Ostocal G নিবেদিত স্বাস্থ্য বিষয়ক সিরিজ অনুষ্ঠান "নারী স্বাস্থ্য" এর এই পর্বে বলেছেন
ডা. ফারজানা শারমিন (শুভ্রা)
সহকারী অধ্যাপক
গাইনি এন্ড অবস বিভাগ
বঙ্গবন্ধু শেখ মুজিব মেডিক্যেল বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, ঢাকা
চেম্বারঃ ইবনে সিনা ডায়াগনস্টিক এন্ড ইমেজিং সেন্টার
ধানমন্ডি (৯/এ), ঢাকা, এপয়েন্টমেন্ট 10615
মিডিয়া পার্টনার - মেডীটক ডিজিটাল
What is the second trimester of pregnancy?
The typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. It’s divided into three periods of time - the first, second and third trimester. Each trimester is roughly 14 weeks long. When you enter your second trimester, you are around 14 weeks pregnant. This middle trimester will last from week 14 to the end of week 27.
During your second trimester of pregnancy, you’ll start looking and feeling more pregnant. For many people, this is the best part of pregnancy because the morning sickness and fatigue of their first trimester fade into the past. Often, any anxiety that went with your first trimester also starts to diminish at this point. You’ll start to feel your fetus move by the end of this trimester, and you might begin to settle into your pregnancy and enjoy it more. Of course, it’s important to remember that pregnancy is different for everyone. Some people never experience negative symptoms like morning sickness in their first trimester. Others might continue to feel sick well into their second trimester of pregnancy.
How does my baby develop during the second trimester of pregnancy?
Your fetus will go through many changes during your second trimester of pregnancy. During this trimester, your fetus will start to look more like a child - with their facial features aligning, and their fingers and toes becoming well-defined. By month four, your fetus will actually have eyelids, eyebrows, eyelashes, nails and hair. Your fetus will also be able to stretch, make faces and even suck on their thumb. You’ll soon be able to determine the gender of your fetus on an ultrasound - often around 20 weeks.
At this point, you might also start feeling your fetus move. The movement is often described as a flutter or similar to the feeling of having butterflies in your stomach. Your fetus will be doing flips and movements throughout your second trimester. This first movement is called the quickening. If this isn’t your first pregnancy, you might feel your fetus move sooner.
In the last few weeks of the second trimester, your fetus can also hear you. If you talk to your growing belly, you might notice movement in response.
If your baby was born at the end of your second trimester (premature birth), they would be likely to survive with intensive care.
What happens to my body during the second trimester of pregnancy?
Your fetus isn’t the only one growing and changing during your second trimester. You'll notice several changes in your own body during this time. Your uterus - the place where your fetus grows during pregnancy - continues to stretch. This organ will expand throughout your pregnancy as your fetus gets larger. After pregnancy, your uterus will return to its pre-pregnancy size (picture an upside-down pear).
However, your uterus isn’t the only thing growing during the second trimester either. You’ll start gaining weight and might start developing the tell-tale enlarged belly of a pregnant person. Don’t worry if this takes time to develop. Everyone is different, and no two bodies will look exactly the same during pregnancy.
You might also feel or develop a few new symptoms of pregnancy during your second trimester, including:
An increased appetite.
An achy body.
Some swelling in your hands, feet and ankles.
Some stretch marks.
If you experienced morning sickness during your first trimester, it’s likely fading away now. The uncomfortable symptoms of early pregnancy (nausea and extreme fatigue, for example) don’t typically continue into your second trimester. This is one reason why many people consider their second trimester of pregnancy to be the best part of pregnancy.