11th week of pregnancy: what happens to mother and baby, photo of the belly and fetal development

At the same time that nausea and vomiting are left behind, a stable emotional background is established: attacks of irritability and sudden changes in mood fade into the background.

It is not surprising that the cycle between the first and second trimester of pregnancy is considered one of the most favorable for a woman in terms of well-being. At this time, you can safely travel, exercise, and take long walks.

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Preparing a woman's mammary glands leads to external and internal changes in the breasts. It becomes larger in volume, and the areola and nipples darken under the influence of hormones. The uterus increases several times from the moment of conception. At the 11th week of pregnancy, the belly does not protrude much, but the mother herself can feel its growth: clothes become tight and you want to wear something more spacious. Given that the uterus rises into the abdominal cavity, the pressure on the bladder is not as strong as before. In this regard, the number of visits to the ladies' room is significantly reduced.

Possible problems

Pain

From time to time, a woman may experience discomfort associated with symptoms of pregnancy. If pain of a different nature occurs in a particular area, you need to know which of them are considered normal and which are regarded as pathology.

Pain in the abdomen and lower back is usually associated with the tone of the uterus. This is par for the course when you are in your 11th week of pregnancy. Moderate abdominal pain should not cause concern, but if it intensifies or occurs too frequently, it is better to consult a doctor. Perhaps this is a threat of miscarriage, which requires immediate medical treatment.
Leg pain causes cramps. These are frequent companions of pregnancy, which in severe cases can bother a woman throughout the entire period of pregnancy. One of the reasons is calcium deficiency in the body. Swelling of the legs can also cause discomfort.
Pain in the anus is associated with the appearance of hemorrhoids. This disease is common in pregnant women due to frequent constipation and decreased physical activity.

Colds and fever

It is quite difficult to avoid colds during pregnancy. Sooner or later, this scourge overcomes the expectant mother and it is important to have an idea of how to deal with it. The most important rule is not to take medications without a doctor’s prescription. Only a doctor can assess the state of your health and determine the balance of benefits and harms of a particular medication.

Traditionally, doctors recommend turning to traditional medicine for colds. Gargling and inhalation with herbal infusions will not harm the health of the pregnant woman and child.

During illness, drinking plenty of fluids is recommended; healthy drinks include teas with honey, warm milk, and berry fruit drinks.
If the temperature rises above 37.7 degrees, you should immediately call a doctor to exclude the possibility of spontaneous miscarriage. Before the doctor arrives, you can take paracetamol.
If the thermometer shows 37-37.2 degrees, there is no need to worry. A slightly elevated body temperature during pregnancy does not entail serious consequences.

Discharge at the 11th obstetric week

Despite the fact that the critical period of pregnancy, which falls in the first trimester, is left behind, the expectant mother should exercise caution and also carefully monitor the nature of the discharge from the genital tract. At this stage, they are considered normal if they are uniform and light.

If you detect any other discharge (brown, yellowish, red, green), you need to contact a gynecologist.

In addition, itching in the perineum, pain in the lower abdomen, and the appearance of a strong odor from the vagina should cause alarm. These symptoms may indicate a threat of miscarriage or infection.

Bleeding

Unfortunately, bleeding during pregnancy is a fairly common occurrence that requires immediate medical attention.

The gynecologist, after examining the patient and additional examination using ultrasound, will be able to give a final conclusion about the cause of the appearance of blood from the vagina.

The occurrence of bleeding when the 11th obstetric week of pregnancy occurs can be caused by various factors:

Pathology of the pregnant uterus.
If a woman has myomatous or fibromatous nodes on the uterus, and the embryo is implanted in close proximity to them, bleeding may occur.
Mechanical damage.
The cervix is sensitive and vulnerable during this period, which means any careless action (for example, during sexual intercourse) can lead to damage.
Lack of the hormone progesterone.
Causes thinning of the endometrium and detachment of the embryo from the uterine wall.
Frozen pregnancy.
If the fetus has stopped developing, then the woman’s body begins to reject the embryo, causing bleeding.

Twins

A multiple pregnancy follows almost the same scenario as a single pregnancy. But there are also some differences. For example, the burden that falls on the expectant mother. Naturally, during pregnancy with twins, it is much larger. To provide both fetuses with nutrients, vitamins and microelements, a woman needs to make a lot of effort. In addition, do not forget that with multiple births, labor rarely begins on time. As a rule, doctors and the pregnant woman herself are prepared for premature birth. By this time, the gynecologist must determine how they will pass: naturally or through a cesarean section.

