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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)
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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. |
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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.) |
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The Third Trimester
(Week 27 - Week 40)
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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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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!
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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 806-212-7697
(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. |
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| ©
The Pregnancy Centers of Central Virginia, 2004 (web
site credits) |
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