Definition
You have reached the last trimester of pregnancy – can you believe that time has passed so quickly? Three months before the “D” day, you are probably burning with impatience to get to the end. Don’t worry, the three months go by as fast as you can clap your hands! Let’s discuss seven(7th) month pregnancy details below.
Table Of Content
1. Definition
2. Mother’s symptoms
3. Emotional changes
4. Fetal development
5. Visit to the doctor
6. Problems that may arise
Mother’s symptoms
Apart from the fact that your belly has grown even more, the bottom of the uterus can now touch your ribs, and the fact that sometimes you will be forced to wear an absorbent bra due to the increased secretion of colostrum, the rest of your symptoms remain the same.
The leucorrhoea increases, becoming really annoying, the fetal movements become more and more easily perceptible and stronger, the pains in the lower abdominal floor can also increase, as the supporting ligaments of the uterus become more stretched.
Digestive problems such as constipation, flatulence or bloating also increase.
Also Read: What Happens Eight(8th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Your feet can swell enough to force you to make a trip to the shoe store and, if you still end up there, buy some light shoes, because from now on you will definitely have problems with your balance (your body adapts with difficulty to changes in body weight and volume, creating real problems for maintaining balance).
The face will become increasingly rounder and fluffier, sometimes being marked by a change in pigmentation called chloasma. The increased size and the completely unusual distribution of the volumes of your body make your life bitter when you want to move somewhere or do certain household things, so you will notice that the fatigue you have encountered since the first trimester returns.
These changes will cause you a certain degree of discomfort in terms of the position in which you want to rest or sleep, so you will not often have difficulty falling asleep at night. In addition to this old knowledge, new ones can also appear, such as:
Problems with Braxton-Hicks contractions. You can be used to these types of contractions since last month, they are painless uterine contractions, which manifest as a hardening of the uterus for a few seconds that disappear afterward.
In the state of abdominal discomfort specific to this period, you can misinterpret these contractions as those that foretell the onset of a premature birth. If they become somewhat painful and take place on a regular basis, it is good to notify your obstetrician immediately.
Pelvic pressure. It appears especially when you are standing for a long time and is caused by the pregnant uterus pressing on the pelvic floor. In this context, the well-known trips to the bathroom can be resumed, because the uterus presses again on the bladder, causing the need to urinate more frequently.
Stretch marks can become even more visible this month. They can multiply or only become more consistently pigmented. Unfortunately, once these marks appear, they do not disappear, although after birth they will regain their normal skin color.
White nights. As the term approaches, you will notice that you will get less and less sleep and rest.
The sleepless nights are caused not only by changes in the volume of your body but also by the multiple pains you have for various reasons, such as the increase in blood volume, with a feeling of suffocation sometimes when you sit horizontally.
Also, acid reflux from your stomach or kicking your baby can chase away your sleep. Sometimes the worries inherent in pregnancy can prevent you from resting.
The child hiccups! If you notice rhythmic strokes in a certain part of the abdomen that last a few minutes, it’s good to know that the little one just got the hiccups. This seems strange considering that the baby does not yet breathe air, but he has respiratory movements through which his diaphragm makes trips to and fro to prepare for life in the outside world. These diaphragmatic movements can cause hiccups. Also Read: What Happens Nine(9th) Month Pregnancy – Definition, Symptoms and Signs
Emotional changes
Entering the third and last trimester brings with it a state of some serenity. You are already used to the fact that pregnancy can be extremely wonderful, but at the same time quite full of problems, so you can consider yourself a kind of expert in managing these conflicting emotional states.
Anyway, what was difficult is over, from now on most worries have only one subject: how it will be at birth . Until then, however, you can experience the following emotional states:
Euphoria. It is the time when you realize that all the physical discomforts, emotional imbalances and fears that made your life bitter in the first two trimesters of pregnancy have either decreased in intensity or, if not, at least you are aware that they will end soon.
You can feel a natural state of euphoria, a combination of pride and the feeling that you are something special and you want everyone to realize how important you are. Enjoy these moments of ecstasy as much as you can, because it’s very possible that a kick from your little one will bring you down with your feet on the ground sooner than you wanted.
