Small belly during pregnancy 38 weeks

Having felt pregnant for the first time, a woman wants the period of bearing a child to go as best as possible. Therefore, she tries to pay attention to any changes in her condition. And, noticing even small deviations, he begins to worry and tries to find out what the reason is. A similar thing is observed in cases where a woman discovers that her stomach has become smaller than it was before. Why this happens and what should be done are questions to ask your doctor. He is the one who has the greatest competence to solve the problem.

Why do some have a large belly and others have a small belly during pregnancy?

No one will object that every woman’s body is individual, so the belly can grow in different ways. It is very important at this moment to ensure that there are no deviations from the norm.

A small belly during pregnancy can be due to many reasons, for example due to pathological development of the fetus, or perhaps this is the norm for a particular woman, and the baby will be born completely healthy.

During the first trimester, it may or may not be noticeable. If the mother develops toxicosis, the belly will grow only from the second trimester. Sometimes it happens that others do not even suspect that a woman is pregnant.

In any case, there is no reason to panic; you need to undergo regular examinations and tests to make sure that pregnancy is proceeding according to plan, even if you have a small belly during pregnancy.

Sex life:

If the doctor does not prohibit it, then sexual activity is possible at this stage; moreover, it is even beneficial for the health of the woman and her baby. The genitals are especially sensitive and a woman may experience orgasm during lovemaking. I must say that this has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the entire body.

After orgasm, the so-called happiness hormone is produced in large quantities, which will definitely have the best effect on the well-being of the woman and her unborn child. In addition, the placenta is activated, which also has a beneficial effect on the child’s condition.

But when making love, a woman must find the right position so that her stomach does not experience any stress. Various positions will help parents diversify their sex life and make it brighter and more satisfying.

Fruit size

The size of the fetus can be determined using ultrasound. Thanks to transvaginal ultrasound, it can be detected in the second or third week of development. Pregnancy begins to count from the 1st day of the last menstruation and is about six to seven weeks. At this moment, the diameter of the fetus is 2-4 mm.

How does the fetus develop?

At the 10th week, it can be noted that the diameter of the fetus fluctuates at 2.2 cm.
The 12th week is characterized by a fetal length of 6-7 cm and a weight of 20-25 g.
The 16th week corresponds to length 12 cm, body weight - 100 g.
20 weeks is characterized by a fetal length of 25-26 cm and a weight of 280-300 g.
At the 24th week - 30 cm and 600-680 g, respectively.
28 weeks - size 35 cm and weight 1-1.2 kg.
32 weeks - 40-42 cm and 1.5-1.7 kg.
36 weeks - 45-48 cm and 2.4-2.5 kg.

By the end of pregnancy, the length of the fetus is 48-49 cm, and the body weight is 2.6-5 kg.

Size of the uterus in a pregnant woman

Throughout pregnancy, the uterus increases in size. In the first weeks it is pear-shaped. At the end of the second month of pregnancy, it doubles in size and takes on a rounded shape, and at the beginning of the 3rd trimester it becomes ovoid. If a small belly is observed during pregnancy, it means that the uterus is not enlarging in accordance with the norms.

The weight of the uterus before pregnancy is 50-100 g, at the end - 1 kg.

Why is there a small belly during pregnancy?

It may grow slowly for several reasons.

The size of the uterus may be smaller than expected due to oligohydramnios. Many people believe that the belly grows only due to the fetus, but amniotic fluid plays an important role in this process. If there is not enough water, it looks smaller than expected. Water can be determined using ultrasound. As the pregnancy progresses, the fluid volume also increases. Oligohydramnios is not the norm; it occurs with pathologies, such as hypertension, infectious diseases, gestosis, fetoplacental insufficiency and others. Therefore, if you are already 19 weeks pregnant, you may well have a small belly.

The next reason is fetal malnutrition, which occurs due to disturbances in placental metabolism. Poor maternal nutrition can also lead to slow growth. Under such circumstances, the baby is born weighing 2.5 kg. However, even an ultrasound cannot accurately determine the weight of a child, so it can only be accurately determined at birth; it can change by 500 g in both directions.

