Alarming symptoms during pregnancy: when to call an ambulance

Pregnancy is an important event in the life of every woman. However, this condition can pose a health hazard to both the baby and the woman herself. Some symptoms during pregnancy require medical supervision and a hospital visit. It cannot be postponed, no matter what time of the day or night the alarming symptoms appear. In this case, we recommend calling a paid ambulance. A team of doctors will be able to provide first aid to a woman in a timely manner and prevent the worst.

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Baby

The 17th week of pregnancy is marked for the baby by an active increase in the mass of his muscles, their gradual strengthening, which allows him to move in the tummy more intensely and variedly. Quite frequent movements of the limbs help the child train muscles and also develop the joints of the knees and elbows. At this stage, the hands are still clenched into fists, rarely unclenched, and only for the purpose of grasping the umbilical cord or sucking a finger. Until 17 weeks, the fetal head was practically motionless, dropped quite low, and the chin was tightly attached to the chest. Strengthening the muscles of the back and cervical region at this stage allows the child to raise his head to an almost vertical position.

The benefits and harms of intimate gymnastics

By regularly performing each Kegel exercise for women before childbirth, you can get the following results within a month:

flabby pelvic muscles acquire tone;
general health improves;
you will be able to control your muscles during childbirth;
the level of pain during natural childbirth decreases;
the risk of complications and ruptures is reduced.

The advantage of this training is that you can exercise at any time, anywhere - at home, at work or on public transport. Gymnastics does not require special training and has no age restrictions, but there are still some contraindications that those who are expecting a child should be aware of. Below we will describe how to perform Kegel exercises for pregnant women correctly, so as not to harm either yourself or the unborn baby.

Future mom

The abdomen is actively growing, and the fundus of the uterus occupies a position midway between the navel and the woman’s pubis. The normal weight gain for a given week is 5 kg. Also, the 17th week of pregnancy is characterized by an increase in the total blood volume of the expectant mother, because her fetus needs intensive nutrition. You may also notice a rapid heartbeat due to large amounts of blood passing through the heart. Additional heart contractions or tachycardia may not be felt at all by the pregnant woman or may cause her discomfort. In case of active manifestation of tachycardia, you should seek help and advice from your gynecologist or cardiologist, who can identify the symptoms of heart disease in a pregnant woman, as well as prescribe the correct treatment to maintain normal well-being.

A sharp increase in the volume of blood in the usual circulation can cause the expectant mother to have an increased level of bleeding gums, as well as nosebleeds. Increased load on the capillaries often leads to a malfunction in their operation. The mucous membranes of the nose and mouth are especially vulnerable. Properly selected vitamin complexes will correct this situation and strengthen the walls of blood vessels. In addition, doctors recommend using a soft toothbrush for hygienic purposes, which will reduce the risk of bleeding gums. It is also recommended to rinse the nasal passages with solutions such as AQUAMARIS, PHYSIOMER, SALIN. You can prepare a similar solution at home if you wish. For this you will need 1 teaspoon of salt and a glass of water. All ingredients should be mixed before use. If these simple recommendations are ineffective and bleeding becomes more frequent, you should seek help from a specialist.

Causes of symphysitis

Instability of the pubic symphysis often develops with repeated births, especially if less than three years have passed between pregnancies.

Doctors associate the appearance of symphysitis with two reasons: calcium and vitamin D deficiency and excessive production of relaxin.

Factors predisposing to symphysitis:

pathological joint mobility;

injuries of the pelvic bones;

smoking;

drinking coffee and tea in large quantities;

sedentary work, sedentary lifestyle before and during pregnancy;

overweight of the expectant mother;

bearing a large fetus or twins.

Calcium deficiency is detected by blood tests. Eliminated by a diet that includes hard cheese, cottage cheese, nuts, fish, green vegetables, prunes and other foods rich in calcium.

Osteopathic correction is a painless and effective way to restore the normal tone of the ligaments of the pubic symphysis.

Baby

At the 18th week, the child weighs about 200-250 g, and its length is approximately 20 cm. During this period, the structure of the brain becomes more complex, and its total mass also increases; nerve fibers are covered with myelin, a special fatty sheath that promotes accelerated nerve conduction. nerve impulses. After the birth of the child, this shell will allow the child to respond to stimuli from the outside.

The appearance of the fetus already slightly resembles a newborn baby and is actively approaching this state. Facial features become more and more distinct, the ears, which were previously tightly pressed to the head, are straightened, the middle ear is formed, and its perception is also improved. At this stage of pregnancy, the baby can already perceive stimuli from the outside and respond to various kinds of sounds. The noises that occur in the mother’s body due to the active work of the internal organs are completely normal and familiar to him, and also contribute to the training of auditory perception.

