Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All
The day your baby is due is called the estimated due date . Only about 1 in 20 women give birth on their due dates. Still, the EDD is useful for a number of reasons. It determines your fetus’s gestational age throughout pregnancy so that the fetus’s growth can be tracked. It also provides a timeline for certain tests that you will have throughout your pregnancy.
Your EDD is calculated from the first day of your LMP. But when the date of the LMP is uncertain, an ultrasound exam may be done during the first trimester to estimate the due date. If you have had in vitro fertilization , the EDD is set by the age of the embryo and the date that the embryo is transferred to the uterus.
The brain and spine begin to form.
Cardiac tissue starts to develop.
Muscles of the eyes, nose, and mouth form.
Webbed fingers and toes poke out from developing hands and feet.
The lungs start to form the tubes that will carry air in and out after birth.
The inner ear begins to develop.
Cartilage for the limbs, hands, and feet start to form but wont harden into bones for a few weeks.
Eyelids form but remain closed.
Genitals begin to form.
Bones harden, especially the long bones.
Skin is thin and see-through but will start to thicken soon.
Toenails form.
Hearing starts to develop.
Health Problems & Outcomes For 24
In general, infants that are born very early are not considered to be viable until after 24 weeks gestation. This means that if you give birth to an infant before they are 24 weeks old, their chance of surviving is usually less than 50 percent.
Some infants are born before 24 weeks gestation and do survive. But these infants have a very high chance of severe long-term health problems. About 40 percent of these preemies will suffer long-term health complications because they were born prematurely.
The survival rate for 24-week-old infants is between 60 and 70 percent.
But, a 24-week old preemies chance of dying goes down dramatically if a woman can stay pregnant for just two or three weeks longer. The preemies chances of having long-term health problems also decrease dramatically.
Your Babys Development At 28 Weeks
The third trimester is here! And with it comes a lot of big development, like the brain and senses. See whats happening with your baby this week.
- Brain power: Weve been talking a lot about your babys bones and organs, but in the third trimester, brain neuron development explodes!
- Senses develop: Your babys ears are making better connections, and theyre understanding some of the sounds around them. Their eyes now may even be able to see some light shining through your belly.
- Sleep cycles: Your babys sleep cycles now include dreaming. Yep, rapid eye movement can be detected in babies by this stage. Maybe theyre dreaming about swaddles
- Baby position at 28 weeks: Your baby is starting to take up more and more space, and will soon settle into a head-down position for labor and birth. Most babies are fully head-down between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. But others may take a little longer, need some coaxing by your healthcare provider to get there or never end up head-down, in which case, a c-section is likely.
- Plumping up: As your baby puts on many finishing touches for their entrance into the world, theyre also putting on more body fat.
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Tips For You This Week
Have the circumcision talk
Before you got pregnant, you may not have thought too much about whether or not to circumcise a baby boy if you had one. But if you’ve got a son on the way, it’s a decision you’ll have to make and it may be a tricky one if you dont have religious or cultural traditions guiding you.
If you’re having a boy, you may want to think about this now. Get your pediatricians POV too!
Find out your Rh status
Do you know if you’re Rh positive or Rh negative? If not, its important to find out.
The Rh factor is a protein found in most people’s red blood cells. If you have it, you’re Rh positive if you don’t have it, you’re Rh negative.
Unless you’re pregnant, your status usually doesn’t matter much, but problems can occur if, for example, you’re Rh negative and your baby is Rh positive.
In the case of Rh incompatibility, your immune system may view your baby’s blood cells as “foreign” substances and mobilize an army of antibodies to attack them.
If you are Rh negative and your baby is Rh positive, youll need a vaccine-like injection of Rh-immune globulin, known as RhoGAM, this week to prevent the development of antibodies.
Ask about breast changes
Tender lumps are common during the third trimester, but still, they shouldnt be ignored. Ask your provider for a breast exam at your next checkup.
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How Many Months Is 23 Weeks Pregnant
| First month of pregnancy |
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Consequently, what happens at 23 weeks of pregnancy?
- slight swelling in feet and ankles.
- colostrum production.
What should I eat at 23 weeks pregnant?
Add some of these foods to your shopping list to help boost your calcium intake:
- Dairy products, including pasteurised milk, yogurt and cheese
- Fish with edible bones
- Nuts and seeds, especially almonds and sesame seeds.
- Figs or dried apricots.
How does a 22 week fetus look like?
baby22 weeksbabylook
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What Changes Are Occurring With Your Body
Each week your uterus continues to grow. The top of your uterus can now be felt well above your belly button, about 3 ½ inches or more. Your weight gain is most likely between 17 and 24 pounds . Discuss weight concerns with your healthcare provider at your next appointment. As you have entered the third trimester, you may notice that your pregnancy symptoms are changing once again. Many women will begin experiencing leg cramps, constipation, insomnia, and hemorrhoids at this point.
