The change of pregnant women at 16 weeks

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Nguyen Thi Hong On - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital. The doctor has 10 years of experience in Obstetrics and Gynecology and has worked in all positions in the clinic area, delivery room, emergency room for obstetrics and gynecology, procedure room and treatment area on request.
The 16th week pregnant woman begins to feel heavy and difficult to move. 16 weeks pregnant is the time when many pregnant women feel their baby's first movements.

1. What's special about 16 weeks pregnant?

The 16th week of pregnancy is the time when a pregnant woman begins to feel her baby move and move. Pregnant women feel in the abdomen like a balloon with gentle, subtle movements. The amount of blood in the body increases to support the growth of the baby, causing the volume of fluid to increase, putting pressure on the lower body, leading to more prominent leg veins.
16 weeks pregnant women can hear the baby's heartbeat during routine antenatal visit. Your baby's hair and fluff are starting to grow. Arms and legs move more clearly. The nervous system is forming and performing its first activities.

2. How does the body of a pregnant woman at week 16 change?

Week 16 pregnant women often feel throbbing in the belly, which can be times when the baby is kicking the mother's belly. Most women will feel this between the 16th and 20th weeks of pregnancy. The first kicks of the fetus are usually very light and can be mistaken for colic or indigestion, especially for women who are pregnant for the first time.
Sometimes during this period, pregnant women will feel a little short of breath. This is a very normal phenomenon for women who are 16 weeks pregnant or those who are entering the second trimester of pregnancy. The cause of shortness of breath is mainly due to hormonal changes in the mother's body. These hormones stimulate the respiratory center, causing the breathing rate to tend to increase. As a result, pregnant women find it difficult to breathe, even when doing light things like taking a shower. On the other hand, pregnancy hormones also cause the capillaries in the body, including in the respiratory system, to become swollen, the muscles of the qi and bronchi to relax, making breathing more difficult. Another cause of shortness of breath during pregnancy is due to the development of the fetus, the fetus becomes larger, causing strong pressure on the diaphragm and lungs, so when the pregnant woman breathes, the lungs can does not fully expand, resulting in short and shallow breathing.

3. Common problems at 16 weeks pregnant

Mammary gland growth Pregnant women at 16 weeks often feel their breasts grow too much. However, after childbirth and weaning, the condition will return to the pre-pregnancy normal.
Constipation Pregnancy hormone is the cause of the pregnant woman's digestive system slowing down. Besides, in the 16th week of pregnancy, the growing uterus also puts a lot of pressure on the intestines, affecting the waste excretion process. In this case, pregnant women should add fiber and drink plenty of water to improve bowel movements.
Increased vaginal discharge Although vaginal discharge is indeed beneficial to the body in protecting the birth canal from infection, excessive vaginal discharge can make a woman uncomfortable. This is a normal phenomenon due to hormonal changes during pregnancy. Pregnant women should not douche or constantly use wipes because it can irritate the genital tract and lead to infection.
Varicose veins Pregnant women 16 weeks pregnant often have varicose veins in the legs. To deal with this condition, pregnant women should maintain a moderate weight gain on the advice of their doctor because extra body weight will increase the load on the circulatory system, leading to venous insufficiency.
Back pain As a mother's belly becomes larger and heavier, the lower back often curves more than usual to rebalance the body, leading to strained and painful back muscles. To ease these aches and pains, a 16-week pregnant woman can do a massage or take a warm bath.
Bleeding gums Women who are 16 weeks pregnant sometimes have bleeding gums when brushing their teeth. The cause of this phenomenon is due to pregnancy hormones that cause irritation, inflammation of the gums and easy damage while brushing.

4. Advice for pregnant women at 16 weeks

4.1. Preventing Varicose Veins at 16 weeks of pregnancy is quite common, usually painless, relatively harmless, and will improve after delivery. To prevent varicose veins, do not stay in one position for too long, when lying or sitting, raise your legs.
4.2. Preparing to do the Quad test The Quad test (if the pregnant woman has not had a Double test in the first trimester) is a test that checks for 4 factors from the mother's blood produced by the fetus and placenta. Quad tests are performed between 14 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, but results obtained at 16-18 weeks are usually more accurate. The results of the Quad test indicate the probability that the fetus has a chromosomal abnormality or is at risk of birth defects. For example, spina bifida or a chromosomal abnormality causes Down syndrome (three chromosomes 21), Edwards syndrome (three chromosomes 18)
4.3. Attention in diet Most cases of pregnant women 16 weeks pregnant have a feeling of poor appetite or craving for certain foods. Therefore, pregnant women need to pay attention in eating and drinking, especially when eating out, and should pay attention to the wait staff or the chef about how to prepare the food (if any) or use the dishes. suitable replacement. After receiving the desired food, pay attention to the food intake. Eating too much will make pregnant women have indigestion, bloating. Instead, just fill up, prepare bags to take home leftovers, or ask for half a serving (if necessary).
4.4. Supplement full nutrients Choose foods rich in nutrients and good for pregnant women, such as fruits (oranges, tangerines, bananas...), green vegetables (spinach, broccoli, asparagus..). .), cereals (barley, flour, oats, brown rice,...), lean meat (beef, chicken, pork,...), eggs, milk,... If you feel unfamiliar eat these dishes, can combine them with more familiar foods, such as salad dressings, vegetable soups,...

A diet full of nutrients will increase energy for 16 weeks pregnant, make pregnancy easier as well as reduce the risk of having a baby with low birth weight.
16th week of pregnancy is one of the most important weeks of pregnancy because this is the golden time to carry out prenatal screenings, detect birth defects, tri-chromosomal abnormalities and check the mother's health to help. detect gestational diabetes, risk of preeclampsia, thyroid disease.
With the desire to protect the health of both mother and baby during pregnancy, Vinmec builds a comprehensive maternity health care program (12 weeks and 27 weeks). In particular, the 12-week maternity package helps monitor the health of mother and baby right from the beginning of pregnancy, early detection and timely intervention of health problems. In addition to the usual services, the maternity monitoring program from 12 weeks has special services that other maternity packages do not have such as: Double Test or Triple Test to screen for fetal malformations; Quantitative angiogenesis factor test for preeclampsia; thyroid screening test; Rubella test; Testing for parasites transmitted from mother to child seriously affects the baby's brain and physical development after birth.
If you have a need for antenatal care or maternity care services at Vinmec, please register directly at the website or contact the holine system for service.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.