Preventive measures

A timely examination, which includes a number of tests, will help to avoid complications. Twice a month you need to submit your urine for a general analysis. Based on its results, the doctor will be able to get an idea of the state of the woman’s genitourinary system. A complete blood count will monitor the level of red blood cells, hematocrit and hemoglobin. In addition, it is necessary to donate blood for biochemical testing and for the presence of various infections. You need to undergo ultrasound diagnostics three times. This allows the doctor to monitor the progress of pregnancy, the formation of fetal organs and identify developmental pathologies.

Among the main factors that ensure the full development of the baby is a woman’s properly organized nutrition. After all, a lack of nutrients delays the development of the child, and the expectant mother may have a small belly at 30 weeks of pregnancy. The amount of substances, micro- and macroelements that the baby receives in utero determines his health after birth. Due to physiological changes, experts recommend that a pregnant woman change her diet. As the uterus grows, it puts pressure on the stomach and intestines. Therefore, food should be taken in small portions, but more often - 4-5 times a day.

Doctors recommend eating meat, cereals, and fish before 1 p.m., and in the afternoon, giving preference to fermented milk and plant products. A woman can purchase a scale that will help her track changes in her body weight on a daily basis. The most intensive growth of the fetus begins in the second trimester. The weight of the expectant mother should increase by 400 g every week from now on. During the first trimester, a woman gains approximately 1500 g, during the second - 5 kg, and in the third trimester, body weight increases by 4 kg. But these indicators may vary depending on individual characteristics. Women who are underweight should gain 2400 g in the first and second trimesters, and 2000 in the third trimester. In total, the weight gained during pregnancy ranges from 10 to 14 kg.

In order for the placenta to function normally and the baby to receive all the required nutrients, the female body must receive more calories, which are a source of energy. Nutrients are also required for normal fetal formation. The formation of placenta, antibodies, blood and amniotic fluid depends on the amount of protein. A deficiency of this element prevents the child from fully developing. Protein is divided into 2 types: plant and animal. It is found in fermented milk, fish and meat products, eggs, nuts, rice, legumes, and wheat. The daily norm of this element is 120 g.

The development of the fetal nervous system depends on the amount of glucose, the source of which is carbohydrates. To provide the body with this element, you need to include potatoes, cabbage, pasta, bread, grapes, apples, and honey in your diet. But it is important to observe moderation when consuming carbohydrates; excessive amounts can provoke an allergic reaction in a child. The expectant mother's body needs vegetable and animal fats, vitamins A, B, E, C, D, and folic acid.

Signs of delayed abdominal enlargement

At each visit to the gynecologist, the girth of the abdomen is measured using a centimeter tape, as well as the height of the fundus of the uterus. These measurements can tell your doctor a lot. If the indicators have not increased or even decreased, then this is a reason for conducting an unscheduled ultrasound. The doctor will be especially alert if this is the 39th week of pregnancy; a small belly combined with a decrease in indicators may require other fetal studies.

What to do if your belly doesn't grow?

Lack of volume growth is not a diagnosis, whether it is a small belly at the 30th week of pregnancy or at the 21st. There are no methods of prevention, as with diseases. It all depends on the factors that influence the increase in abdominal circumference. If oligohydramnios and malnutrition have been identified, then measures should be taken to minimize the risks. In all other cases, there is no need to worry about this if you have a small belly during pregnancy (30 weeks), because even under such conditions healthy babies grow.

The main thing is to visit your doctor regularly in order to identify any abnormalities in time or simply make sure that the pregnancy is going well.

It happens that there is a small belly during the second pregnancy. That is, during the pregnancy of a woman’s first child, he met all the parameters, and there was no reason for concern. A small belly during the second pregnancy may alarm the mother, but each baby is individual and develops differently.

Prevention

To avoid complications, a woman during pregnancy must:

Register with the antenatal clinic in a timely manner.
Come for scheduled examinations on the specified dates.
Get an ultrasound every trimester of pregnancy.
Take blood and urine tests.

These research methods will allow the doctor to timely detect abnormalities in a woman’s body and prevent dangerous consequences.

An unexpressed increase in abdominal size is often a cause for concern. Of course, such a deviation cannot be ignored, nor can one worry without reason. An ultrasound examination is a reliable measure that helps make sure that everything is fine with the baby, so if you have any doubts, you should ask your gynecologist for a referral for an unscheduled ultrasound.

Only a timely visit to a specialist and careful attention to the changes occurring in her own body will help mommy promptly notice any pathological changes and eliminate them.

