printer friendly

PREGNANCY TIMELINE: WEEK 15

Week 15 should find you feeling better and better everyday, and growing closer and closer to your developing baby. Now is the time to appreciate the infantile flutterings of life within you and to give thanks for your many blessings. With so many changes occurring daily it can be difficult to keep track of your baby's progress. Rely on our pregnancy timeline to mark this special journey with informative information and helpful hints for you and your baby.

Overview

Baby enjoys spending his day sucking away on his thumb, drawing much-needed nutrients from mom to continue growing and developing. Your baby's rapid growth continues to make your baby look more human all the time. The body is now growing faster than the head. This is the first week your baby will have his/her first hairs and eyebrows. Fine downy hair called lanugo hair covers your baby's body. Lanugo hair usually disappears later in pregnancy and just after birth. Hair on top of the head begins to grow, but you'll have to wait a little longer to find out the color and texture. Why not go ahead and pickup baby's first grooming kit complete with comb, brush, nail clippers and more?

Everyone always said you were big hearted, but did you know your heart has increased its output to supply the baby with more oxygen? Right now your heart is pumping 20% more blood than before you were pregnant. Volume will continue to increase throughout your pregnancy for an ending increased heart output of 30-50%. If your blood pressure gets too high, risks to both the mother and baby may occur. This high blood pressure, or "hypertension," may cause the baby to not receive adequate nutrients or adequate oxygen to grow properly.

By now your uterus is halfway between your pubic bone and belly button. You may be able to feel your uterus about 3 or 4 inches below your bellybutton. Changes in your lower abdomen may have altered the way your clothes fit. Your belly is definitely getting bigger; why not take a monthly photograph of your changing profile?

Butterflies, gas, and bubbles through a straw - these are all descriptions of what the first movements of your baby feel like. If this isn't your first pregnancy you may have felt the baby's first movements by now. Second-time moms know more of what to expect and often recognize the movement earlier than first-time moms. If you haven't already felt it, it won't be long until baby is doing a little tap dance all around your uterus.

Baby's Physical Development

• Baby weighs about 1.75 ounces and is 4.1 to 4.5 inches long.
• Baby's heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood a day.
• Hands are ready to grasp.
• Baby kicks restlessly against the amniotic sac.
• Baby can squint, frown and grimace.
• Bones that are already formed are hardening and ossifying (retaining calcium) rapidly.
• Ears continue to develop externally.
• Eyes continue to move to the front of the face, but are still widely spaced.

Time to Start Thinking About...

Many women today establish a career before they get married and start their families. Women who give birth after thirty have a slightly higher risk of abnormalities and problems, including premature labor, pelvic pressure and pelvic pain. An older pregnant woman may be more likely to face increased risk of:

• A baby born with Down syndrome
• High blood pressure
• Cesarean delivery
• Multiple births
• Pre-eclampsia
• Placental abruption
• Bleeding and other complications

A woman under thirty has a 1 in 800 chance of giving birth to a baby with Down syndrome. It increases to 1 in 100 by the age of 40 and 1 in 32 by age 45. Although the actual number of pregnancies affected by Down syndrome is higher, many of these pregnancies end in miscarriage or stillbirth.

A Triple Screen Test will help determine if you might be carrying a child with Down syndrome. With the triple-screen test, your alpha-fetoprotein level is checked, along with the amounts of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG; a pregnancy hormone) and unconjugated estriol (a form of estrogen produced by the placenta). The levels of these three chemicals in your blood may indicate the presence of Down syndrome.

Prenatal Care Checklist

• Lying on your left side with a firm pillow under your head will usually be the most comfortable position for sleeping. This position brings more oxygen to the baby and eases the load on your kidneys.
• Try a body pillow.
• Bath water should not exceed 100 degrees F. Saunas and hot tubs are off limits.
• Do not douche or use tampons. Take a warm bath or use pads instead.
• You should not be changing the kitty litter because harmful parasites may be present.
• Travel is okay as long as you don't travel far from home during the last month of pregnancy. Check with your doctor first if a travel emergency arises.
• Seatbelts will not harm your fetus.
• Use both shoulder and lap belts and make sure to place the lap belt under your belly, across the hips and thighs.
• Avoid contact with any harmful chemicals or fumes.

7800 Wolf Trail Cove, Germantown, TN 38138
Phone: (901) 682-9222; Fax: (901) 682-9505

Home • About Our Practice • Patient Services • Patient Education • Newsletters

The recommendations and information provided by this Web site are for educational purposes only. This Web site does not contain comprehensive coverage of the topics addressed, and is not a substitute for direct consultation with your health care provider. Always consult a health care provider regarding your specific condition. Trademarks referred to are the property of their respective owners.

© 2008 Women's Health Specialists. All Rights Reserved.