It is impossible not to note the intensive work of the fetal endocrine system. At 18-19 weeks, the release of “baby” hormones is large enough that even the mother’s body can be supplied with them. If a woman’s body lacks its own hormones, they are compensated for by children’s hormones, and the mother’s condition returns to normal.

Future mom

This week, some mothers feel the first movements of their baby. Most often, women for whom this is the first child can feel fetal movements at 19-20 weeks. At earlier stages, namely, at 16-18 weeks, those women who already have their own children, and who are also quite thin with a slight layer of fat under the skin, notice movement.

At the first stages, the movements will be rather weak, brief and episodic, but after a short period of time they will become more distinct and more frequent. The nature of the shocks can be different:

touching;
light tremors;
twitching;
rolling.

For a woman, the first kicks of her baby are very expected. This is an exciting moment that will allow the expectant mother to remember these pleasant sensations with trepidation, and also as proof of her connection with the child. At the 18th week, the baby’s movements are quite chaotic, varied and appear while the baby is awake. With emotional stress, they can become more intense. Also, the child may report an insufficient amount of oxygen, which occurs due to the woman’s lack of movement, insufficient time spent outdoors, as well as being in the same position for a long time (driving a vehicle, at work). Most of the time at this stage of development the fetus sleeps.

Baby

The 19th week is characterized for the fetus by intensive growth of the limbs in length, an increase in size, and a slowdown in head growth. Its length is already 25 cm, and its weight is approximately 250-300 g. The child changes greatly in appearance, his body no longer looks disproportionate.

The fat under the skin allows the relief of the body to change slightly and become rounded. This brown fat is formed at 19-20 weeks. After birth, it is he who will perform the function of thermoregulation and protect the child from hypothermia or overheating. With age, this fat disappears and remains only in certain places: in the thickness of a person’s cheeks, kidney area, under the armpits, and shoulder blades.

At this stage, the formation of permanent teeth, which are located in the dental plate under the rudiments of milk teeth, and the maturation of the brain also occur. Special processes allow connections between neurons to be established. Cells intertwine with each other and create a whole system for transmitting impulses, ensuring the synchrony of the brain. The structures responsible for touch, taste, vision, hearing, and smell are actively developing.

Changes also occur in the hematopoietic system. The spleen is connected to the process of formation of blood cells, produces leukocytes, the task of which is to protect the child’s body from external and internal factors. Until 19-20 weeks, the fetal blood consisted only of red blood cells, and at this stage its composition changes sharply and approaches the composition of the blood of a newborn.

Future mom

The expectant mother's belly is actively growing, and the fundus of the uterus is already located up to 2 cm below the navel. The weight gain is about 3-6 kg and is distributed proportionally between the placenta, uterus, fetus, and amniotic fluid. The weight of the fetus is only a tenth of the total added weight.

Due to the intensive growth of the uterus, a woman may feel discomfort. Often this condition manifests itself when changing body position, bending to the sides, or walking. The nature of pain may vary. These can be nagging, sharp, sudden pains that occur on one or both sides. Stretching of the ligaments that are attached to the side walls of the uterus and pelvic bones in order to fix the uterus occurs quite actively. A woman’s uterus is, as it were, in a suspended state thanks to this ligamentous apparatus. When the ligaments are stretched during changes in the position of the uterus, pain occurs.

This type of pain is completely normal and characteristic of this period of pregnancy. In critical situations, a gynecologist may recommend that a woman take antispasmodics, which will help relax the uterus, as well as eliminate the problem of pain almost completely. At the 19th week, it is important for the gynecologist to exclude such risks of pregnancy complications as the threat of miscarriage and uterine hypertonicity. If one of these risks is detected, the expectant mother will be prescribed hospital treatment.

What is symphysitis

Approximately 50% of pregnant women experience pain in the pubic area. This is a natural condition caused by the production of the hormone relaxin, under the influence of which the cartilage and ligaments of the pelvic bones swell and the pelvic ring expands.

This is how the body prepares for the upcoming birth. With normal muscle tone, the divergence of the bones is no more than 5 mm. If it is more, this is already symphysitis with all the unpleasant consequences that accompany it.

There are three degrees of severity of the pathology, depending on the width of the divergence of the symphysis pubis:

I degree: 5-9 mm;
II degree: 10-19 mm;
III degree: more than 20 mm.

In women who are seen by an osteopath during pregnancy, the risk of developing symphysitis is reduced to zero. An experienced doctor detects and eliminates pathology at an early stage.

Baby

The body length of the baby at this stage is 28 cm, and the weight is about 340 g. Before this week of pregnancy, the length of the fetus was measured by calculating its length from the crown to the tailbone. After the 20th week, the specialist includes in the concept of growth the length of not only the body, but also the lower limbs.

At this stage of development, the child is quite active, makes numerous movements, since there is enough space in the uterus for him to somersault, push off from the walls, as well as other movements. The baby may smile, grasp the umbilical cord, touch himself, frown, and close his eyes. His facial expressions are quite developed and more pronounced than before.

