Recommendations for the 13th week of pregnancy.

Nutrition advice remains the same for the 12th to 13th week of pregnancy. Your diet should be wholesome, balanced, and include seasonal fruits and vegetables, animal protein, and dairy products. Try not to overeat and control your weight.

If you are concerned about constipation at 13 weeks of pregnancy, add cereal dishes and foods rich in fiber (bran, raw vegetables) to the menu. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids: ideally, you should drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.

Spend more time outdoors, do simple physical exercises, if possible, go to the pool. Throughout the entire period of waiting for the baby (including at the 13th week of pregnancy), try to avoid crowded places with a large number of people. Be careful with the choice of household chemicals. In case of illness, do not self-medicate, but immediately contact a specialist.

If there are no medical contraindications, do not give up intimacy at the 13th week of pregnancy: it has a positive effect on the state of the body and helps to harmonize relations with your "soulmate".

Medical observation at the 13th week of pregnancy.

If you have already registered with the antenatal clinic, then by the 12th - 13th week of pregnancy, the first prenatal screening should be carried out. If for some reason this is not done, you need to urgently undergo an examination, which includes:

• Ultrasound examination of the fetus;

• Analysis for free b-hCG;

• Analysis for PAPP-A, or protein A.

Screening assesses the risk of neural tube defects and chromosomal abnormalities associated with diseases such as Edwards syndrome and Down syndrome.

Ultrasound at the 13th week of pregnancy will show the shape and size of the baby, his movement. In addition, with the help of ultrasound, the doctor will be able to assess the condition of the uterus, presentation and placenta attachment, and determine the approximate date of birth.

Also at the stage of 13 weeks of pregnancy, it is necessary to do a clinical blood test and a general urine test. According to their results, the risk of developing anemia, inflammatory and endocrine diseases is assessed.

Risk factors in the 13th week of pregnancy.

The 13th week of pregnancy is very controversial: on the one hand, everything is getting better, but most often it is during this period that expectant mothers develop candidiasis (thrush). The cause of the development of the disease is candida fungi. They are in the body of every person and in a passive state do not cause any problems, but with stress and immunity failures, they begin to activate and displace the normal microflora.

Signs of thrush - a feeling of sharp itching in the genitals and curdled white discharge. Do not rush to self-medicate: washing and douching with antiseptics will bring only short-term relief. And the lack of qualified medical care at the 13th week of pregnancy is fraught with an increase in the tone of the uterus. In addition, a bacterial infection can join candidiasis, and in this case there will be a risk of intrauterine infection of the fetus. The consequences of such an infection can be the most unpleasant.

How do you feel at 13 weeks pregnant?

With the beginning of the second trimester (and this is 12 - 13 weeks of pregnancy), most women feel a surge of vivacity and vitality. Mood improves, irritability and tearfulness disappear.

During this period, the expectant mother develops an appetite, and only some pregnant women continue to be bothered by nausea in the morning (it will finally disappear by the 16th week).

During the 13th week of pregnancy, the placenta produces the hormone progesterone, which has a relaxing effect on smooth muscle fibers. This is necessary in order to reduce the tone of the uterus and prevent miscarriage, but the digestive organs also experience the same effect, which causes constipation.

At the end of the first trimester, at a period of 12-13 weeks of pregnancy, intensive preparation of the breast for lactation began. The number of lobules in the mammary glands increases, which is often accompanied by their engorgement and soreness, and the breasts can become 1-2 sizes larger.

As for the nervous system, from the 13th week of pregnancy, the balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition occurring in the brain is restored. And if earlier the latter prevailed (you felt drowsy, were slow, uncollected), now everything falls into place. In the second trimester, your efficiency will increase and you will easily cope with household and professional duties.

13 weeks pregnant.

From the 13th week of pregnancy, you enter a new period for you - the second trimester, which is considered the easiest of the entire period of bearing a child. Early toxicosis is already over, the risk of abortion is minimal, and the stomach is not yet so big as to tire you with its heaviness.

Baby size: 60 - 80 mm.

