Congratulations, you are showing! By 16 weeks pregnant, it may be hard to hide your growing "bump" from the world. As your pregnancy week by week continues, you will be amazed at how fast your belly grows. It won't be long before you need to start shopping for maternity wear.
If you want to keep your pregnancy a secret for a little bit longer, you may want to consider wearing baggier clothes. From 16 weeks and onward, your growing belly will be more pronounced in tight-fitting clothes. Don't be too surprised if you start to get requests from family and friends (and even strangers) to touch your pregnant belly!
If you haven't already, you will soon start to feel the tiny fluttering of your baby swimming in your uterus. Although "quickening" (feeling your baby move) is more common in pregnancy week 18 and onward, some pregnant women do experience these movements earlier. At 16 weeks pregnant, these early movements might feel like gas bubbles or little flutters. In the next few weeks, they will grow stronger and you will be able to feel them more often.
Now that you are in your second trimester of pregnancy, you and your partner may be pleasantly surprised by your sudden increase in libido. Some women, though not all, find sex more pleasurable during pregnancy. The increased blood flow to your pelvic area can lead to heightened sensation during sex. Plus, the high levels of hormones (progesterone and estrogen) can make your breasts and vagina more sensitive, so you may find that you are more easily aroused during foreplay.
Though some women (and their partners) find these heightened sensations a plus for their sex lives, other women may not feel the same way. Sex may not be comfortable for every woman. You should always discuss how you feel with your partner.
At 16 weeks pregnant, you should be having another prenatal visit with your doctor or healthcare provider. You may have to give urine, have your blood pressure measured, and your baby's heart rate will be monitored. If you did not have a nuchal translucency scan (a first trimester screening test that measures your baby's risk of Down syndrome and other problems) at your last prenatal visit, you may undergo a blood test at this visit. This blood test may be a triple or quadruple screening test.
This prenatal visit is a great time to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your doctor.
Fetal Development at 16 Weeks Pregnant
At 16 weeks pregnant, your baby weighs around 3.5 ounces, or roughly the size of a mango. In the upcoming weeks, your baby will double his or her weight and grow several inches from crown to rump!
Your baby can now make faces! Your little one's facial muscles have developed to the point where he or she can make certain faces, such as grimacing and frowning, but your baby has no control over these expressions.
During pregnancy week 16, your baby's fingers are distinct and separate from the others. However, the fingers remain rather short. Your little one has more control over his hands and can even suck his thumb!
Your baby's toes are getting longer this week. The arch of your little one's feet are starting to take shape.
Do you remember from 15 weeks pregnant that your baby's head was still relatively large compared to his body? That's no longer the case! For the first time in your pregnancy, your baby's body is longer than his head.
At pregnancy week 16, your baby's skin continues to be transparent and see-through. There is little underlying fat underneath the skin.
Second Trimester Screening Tests: Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) Test
Between 16 weeks and 18 weeks pregnant, you will undergo a routine screening test called an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test. This is a simple blood test that screens your risk of carrying a baby with certain genetic abnormalities. These include:
Neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
Chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome or Edwards syndrome.
Abdominal wall defects in the baby.
An AFP test measures the level of alpha-fetoprotein in your bloodstream. AFP is a substance that is produced in your baby's yolk sac and liver, and a small amount crosses the placenta and enters your blood stream. Abnormal levels of AFP - either too much or too little AFP, compared to normal levels - can indicate that you are carrying a baby with certain birth defects.
The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test is part of the multiple marker screening test (also called triple or quadruple screening). When your blood sample is taken for an AFP test, it will be sent to a lab for analysis. The lab will not only check your AFP levels, but they will also examine the level of the following hormones in your blood: estriol, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and inhibin-A.
When the levels of AFP and these hormones are abnormal, it indicates that you are at risk for carrying a baby with a chromosomal problem or a birth defect.
Keep in mind that the AFP test and multiple marker screening are screening tests. They are not diagnostic tests. These blood tests only tell you that you are at risk for a baby not a birth defect. It does not diagnose your baby with a certain disorder.
If you receive an abnormal AFP result, your doctor may suggest further testing, including diagnostic tests (such as an amniocentesis) to determine if there is a problem with your baby.
Although the AFP blood test is fairly precise, it is not always 100 percent accurate. There are many factors that can skew the results and give you false results.
The lab must take these factors into consideration to get the most accurate result:
Gestational age: Although the alpha-fetoprotein test can be performed anytime between 15 and 20 weeks of gestation, you will get the most accurate results between 16 and 18 weeks pregnant.
Maternal weight: Your weight affects the dilution of AFP in your blood. If your weight is not measured and reported correctly, this can skew your blood test results.
Diabetes: Women who are diabetics are at higher risk for neural tube defects, and the level of AFP in their blood is 15 percent lower than in non-diabetics. For this reason, to get the accurate result, the level of what is "normal AFP" must be lowered.
Multiple pregnancy: When you are carrying twins or multiples, you will have an elevated AFP level.
Race: Your race also plays a role in your results. The level of AFP in African-Americans is 10 percent higher than in other races.
Fetal Death: If your unborn baby has died in utero, this will increase the level of AFP in your blood.
In some cases, you may have an elevated level of AFP in your blood that can't be explained. These unexplained cases are associated with an increased risk of fetal death (miscarriage or stillborn). Your risk increases if you have hypertension.
In the second trimester of pregnancy, especially at 16 weeks pregnant, all women will be offered an AFP test. Some states require you to undergo this screening test. However, this test is especially recommended for older mothers (35 and up), women who abused drugs or harmful medications during pregnancy, and women with a history of birth defects in their family.
Maternity Shopping at 16 Weeks Pregnant
As your waist starts to disappear at pregnancy week 16, you may want to consider purchasing maternity clothes. Unlike the days of the past, maternity apparel can be very stylish, hip, and fresh. Shopping for pregnancy wear is like shopping for summer clothes! It can be a lot of fun and an adventure!
Whether you want to find something that is more comfortable or casual, or a little bit more upscale and dressy, check out Destination Maternity and their huge selection of maternity clothes!
If you are not quite ready for maternity clothes, or if you prefer to save money for your baby's nursery, there are several products on the market that allow you to continue to wear your regular clothes throughout your pregnancy.
Maternity Pant Extenders by Fertile Mind, also called Belly Belts, is a very popular item that lets you wear your favorite pair of jeans, shorts, or skirts throughout the entire length of your pregnancy! These maternity pant expanders are not only inexpensive, but they save you money in the long run!
As your pregnancy week by week continues, you may want to invest in a Maternity Support Belt. This item is great for moms with lower back, leg, or abdominal pain. Wear it underneath your clothes, and you will get much needed relief for some of those uncomfortable symptoms of pregnancy!
At 16 weeks pregnant, you may already look pregnant but you aren't quite ready for belly belts or even maternity clothes. You may want to borrow larger-sized clothes from your partner or friends, if your regular clothes are starting to feel uncomfortable.
