Prenatal Care in the Second Trimester
What to Expect, and Why It’s Important
You’re a third of the way through your pregnancy and feeling strong and confident. Your first trimester morning sickness pains are behind you, you’re rocking your baby bump, and you’re excited because you’re only a few weeks away from learning the gender of your baby. Keep in mind that prenatal care is just as important in the second trimester as it is in the first and third. You should expect more visits to your OBGYN, more healthy eating and activity, and exciting memories with your baby.
OBGYN Visits
During your second trimester, your doctor will likely want to see you about every four weeks. During your appointments, your OBGYN will continue to monitor your blood pressure and your weight gain. He or she will also be able to measure your baby’s growth during the second trimester.
Starting when you reach the mid-point in your pregnancy, your doctor will begin measuring the distance between your pubic bone and the top of your uterus. This measurement, known as your fundal height, helps estimate your baby’s size and growth rate. From week 20 to week 36, your fundal height, in centimeters, should roughly correspond to how many weeks pregnant you are.
During your second trimester, your doctor will monitor baby’s heartbeat, likely something you’ll hear for the first time around week 12 — one of the most memorable pregnancy moments for moms and dads.
Baby Movement
You’ll first start to feel your baby kicking and moving around within your belly during your second trimester. Be sure to let your OBGYN know when you first notice that fluttery feeling.
Baby’s First Photoshoot
You should expect a fetal ultrasound that will show you images of your baby in the uterus, and may be able to tell you the baby’s gender. Not only is this an emotionally significant moment in your pregnancy, this test is vital to helping your OBGYN identify the risk of any anomalies.
Second Trimester Testing
Just as you experienced during your first trimester, you should expect blood tests during your second trimester. These tests will monitor your blood count and iron levels, identify possible infection, and determine your risk for gestational diabetes. You will also receive additional urine tests to screen for infections, and high protein levels that may be an indication of a urinary tract infection or, if accompanied by high blood pressure, a sign of preeclampsia.
Depending on what screening tests were conducted in the first trimester, you may also have the opportunity to conduct genetic testing, or you may need to be monitored for a negative Rh factor. Also, depending on what previous screening tests or the ultrasound uncovered, your OBGYN may recommend additional diagnostic tests, such as amniocentesis. This test can detect chromosome abnormalities, neural tube defects, and other genetic disorders.
A note about the flu vaccine: If your second trimester spans flu season, your OBGYN will likely speak with you about the benefits of receiving the flu shot during your second trimester.
As always, at any point throughout your pregnancy, your doctor is available to answer any questions or concerns that you may have. Never hesitate to ask a question, or call for an extra appointment.
At Chouchani, Sayegh and Robinson, we are accepting newly pregnant and pregnant patients. Call for an appointment today.
Did you miss last week’s post about what to expect during the first trimester of pregnancy? Read on to find out more.
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