You have become forgetful. Extreme concentration on the pregnancy and the thought that the moment of truth is fast approaching can make you dreamier during the day.
You can forget important events (like your mother-in-law’s birthday), you can go to a room to get something and once you get there you realize that you forgot what you were supposed to do, you can stop in the middle of a sentence and not – you still remember where you wanted to go.
You feel the need for a break. You have been through a lot and you still have a lot to solve in the remaining time. Sometimes you can feel mentally exhausted and you want it to end as soon as possible. Don’t give up and don’t lay down your arms. Look on the bright side of things.
The nesting instinct. Starting from this period, the feeling of doing something practical with regard to the child’s room becomes stronger, but after you realize that you cannot paint or beat the carpets by yourself, you turn your attention to concerns such as organizing photo albums, finding a beautiful name for your baby, etc.
Worry about your baby. Although they are not as pregnant as in the first months of pregnancy, worries about the well-being of your baby begin to make their presence felt again, even if they have put on a different coat: Will he be healthy? It will be nice? Who will he look like? Does he get enough food from me? Does belly pain mean I’m giving birth prematurely? Will I be a good mother? Don’t be afraid, they are normal as long as you are not already wondering how to dress for baptism.
The impatience to give birth. If in the first trimester, you wanted to be pregnant with all your heart, and in the second you experienced a state of security, the third trimester is characterized by the desire to finish as soon as possible.
Besides the fact that first of all is the desire to see your baby as soon as possible, there is also the desire to get rid of a series of other frustrations characterized by pregnancy: you want to sleep on your stomach again, you want to dress in your old clothes, etc.
Fetal development
The fetus continues its growth and development undisturbed. It weighs over a kilogram and a half and can reach up to 35-40 cm. His skin begins to become more uniform because the subcutaneous fat deposits take on proportions.
His brain and nervous system continue their complicated process of maturation. Your baby’s eyes start to open and close.
The lanugo begins to disappear from his face and his hearing begins to get better and better: he hears the voices of those around you, he hears you and he hears your heartbeat (which sometimes makes him fall asleep). He has periods when he sleeps and others when he is awake. The lungs also begin to mature through the secretion of surfactant at the level of the pulmonary alveoli, but which will be complete only in the last month of pregnancy.
As for the kicks, don’t think you’ve escaped, it’s starting to get more and more boisterous. He makes grabbing movements with his hands and also does nothing but suck his finger all day long. He may hiccup or cry. His prints are fully formed.
His testicles begin to descend into the scrotum (provided he is a boy!).
Visit to the doctor
In general, if your pregnancy has gone well so far and there have been no problems, it is likely that your obstetrician will take a well-deserved break and only call you in the last month of your pregnancy.
If he still wants to examine you, he will check the fundus of the uterus, the local condition of the vagina and, especially, the cervix, measure your blood pressure and check if your legs are swollen or not. Don’t forget to ask him everything you are confused about your pregnancy and to discuss with him all the problems that have arisen during this period.
It is good to remember that if you are Rh negative and have an (Rh) incompatibility with your partner, and if in previous tests you had high anti-Rh antibody titers, your doctor will send you to make a kind of vaccine through which you are administered an anti-Rh globulin so that until birth your fetus will not suffer from them. If after birth it is discovered that your baby is also Rh positive (like your partner), you will be administered this “vaccine” once more.
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? Collect information about the development of the fetus, the placenta, the uterus. Should I take this test? Advisable. This month, ultrasound can provide information about:
– If the size of the fetus corresponds to the estimated age of the pregnancy;
– If the fetus develops harmoniously;
– Appreciate the increase in the dynamics of the fetus;
– Appreciates the way the placenta grows, as well as gives information about its morphology;
– Gives information about the position of the fetus in the uterus, about its movements;
– Provides information about fetal cardiac activity;
– Provides information about the respiratory movements of the fetus;
– Estimate the amount of amniotic fluid;
– Can discover certain fetal malformations;
– It is of invaluable help in assisting invasive diagnostic procedures such as amniocentesis or puncture of the umbilical vessels;
– Give indications about fetal circulation, umbilical or at the level of your uterine arteries;
– Give information about the sex of the fetus.