Author: Olga Vasilyeva, doctor, especially for Mama66.ru

Norms and deviations

Although every woman’s body is individual, standards have been adopted that are approximately the same for everyone, deviations from which should signal problems during pregnancy. You can judge a lot by the enlargement of the uterus.

At the 4th week, the uterus looks like a chicken egg. At the 8th week it grows and becomes the size of a goose egg. At the 12th week - like a baby’s head, during this period the gynecologist palpates it and also takes measurements of the abdominal circumference. At the 16th week, the tummy is rounded, the uterus is located in the area between the pubis and the navel. At the 20th week it becomes noticeable to others. 21 weeks of pregnancy - a small belly is not yet a reason to worry. 24th week - the uterus moves to the navel, and at the 28th it is above it. At 32 weeks, the navel begins to level out, the fundus of the uterus can be felt between the xiphoid process and the navel. 38th week - the uterus is at its highest level near the ribs. At the 40th week, the navel protrudes, the fundus of the uterus drops, beginning preparations for childbirth.

Tummy circumference is an important parameter that is measured from the lumbar curve to the navel. The following parameters are considered normal: 32nd week - 85-90 cm, 36th - 90-95 cm, 40th - 95-100 cm. If you still have a small belly during pregnancy (30 weeks onwards), then the doctor should determine whether the cause is malnutrition or oligohydramnios.

The uterus begins to enlarge almost from the very beginning of gestation, and if this does not happen, then an ectopic pregnancy may occur. In this case, the fetus develops outside the uterus, in the tube.

How does a baby develop at 26 weeks?

When 26 weeks of pregnancy arrives, it is important for any mother to know what happens to the baby. By this time, the child acquires his own individual traits, which he will have in adulthood. His eyebrows and eyelashes are already visible, his ears are also formed by this time, but are still slightly protruding. But over time, all this should be corrected.

The inner ear is not yet fully formed , but is already close to it. The child can already hear well in the womb, so you should play music, sing lullabies, tell good stories and talk to him affectionately. Some believe that at this time the child will be able to distinguish whether mom or dad is talking.

Therefore, parents should talk to each other more so that the future child can better perceive the world around him in the future. This will help him quickly adapt to his environment when he is first born. At this time, the baby may begin to open his eyes, and in order not to injure his delicate eyes, it is better not to be near too bright light.

At this stage, the respiratory system is practically formed . The lungs are where they should be and have the right shape. The bone tissue is also already quite hard and its formation is complete. But the rudiments of permanent teeth are just beginning to form. Milk teeth and molars have long been formed by this time. The child's skin becomes more and more smooth and takes on a certain color.

We also recommend reading: 16th week of pregnancy

The legs and arms are also rounded, and the folds on the elbows are already expressed at the same time. The heart rate is somewhere in the range of 135-160 beats per minute. The child’s blood may already be saturated with nutrients through the planet, which in turn transmits it to the child’s body through the umbilical vein.

The brain also does a lot of work at this time , it is called upon by the adrenal cortex so that in the future its pituitary gland can produce its own hormones. The fetus can grow at 26 weeks up to 35 centimeters, while it will weigh about 750 grams. The child needs a lot of sleep, so he sleeps most of the day. He wakes up for a short time, during which he makes active movements.

Planning a pregnancy

If you are planning a child in advance, you must first undergo all tests and cure all diseases before pregnancy, since any, even the most harmless infection, can cause complications. It is also necessary to radically reconsider your diet, lead a healthy lifestyle, and give up bad habits. If you follow all the rules, your baby will be born healthy, and he will not have problems in the future.

Don’t forget to eat fresh vegetables and fruits, take vitamin complexes - all this will contribute to better growth of the baby.

Source

What affects belly size

There are 2 groups of factors on which the size of the abdomen during pregnancy depends: physiological and obstetric.

Physiological causes of a miniature pregnant belly include:

Features of body structure . In expectant mothers with a wide pelvis, the belly grows more slowly than in women with a narrow pelvis. The development of the abdominal muscles also does not allow the stomach to grow quickly.
Woman's body weight. In obese women with fat deposits, it is difficult to recognize pregnancy by abdominal parameters.
Small fruit . Typically, parents who are not tall give birth to children with low weight and height.
Genetic predisposition. A woman’s abdomen grows at the same time as her mother’s.
Insufficient nutrition , starvation of the expectant mother.
Severe toxicosis in the first weeks of pregnancy. In this case, the belly may appear only after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

If a woman is carrying a second or third child, her belly will grow faster. This is due to a decrease in the elasticity of the abdominal muscles.

