Fetal Milestones
This is the medical word for when a pregnant person can first feel the baby move, usually between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy.
What is quickening?
This dark line often shows up running straight down the middle of a pregnant belly.
What is the linea nigra? (belly line)
This test, usually done between 24 and 28 weeks, checks to see if someone has diabetes that develops during pregnancy.
What is the glucose tolerance test (or glucose screening test)?
This common problem in the second trimester happens because the growing uterus puts more pressure on the stomach.
What is heartburn (or acid reflux)?
During the second trimester, it’s usually recommended to get an extra 300 to 340 of these units each day.
What are calories?
By the end of this trimester, the baby will grow fine hair over its body and will be covered by a white, waxy protective layer called vernix caseosa.
What is the second trimester?
This is the name for dark, patchy areas that can show up on a pregnant person’s face.
What is melasma (or the mask of pregnancy)?
This common test in the second trimester checks the baby’s growth and development and helps confirm the due date.
What is the second-trimester ultrasound (or anatomy scan)?
The medical term for swelling, usually in the feet, ankles, and hands, caused by extra blood and fluid in the body.
What is edema?
Sleeping in this position is recommended during the second and third trimesters to help blood flow better to the placenta and kidneys.
What is on the side (especially the left side)?
The baby’s skin becomes covered in soft, fine hair that helps keep it warm and protected.
What is lanugo? (or baby fuzz)
These “practice contractions” can begin in the second trimester and are usually uneven and don’t hurt.
What are Braxton Hicks contractions?
This blood test, usually done between 15 and 20 weeks, looks at things like AFP, hCG, and estriol to check for possible chromosomal problems in the baby.
What is the quad screen (or quad marker screen)?
This common discomfort happens when the uterus presses on big blood vessels while lying flat on the back.
What is dizziness (or vena cava compression)?
This important nutrient helps the baby’s brain and eyes develop and is often found in fatty fish.
What are Omega-3 fatty acids (or DHA)?
(essential "healthy fats" your body needs for cell growth, brain function, and heart health)
A big ultrasound is usually done between weeks 18 and 22 to look at the baby’s body, growth, and the position of this organ.
What is the placenta?
This term describes how hormones make the ligaments and joints looser during pregnancy, which can cause a slight waddling walk.
What is pelvic girdle pain or the effects of the hormone relaxin?
This test takes a small sample of the fluid around the baby, usually after 15 weeks, to check for chromosomal problems.
What is amniocentesis?
To help with this muscle and joint pain from the changing center of gravity, a pregnant person can keep good posture or use a supportive belt.
What is back pain?
This common dental issue happens because hormonal changes make the gums more sensitive and likely to bleed.
What is gingivitis (or bleeding gums)?
By the end of this trimester (around 28 weeks), the baby is usually considered developed enough to have a good chance of surviving outside the womb.
What is viability?
This is a condition where a pregnant person has high blood pressure and protein in their urine, usually starting after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
What is pre-eclampsia?
The doctor or midwife usually starts measuring the distance from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus at most appointments in the second trimester.
What is fundal height?
This iron-deficiency condition is common because the body’s blood volume grows quickly during the second trimester.
What is anemia?
This type of exercise is usually unsafe for pregnant people because it can cause falls or hurt the belly.
What is contact sports (or skiing, horseback riding, etc.)?