Pregnancy Week 20
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Pregnancy Week 20
During 20 weeks pregnant your baby is growing more complex skin, with multiple layers including the epidermis forming. This will allow your baby to develop fingerprints and footprints when you deliver. One of the greatest joys pregnant mothers experience is the first footprints of their baby, provided to them just after delivery. You can always create your own keepsake by using some non-toxic paint to create an image of your baby's palms or feet, just be careful you don't get any near your baby's mouth! By pregnancy week 20 your belly is definitely showing, and you can proudly announce to the world with glee you are pregnant as can be. By now your belly button has most assuredly popped. At 20 weeks pregnant you are at the midpoint of your pregnancy; just 20 weeks more and your little baby will be nestled in your arms! Some women deliver sooner than others, so you may have even less time to wait before meeting your unborn child. Typically a doctor or healthcare provider considers a pregnancy at full-term when you reach 37 weeks pregnant. Most first time pregnancies go from 37 weeks pregnant to 42 weeks pregnant. You may find your baby arrives 3 weeks sooner than you expected, so be sure you plan accordingly! As you come upon 20 weeks pregnant, your doctor will start measuring your baby's growth by tracking the fundal height of your uterus. The fundal height at 20 weeks pregnant is measured from your pubic symphysis to the very top or fundus of your uterus. Usually the height of your fundus correlates to the weeks pregnant you are. So, if you are 32 weeks pregnant, your fundal height normally would suggest you are at about pregnancy 32 weeks. While this is not an exact measurement, it is a decent way of assessing your baby's growth. Some women measure much larger than others; this may be the result of carrying twins. Most couples today know if they are having twins early on in pregnancy, usually when a doctor performs an ultrasound. Sometimes your fundal height is a bit smaller. This does not always mean there is a problem with your baby, although sometimes a smaller fundal height may be a sign of intrauterine-growth restriction. Other times you or your doctor find you simply miscalculated your due date or the time you conceived! Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)If your doctor suspects IUGR during pregnancy 20 weeks or beyond, your doctor may want to perform other tests. You may have risk factors for IUGR including a history of fetal growth restriction in pregnancy, low weight gain during pregnancy or elevated AFT levels during pregnancy. If your baby is diagnosed during your pregnancy with IUGR, your doctor will monitor you closely and make sure your baby receives proper prenatal and post natal care to ensure a healthy outcome. If you have questions or concerns about IUGR be sure to contact your doctor or healthcare provider for clarification and additional information. Keep in mind this is a very rare pregnancy complication, generally affecting less than 2 percent of women that are pregnant, so keep your hopes high for a happy and healthy pregnancy!
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