancy. You should not give up intimacy with your loved one for fear of harming your child. It's absolutely safe. Sex is known to improve your mood, which means it will only bring benefits.
Recommendations
- Take care of your spine, muscles and ligaments. At the 16th - 17th week of pregnancy, train yourself to smooth, careful movements.
- Wear the “right” shoes and comfortable maternity clothes.
- Choose suitable cosmetics for face and body care, and carefully monitor hygiene.
- To prevent varicose veins in the 17th week of pregnancy, do a light leg warm-up. If you have a sedentary job, do not forget about active ten minutes of rest for every hour;
If your gums are inflamed, spend more time on oral care:
- Brush your teeth twice a day with toothpaste, and after each meal you can only use a brush;
- Use dental floss;
- Buy a mouthwash;
- If your gums are bleeding, try changing your regular brush to an electric or ultrasonic one - it removes plaque better and is gentle on the gums;
- Eat more foods containing vitamin C;
- Avoid toffees and other similar treats - their sticky nature allows bacteria to grow on your teeth and gums.
Discharge at 17 weeks of pregnancy
At 17 weeks, the woman’s body is still under the influence of hormones, which cannot but affect the state of discharge from the genital tract. Normally, leucorrhoea does not cause any discomfort to the expectant mother. During this period of time, unscented panty liners can be used.
Discharge at 17 weeks of pregnancy should not have a strong odor. An unpleasant odor is a characteristic symptom of a sexually transmitted infection, which can harm the woman herself and the fetus developing in her body.
By mid-pregnancy, there may be a slight increase in the amount of discharge. This is fine. The consistency of such discharge becomes more liquid than before, which is due to the production of progesterone by the woman’s body.
If there are any changes in discharge from the genital tract, you should consult your gynecologist, undergo an examination of the body for the presence of STIs and, if necessary, appropriate treatment.
Analyzes and examinations
According to the calendar of preventive examinations for pregnant women, in the period from 16 to 20 weeks, the expectant mother is recommended to undergo a comprehensive examination, called a second prenatal screening. The 17th week of pregnancy is the ideal time to take the necessary tests. Therefore, if a woman has not yet undergone the specified examination at 16 weeks, she should hurry up and visit a medical facility so as not to miss the recommended time for screening.
The first part of the screening is donating blood to determine the level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and free estriol. Also diagnostically important is determining the level of progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone in the blood. If, according to the results of the study, it turns out that the level of one or more hormones in a woman’s blood is increased or decreased, this may indicate an increased threat of spontaneous abortion, the development of complications, or the presence of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.
In addition, an important stage of screening is ultrasound. During the ultrasound examination, the doctor will measure the parameters of the fetus, assess the state of development of its organs, determine how much the baby weighs, and pay attention to the condition of the placenta and cervix. Often the specialist detects increased tone of the uterus or sees that the cervix is too short. In this case, the woman is immediately prescribed the necessary treatment. In addition, the doctor listens to the fetal heartbeat and looks at how often the baby moves.
Separately, the specialist must determine the place of attachment of the fetus to the placenta. Low placentation may increase the risk of pregnancy complications, so such expectant mothers need more careful medical supervision. The location of the fetus itself in the uterus at this stage is not constant, unlike in a later period, therefore at week 17 this criterion is not diagnostically important.
Based on a comprehensive study of the screening results and comparing them with the norms for a given period, the doctor determines the degree of risk of the fetus having any abnormalities. A high risk is a reason for a more detailed examination at a genetic center, where you can get individual advice and determine the causes of existing disorders.
