What should you pay attention to during the 17th week of pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a great joy in life and also an important event. Pregnant women have a particularly hard time during pregnancy, but for the sake of their beloved babies, perhaps any hardship can be overcome. The seventeenth week of pregnancy is already the middle pregnancy period. The fetus is already stable in the mother's body. The pregnant woman only needs to do some daily care work and ensure sufficient and reasonable nutrition intake, and the baby will naturally develop healthily in the mother's body. So what should you pay attention to during the seventeenth week of pregnancy? Here is an introduction for everyone:

You are 17 weeks pregnant and have gained about 2.3kg. At this time, your lower abdomen looks more prominent, and when you touch between your belly button and toes, you can feel a hard mass, which is the upper part of the uterus. Your waist circumference is approximately between 76-89cm. You can no longer wear your old clothes. You must wear loose maternity clothes to feel comfortable. Your hips will also gradually grow wider and thicker due to the influence of pregnancy hormones.

1. Whether to do amniocentesis: If you have done Down syndrome screening at 15 weeks of pregnancy and the result is high risk, or you are 35 years old or have a family history of genetic disorders, you need to do amniocentesis. The best time to perform amniotic fluid extraction is between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. However, you don’t have to worry even if you do amniocentesis. The amniocentesis technology in obstetrics and gynecology hospitals is now very mature and there is no danger.

2. Ultrasound examination: Some doctors will recommend that you do an ultrasound examination this week. They will check the fetal head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length to determine the general development of the fetus and whether there are signs of genetic defects. Through B-ultrasound, you can see the baby kicking its legs, sucking its fingers, stretching its waist and other movements, which is very interesting. During your entire pregnancy, you may need to undergo 3-4 ultrasound examinations to ensure the healthy development of the fetus.

3. Vaginitis during pregnancy: During this period, the increase in vaginal secretions will make you feel uncomfortable. You must pay attention to care, otherwise you are prone to vaginitis. Don't use sanitary pads just to save trouble. You should know that even the best pads will affect local breathability. You should wear cotton underwear, change and wash it frequently every day, and expose your changed underwear to the sun; do not eat spicy food. If you suffer from vaginitis, you should actively cooperate with your doctor's treatment.

4. Breast massage: As your pregnancy progresses, your breasts will become more sensitive, soft, and even painful. In order to better breastfeed after delivery, breast and nipple care should be put on the agenda. You need to gently caress your breasts every day. You can apply moisturizing oil first, then use one hand to gently pull the nipple and twist it back and forth. Use your other hand to stroke the breast from top to bottom, and then push from bottom to top. This will make the breast and nipple slowly grow longer and larger, which is beneficial for future breastfeeding.

5. Calcium supplementation during pregnancy: As the fetus grows larger, it needs more calcium for normal bone growth. Therefore, you should pay attention to calcium supplementation in the second trimester of pregnancy. It is recommended to drink 1-2 bags of milk every day and eat more foods rich in calcium: such as fish floss, dried shrimp, tofu, walnut kernels, pumpkin seeds, etc. In addition, you should get more sun exposure and participate in outdoor sports to increase the synthesis of vitamin D and allow calcium to be better absorbed by the body.

Calcium supplementation is a topic of concern to every expectant mother. As the fetus grows larger, if the pregnant woman cannot get enough calcium from her diet, the baby will ruthlessly plunder the calcium in the mother's bones, which may harm the expectant mother's future health.

To ensure the normal development of the fetus's bones without using the mother's calcium, pregnant women should supplement 1,000 mg of calcium per day after the second trimester, and up to 1,200 mg in the third trimester. The daily calcium intake from food is only 400 mg. Therefore, in addition to the recommended drinking 1-2 bags of milk every day (which can supplement 250-500 mg of calcium), you also need to supplement certain calcium preparations.

You can eat breakfast as a full meal, and pay attention to the quality and nutritional balance of breakfast. It can not only enhance the supply of nutrition and energy, but also prevent weight gain from being too fast. Pregnant mothers have decreased gastrointestinal function, reduced gastric acid secretion, and weakened gastrointestinal motility, so they must be careful to avoid the stimulation of hot or cold foods, and try to reduce the number of times they eat out to avoid unhygienic dishes and chopsticks.

By the seventeenth week of pregnancy, the fetus has begun to take human form and can sense the mother's emotions, so the mother should try to keep a happy mood. She can listen to some soothing prenatal music to comfort the baby and let the baby listen quietly, which will have a good promoting effect on the baby's personality. Pregnant women should avoid overeating, eat more fruits and vegetables, maintain proper aerobic exercise, and communicate more with the baby to help the baby develop better. In addition, family members should try to accompany pregnant women when going out to avoid accidents.