Nutrition

Diet at 11th week of pregnancy

At the 11th week of pregnancy, a woman needs to continue to adhere to the principles of a healthy diet. It is advisable that the foods consumed provide the body with a full range of vitamins and minerals.

During the current period, it is especially important to receive sufficient amounts of calcium, magnesium, iron, fluoride and vitamin D.

The daily diet should include:

a variety of dairy products (cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, etc.);
vegetables and fruits;
red fish and meat;
offal, especially liver;
cereals in the form of porridges and dark breads made from wholemeal flour;
seasonal berries.

Cooking food for a pregnant woman must be done by steaming or in the oven. It is advisable to minimize the amount of fried, smoked, salted foods.

A pregnant woman must carefully observe the drinking regime. Every day, the expectant mother should receive 2 - 2.5 liters of fluid.

To reduce the load on the digestive tract, it is advisable to eat 5-6 times a day, every 2-3 hours.

Eat one dish at one meal, avoiding a strong variety of foods.

Vitamins

Essential vitamins at 11 weeks

Prescribing vitamin complexes and individual substances is the task of a gynecologist. A pregnant woman should not make her own decision about taking medications, so as not to cause harm to the fetus and herself.

It is advisable that vitamin complexes prescribed by a gynecologist are only an addition to a pregnant woman’s full menu.

Important! An excess of vitamins, as well as a lack of them, can harm the unborn child. You need to be careful when taking any supplements, following the doses prescribed by your gynecologist.

Physical activity

At week 11, many mothers try to lead a sedentary, or even better, recumbent lifestyle, believing that in this way they contribute to a calm pregnancy. It must be said that this is a big misconception. Regular physical activity will benefit both the child and the pregnant woman. They improve mood, increase the overall tone of the body and help cope with a number of problems: lower back pain, constipation and hemorrhoids, stretch marks and swelling.

So, in the absence of a threat of pregnancy, doctors recommend that women engage in the following sports:

Water aerobics and swimming.
These are the most gentle types of training for expectant mothers, because thanks to water, the load on the muscles during exercise is not as high as on land.
Walking and running.
It is recommended to practice these sports outdoors. It is advisable not to overdo it with the load, focusing on your well-being.
Aerobics and fitness in the gym.
Thanks to such exercises, a woman’s cardiovascular system is strengthened and her muscles are trained. All this is useful for the mother who is about to give birth.
Yoga.
Helps you relax, tune in to the positive, and master breathing techniques.

What happens in the body

At the eleventh week of pregnancy, the fetus, and therefore the uterus, grows quite rapidly.
This, of course, affects your feelings. What to do? You should not wear tight clothing, especially make sure that there is no pressure of clothing in the abdominal area. The good news is that thanks to progesterone and estrogen, your breasts are growing every day. The bad news: changes in appearance often lead to the appearance of stretch marks, particularly in the chest, abdomen and thighs. What to do? Buy a stiff washcloth. Do a massage in the shower: massage problem areas with gentle circular movements.

Sometimes, for some expectant mothers, the digestion process slows down, which is why constipation may occur. There is no way to allow the overcrowded rectum to put pressure on the uterus, preventing the child from developing. What to do? Drink a glass of water on an empty stomach in the morning and kefir at night. No laxatives or enemas - they increase the tone of the uterus!

Intimate life

Intimate life is possible at any stage of pregnancy, and the 11th week is no exception. It is important to take into account the general well-being of the expectant mother. If there are ailments or a threat of termination of pregnancy, confirmed by a gynecologist, it is best to wait and postpone intimacy with your partner until complete recovery. If a woman feels well, then there is no reason to interrupt an intimate relationship. Quite the contrary, it has been proven that regular sex life has a positive effect on a woman’s body.

Attitude to sex

Intimate relationships at this stage are not at all contraindicated, except in cases of multiple pregnancy, threat of miscarriage and the appearance of atypical discharge. Increased sexual desire during pregnancy and the need for emotional support will bring new colors to sexual relationships. It is important that they are comfortable for the woman without causing her any discomfort.

Infectious diseases in one of the sexual partners, thrush, pain in the lower abdomen - a reason to stop sexual contacts.

