Definition
Can’t believe it? Yes… You have reached the V month, which is right in the middle of your pregnancy… It is without question a month full of thanks: you feel wonderful again, and it has become obvious to everyone that you are a mother-to-be. It’s the month when you start looking through bookstores for books (or articles on the Internet) about pregnancy and especially about what it’s like to be a mother. It’s a wonderful month to shop in maternity clothes stores or browse baby items and accessories. Let’s discuss fifth(5th) month pregnancy details below.
Table of Content
1. Definition
2. Mother’s symptoms
3. Changes in the emotional state
4. Fetal development
5. Visit to the doctor
6. Problems that may arise
Mother’s symptoms
This month you will continue to gain weight, not infrequently even three kilograms throughout the month. Your waist has completely disappeared, and your uterus is now bottoming out a finger or two below your navel.
Breast changes. Your breasts continue to grow even more, but they become softer and are no longer as heavy as in the past months. They are extremely sensitive to the touch even when you put on a bra. You can also notice the discharge of a rather viscous yellowish liquid, it is colostrum, the first milk that your newborn will soon meet.
Pain in the lower abdomen. Around this time, you will start to feel abdominal pain located mainly in the lower floor. They are due to the growth of the pregnant uterus, which leads to the stretching of both the abdominal walls and the ligaments that anchor the uterus inside.
Muscle cramps in the legs. These cramps can be very painful during pregnancy. They are due to the fact that you are standing too long, and the pressure due to the increased weight affects the lower limbs. Also Read: What Happens Six(6th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Swollen feet and ankles. Also, if you stand for too long, you may be surprised that your shoes start to tighten and you feel a heaviness and a dull pain in your calves. If this happens, contact your doctor immediately.
Back pain. It is the time when these sinful back pains appear that will accompany you throughout the pregnancy. They appear due to the increased weight of your trunk, which must be held vertically with an additional effort.
Constipation. It can become even more annoying, with the unpleasant possibility of getting worse towards the end of the pregnancy
Bloating. It appears especially after you have eaten a lot (and this is very likely to happen more and more often during this period) and is due to the fact that your intestines can no longer carry out their activity “quietly”, being spatially constrained by to the pregnant uterus.
Bleeding gums. Due to generalized congestion, you may be surprised to find that after you brush your teeth, your gums are bleeding.
Nasal congestion and epistaxis. Nasal congestion and nosebleeds also occur for the same reasons, but they are rarer than gum bleeds.
Dizziness. Dizziness is very common during pregnancy and is due to a sudden change in body position so that for a short period of time the irrigation of the brain is insufficient.
Increased appetite. Usually, at the end of the fifth month, even pregnant women who were tormented by morning sickness in the early months begin to have an increased appetite. It is a wonderful moment to put into practice the principles of diet discussed in the pages dedicated to the small months of pregnancy.
Difficulties in sexual intercourse. If until this month you had no problems having sex with your partner, it is possible that you will start having some difficulties, primarily due to the conformational and size changes of your body, but it is also possible that you will have problems having an orgasm. But some women have a more intense life during this period.
Fetal movements. Starting this month, you will feel your baby’s movements very clearly, although they are still a bit “unconvincing”. But as the weeks go by, you will swear that you have a real footballer in your belly. You can already notice an alternation of quiet states with those of real gallop: it is the alternating sleep-wakefulness state of your little one.
Posture in sleep. If somehow you haven’t already done it since the previous months due to the increase in the size of the breasts, this month you can say goodbye to sleeping on your stomach. As the abdomen increases in size, the comfort during sleep decreases rapidly and you will find with displeasure that you are constrained to sleep only on one side.
Hair grows faster. If you have noticed that your hair and nails grow faster than usual, know that it is normal. It is due to the prenatal vitamins they take. Related Article: What Happens Seven(7th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Changes in the emotional state
During this period, your mental state becomes even more stable, and this is due to the fact that the placenta, reaching full maturity at the end of this month, takes over from the maternal body almost entirely the task of producing hormones necessary for the continuation of the pregnancy, and these placental hormones have less adverse effects than the maternal ones on your body. However, you can often notice certain changes in your emotional balance.
