5 signs of healthy pregnancy and 10 signs of weak pregnancy you need to know

Signs of weak pregnancy and healthy fetus are both issues that need to be paid attention to by pregnant mothers so that their baby is born in the most perfect way.

If you want to eliminate any threat to your baby, it's important to differentiate between healthy and weak pregnancy in order to prevent a miscarriage. Miscarriage  is one of the consequences of not ensuring the health conditions of the baby, leading to the loss of the baby before the 20th week of pregnancy.

The following article, aFamilyToday Health will give some certain warning signs to help you get more information needed to take care of your baby in a better way.

Signs of healthy fetus

Knowing the signs of a healthy fetus early in pregnancy becomes very important for any parent. A healthy fetus usually has the following:

1. Fetal movement

A baby begins to make movements after reaching the 5th month of pregnancy. In addition, 6-month-old fetuses are able to respond to sounds through movement.

Around 7 months, the fetus responds to stimuli such as light, sound or pain. By the 8th month, your baby begins to change positions and perform kick actions more often. Studies have shown that by 9 months, there is lesser pregnancy movement due to space constraints.

Please refer to the article How to count fetal movements  to know how much the fetus is moving.

2. Normal development

There are several ways to measure fetal growth and development. The doctor will perform an ultrasound to monitor the development of the baby. Usually, the fetus increases by 5cm per month. So by the 7th month, the baby will be about 36cm long.

During the 3rd trimester, a healthy fetus will gain 70g more weight per week. In addition, when the 39th week of pregnancy is reached, the fetus will weigh about 3kg and be 45-50.8cm long. All of these are signs of a healthy fetus so you can have peace of mind.

3. Heart fetus

The fetal heart begins to beat around 6-7 weeks of pregnancy. However, detecting a fetal heart has become a lot easier thanks to electronic devices. At the end of pregnancy, to confirm the cardiovascular health of your fetus, your doctor will order you to perform a non-stress test .

This test is intended to monitor your baby's heart rate and give insight into potential threats, if any. In addition, some doctors may even count your heart rate by touching your abdomen. A healthy fetal heart when beats will reach about 110 - 160 beats per minute.

Please refer to the article How to keep a healthy fetal heart?

4. Position of the fetus at the time before labor takes place

During the ninth month of pregnancy, fetal movement will gradually decrease. The baby also turns its head to the bottom of the uterus and begins to move toward the vagina. This can be a sign of a healthy fetus that you should be assured of.

5. Pregnant mothers gain weight steadily

The mother elected to gain weight during pregnancy on a regular basis is also a sign of a healthy pregnancy. For pregnant mothers with normal health conditions, you will gain about 10-12 kg for the whole pregnancy. In addition, you can also suggest your doctor check your weight regularly and keep you informed about whether your baby is progressing normally. The size of the pregnant mother's belly will also gradually increase each month.

Signs of weak pregnancy that pregnant mothers need to pay attention to

During the 5th month of pregnancy , the fetus gradually becomes more responsive to sound, light and pain. This is when babies are also faced with various threats that can affect their growth and development, either directly or indirectly.

If problems become apparent, corrective action can be taken. But how do you realize that your baby is not healthy while he is still in the womb? The answer is very simple, you just refer to the following warnings for weak pregnancy signs:

1. The height of the uterus

The basic height of the uterus during pregnancy helps your doctor evaluate whether the fetus in your uterus is developing normally. To do this, the pregnant mother will be asked to lie down and the doctor will use a tape measure to measure the distance from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus. Usually, after the 16-week mark, the length of the uterine height will coincide with the gestational age.

If the height of your uterus is not as expected, there is a problem with your pregnancy. This may be because you have too much or too little amniotic fluid or a breech pregnancy . In the worst case, this also indicates that the fetus is not developing properly and becomes a sign of weak pregnancy that you should be aware of.