Necessary tests and studies at 11 weeks of pregnancy

At 11-13 weeks, the doctor prescribes a set of tests and studies necessary to assess the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus. This is the so-called triple test, which includes:

analysis for the hCG hormone (the level of human chorionic gonadotropin indicates whether the pregnancy is proceeding normally and whether there is a threat);
analysis for alpha-fetoprotein protein (helps to determine at an early stage whether there are chromosomal abnormalities in fetal development);
analysis for the hormone estriol (allows you to verify the successful course of pregnancy in women who have had miscarriages in the past).

Note that these studies are called the first fetal screening and are prescribed to all women. Test results help identify a child's risk for a variety of diseases, including Down syndrome and Edwards syndrome. If they showed the likelihood of deviations, this does not mean one hundred percent presence of a particular disease. To ensure the accuracy of the result, the doctor prescribes invasive research methods for the pregnant woman.

Viral infections and fever

In the first trimester, low-grade fever within 37.2°C is considered normal, as a sign of increased metabolism. If it rises to 38°C or higher, an infectious disease or inflammatory process has most likely begun. Its treatment must be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, relieving hyperthermia with cool compresses and the use of natural antiviral agents - cranberry juice, rosehip decoction.

On the advice of a doctor, a high temperature is reduced by taking Paracetamol, since severe hyperthermia is extremely dangerous for the fetus.

For the symptomatic treatment of ARVI, inhalation, rinsing the nasal cavity with sea water, gargling with saline solution, soda solution, and drinking warm milk with figs are used.

A significant increase in temperature may be due to acute cystitis, pyelonephritis (inflammation of the renal pelvis). These pathologies require treatment by a urologist or nephrologist in a hospital setting.

Examination calendar

The optimal period for performing an ultrasound is 11-14 weeks of pregnancy. The study will show whether the unborn child has Down syndrome and what condition his neural tube is in. In addition to the ultrasound results, the woman will be asked to donate blood to determine genetic pathologies. If possible developmental defects are suspected, the pregnant woman is sent for a study of chorionic villi, which confirms or refutes the assumption.

Prenatal screening:

5-6 weeks - ultrasound to confirm intrauterine pregnancy;
11-12 weeks - ultrasound of developmental defects (Down syndrome, fetal neural tube defect, Edwards defect);
Weeks 11-14 and weeks 16-18 – blood tests for genetic pathologies.

Surgical treatment for fibroids

The “golden” standard for the treatment of fibroids in leading European and American clinics is myomectomy—removal of nodes followed by suturing of the uterus. The presence of a capsule around the node allows it to be removed using the “husking” method, while the myometrium surrounding the capsule is practically not damaged.

The operation is performed using laparoscopy - through several small incisions on the anterior abdominal wall, the size of which does not exceed 10 mm. To eliminate the risk of intraoperative complications (bleeding, the need to switch laparoscopy to open access, etc.) for the safe removal of large fibroids, Professor Puchkov developed a unique organ-preserving technique - myomectomy with temporary occlusion of the uterine arteries.

During the operation, the vessels of the uterus are blocked, which leads to a temporary cessation of nutrition to the organ. Thus, the nodes are removed in a “dry” surgical field. In addition to eliminating the development of bleeding, the intervention area is clearly visible, which allows you to match the muscle layers as accurately as possible, suturing the wound efficiently and reliably. In the future, the formation of a defective scar is practically excluded. At the final stage, the blood supply to the uterus is completely restored.

The use of modern instruments and equipment (ultrasonic scissors, the LigaSure device, the V-lock system (Covidien), the latest generation suture material, anti-adhesion barriers, etc.) allows the operation to be performed quickly and bloodlessly, while recovery also takes much less time than with open access.

Thanks to organ-sparing myomectomy, a woman planning to have a child in the future has every chance of becoming a mother. Patients who do not plan to conceive can maintain menstrual function until the onset of natural menopause, which makes it possible to maintain the same quality of life.

If there are contraindications to organ-sparing myomectomy, the patient may be recommended a radical operation - removal of the uterus either along with the cervix, or with preservation of the appendages and cervix - in this case, it is possible to maintain the hormonal status, avoiding the development of undesirable consequences associated with disturbances in hormone levels. By the way, radical surgery is also usually performed using laparoscopy, which has a number of advantages.

When choosing a technique and volume of intervention, an individual approach to each patient should be followed. We always strive to perform organ-preserving surgery using a unique proprietary technique, which is now included in the standard of surgical treatment in the best clinics in France, Switzerland and Germany.