During weeks 28 and 29, women are in the middle of their 7th month pregnancy, and the third trimester has just begun. The fetus is well developed, and all the organs are close to being functional. They start gaining weight rapidly from the rest of the pregnancy to build up stores in the body and continue the development of the organs.
What happens during week 28 of pregnancy?
By week 28 of pregnancy, the fetus is about 37cm long and weighs a little over 1kg. As the body develops rapidly, it looks more in proportionate to the head, and the fetus looks like a normal human baby. Since they are gaining weight quickly, they have lesser space inside the uterus to move around and the pregnancy 28 weeks baby position can be expected to be in what is called the breech position- the head is up and the bottom facing downwards. Weeks before delivery, the fetus naturally turns around to get into a head-down position.
The lungs of the fetus have also developed well enough by this time to allow them to breathe outside the uterus, and they have a more than 80% chance of survival if born prematurely. However, they need to be cared for in a neonatal unit, and they have a high risk of developmental disabilities.
Women by pregnancy seven months find that their discomforts begin to increase. It is common to experience leg cramps, back pain, heartburn, indigestion, and even swelling in the hands and feet. It is important also to begin working on the third-trimester sleeping position, especially after 28 weeks. Sleeping on the back puts pressure on a major artery that restricts blood supply to the womb and can even cause dizziness. Research shows that sleeping on the side not only helps with some of the symptoms but also reduces the chances of stillbirth.
What happens during week 29 of pregnancy?
The fetus continues to gain weight into week 29 and will be close to 1.15kg. At this stage, they are about a third of the size they will be at full term, which is 37 weeks. Their lungs are developed and have started breathing more rhythmically, and their heartbeat can be heard using a stethoscope or by placing the ears on the belly. They have opened their eyes and can focus and look around.
Weight gain in the 7th month of pregnancy is common as women feel the need to consume more to nourish the fetus, which is gaining weight at a fast rate. Since the uterus gets bigger, it puts pressure on the diaphragm, making it harder to breathe sometimes as the weeks progress. It is important to rest as much as possible and maintain the body weight at a healthy level to avoid feeling tired. Any difficulty needs to be discussed with the doctor on the regular antenatal appointments.
Wrapping up
By the 7th month of pregnancy, women have entered their third trimester of pregnancy, and the fetus is developed well enough to survive a premature birth under the neonatal unit. Women could find that their discomforts begin to increase and need to take chances to sleeping positions, activity level and weight gain to stay healthy.
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