2. Missing or not having a fetal heart

Although the fetal heart begins to beat after the 5th week of pregnancy, it is only around 10 weeks that it becomes easier to recognize the fetal heart. A fetal cardiac screening can be done through a medical device or touching the womb and counting the beats per minute.

Sometimes the task of detecting the fetal heartbeat becomes unsuccessful due to a change in position or a problem with the placenta. In such a case, your doctor will suggest you to have a fetal heart check at your next prenatal visit.

On the other hand, if still unable to detect the fetal heartbeat, an ultrasound may be performed to find out why. In a few cases, the fetal heartbeat is not beating, beating weakly is a sign of weak fetus or even stillbirth.

3. The fetus grows slowly in the uterus (IUGR)

An intrauterine growth delay (IUGR) hinders fetal development. If the pregnant mother has a positive test result, this means that the baby in the womb is 10% smaller than the gestational age.

When pregnant women encounter this condition, complications such as difficulty breathing, blood sugar levels and high body temperature can arise or even persist even after birth. Of course, an intrauterine growth delay (IUGR) is a pretty clear sign of a weak pregnancy. Therefore, it is necessary to closely observe this situation.

The cause may come from the abnormal functioning of the placenta, which prevents the baby from getting all the nutrients it needs. Other reasons include kidney problems, anemia, and gestational diabetes .

4. Low hCG level is a sign of weak pregnancy

hCG is a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy. HCG levels tend to fluctuate during pregnancy depending on the trimester. Usually, hCG levels are extremely high during 9-16 weeks of pregnancy.

Normal levels vary from person to person, so a low hCG is not a reason to panic. However, a miscarriage, absence of an embryo (a blank egg), or an ectopic pregnancy can cause low hCG levels and become dangerously weak pregnancy sign.

5. Excessive cramps

Pregnancy is often accompanied by pain. However, the extreme pain that makes you associate menstrual cramps is another weak pregnancy warning sign. During the early part of pregnancy this is caused by poor blood flow, but if it persists, you may need to consult your doctor.

6. Bleeding

During the early pregnancy some women experience a small speck of blood in the vagina. This is considered normal and is often called the gestational blood pressure . However, pregnant mothers should still see a doctor and consult a doctor to make sure the fetus is not having any dangerous problems. Bleeding during pregnancy has an increased risk of miscarriage, unusual uterine bleeding, or transplant bleeding.

7. Severe back pain

Like other pregnancy symptoms, back pain is one of the common things that makes pregnant women uncomfortable. The reason for this lies in the fact that the baby is growing and exerts force on the spine and lower back. This feeling gets worse when you have multiple pregnancies .

On the other hand, if the pain originates in the front of the body and moves towards the back, it could be a sign of weak pregnancy or a problem in the baby. Therefore, see a doctor as soon as you notice this unusual sign.

8. Vaginal discharge during pregnancy

The increased vaginal discharge during pregnancy is caused by hormonal changes. Usually, vaginal discharge will be clear or ivory-white and not accompanied by a bad smell.

However, if pregnant women notice that vaginal discharge is yellow, slightly greenish with a bad smell, do not delay going to the doctor. Abnormal vaginal discharge can be caused by cervicitis, which may indicate weak pregnancy or even miscarriage.

9. Stop morning sickness suddenly

Morning sickness and pregnancy are correlated. Morning sickness usually goes away on its own by the end of the first trimester or even earlier without affecting the fetus. For some individuals, however, the sudden cessation of morning sickness can be caused by low hCG levels, a warning sign of weak pregnancy or even a miscarriage.

10. Placenta changes position

Repositioning of the placenta is also one of the other signs of weak pregnancy. When the placenta comes out of the uterus early, the fetus will be negatively affected. Therefore, regularly check the position of the placenta.

Pregnant mother should pay attention to the weak pregnancy signs that the body is warning. This helps you to protect your baby better. Consult your doctor if in doubt or not feeling well.