Second Trimester

In the second trimester the fetus begins to grow tremendously.

Eighteen weeks old
24cm long

Mothers Development

This is the most exciting time for a pregnant woman. She can feel the baby move for the first time. This is called quickening and is often felt as just a flutter in the beginning.

Weight Gain

* gains 10-15 lbs
* increased breast size
* thickness around the waist and hips
* swelling in the lower abdomen

Circulatory Changes

* blood volume increases
* nose bleeds, nasal congestion
* varicose veins in legs may begin
* hemorrhoids may begin

Skin Changes

* darkening of nipples and areolar areas
* brown line appears down the center of moms belly
* streach marks may develop
* face may become darker

Fatigue

* heart burn and indigestion
* change in appetite increases
* food cravings, moring sickness stops

Quickening

* baby's movements intensify over following weeks

Fetal Development

At twelve weeks the embryo is now called a fetus. From nine to thirteen weeks the fetus is recognized as a human being. By the end of this trimester the fetus is 3" long and weights 1 oz.

Twelve Weeks

* baby's sex can be determained
* kicking begins

Sixteen Weeks

* fine downy hair grows on the fetus
* semi-transparent skin surrounds the fetus
* bone and circulatory growth continues rapidly
* finger nails and toe nails are present

Twenty Weeks

* the fetus will swallow amniotic fluid
* the kidneys produce fairly large quantities of urine which is excreted into the amniotic fluid
* scalp hair appears

Twenty-Four Weeks

* at this stage the fetus is termed viable if born early
* little body fat is present
* the skin is wrinkled and covered with a white cheesy substance called vernix, which protects and lubricates the skin
* movements become stronger

The Developing Bones

At eight weeks old the fetus is growing tremendously. Here we see blood vessels growing over the crown. During birth the skull bones may be forced to overlap in order for the head to pass through the birth canal. (top of page)

Boy or Girl

This is a picture of a 17-week-old fetus boy. The next picture is the testicles in week 13. Already the sperm are in position and the cells, in the following picture are colored blue and are forming the male sex hormone.

This is a picture of a girl at 21 weeks. The next picture is the ovaries in week 11. In the baby girl we see a primitive ovum cell surrounded by nutrient cells. (top of page)