You are special. Now it is obvious to everyone that you are growing a baby in your belly, and this evidence gives you a state of uniqueness. It’s the time when people will offer to give you priority at the supermarket where you do your shopping or give up your seat on the tram. Passers-by will linger a second longer with their eyes on your belly, some unable to control their admiration. All these things that may have been insignificant before now make you feel really special because you are a mother-to-be
The nesting instinct. The need to clean the room, to change something in the environment where the baby will come, sometimes even pushed to the idea of painting the walls, appears for the first time during this period. And this comes at the same time as the return in strength of the energy before getting pregnant. You will be surprised to find that you prefer to stay at home than to go out in the city as you used to in the previous months
Introspection. As your body concentrates its resources to feed a new life, your mind will become more and more concerned with the presence of the little life that is developing inside you. And this will make you pay less attention to those around you. You will want to be more and more alone with your baby, to think about and sometimes even talk to (don’t forget, he already hears you!). Related Article: What Happens Eight(8th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Lack of concentration. Many times you will notice that during a discussion you can easily forget what you wanted to say, you can become incoherent in your expression or that you often go to a place in the house to get something and when you get there you forget what you had to do. Sometimes it is difficult for you to use even the simplest expressions or words from the usual vocabulary. Do not be alarmed, it is normal during pregnancy, especially since after birth you will regain your “memory” and ability to concentrate.
Overwhelmed with advice. Everyone will start giving you advice, starting with your “experienced” mother-in-law and ending with your “benevolent” boss. It’s time to start distinguishing between the absolutely useless advice and the really useful ones. Accept them all tactfully, but put into practice only the important ones.
Increased worries. As a matter of fact, as your belly grows in size, it makes room for more and more worries that appear during this period. The fact that you now clearly feel your baby’s movements makes you even more aware that you have a little life that is growing inside you and that only has you as support and protection. And with this, the inherent worries also appear: are you ready to raise a being for whom you are responsible? Are you ready to manage all social problems, work, family, household chores? How will the baby be? Healthy? How will the child affect your relationship with others?
Fear of accidents. If until now only with difficulty could someone notice that you are pregnant, from now on the increased dimensions of the uterus become obvious to anyone. But at the same time, it also becomes obvious that the baby is exposed more and more to aggressions from the external environment. If last months it was small and hidden deep among the abdominal viscera, now between the baby and the external environment there is only the uterine wall and the abdominal wall (and of course the amniotic fluid), so any accidental blow can be very unpleasant for the little one. The fear of hitting yourself, of falling down the stairs becomes very obvious. Especially since your increased belly, to which are added the enlarged breasts due to pregnancy, can prevent you from seeing where you are walking.
The need to be caressed. Now is a critical moment in your life… it’s the transition from female to pregnant forms. And this can make you feel some discomfort. It’s the time when you need the (even slightly exaggerated) appreciations of your partner or work colleagues, to make it easier for you to get over the unsatisfactory images that your mirror offers you every day. It’s the time when you want those close to you to overwhelm you with their attention, talk to you, admire you or put their hand on your belly.
Fetal development
It is a period marked by spectacular growth as well as the maturation of most of its organs. During this month, the fetus can grow in length up to approximately 25 cm, which is half of the length it will have at birth. His little feet, which are now the size of your little finger, continue to grow, and their musculature begins to make its presence felt, as the weeks of pregnancy pass, you will have the opportunity to feel his movements more and more frequently and more clearly. Also, his hands continue to grow, starting to make movements with them, uncoordinated at first, but you will be surprised to learn that he is already sucking his thumb and that he can squeeze his hand into a tiny fist.
Eyelashes and eyebrows become more and more obvious. The hair on the head is well-represented. Moreover, the fine hair that covers its entire body, lanugo, helps to keep on the surface of the body a fatty, whitish product secreted by the fetal integumentary glands, called vernix caseosa, which has the role of protecting the skin of the fetus from the watery environment in which it lives throughout the rest of the pregnancy. This skin, previously transparent, becomes slightly reddish and subcutaneous fat begins to appear. Related Article: What Happens Nine(9th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Your baby’s digestive system starts to work, so it can swallow amniotic fluid. At the same time, he urinates in this watery environment with the greatest nonchalance. His ear is almost completely formed, so he is able to hear you and even recognize your voice. Your baby is even starting to sleep and wake up at regular intervals.
Visit to the doctor
What should you expect from your appointment this month with your obstetrician? First of all, a casual discussion about how you feel and what problems you had during this past period since your last meeting. Then he will measure your weight, and blood pressure, check your legs if they show edema, measure the size of your uterus and consult you to determine if everything is in order at the local level.
