You will see plenty of exciting changes to your body and to the fetus growing inside you during the 25th week of pregnancy. The 25th week comes near the end of the second trimester, so your baby is beginning to grow and develop more rapidly than before. You may experience changes in your body, both unpleasant and pleasant, during week 25.
Fetal Movements
During the 25th week, you may begin to feel the fetus moving inside your uterus. The fetus may also start to hiccup in the second trimester. You will be able to feel her body move as she hiccups. The baby’s sense of hearing usually begins to develop during the 25th week, meaning she will be able to hear and possibly react to sounds outside the womb. If you like, try singing to your baby to calm her.
Size
The fetus is still very tiny during the 25th week, usually measuring between 8 and 14 inches in length and weighing less than two lbs. During the second trimester, the baby begins to develop fat on its body and will grow considerably. The skin also begins to smooth out because of the fat development.
Your uterus will continue to expand to accommodate the growing fetus. You will notice an outward and upward extension of your abdomen. You may also grow wider from side to side.
Fetal Development
In addition to being able to hear, the baby will be able to open and blink his eyes for the first time during week 25. Hair will grow on his head, including eyelashes. Eye and hair color can be discerned at this stage of the pregnancy, although the color of many babies’ hair and eyes may change once they are born. As the skin loses its wrinkly texture, it also becomes more opaque with visible veins and a reddish hue.
Doctor’s Visits
Sometime during the 25th week of pregnancy, you may take a glucose screening test at your doctor’s to make sure you are not at risk of developing gestational diabetes. Your doctor may also test take a blood sample to check to make sure you do not have an iron deficiency. If your glucose results are abnormal, you will have to have further testing later in your pregnancy to rule out or determine gestational diabetes. Should your iron levels turn out to be low, your doctor may prescribe an iron supplement.
Physical Problems
As your uterus grows, it begins to put pressure on your stomach. Hormonal changes also affect the function of the stomach opening, meaning you are more likely suffer from heartburn in the 25th week. You can combat heartburn by avoiding fatty or spicy food and by reducing the amount you eat at one sitting. You may also experience hemorrhoids late in the second trimester as a result of heartburn and other digestive issues. Some women other experience urinary incontinence during the 25th week.
Photo Credit
- pregnant #3 image by Adam Borkowski from Fotolia.com
