Pregnancy & Symptoms

WARNING Although most pregnancies are uncomplicated, dangerous situations sometimes develop. If you experience a sharp pain on the side in early pregnancy, or bleeding and/or cramping at anytime during pregnancy, call your doctor immediately!

The Second Trimester (Week 13 - Week 26)
Eighteen Weeks: By this time eyebrows, eyelashes, and fine hair appear. The child can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault.
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You may experience heartburn, constipation, indigestion, flatulence, and/or bloating.
• You may start to experience fetal movement, especially towards the end of your fourth month.
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The skin on your stomach stretches and may get dry. (Use lotion to lessen the chance of stretch marks.)
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Your breasts get bigger. It helps to wear a supportive and comfortable maternity bra.
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A small amount of thin, yellow fluid (called colostrum) may leak from your nipples.
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You may experience ongoing heartburn, constipation, indigestion, flatulence, and/or bloating.
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Your feet, hands, ankles and face may swell slightly -- this is called edema. (More marked swelling may be abnormal -- see your physician.)
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A dark line develops on your skin between your navel and your pubic area.
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A "mask" or darker area or pigmentation may develop on your face. (It disappears after the pregnancy ends.)
 
The Third Trimester (Week 27 - Week 40)
Twenty-four Weeks: Seen here at six months, the unborn child is covered with a fine, downy hair called lanugo and a waxy substance called vernix. The fetus still has much growing to do, but some babies could survive if born this early.
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You can see the fetus move from the outside.
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Your navel pushes out.
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You may begin to get backaches.
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You may begin to walk differently to accommodate the weight of the fetus.
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You may experience painless "practice" contractions.
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You may have shortness of breath.
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Finally, labor and delivery!
 



If you are pregnant it is important to learn more about what to expect from pregnancy and how to care for yourself and your growing baby. If you smoke or drink, you should stop immediately -- tobacco and alcohol can harm your unborn child.


For More Information

If you think that you are pregnant, contact us or your doctor for an appointment and a free pregnancy test. We have a 24 hour helpline at 806-354-2244, or 806-350-7584 (Se Habla Español). Be sure to call immediately if you have unusual bleeding, feel pain, or have any other symptoms that worry you.

If you live in another area and need a referral, visit Option Line pregnancy center directory to find a center near you.



Sources:
"Your Changing Body," Pregnancy Basics Magazine, Parenting Magazine Publishers, 2003-2004.
What to Expect When You're Expecting, 3rd ed, by A Eisenburg, HE Murkoff, and SE Hathaway, 2002.
"Symptoms of Early Pregnancy," America's Pregnancy Helpline Online, www.thehelpline.org, accessed 1/20/04.
A Child Is Born, by Lennart Nilsson (also in paperback), October 1990.
"Fetal Development," Westside Pregnancy Resource Center, www.wprc.org/fetal.html, 2003.
© The Pregnancy Centers of Central Virginia, 2004 (web site credits)