Blood pressure
Why is this test done? Blood pressure measurement. Should I take this test? Advisable. When should I take this test? At all visits, especially in the last quarter. How is this test done? Blood pressure is measured using a sphygmomanometer placed on the arm. When are the results ready? Immediate.
Weight
Why is this test done? Weight measurement. Should I take this test? Advisable. When should I take this test? At all visits, especially in trimesters II and III. How is this test done? Body weight is measured with the help of a precise medical scale and compared with the results of the previous month, observing the weight gain. When are the results ready? Immediate.
Ultrasound
Why is this test done? It collects valuable information about the development of the fetus, the placenta, the uterus. Should I take this test? Surely. In this month, ultrasound can give information about:
– the age of the pregnancy
– if the size of the fetus corresponds to the estimated age of the pregnancy
– if the fetus develops harmoniously
– appreciates the growth in the dynamics of the fetus
– appreciates the way of implantation and growth of the placenta, as well as gives information about its morphology
– gives information about the position of the fetus in the womb, about its movements
– it gives information about the fetal heart activity
– it assesses the amount of amniotic fluid
– it can discover certain fetal malformations
– it is of invaluable help in assisting invasive diagnostic procedures such as amniocentesis or umbilical vein puncture
– it gives information about the sex of the fetus.
– gives information about the blood circulation in the uterine arteries.
When should I take this test? It is advisable to do it, if possible, on the occasion of every visit to the doctor. How is this test done? The doctor visualizes on a screen similar to a computer monitor the data collected with the help of an ultrasound probe that he walks on your abdomen. When are the results ready? Immediate.
BCF sites
Why is this test done? Auscultation of fetal heartbeats. Should I take this test? Advisable. When should I take this test? At all visits. How is this test done? In this month the fetal heartbeats (BCFs) can be heard using the obstetric stethoscope, which is shaped like a funnel. When are the results ready? Immediate.
AFP (Alpha-Feto Protein) Screening
Why is this test done? Doctors use this method to test if the maternal blood contains Alfa-Feto Protein, the protein produced by the fetal liver and which is normally found in the maternal blood (but also in the amniotic fluid) in varying amounts. Higher or lower levels of this marker can indicate the presence of certain problems. Should I take this test? If you are over 35 years old, if you have cases of such problems in your family or if you simply want to find out what the condition of your fetus is. When should I take this test? Anytime between weeks 16 and 20, if the doctor recommends it. How is this test done? A small amount of blood is collected from the mother’s arm. When are the results ready? in a week. I repeat: it is a test that measures the risk of having a problem, it is not a diagnostic test! If the results are outside the normal limits, a series of other tests are performed to establish the diagnosis.
The triple test
Why is this test done? It is also a screening test for detecting fetal defects, especially spina bifida and Down syndrome . Should I take this test? If you are over 35 years old and have antecedents or similar cases among your relatives or your partner. When should I take this test? Between weeks 16 and 22. How is this test done? The test measures the levels of Alfa-Feto Protein, the pregnancy-specific hormone secreted by the placenta, hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and unconjugated estriol. Blood is taken from the mother’s arm. When are the results ready? In a week.
Percutaneous puncture of the umbilical vein
Why is this test done? The test obtains fetal blood with the help of a fine needle that is inserted into the umbilical vein. It is used as an adjunct to amniocentesis and ultrasound to detect congenital anomalies or if the doctor suspects that your child is anemic. Should I take this test? The test is done if an ultrasound anomaly has been discovered and if the amniocentesis results are inconclusive. It is also used if Rh incompatibility is suspected or if you have been exposed to an infection that has teratogenic potential. When should I take this test? Between weeks 18 and 36. How is this test done? A fine needle is inserted through the maternal abdomen to the umbilical vein under echographic control and a small amount of fetal blood is aspirated. When are the results ready? In three days.
Problems that may arise
This month is characterized by an attenuation of all the symptoms that dominated the clinical picture of the first months. Discomfort may occur due to rebellious constipation, the appearance of varicose veins or hemorrhoids , as well as edema located at the level of the calves and ankles. Also, we cannot say that this month is completely devoid of unpleasant surprises. Spontaneous abortions , threatened abortions or, during a routine ultrasound check, you may find out that something is wrong with your fetus…