Nine months

The fifth month of pregnancy

At 20 weeks the fetus has reached half of its final length (it is now about 25 cm) and weighs about as much as an apple (250-300 g). Just to give you an idea, it could still fit in the palm of your hand.

In this month we arrive in mid-pregnancy , which is quite an achievement! Even the belly begins to be very evident even for those who previously complained of not having any :). From now on, her weight will also start to be felt and it is therefore good to avoid making excessive efforts.

The 5th month of pregnancy begins at 17 weeks + 5 days and ends at 21 weeks + 6 days .

The child also reaches an important milestone. In fact, at 20 weeks he has reached half of his final length (he is now about 25 cm)   and weighs about as much as an apple (250-300 g). Just to give you an idea, it could still fit in the palm of your hand.

His hair is growing, his eyebrows have already formed , and the vernix is ​​also beginning to form which has a protective function and is fixed with the fluff all over the skin but especially in the skin folds and in the hairiest parts.

The buds of the milk teeth have already formed while those of the permanent teeth are developing. Closed eyes still appear a little bulging because her little face hasn’t rounded yet.

The child is increasingly active (especially in the evening) and perhaps, if you are of a thin constitution, you could see his movements. The best position to see them is lying on your back.

It already has its rhythms

You could already guess his sleeping and waking rhythms . He usually moves around a lot when you lie down to sleep because lying on his back gives your baby more room to move. Instead, when you walk or move, all you do is cradle him and he sleeps peacefully 🙂

You mothers, on the other hand, may notice an increase in volume at the level of the buttocks, while the uterus becomes bigger and bigger , dilates towards the lungs and pushes the abdomen out. The navel could therefore become protruding and remain so until delivery. The breasts are more voluminous and therefore I always recommend buying a good bra that is optimally supportive and comfortable. As your stomach increases, start using pregnancy stretch mark creams or almond oil now .

You may also start to suffer from stomach acid so avoid fried foods or carbonated drinks which will certainly make the situation worse.

Start monitoring your blood pressure because it is during this time that some complications such as preeclampsia could arise .

Also do some light gymnastics, efforts should be avoided but a little movement is good for blood circulation which is compromised by the increase in volume of the uterus. In fact, it is not uncommon for the annoying hemorrhoids to appear from now on .

Morphological ultrasound

A very important stage of the fifth month is the morphological ultrasound . It is a mandatory ultrasound that allows the doctor to evaluate all the organs of the fetus. This ultrasound usually confirms or reveals the gender of the baby . So if you don’t want to know, remember to warn your doctor before visiting!

Have a good continuation of pregnancy!

Dr Kathryn Barlow

Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.

Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.

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