Among the obstetric reasons why the belly does not grow during pregnancy are the following:

embryonic hypotrophy;
pregnancy fading;
incorrect position of the child;
oligohydramnios.

If you feel like your belly is smaller than normal, consult your gynecologist. He will measure the parameters of the abdomen and find out the cause of possible deviations.

Hypotrophy

Slow intrauterine growth of the fetus requires fetometry - a method that allows you to obtain accurate data on the condition of the baby.

After identifying the cause of such a disorder, gynecologists prescribe the woman a number of medications along with enriching the diet with meat, cereals, and dairy products.

A baby who is born on time with malnutrition has lower height and weight characteristics. With adequate nutrition, the baby's physical parameters quickly return to normal.

Fading pregnancy

The most dangerous cause of a small belly is a frozen pregnancy, when the fetus dies.

This situation is accompanied by the absence of the child’s movements, the appearance of bloody discharge, and an increase in body temperature. If the anomaly is not detected in a timely manner, the woman may die.

Incorrect position

Such localization of the fetus inside the uterus affects the miniature of the abdomen. Doctors determine if the baby is positioned incorrectly through ultrasound scanning and external palpation.

The transverse position does not pose a threat to the health of the child, but can provoke premature onset of labor. The tummy will be smaller even with a posterior presentation of the embryo.

Low water

The size of the abdomen during pregnancy is significantly smaller than normal if a woman has a lack of amniotic fluid. With such a deficiency, the volume of the intrauterine space is reduced. Normally, the amount of amniotic fluid is 1-1.5 liters by 49 weeks.

Minor deviations that do not pose a threat to the baby’s health can only be determined through ultrasound scanning.

When water volumes decrease by a third or more, the following occurs:

significant reduction in abdominal parameters;
the appearance of discomfort when the child moves;
pain in the lower abdomen;
deterioration of health.

The smaller the volume of fluid, the higher the risk of developing physical abnormalities in the fetus: curvature of the spinal column, torticollis, clubfoot. In addition, compression of the umbilical cord may occur, leading to the death of the baby.

Preeclampsia, arterial hypertension, infectious diseases, and placental insufficiency lead to insufficient synthesis of amniotic fluid. Ultrasound is used to determine oligohydramnios.

The appearance of pain:

When the 26th week of pregnancy arrives, the mother’s feelings cannot be called positive. The baby may push hard and the mother may be in a little pain, sometimes even too much. But the child can be understood, because in his mother’s belly he becomes too cramped. The uterus, which is constantly enlarging, also causes discomfort for the expectant mother. Hormones at this time do not have the best effect on a woman’s physical condition.

But they play an important role, they soften joints and ligaments. But the pain subsides when the woman lies on her side, so she should do this more often. In this position, the uterus does not put so much pressure inside.

In the third trimester, cramps often occur, and sometimes the head can simply pound. Therefore, mom needs to rest more and not do too many physical movements. A positive attitude is very important for an expectant mother ; it helps to overcome many problems.

The legs also experience too much stress, but this can be corrected by placing a pillow under the legs while the woman is in a lying position. Hormones and constant heaviness do not have a very favorable effect on the back, and it begins to hurt.

A pregnant woman should not wear high-heeled shoes at this time unless she wants to worsen the situation. But in order to reduce pain, you can do special gymnastics or perform yoga sessions that are designed specifically for pregnant women. A bandage that supports your back will also help get rid of too much pain in this area.

My belly has shrunk sharply – what should I do?

The parameters of a “pregnant” belly may decrease during the day: become smaller in the morning than in the evening. This is due to increased gas formation.

During pregnancy, a large concentration of progesterone is synthesized in the female body. The hormone helps relax muscles in the gastrointestinal tract, which slows down the processes of food digestion, causing an increase in gases.

To eliminate the problem, adjust your diet, exclude cabbage, confectionery, legumes and grapes from your menu. Women with lactose intolerance should limit their consumption of dairy products.

Insufficient physical activity also leads to increased gas formation. Increase the duration of your daily walks and do moderate exercise. It will be useful for you to do yoga and swimming.

If your stomach has decreased significantly and has not returned to its previous parameters in the evening, immediately visit a doctor. This condition can threaten the life and health of the baby.