Baby weight: 20 - 30 gr.

At the 13th week of pregnancy, your baby is about 6-7 cm tall and weighs 20-25 g. From this point on, the head will grow more slowly and the torso will grow faster.

What else is going on with your baby's body?

Circulation.

By the time of 12-13 weeks of pregnancy, the heart has four chambers, but, unlike the heart of an adult, it has a hole between the right and left atria. It "beats" with a frequency of 155 - 148 beats per minute.

Nervous system.

The fetus moves well, many reflexes are already developed: the baby reacts to touching the skin of the face, palms and heels, to loud sounds and bright light. Thanks to the development of tongue receptors, the child feels the taste of amniotic fluid.

Leather.

While it is very thin and translucent, with translucent blood vessels. However, by the 12th - 13th week of pregnancy, the rudiments of the sebaceous and sweat glands have already formed in it.

Bone system.

The bones of the baby are made of cartilage tissue, but gradually begin to harden. That is why it is very important for the expectant mother to get as much calcium as possible with food.

The immune system.

From the 13th week of pregnancy, B-lymphocytes (immunity cells) are formed in the bone marrow of the fetus, and immunoglobulins (antibodies) of all classes are synthesized in the blood. But despite this, the child's immune system is not yet active and cannot protect him from intrauterine infection.

Respiratory system.

The respiratory muscles of the fetus are already well developed, their contractions occur when the glottis is closed, so the amniotic fluid does not enter the lungs.

Digestive system.

By the 13th week of pregnancy, some enzymes are already produced in the baby's body, and the fetal liver is able to form bilirubin.

Endocrine system.

The pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that maintains normal blood sugar levels. And the thyroid gland synthesizes thyroxine, which is necessary for the growth and development of the body. Therefore, at this stage, the mother should receive a sufficient amount of iodine.

Kidneys.

The urinary system of a child at the 13th week of pregnancy is already functioning: the kidneys produce approximately 2.2 ml of urine per hour.

Sexual system.

In girls, follicles are laid in the ovaries; in boys, the process of moving the testicles into the scrotum begins, which will be completed by birth.

Possible complications of early abortion.

In most cases, the procedure is quick and almost painless, with the exception of surgery. Within a few weeks after the procedure, the menstrual cycle is disturbed. In the case of surgery, the risk of infertility remains. Many girls are psychologically difficult to endure the procedure, which can lead to depression and neurosis, but this does not happen too often.

To prevent dangerous complications, a woman must strictly follow the doctor's recommendations during the rehabilitation period.

The recovery time after surgery is at least 4 weeks, during which:

• a woman should not have sex - this can lead to infections and inflammation;

• it is important to monitor your own well-being, if the pressure drops or rises, the temperature rises, you need to contact a gynecologist;

• within 2 weeks you can not play sports - this can provoke inflammation;

• within 3-4 weeks you can take a shower, bath, swimming pool and hot bath is prohibited;

• you can not tolerate if you want to go to the toilet, this can also lead to inflammation of the pelvic organs.

In addition, the girl must adhere to proper nutrition, a complete ban on smoking and alcohol is imposed.

Termination of pregnancy in the early stages requires a woman's responsible attitude, since even medical abortion is a rather serious intervention in the body. If you strictly follow the doctor's indications, then the procedure in most cases is successful. But the risk of complications remains, especially with surgical abortion.

What drugs are used to terminate a pregnancy?

Doctors use the following means to terminate a pregnancy:

• "Mifepristone" and prostaglandins - administered vaginally, first the first drug, and after 24 hours - the second (nausea, digestive problems, bleeding may occur);

• "Methotroxate" - put an intramuscular injection, and after 5 days prostaglandin is administered vaginally. The scheme is very effective, but complete abortion may take several weeks;

• "Misoprostol" - prescribed as the main drug or combined with "Methotrexate". This is the safest drug for health, but there are cases of incomplete abortion;

• "Mifegin" is a French drug that is given to patients for up to 6 weeks. Has a very high efficiency;

• "Mifepreks" - use during the first 42 days after the delay;

• "Pencrofton" - a tablet preparation containing the substance mifepristone, is used for emergency abortion.