Emotional And Mental Wellbeing
How are you today? If you’re feeling anxious or low, then talk to your midwife or doctor who can point you in the right direction to get all the support that you need. You could also discuss your worries with your partner, friends and family. You may be worried about your relationship, or money, or having somewhere permanent to live. Don’t bottle it up â you’re important, so ask for help if you need it!
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How Do I Know What Week I Am Currently In My Pregnancy
Your doctor says you’re 15 weeks pregnant, but youre also being told that youre in week 16. Which is right? Short answer: both. In both cases, your due date is the same its the language referring to it thats different.
Turns out how many weeks into pregnancy you are is a little different than how many weeks pregnant you are. If youre in week 16, youre actually 15 weeks and some days pregnant. Fifteen full weeks have gone by, but not 16 weeks, so people say that you’re both 15 weeks pregnant and in week 16 of pregnancy.
To clear things up, think about birthdays. When you were born, you werent even a day old but you were in your first week of life. When you turned 1 year old, you had lived through your first year and were starting on your second. In other words, on your first birthday you were in day one of your second year. But no one said you were 2 years old until you’d finished that second year and had begun your third.
The same rules apply when talking about your weeks of pregnancy: You are x weeks pregnant, but in your x+1 week of pregnancy.
Stages Of Fetal Development: Baby Growth & Size At 28 Weeks
At week 28, your baby weighs 2.25 pounds and is 15 inches long, about the size of an eggplant. Oh boy if you are having a boy, your baby will begin to grow slightly bigger than a girl would at this point. But regardless of gender, your baby is beginning to make its way into the position it will take at birth: head facing downward toward your cervix. This is commonly referred to as cephalic presentation.
Continuing with the theme of weight gain, your babys brain will triple in weight during the third trimester! As your babys skin begins to grow smooth, your babys brain will become more and more wrinkly. Why all the wrinkles? These crevices and folds create more surface area for your babys brain, allowing more brain cells to grow and accumulate. What a smartie!
In the same way that youve been having some pretty weird dreams lately , your baby may begin to have their own dreams. The fact that your baby undergoes REM sleep is indicative that your baby may be dreaming.
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Fun Fact About Pregnancy To increase their chances of getting pregnant in the Renaissance, women were advised to bathe in cow manure and drink male urine. EWW! |
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Tips For Week 28 For A Healthy And Safe Pregnancy
Being 28 weeks pregnant is an important time for you and your baby. Here are some tips on how to adjust to this new stage to keep you and your baby safe.
- Pump up the DHA: With babys brain developing, youll want to support it with docosahexaenoic acid , either through diet or prenatal vitamins. Experts recommend 200 mg of DHA daily while pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Soothe the soreness: Give yourself some little rewards that will help ease the aches and pains. By now, youre past the hardcore exercising stage, but you can still take walks, do yoga, or book yourself a prenatal massage to soothe those muscles.
- Shoot for the moon: If you havent had that babymoon, this could be your last chance. Get the green light from your healthcare provider first. If youre flying, drink plenty of water, get up and stretch your legs, and regularly rotate and flex your ankles to protect against swelling and clots. Book an aisle seat to make it easier to get up and stretch. And remember to pack medical records and contacts, just in case.
What Should You Plan For When You Are 28 Weeks Pregnant
At your next prenatal appointment you should be prepared for the following:
- Administration of Rhogam if you have the Rh Factor: If the Rh antibody was not found in your blood, you will be given Rhogam at 28 weeks and possibly after delivery.
- Discussion of the fetal movement chart
- Instructions on how to calculate kick counts.
Most likely, you will begin visiting your health care provider every 2 weeks until you reach 36 weeks. After 36, weeks your appointments will be scheduled on a weekly basis.
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Weeks Pregnant: Ask Your Doctor
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Are you at risk of gestational diabetes?
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If youâre worried youâre bothering your healthcare provider with your questions or false alarms, it might help you feel better to ask when to call and when to relax.
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Is a decrease in your babyâs movement normal around this time? What causes those times when your baby seems to move less?
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What should you include in your birth plan?
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If you were diagnosed with placenta previa earlier in your pregnancy, is there anything you should look out for in the coming weeks and months?
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Is there anything you can do to help prevent stretch marks?
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Are there any changes you should make at work now that youâre in the third trimester? When should you stop working?
How Many Months Pregnant Are You
Rachel Gurevich is a fertility advocate, author, and recipient of The Hope Award for Achievement, from Resolve: The National Infertility Association. She is a professional member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and has been writing about womens health since 2001. Rachel uses her own experiences with infertility to write compassionate, practical, and supportive articles.
