Second Trimester Pregnancy: Week 14 – Week 27

About 2nd trimester pregnancy

As second trimester starts, you start feeling the movements of the baby. At this stage the baby grows up to 3 1/2 inches in size and 1 1/2 ounces in weight. The unique fingerprints develop and as more week passes the rubbery cartilage starts changing to bone and finally the skeleton becomes hard. In most women, morning sickness stops completely by the second trimester. The doctor will be able to detect the heartbeat of the baby at around 12 weeks. 

 Symptoms during 2nd trimester pregnancy

As soon as you enter the second trimester of pregnancy you will notice other physical signals that your baby is thriving.

It is possible that you start experiencing the following symptoms at this stage:

• Heartburn
• Congestion
• Inflammation and swelling in feet or ankles
• Absentmindedness
• Increased appetite
• Skin changes
• Stronger sex drive
• Varicose veins
• Hemorrhoids

Weeks during 2nd trimester pregnancy

In the second trimester, you can feel the newly coordinated arms and legs of the baby. The baby develops senses and can see, taste, hear and smell. Capillaries forms to carry blood through the body and the small eyes starts to open. 

The following big developments take place in the baby during the second trimester:

• 14 week of pregnancy: This week the baby's liver starts making bile and his spleen starts contributing in the production of red blood cells. He measures about the size of a lemon that is 3 1/2 inches and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. The body starts growing faster than his head. At the end of this week, the arms will have grown to a length that is in proportion to the rest of the body. The super fine hair covering known as lanugo starts developing all over his body.

• 15 week of pregnancy: At this stage the arms and legs grows longer and now the baby can move all the joints and limbs. The amniotic fluid from the nose and upper respiratory tract starts moving; this helps in the development of the primitive air sacs in the baby's lungs. The eyelids don't open but your baby can sense light now.

• 16 week of pregnancy: The baby now grows about the size of an avocado that is 4 ½ inches long and 3 ½ ounces. The scalp starts forming but the hairs are not yet recognizable. The eyes moves closer to the front of the head and ears are now close to their final position. The heart starts pumping 25 quarts of blood every day.

• 17 week of pregnancy: During this week the soft cartilage starts changing into bone and the umbilical cord the lifeline to the placenta starts growing thicker and stronger. The weight of your baby is b ounces and the size grows about 5 inches long from top to bottom. Sweat glands started developing and the baby can move the joints.

• 18 week of pregnancy: The arms and legs becomes flexible and the size of the baby is around 5 ½ inches and weighs about 7 ounces. The blood vessels become visible through the thin skin, and ears come in their final position. Around his nerves a protective covering of myelin starts forming. The genitals are noticeable now.

• 19 week of pregnancy: The baby grows about the size of an heirloom tomato, the arms and legs are now in the correct proportions to each other. The kidneys make urine and the hair starts sprouting out. Vernix caseosa, this is a waxy protective coating that begins to form on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

• 20 week of pregnancy: The weight of the baby is about 10 1/2 ounces now. The size is around 6 1/2 inches starting from the head to bottom and up to 10 inches from head to heel. The black sticky by product of digestion known as meconium starts producing as baby starts swallowing more these days. The substance gets accumulated in the bowels that you can see in the first soiled diaper of the baby.

• 21 week of pregnancy: The weight of the baby is now about three-quarters pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long that is the size of a carrot. You may feel the full-fledged kicks and nudges of the baby. The eyebrows and lids are now present and now the sexual organs also start forming.

• 22 week of pregnancy: By the 22 week, the size of the baby is about 11 inches and now he starts looking like a miniature newborn. Tiny tooth buds under the gums develops and the eyes are also formed but the irises still lack pigment.

• 23 week of pregnancy: The baby develops the sense of movement at this stage, he can feel you moving. Now he weighs over a pound and more than 11 inches long. Blood vessels develop in her lungs for breathing.

• 24 week of pregnancy: The baby starts growing steadily about 4 ounces since last week. That puts the baby at about 1 1/3 pounds. The body is now filling out proportionally and he'll soon begin to plump up. The brain is also developing rapidly and so his taste buds.

• 25 week of pregnancy: The baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. The weight is around 1 1/2 pounds and now the baby starts getting some fat. The skin becomes smooth and he looks exactly like a newborn. The hairs now become thicker and you are able to discern the color and texture of your baby.

• 26 week of pregnancy: The network of nerves in the ears is now even more developed and sensitive than before. The baby can hear your voice. He starts inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid in a small amount which is important for the development of his lungs.

• 27 week of pregnancy: The weight of your baby is almost 2 pounds now and is about 14 1/2 inches long. At this stage the baby wakes and sleeps at regular intervals, opens and closes eyes and perhaps even sucks his fingers. The brain of the baby is very active now due to the development of more brain tissue.

Changes in your body during 2nd trimester pregnancy

At the end of the second trimester you may start observing some new symptoms. That includes back ache, you may even notice that the muscles of your leg cramp up every now and then as they are carrying extra weight.  The expanding uterus puts pressure on the veins that return blood from the legs towards heart and also on the nerves starting from the trunk to legs. The cramps may get worse as the pregnancy progresses. Take proper care to get a healthy baby and to reduce any complications.