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? Mandatory. When should I take this test? At all visits. How is this test done?
The doctor uses a special stethoscope that he sticks to the maternal abdominal wall in different places to find the best place to listen to the fetal heart. In more modern offices, it is done with the help of a kind of microphone in the shape of a small disc that is placed on your abdominal wall. When are the results ready? Immediate.
Percutaneous puncture of the umbilical vein
Why is he doing this test? 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, especially if the doctor suspects that your baby has hemolytic anemia due to Rh incompatibility.
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 he has been exposed to an infection that has teratogenic potential.
When should I take this test? As indicated by the doctor, anytime between weeks 18 and 36. How is this test done? A fine needle is inserted through the maternal abdomen to the umbilical vein under ultrasound control, and a small amount of fetal blood is aspirated. When are the results ready? In three days.
Glucose tolerance test
Why is this test done? The test is done to detect a glucose intolerance caused by pregnancy to detect a possible predisposition to gestational diabetes.
Should I take this test? Recommended especially if you are overweight or have diabetes in your family. When should I take this test? In week 24-26 of pregnancy and it is repeated in weeks 32-34. How is this test done? The doctor will give you to drink a sweet liquid (glucose) on an empty stomach and your blood glucose will be measured after an hour.
If the results show an increased level of glucose, the doctor may recommend a blood glucose test every three hours, which is more accurate. When are the results ready? Immediately, if the glucotest is used.
amniocentesis
Why is this test done? The test is used at this gestational age to measure bilirubin levels in the amniotic fluid when the presence of fetal hemolytic anemia determined by Rh incompatibility is suspected. Should I take this test? If you have Rh incompatibility with your partner and if a major damage to the fetus is suspected.
When should I take this test? After weeks 22-24. How is this test done? It is an invasive test, which must be done under hospital conditions. Under ultrasound control, a very thin but long needle is inserted through the mother’s abdominal wall until it reaches the uterus in the amniotic sac from where a little amniotic fluid is aspirated. When are the results ready? At least a week.
Problems that may arise
Premature birth. 90% of pregnancies reach the normal term of 37-38 weeks when the fetus is well prepared for life outside the womb. Unfortunately, there is this quite significant percentage in which the pregnancy can end prematurely.
The number one danger in such circumstances is the fact that the fetal lung is not yet well-matured, lacking sufficient amounts of alveolar surfactant. What is this surfactant?
It is a mixture of several phospholipids (special fats) that has the role of easing the tensions that occur at the interface between the atmosphere and the baby’s alveolus, allowing it to breathe easily after the first breath of air.
Without this surfactant, the lung collapses after each exhalation, so the baby is forced to inhale each time starting from a minimum lung volume, physically exhausting it.
Fetal hypotrophy. The ultrasound exam can notice a delay in the growth of the fetus vis-à-vis the gestational age. This delay is called fetal hypotrophy. As we already mentioned last month, hypotrophy can be symmetrical, that is, all the anatomical elements of the fetus are grown harmoniously, but behind the normal dimensions for the gestational age, or asymmetric, that is, certain elements can be appropriate for the gestational age, and others not. .
Fetal malformations. At this age of the fetus, certain developmental abnormalities can be detected more easily and with more accuracy: cardiac, vascular, renal, diaphragm, abdominal wall, central nervous system, genital system, etc.
Hypertension induced by pregnancy. If during a routine blood pressure measurement your minimum blood pressure exceeds 90 mm Hg, your doctor must repeat the measurement after at least 4 hours. If the results are similar, an adequate treatment will have to be instituted, in order to be able to prevent the occurrence of serious complications such as eclampsia or preeclampsia in a timely manner .
Gestational diabetes. In general, about 3% of pregnant women develop this transient pathological condition during pregnancy, which goes away after birth.
The placenta produces a series of hormones that have an anti-insulin effect, and the mother’s pancreas does not produce enough insulin to overcome this handicap.