Women who are planning to have a child expect their pregnancy to last about nine months. But many expectant fathers and mothers wonder how many weeks there are in nine months. The average pregnancy lasts forty weeks from the first day of the last normal menstrual period.
To get a more specific prediction of pregnancy duration, most physicians and midwives use a gestation calculation like the one below to provide a personalized estimate. You can use the first date of your last period or the date of conception if you know it.
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What’s Happening In My Body
You may be getting a bit of heartburn and indigestion. That’s down to your growing baby and hormones affecting your digestive system.
Your back will also be under strain, due to the extra weight you’re carrying around. Your joints and ligaments will also be looser than usual.
Your ankles, feet and face could be puffing out a bit, particularly when it’s hot. This is probably due to water retention, but get it checked out, just in case it’s pre-eclampsia. This is a condition where you may feel perfectly well, but then your blood pressure can get dangerously high, very quickly.
A quick-fix for many niggling conditions in the third trimester is to put your feet up. But if you are worried about anything at all, talk to your midwife or doctor, or call NHS 111.
Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms Tips And More
Youre at 28 weeks and counting! Youre now officially in your third trimester of pregnancy and are probably feeling babys movement and maybe some aches, too.
Week 28 can be a time of less sleep than usual since youre working so hard to grow and carry baby around. Make sure to get as much rest as you can and stay safely active to keep your energy levels up.
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How Many Weeks Is A Full
If you’re carrying a single baby, a full-term pregnancy is between the start of 39 weeks up to the end of 40 weeks. If you’re carrying twins, a full-term pregnancy is considered at least 38 weeks.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as outlined the following terms for pregnancy, depending on when your baby is born:
- Preterm: 20 weeks to 37 weeks
- Early term: 37 weeks 0 days to 38 weeks 6 days
- Full term: 39 weeks 0 days to 40 weeks 6 days
- Late term: 41 weeks 0 days to 41 weeks 6 days
- Post term: after 42 weeks 0 days
Contact The Preterm Birth Prevention Clinic
For patients coming to University of Utah Health, please call the Maternal-Fetal Medicine office at 801-581-8425. You could ask your current physician for a referral to our clinic, and we would be happy to see you.
The Prematurity Prevention Clinic is located at University of Utah Hospital in the Maternal Fetal Diagnostic Clinic.
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Babies At 28 Weeks In The Womb: What Do They Look Like
At 28 weeks, babys size is getting serious, with baby now over 2 pounds! If you could peek inside your 28 week pregnant belly, youd see baby going through periods of activity and periods of rest. In fact, baby can now experience REM sleep, which means baby is having dreams! That rapid eye movement continues when babys awake, though, because now they can blink too.
Dealing With Back Pain
In the weeks leading up to now, you may have already been dealing with pregnancy-related back pain, but for many, it tends to get worse as your pregnancy progresses.
To relieve discomfort from back pain or sciatica, try:
- Avoiding any heavy lifting
- Paying attention to and adjusting your posture
- Resting when you have pain
- Staying within the recommended guidelines for weight gain
- Stretching and strengthening your muscles with exercise
- Trying not to stand up for long periods of time without rest
- Trying physical therapy
- Using a pillow or rolled-up towel as back support when sitting down
- Visiting a chiropractor trained in pregnancy care
- Wearing a supportive back and belly belt
- Wearing comfortable shoes and staying away from heels
Talk to your provider about safe pain medication for when other measures don’t work.
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Talk To Your Midwife About Newborn Screening
You will be offered newborn screening tests for your baby soon after they are born. These screening tests are recommended by the NHS. This is because results from these tests can help make sure that your baby is given appropriate treatment as quickly as possible if needed. It is important to think carefully whether you want to have these screening tests. Your decisions will be respected, and health care professionals will support you. Ask your midwife or doctor for more information about newborn screening.
Pregnancy Weeks Vs Months
Planning for a nine-month pregnancy can be confusing if you look at the total number of weeks in the average pregnancy. When you break down the numbers, it would seem that pregnancy lasts 10 months, not nine.
There are about 40 weeks in a full-term pregnancy. If you assume that a month is exactly four weeks long, that makes 10 months of pregnancy. The problem with this calculation is that it assumes that each month lasts 28 days. But most of our calendar months last 30 or 31 days.
To confuse matters even more, there is also the issue of when you actually became pregnant. While an exact date may not matter to everyone, you can estimate the date based on testing. By the time you have a positive pregnancy test, you are usually about four weeks pregnant.
The truth is that a full-term pregnancy lasts between nine and 10 months. To establish clarity about your stage of pregnancy and estimated due date, your practitioner will track your pregnancy in weeks rather than months.
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