Pregnancy Week 20
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Your Baby's Growth and Development
By 20 weeks pregnant your baby is almost 6.5 inches long and may weigh as much as 9 ounces! Your baby is now actively practicing breathing and swallowing while in utero. Your baby will continue to grow and fill out during the upcoming weeks. Many women see their baby for the first time during pregnancy week 20 through an ultrasound. Your doctor may use an ultrasound to confirm your due date and make sure your baby is growing properly.
During pregnancy week 20 your baby's skin is maturing. The outer layer of your baby's skin along the palms and feet are maturing providing your baby with his or her own unique fingerprint, which they will carry with them the rest of their life!
Changes In Your Body
Congratulations! You've reached the halfway point in your pregnancy! From here on out most people will start noticing your pregnancy bump. Show it off with pride! Your belly should now protrude quite nicely, as the uterus rises to the level of your belly button.
From here on your belly will usually grow a little bit more each week. From about this point on you have only 20 more weeks or so until delivery! A normal pregnancy typically ranges anywhere from 37 to 42 weeks. Remember some women will deliver slightly earlier while others will deliver later.
As your abdomen grows each week, you will find you become stiffer, larger and frequently shift your posture and balance to remain comfortable. The good news is you do not have to suffer. Whether trying to sit on the sofa, sleep on the bed, or recline in your favorite chair, one must have for all moms to be is a full body pregnancy pillow. We like to refer to our pregnancy pillows as little “teddy bears” pregnant and nursing mothers can use to support their abdomen, their baby, their head, neck and back during and after pregnancy. These form-fitting pillows even adapt to meet the constantly changing needs you have during and after pregnancy. For example, you can easily use a full body pregnancy pillow as an adjustable nursing pillow after you deliver your baby. Even dad will find holding baby more comfortable with the help of a supportive pillow.
For those of you that have sensitivities, you can buy one of our 100% hypoallergenic Snoozer full body pregnancy pillows, some starting at less than $60. Why not put one down on your “wish list” and see what happens. You may find you end up getting more than one, which in time you will find, benefits everyone.
Studies suggest only 5% of women actually deliver on their due date. First time mothers are more likely to go to 41 weeks than mothers with more than one child.
I always had an expectation that I would deliver my babies a little early. Truth be told, you just never know. You can walk around being 2 or 3 centimeters dilated and 80% effaced and still not deliver for a couple of weeks, or you can be 1 centimeter dilated a 0% effaced and start labor within a few hours.
Every woman... and every baby is different. From about this point on your belly will grow roughly 1 inch each week. Your doctor will probably start measuring your fundal height around 20 weeks pregnant. If you did not have an early ultrasound and you are measuring much larger than expected for your due date, your doctor may suspect you are carrying more than one fetus. Other reasons for measuring larger than normal may include carrying a higher than average amount of amniotic fluid or miscalculating your due date.
Your doctor may also be able to determine your baby's sex while performing an ultrasound around 20 weeks pregnant. Most ultrasound predictions of your baby's gender are fairly accurate by about the 20th week of pregnancy. That said, even the best doctors sometimes make mistakes about a baby's gender while in utero!
What Is IUGR And What Are The Risk Factors?
Intrauterine Growth Retardation or IUGR results when a baby is born at a much smaller weight than expected. It can be diagnosed during pregnancy when a baby isn't growing as rapidly as doctors may expect.
There are various causes that may contribute to IUGR, including poor nutrition, fetal distress and genetic influences. If your doctor suspects IUGR they will conduct several tests to help determine the exact causes if possible. Many babies with IUGR are more susceptible to problems including learning disabilities or neurological problems after birth. These may result from impaired growth while in utero.
In certain situations your healthcare provider may decide your baby has a better chance of growing or being treated outside the womb and may decide to induce labor early. It really depends on your unique situation. One thing is clear, early detection is essential and will allow your doctor to make good choices about your treatment outcomes.
Read next about your baby's growth and development, as well as the changes in your body during pregnancy week 21.
