The change of pregnant women week 17

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Huynh Thi Hien - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital
Pregnant women in the 17th week of pregnancy begin to feel the weight change markedly, the appetite also increases. The 17th week of pregnancy is when pregnant women should pay more attention to their weight gain.

1. What's special about 17 weeks pregnant?

Pregnant women at week 17 have gained 2 to 4 kg more than when they were not pregnant. Appetite is also significantly increased. At this time, the 17-week-old fetus has doubled its weight in the past two weeks. The fat layer begins to form, helping the baby's body produce heat and start the metabolism. Your baby's lungs are beginning to exhale amniotic fluid, and the circulatory and urinary systems are forming and performing their first functions. In addition, your baby's hair, eyebrows and eyelashes are also appearing gradually.
17 weeks pregnant women should change position slowly to avoid sudden fainting, especially when lying down or sitting to standing. If there is a feeling of lightheadedness, loss of balance, pregnant women should sit or lie down for a while to balance the position.

2. How does the 17-week pregnant woman's body change?

Women in their 17th week of pregnancy may notice that their breasts suddenly grow to be larger than they were before they were pregnant. The cause of this phenomenon is due to the action of pregnancy hormones, which stimulate the mother's breasts to produce milk. More blood flows to the breasts, and the milk glands also begin to develop to prepare for the next breastfeeding process. This increases the size of the mother's breasts, making the veins more prominent, even visible. In this case, pregnant women should choose the right size bra during the 17th week of pregnancy.
17 weeks pregnant woman's body may feel hot and sweat a lot. This is because pregnancy hormones increase blood flow to the skin. Moreover, the metabolism at 17 weeks pregnant also increases sharply, making the mother always feel sweaty.

3. Common symptoms in 17 weeks pregnant women

3.1. Increased appetite Pregnant women at 17 weeks often feel like eating a lot due to changes in appetite and increased cravings. That's because the baby in the womb is growing, requiring more energy and nutrition. However, pregnant women still need to control their weight, eat only when they really feel hungry. Try to choose foods that can provide a feeling of fullness and meet your daily nutritional needs, such as whole grains and lean meats (which provide a lot of fiber and protein).
3.2. Stretch marks appearing on the skin at the 17th week of pregnancy is most likely due to genetics. So, if a pregnant woman has some stretch marks on her body, it is more likely to be inherited from the mother. Belly growing too big, gaining weight too quickly are also the causes of stretch marks during pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women should adjust to a more stable rate of weight gain, which will make the stretch marks smaller, less aesthetic, and faster to recover after childbirth.
3.3. Frequent headaches Pregnant women have headaches due to the effects of hormones, fatigue, stress or some other psychological reasons. Usually, this symptom is quickly relieved by taking acetaminophen. However, it is advisable to visit and check with your doctor first to get an accurate diagnosis.
3.4. Fainting or dizziness Pregnant women at 17 weeks often experience dizziness, even fainting due to many different factors, the most common of which is dehydration. Dehydration makes pregnant women feel lightheaded and dizzy. Therefore, during pregnancy, women need to pay attention to replenishing enough water for both mother and fetus (especially when women exercise and sweat a lot).
3.5. Heartburn and indigestion Women in the 17th week of pregnancy often eat a lot, leading to sometimes feeling indigestion and heartburn. To overcome this, pregnant women need to avoid lying down after eating to keep gastric juices from backing up into the esophagus, affecting the digestion of food.
3.6. Back pain The weight of the pregnant belly makes the 17th week pregnant woman's standing position slightly tilted forward, affecting the body's center of gravity, causing back pain during pregnancy. To reduce this symptom, pregnant women should have a supportive chair at work and a firm mattress when sleeping at home. If not, pregnant women can get a cushion placed behind the back of the chair so that when leaning on it helps to keep the posture straight. Place a board under the mattress to make the bed more stable.

4. Advice for pregnant women at week 17

4.1. Preparing maternity clothes The 17th week of pregnancy is the time when most pregnant women start to choose large size clothes specifically for pregnant women. Large breasts make pregnant women no longer fit bras like before pregnancy and have to choose a larger size
4.2. The sciatic nerve (or sciatic nerve) is the longest nerve in the body, extending from the lower back all the way to the feet and toes. Sciatica is characterized by tingling and numbness along the path of the sciatic nerve: The pain begins in the lumbar spine, descends to the lateral surface of the thigh, the anterolateral aspect of the lower leg, and spreads to the outer ankle. and all the way to the toes. Pregnant women at 17 weeks pregnant when the belly starts to grow big is the subject of sciatica pain. To overcome this situation, pregnant women can use a heating pad or stretch the back to relieve pain.


4.3. Notice the change in teeth Sometimes women feel that their teeth are loose. In fact, pregnancy hormones can affect the ligaments and bones in the mouth, leading to loose teeth and even causing them to fall out of the gums. This phenomenon will stop after giving birth, but if it causes periodontitis, pregnant women should see a dentist for proper examination and treatment.
4.4. Calcium supplements Milk and dairy products are the perfect source of calcium for pregnant women at 17 weeks. However, many pregnant women cannot drink milk during pregnancy. Fortunately, dairy products are not the only source of calcium (although they are known to be the best sources of calcium). To supplement calcium, pregnant women can use a variety of other foods, such as: For example, orange juice (or other fruit juices) is also a rich source of calcium as well as milk. If fruit juice is not possible, pregnant women can switch to green leafy vegetables, sesame seeds, almonds, calcium-fortified soy products (eg tofu). In addition, the doctor can also prescribe a certain product to help pregnant women supplement calcium needs for the body.

4.5. Relieve symptoms of digestive disorders Heartburn, indigestion often persists throughout pregnancy. To overcome this situation, pregnant women should eat slowly, chew thoroughly, divide into many small meals, avoid overeating and do not lie down immediately after eating. When sleeping, the head should be elevated. Avoid eating foods that are difficult to digest, adversely affecting the digestive system.
4.6. Back pain management Frequent back pain makes many pregnant women at 17 weeks feel quite uncomfortable. Exercises, yoga help stretch and loosen the spine, effectively reducing back pain. In addition, physical activity also has the effect of releasing energy and controlling weight, helping to better cope with back pain during pregnancy.
For pregnant women in the 17th week of pregnancy, the bones, muscles and joints have begun to change to accommodate the mother's growing body. The uncomfortable symptoms in the early stages of pregnancy also gradually eased.
In general, at 17 weeks pregnant, the mother's body and fetus have developed significantly. Therefore, at this time, the mother should pay more attention to nutrition, sleep and perform periodic antenatal check-ups as prescribed by a specialist. Some of the tests you should do during this week of pregnancy include: Checking for Down syndrome birth defects or spina bifida in the fetus, monitoring the baby's heart rate, checking the umbilical cord and the amount of amniotic fluid, Measuring the size of the uterus, checking the baby's body.... With the desire to bring pregnant mothers a healthy and comprehensively developed pregnancy, Vinmec International General Hospital currently has maternity development. The package is performed by experienced doctors, specialists, and obstetric staff. Therefore, you can be completely assured of the service quality at Vinmec.

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.

Reference source: webmd.com; whattoexpect.com