20th week of pregnancy: The 20th week of pregnancy at a glance
Congratulations, in the 20th week of pregnancy you have reached the half-time mark! Your baby’s sensory development, which takes place in specific parts of the brain, is in a crucial phase in the 20th week of pregnancy.
Your hormone balance is messed up by your pregnancy. This also promotesinfections such as vaginal yeast or bacterial vaginosis. But otherinfections such as rubellaorcytomegalycan sometimes pose a risk to your unborn child. If you do not feel well, you should rather visit your gynecologist.
Index
ToggleThe development of your baby in the 20th week of pregnancy
In the 20th week of pregnancy, the nerve cells of your 240 gram heavy and 14 centimeters tall child multiply very strongly and they begin to migrate into the corresponding brain convolutions. Up to 200,000 new brain cells are formed every minute, rising to over 100 billion by birth. Diligently, a fluff of wool hair grows all over the child’s body. But the moisture-protecting lanugo hair does not last long. She is rejected from theeighth month of pregnancyuntil birth.
This is followed by a second generation of hair. On the other hand, the slowly developing fat layer under the skin from the 20th week of pregnancy is permanent. Its function becomes particularly evident afterbirth, when it stabilizes the baby’s body temperature. How the baby’s strength increases from week to week, you can clearly feel again and again in the child’s movements – and that until the end of pregnancy.
Your body in the 20th week of pregnancy
Your belly and especially your breasts have grown visibly until the 20th week of pregnancy and some old bras can now press. A maternity bra from the specialist shop provides the necessary support and grows with the help of several rows of eyelets (at least four) on the closure. Not only the connective tissue is supported with a special bra, but also the back is relieved.
Because of the increasing weight of the breasts, many women adopt a posture in which the spine curves forward and shows a round back. This promotesback pain – in addition to the growing abdomen and the associated shift in the center of gravity. The upper edge of the uterus is to be palpated in the 20th week of pregnancy between pubic bone and navel. Now, if your partner puts their ear to your belly, they may be able to hear gurgling sounds caused by the baby’s movements in the amniotic fluid.
The hormone change during pregnancy often also entails a disturbance of the vaginal flora. Good germs such as lactic acid bacteria recede, the balance is shaken and disease-causing none gain the upper hand. Even before the first signs such as burning or itching in the genital area indicate adisturbed bacterial environment in the vagina, you should take care to keep the flora healthy and prevent infection through hygiene. This is especially true for women who often swim or go to the sauna or who used to suffer from vaginal infections frequently.
How does the baby lie in the 20th week of pregnancy?
Questions about the 20th week of pregnancy
Is a doula for me?
Adoulacan accompany you during the entire birth without interruption and is also there for you in the puerperium. She is neither a midwife nor a doctor, but she brings the experience from her own births. Special training also enables them to take care of the worries, fears and questions of pregnant women at any time.
Tips and hints for the 20th week of pregnancy
Genital herpes simplex
If a pregnant woman suffers fromgenital herpes, there is a risk that the infection will be transmitted to her child during childbirth. This occurs in about one in 7,500 births. Depending on the time of infection, the pregnant woman is treated with tablets or infusions. If thedue dateis reached, acaesarean sectionis also considered.
HIV infection
In the case of an undetectedHIV infection, the child’s risk of becoming infected is 15 to 20 percent. However, with antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy and a generous primary incision delivery, the infection rate can be reduced to less than one percent. Routine testing for HIV is therefore of great importance for the health of the unborn child. After all, 50 percent of all HIV-positive women receive the initial diagnosis during pregnancy.
Cytomegaloviruses
Infection with cytomegaloviruses is the most common cause of childhood diseases with late damage. The infection occurs mainly through contact with sick children and is transmitted through saliva, tears, urine and genital secretions. If the mother falls ill, the viruses pass through the placenta to the child, where they attack numerous organs. The central nervous system, kidneys, liver and heart are affected. Detection of the infection is only possible with a laboratory examination. Two effective drugs are available for treatment. All pregnant women who have not yet undergone cytomegalovirus infection should avoid infection during pregnancy as much as possible. The risk of infection can be reduced if you wash your hands thoroughly after each contact with the saliva or urine of small children.
Rubella in pregnancy
Infection withrubellaoccurs mainly via a droplet infection. Around 70 percent of all adults have already had contact with parvovirus B19 in their childhood and are immune to it. It is dangerous for all pregnant women who do not possess immunity. If a pregnant woman falls ill, the pathogens can pass through theplacentato the child and interfere with the formation of red blood cells. This can have serious health consequences for the baby. It is therefore important that if you have not yet had rubella, you react immediately if someone in your environment falls ill. It is best to contact your doctor immediately and discuss the next steps with him.
Rubella in pregnancy
In countries with a high vaccination rate, the incidence of rubella has decreased significantly due to the introduction of activerubellavaccination. The disease is usually harmless in the pregnant woman. However, if the child becomes infected, this can lead to severe developmental disorders, which mainly cause malformations of the heart, ear and brain. The probability of severe injury is highest between the 11th and 17th week. After that, the risk drops to 20 to 35 percent by the 38th week. Up to the 40th week, there is only a slight risk of serious damage. Rubella is manifested by visible rash and lymph node swelling. Therefore, the laboratory tests, which are routinely provided in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as part of the preventive measures, are also important.