After a medical abortion, within 3-4 hours, moderate pains in the lower abdomen appear, as well as vaginal discharge. Within a week or two, spotting remains. 14 days after the second consultation, the girl must be tested and undergo an ultrasound scan to confirm the abortion. If it occurred partially, vacuum aspiration is prescribed.

Pharmaceutical termination of pregnancy.

Medical abortion involves the use of special drugs, but differs in some specific features. Unlike other procedures, it is less traumatic for the uterus, but there may be restrictions on the use of drugs. Unlike other methods, medical abortion is performed only for up to 7 weeks.

If you perform the procedure later, then a partial abortion may develop with the need for subsequent curettage. The procedure is very simple - a woman takes the drug in the form of a tablet, or she is given an injection. For some time she remains under the supervision of doctors. A slight bleeding will be evidence of the abortion.

Medical termination of pregnancy has many advantages:

• a well-chosen preparation and compliance with the terms give an efficiency of up to 98%;

• there are no severe side effects associated with anesthesia and intervention;

• the infection is excluded;

• psychologically, the medical procedure is much easier to tolerate;

• safety for reproductive function.

However, it is impossible to abuse such a technique, since it has its drawbacks. The procedure has a lot of contraindications, including problems with the kidneys and liver, anemia, treatment with glucocorticosteroids. Uterine fibromyoma is also considered a contraindication to the procedure, as are blood diseases. Diabetes is another limitation to medical abortion.

Surgical abortion (curettage).

This is a common but rather traumatic method of abortion. It is prescribed for up to12 weeks, and the operation is performed only under general anesthesia, as it causes pain. In the process, the doctor dilates the cervix and, using a curette, scrapes the uterine cavity.

 Surgical abortion lasts only 15-20 minutes, after which the patient needs to stay in the hospital for another 2-4 hours to prevent possible complications.

After surgery, the following complications may develop:

• damage to the endometrial layer;

• cervical injury;

• extensive bleeding;

• development of inflammation;

• an extensive wound of the tissues of the uterine cavity with an inaccurate procedure;

• subsequent infertility.

Doctors prefer not to use this procedure if medical or vacuum abortion is possible.

Vacuum aspiration (mini-abortion).

This abortion surgery is used early. The method consists in the fact that the doctor uses a special apparatus to cleanse the uterus. Under the action of vacuum, the attached fetal egg breaks off and is excreted from the body. The procedure is recommended for periods of 4 to 12 weeks. Late is unsafe, earlier the egg is too small to suck.

During the procedure, the doctor inserts a thin tube connected to a pump into the uterine cavity. Sometimes patients are given general anesthesia, but more often they get by with local anesthesia. Among the advantages of vacuum aspiration are:

• the procedure lasts 10 minutes, rarely longer than 20-25 minutes;

• guaranteed complete abortion, no re-procedure required;

• minimal trauma in comparison with the instrumental technique.

However, this method of abortion has its drawbacks. So, the risk of damage to the uterus remains, some women have a hard time with abortion from a psychological point of view.

Methodology.

In order for the abortion to be successful, and the woman not to face dangerous consequences, the procedure must be impeccably followed:

1. 2 days before the abortion, the woman takes "Mifepristone" as prescribed by the doctor, this is necessary to soften the cervix.

2. An antibiotic is given 2 hours before the procedure to protect against infection.

3. Next, the patient sits on a gynecological chair, and the doctor treats the vagina and cervix with an antiseptic.

4. They give an injection of local anesthesia and proceed to the procedure.

5. In some cases, additional preparation is required - the expansion of the cervical canal.

6. A plastic cannula connected to an aspiration syringe is inserted into the uterus.

7. The pump is turned on, the doctor cleans the uterine cavity well, then the instrument is removed.

For another 2-3 hours, the woman remains in the hospital, after which she can go home. It is important that the obtained tissue from the uterus be sent for a thorough examination to confirm a complete abortion.