13 Weeks Pregnant

You just entered the 13^th week of pregnancy, which is the first week of the 2^nd trimester. It`s a moment to celebrate for most pregnant women because at this point there are low chances for a miscarriage. Along with the increase of chances in having a healthy pregnancy and child, you`ll also notice that you start to feel better because signs like morning sickness, fatigue, nausea, exhaustion and other symptoms will start to disappear.

Also, physically speaking you`ll feel more active and full of energy, although your body shape size may have started to increase considerably.

The baby is now growing more slowly, having all of his organs already completely developed. Still, the sizes of the fetus are very small, so for the moment he has enough space to grow. Another sign of the fact that you enter in a new period of pregnancy is that your appetite has started to increase, your baby absorbing all the nutrients coming from the mother.

The Baby`s Development during the 13^th Week of Pregnancy

Until the end of this week, the fetus will come to be very similar to a very small human being. The baby`s head is pretty big compared with the rest of his body, but from now on the body will slowly begin recovering the difference.

The fetus`s eyes will approach one of the other until they`ll remain in their final position. The intestines will develop in the baby`s body, and the small pancreas starts producing insulin which is vital for regulating the level of sugar from the organism. The baby`s bones will also pass through an important transformation, becoming strong as they suppose to be where once they were flexible and soft. Small pieces of hair will appear on the superior lip and around the area of the eyebrows.

The placenta is fully functional and it starts offering oxygen to the child, as well as vitamins, minerals, proteins and fats. It will also get rid of carbon dioxide, filtering them through the placental tissue. The mother`s and baby`s blood vessels, although being separated, they remain incredibly close. The placenta is still bigger than the baby and it allows most of the substances from the mother`s blood to pass through the baby`s body. This may also include alcohol, medications, caffeine, drugs, nicotine and virus which can affect the development of the baby.

Changes with the Woman`s Body during the 13^th Week of Pregnancy

The uterus will come out from the pelvic bone`s area while is developing, releasing the pressure accumulated on the bladder, a point during which your waistline will start to increase. While your uterus will start to grow in size, it`s possible for you to feel a small discomfort or to have pains during this area. The ligaments that sustain the uterus will stretch leading to round ligament pains. They could manifest in the form of short sharp pains accompanied by a discomfort in the lower abdomen. This kind of pains will usually occur when you change your position or when you get up on your feet suddenly.

If you feel cramps, have vaginal bleedings or sensations of vomit, it`s recommended to get in touch with your doctor immediately. The round ligament pains can be avoided or reduced by a relaxed attitude and care when you need to move.

Sometimes, some women can be diagnosed with a broken cervix resulted from a weak cervix which is open more than 2.5cm during the pregnancy. This represents a major problem because it`s possible for the woman to give birth before the moment during which the baby has more chances to survive. Such cases aren`t encountered that often and don`t appear at more than 25% of pregnant women, cases which can be diagnosed manually or at ultrasound. It needs to be taken into consideration that a broken cervix can be a reason for miscarriage during the 2^nd trimester of pregnancy. The reasons for such a situation can be multiple varying from congenital health issues to cervical trauma. There is a treatment that consists of closing the cervix surgically, a method that can be used between the 14^th and 16^th week of pregnancy. This way, the woman can carry her pregnancy without any problems until she needs to give birth.

What to Expect If You Are Pregnant in 13 Weeks

It`s possible to experience stretch marks on your abdomen, breasts or hips. Gaining weight slowly can decrease the risk of stretch mark appearance and this can be obtained by a healthy diet and regular workout. Although morning sickness will almost disappear, at this point you may still experience chest burnings. This may happen because the valves located between the gastric tube and stomach aren`t capable to stop the gastric acid from passing through the gastric tube. To avoid such symptoms, after getting your doctor`s agreement, you should take antacid or change your diet accordingly.

The consumption of frequent small meals that contain healthy and fresh ingredients rich in nutrients along with a glass of natural juice can help a lot. You need to avoid heavy meals that are hard to digest, generally speaking, all meals that include fat of animal origin which can lead to indigestion. You can expect for your breasts to increase when the mammary ducts start to prepare for lactation.

The baby has become more flexible and he is now able to move his head sideways. You can have sexual intercourses because the baby is protected by the amniotic liquid and mucus which acts as a plug that blocks the cervix against infections. Still, you should avoid having any sexual intercourse if you have a history of miscarriages, premature births, broken cervix, experience any vaginal bleedings or broken water, or if your partner is infected with any disease.