22 week old fetus development

This is an automatically translated article.

This article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Ly Thi Thanh Nha - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec International General Hospital Da Nang.
At 22 weeks pregnant, the mother will find her body becoming more rounded than ever with a rapid increase in weight. This is completely normal for the mother's body to have enough nutrients to help the fetus grow healthy.

1. How will a 22-week-old fetus develop?

Entering the 22nd week of pregnancy, the baby has been developing rapidly as well as gradually perfecting all the functional organs inside his body. At this time, the fetal weight at 22 weeks will be 476g and measure about 29cm (head to toe), equivalent to the size of a small pumpkin.
The 22-week-old baby has officially acquired the shape of a miniature newborn baby, that is, he has completed most of the necessary organs and parts and in the last 3 months of pregnancy he will develop rapidly faster to prepare for birth. At this time, the baby's limbs are stronger, so the movements of punching, twisting, and turning all use force, so the mother can completely feel the baby moving right in her belly.
The five senses of the 22-week-old fetus begin to perfect and become more sensitive than ever, especially the hearing because at this time, the baby can clearly hear the sounds outside the mother's womb. The baby's skin has changed compared to the previous weeks of pregnancy, it is no longer transparent because the baby's body fat is gathering under the skin to form a layer of fat.
The sex of the fetus at 22 weeks of age can be determined unambiguously. Although the testicles and ovaries of the fetus have formed at the time of the first 3 months of pregnancy, because the external genitalia are still difficult to see because the fetus is still small, it cannot be determined until the 22nd week of pregnancy. Correct.

2. Mother's changes when the fetus is 22 weeks old

Mother's weight will continue to increase rapidly at 22 weeks of pregnancy. However, mothers need to control their weight within an acceptable level, to avoid being overweight or obese, affecting the health of both mother and baby.
Frequent swallowing of saliva is a rather special phenomenon that mothers encounter when they are 22 weeks pregnant. This is a very normal condition, so mothers do not need to worry, please accept and overcome them by sucking. mints, chewing gum and have tissues ready.
Stretch marks on the abdomen, hips, thighs begin to thicken as the baby grows older, making the mother feel depressed. However, forget those feelings and overcome them by applying mother cream.

3. Important ultrasound milestone when the fetus is 22 weeks old

22-week fetal ultrasound is one of the very important milestones because this is the time to help survey and detect birth defects in babies early. During this ultrasound, the doctor will appoint the mother to perform 3D ultrasound or 4D ultrasound to better see the development of the fetus to easily detect abnormalities if any.
Usually, when 22 weeks pregnant ultrasound will include the following basic indicators:
First, the doctor will measure the basic indicators to estimate the fetal weight of the fetus such as: head circumference , head circumference, waist circumference, femur length Check all the baby's organs from head to toe including brain, face, heart, internal organs, spine, hands, feet to find Look for abnormalities Observe your baby's face to see if it has all the parts and that these parts are developing in the right direction. From these indicators, the doctor will make an assessment and know if the baby has birth defects such as heart disease, Down's disease, cleft palate, cleft lip or quadriplegia, ... or not to leave it there. timely and appropriate solutions.

4. Advice for moms

Mothers need to control the amount of sweets that are loaded into their body to prevent themselves from gestational diabetes. Because this is a rather dangerous disease that can cause the fetus to have a higher rate of birth defects
Continue to maintain your exercise routine during pregnancy, don't ignore your mother because of fatigue, because of exercise Reasonable gentleness will help the mother's birth process go more smoothly.
Mother should switch to the left side lying position during this time, because the protruding abdomen is no longer suitable for lying on the back. In addition, this lying position also helps mothers reduce back pain and sleep better.
At the 22nd week of pregnancy, the mother not only pays attention to the fetal development indicators but also needs to perform 4D fetal ultrasound to diagnose birth defects. Choosing a location for maternity care and fetal ultrasound to diagnose fetal malformations early and accurately is very important. It is very important to have a pregnancy ultrasound at the right time and periodically to detect fetal malformations early, so that appropriate monitoring and treatment measures can be taken. The effectiveness of the ultrasound method for diagnosing fetal malformations depends a lot on the qualifications of doctors and modern equipment.
Vinmec International General Hospital is a high-quality medical facility that is highly appreciated by customers for its quality of examination and treatment as well as professional services. Vinmec has the most modern equipment system, with the most advanced ultrasound machines in the world and a team of experienced obstetricians in prenatal diagnosis and intervention to help monitor and detect early fetal malformations.
In addition, to protect the health of mother and baby comprehensively, Vinmec offers a variety of package Maternity services. With this package, pregnant women will have regular antenatal check-ups with specialist doctors, especially thyroid screening tests for mothers in the first 3 months, Rubella tests. Perform prenatal and postnatal screening tests for the baby. During pregnancy, if a pregnant woman encounters any abnormal health problems, she will be consulted and treated by a specialist doctor. After each visit, the doctors will analyze the ultrasound and test results and advise on health care, nutrition, and rest suitable for each pregnant woman, helping the mother and fetus to be healthy. well developed, uniform indicators.
If you have a need to use maternity services at Vinmec, please register directly at the website to be served.

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