The skin becomes dense, actively covered with vellus hairs and special lubricant. A large amount of this lubricant is found in the folds. This lubricant prevents the risk of mechanical friction, has bactericidal properties, and ensures optimal passage of the fetus through the mother's birth canal during childbirth.

It is impossible not to note the intensive development of the gastrointestinal tract. Small portions of amniotic fluid, which the child swallows, wash the walls of the intestines and stomach, lead to peristalsis training, and promote intestinal contraction.

At the 20th week, amniotic fluid is processed. The first stool formed in the child’s body is meconium. It has a dark green color. It consists of mucus, water, epithelial cells, and bile. Meconium accumulates in the intestinal lumen. On the first day of birth, it comes out.

Contraindications

Before a pregnant woman includes any additional physical activity in her daily routine, it is recommended to consult a gynecologist. The doctor will assess the condition of the mother and fetus and tell you whether it is possible to exercise. There are restrictions under which Kegel gymnastics are completely excluded or the exercises are adjusted so as not to harm yourself and the fetus, but to strengthen the muscles. Limitations include the threat of premature birth and miscarriage.

After the 16th week of pregnancy, you cannot perform gymnastics in a lying position to avoid pressure on the inferior vena cava.

In addition to the threat of premature birth and miscarriage, Kegel gymnastics for women during pregnancy is prohibited in case of severe toxicosis, uterine bleeding, as well as diseases accompanied by a febrile state. It is advisable to discuss all innovations in the daily routine and diet with your doctor in advance. He is responsible for the condition of the mother and child, and has sufficient experience and knowledge to make informed decisions.

Your doctor will determine which Kegel exercises are acceptable and which ones you should avoid. Even in the case of a calm pregnancy without any pathologies, you should not exercise in a supine position, only sitting or standing.

Future mom

The 20th week marks the end of the first half of a woman's pregnancy. Starting from the next weeks, the load on the body of the expectant mother only increases. This fact can be explained by the active development of the fetus in the womb.

The pregnant woman's abdomen increases significantly, and the fundus of the uterus is already at the level of the navel. During this period, a woman may complain of symptoms of shortness of breath: after all, the uterus is already beginning to put pressure on the lungs. Also characteristic of this week is increased urination. Squeezing the bladder leads to frequent urge.

Discharge from a woman’s vagina also increases. Large blood flow contributes to increased secretion production. The discharge may be mucous or white. It should also be noted that they should not have an unpleasant odor or cause itching or burning. Changes in a woman’s discharge are a reason to consult a doctor, because this can signal the expectant mother about the presence of various types of diseases. Curdled, thick, yellow discharge with an unpleasant odor can signal the presence of sexually transmitted infections and their exacerbation, microflora disturbances, and the manifestation of thrush. Pregnant women are prone to colpitis, since their mucous membrane becomes more attractive to microbes, promotes their active reproduction and thereby increases the risk of contracting an infection to the fetus.

That is why, at the 20th week, women are required to undergo screenings, a smear of secretions for flora, and also undergo a diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections. If any signs of deterioration in the pregnant woman’s condition are detected, the doctor may prescribe further examination and a course of treatment.

An effective complex of 4 elements

It is convenient to study yoga classes from videos, but this will not work with Kegel gymnastics - you will have to carefully read the description of the exercise and perform it as accurately as possible. In addition to the starting position standing and sitting, exercises for the pelvis during pregnancy can be performed on all fours. You need to start with 3–5 repetitions, eventually increasing the number of repetitions of each element to 20–30.

Among the large number of exercise options, 4 main elements are suitable for pregnant women:

Sit comfortably. Bend your legs and spread them slightly to the sides. Tighten the muscles of the perineum for 5-10 seconds, relax. Repeat 3-5 times.
Imagine the vagina as an elevator shaft, where the entrance is the bottom floor and the cervix is the top. The task is to smoothly contract the muscles from bottom to top, holding for 2-3 seconds on each imaginary floor. “Having climbed to the top floor,” you need to gradually “descend,” relaxing the muscles on each “floor” in turn. At first, performing such a pelvic floor exercise for pregnant women will seem difficult, but with each workout it will become easier.
In addition to the vaginal muscles, the muscles of the anus are also involved. The exercise is performed at a fast pace. Squeeze the vagina, then the anus, then relax the muscles in the reverse order.
Attention! Before performing Kegel exercises for pregnant women, you need to empty your bladder and bowels. Take a comfortable position. Hold your breath, gently and smoothly push, as if defecating, but not with the anus, but with the vagina. To evaluate the correctness of the exercise, place your palm on the perineum. If pressure is felt from the vaginal muscles, then everything is correct. After relaxing, repeat the task. The exercise will teach you to control the muscles that are needed for effective pushing during labor.