Week 21

Development of 21 weeks fetus

How does the 21-week fetus develop?

Surely many mothers are also curious to know how much a 21-week pregnancy weighs? Answer the baby now has a carrot size with a length of about 26.7cm from head to heel and weighs about 340g.

The amniotic fluid that buffers and supports the baby in the uterus is now serving another purpose. Your baby's intestines have now grown enough to absorb small amounts of the sugars in the liquid, which are swallowed and passed through the colon's digestive system. However, most of the nutrients for a 21-week baby are still provided through the placenta.

By this point, your baby's liver and spleen are responsible for blood cell production. The bone marrow is developed enough to contribute to the formation of blood cells and the bone marrow will also be the main blood cell production organ from 9 months and after birth. The spleen stops producing blood cells by 30 weeks of pregnancy and the liver stops making blood cells a few weeks before birth.

A change in the mother's body at 21 weeks of pregnancy

How does the mother's body change?

So you are clear how a 21-week pregnancy develops. These days the mother will feel quite comfortable in part because the womb is not too big and the unpleasant symptoms in early pregnancy also disappear. If you are feeling well, relax and enjoy it, because 9 months of pregnancy will make you very tired!

However, you will likely have to deal with a number of other problems as well when your baby is 21 weeks old. For example, increased oil production in the body "contributes" to the development of acne. If that is the case, the mother must diligently clean the acne area with mild soap or cleanser twice daily. Make sure the moisturizer or makeup mom uses is oil free. Do not take any acne medication orally as some can be very dangerous during pregnancy. Before using any acne treatment, you should consult your doctor.

Not only that, pregnant mothers in the last months of pregnancy may also experience varicose veins . Accordingly, the growing fetus puts increasing pressure on the veins of the mother's legs, accompanied by elevated levels of the hormone progesterone, which causes the veins to weaken and make the problem worse. Mom is more likely to have this condition if other family members have a history of the condition.

In addition, varicose veins tend to get worse with consecutive pregnancies and getting older. To help prevent or reduce varicose veins, you should exercise daily, support your feet and legs whenever possible, lie down on your left side and wear maternity support clothes, to help the fetus develop healthy.

You may also experience spider veins - a group of tiny blood vessels near the skin's surface, especially on the ankles, legs, or face. They are spider web-like or look like tiny rays of sun emanating from the sun or branches stabbing out from the center, or as a group of small separate sparks of blood with no specific shape. Although they can be a bit unsightly, spider veins don't cause discomfort and usually go away on their own after birth.

21 weeks fetus, mothers need to note what?

Time passed quickly, soon mother was carrying a beautiful little "angel" in her hand. Before touching that "sacred" moment, a mother should preserve beautiful memories of the journey of pregnancy. Years later, when the mother grows up, she will surely enjoy going back to the past - the time before she came to this world.

All you need to do is prepare a pretty little box and put in the pictures that revolve around your life. It could be an ultrasound scan of your pregnancy, your pet, your partner or your happy home. In addition to keeping every beautiful moment with loved ones, many future mothers also have the habit of writing a diary, buying a few souvenirs or even making their own baby items for their baby. born. When not in use anymore, please store everything in the memory box to one day hand it over to your children and grandchildren!

In addition to the emotional aspect, mothers should also pay more attention to the adequate supplementation of vitamins and minerals to ensure health; Iron, in particular, is essential for blood cell formation. To prevent varicose veins, mothers should actively exercise and apply all measures to support legs when resting. Besides, mothers also pay attention to lie on their left side when sleeping, and wear comfortable clothes to help the baby develop better.

Doctor's advice about 21 week pregnancy

What should mom discuss with the doctor?

The fetus is 21 weeks old, although there are still a few months before the mother can breastfeed, but now the breast is starting to produce milk. This milk is called colostrum, in addition to its abundant nutrition it also contains large amounts of natural antibodies that help boost immunity for children. Colostrum appears when pregnant mothers turn 7 months of pregnancy (about 24-28 weeks onwards). There are also cases of colostrum forming early in months 4, 5, 6.

Some of the most recognizable signs include tightness and pain in the chest, small white spots like acne in the nipples, and itching and discomfort.

To overcome the above, you can apply a warm compress or gently massage your chest. Also, do not hesitate to inform your doctor about any abnormalities that occur in your body in your next visit!

What tests do you need to know?

From now on, regular visits to the doctor will become a good habit for mothers. You can ask your doctor to check for these after the fetus is 21 weeks old, although it may vary depending on the specific needs of the mother and the way the doctor works:

Measure your weight and blood pressure. You can also ask your doctor to check how much weight of a 21-week pregnancy is, whether there is a difference from the standard weight chart or not.

Urine tests to measure sugar and protein

Check the heart rate of a 21 week old fetus

Measure the size of the uterus by touching the outside (feel it from the outside) to see how it correlates to the due date.

Height of the fundus (top of the uterus)

Check for swelling of the hands and feet, check for varicose veins in the legs

Symptoms that the mother experienced, especially those that were not normal

Have a list of questions or issues you want to discuss about your 21st week with your doctor ready.

Maternal and fetal health at 21 weeks

What do you need to know to ensure safety during pregnancy?

Caffeine and sweeteners

Pregnant women 21 weeks pregnant can drink soda for dieters as long as they do not abuse caffeine excessively. Accordingly, mothers should limit their caffeine intake to 200 mg per day. Sweeteners found in ready-made beverages are considered safe when consumed in moderation. So, if I miss this "addicted" to these drinks, she can allow me to consume one or two cans per day. However, be sure to include other healthy drinks like whole milk and fruit juices to rehydrate and boost your nutrition.

Food containing liver 

Liver is one of the protein-rich foods as well as other nutritional supplements, especially un-metabolized vitamin A (also known as retinol). This form of vitamin A is found in many animal products such as eggs, milk, and liver. Too much of this vitamin A in the 21-week pregnancy diet can cause birth defects in the developing fetus, especially in the early months of pregnancy. According to statistics, one serving of beef liver can contain three times the maximum amount of non-metabolized vitamin A recommended by the doctor per day. You should not eat liver every day, but eating 1 or 2 times a month will not harm you.