28th week of pregnancy: what happens to the baby and the expectant mother, tests, photos, ultrasound

Photo: UGC The long-awaited third trimester, which brings the baby closer to birth every day, begins at the 28th week of pregnancy. It approximately corresponds to the end of the seventh month, and at this time it is especially interesting to find out what the baby looks like at 28 weeks and what the baby’s weight already is. At 28 weeks, the baby is not yet ready for life outside the womb, so the woman should be careful and continue to be regularly monitored by specialists.

Interesting Facts

Your baby is the size of

Head lettuce

375 mm Size

1000 g Weight

Your pregnancy lasts 28 weeks. The development of the fetus and the mother’s feelings during this period are inextricably linked. You can clearly feel the baby's movements. With movements, he can respond to stroking the abdomen, sharp sounds or emotional tension of a woman. The child will recognize your voice and even, according to some studies, remember the lullabies that you sing now. If he is uncomfortable with the position you have taken, he will definitely let you know about it with strong thrusts.

Let's find out what changes occur in the development of the fetus and what symptoms you should be especially careful about. But first, a little math:

• 28th week of pregnancy - what month?

  You are 7 months pregnant, most of the journey is already behind you.

• What trimester?

  The final (third) trimester of pregnancy is underway.

Signs

In many ways, the signs of singleton and multiple pregnancies are the same. In both cases, in the early stages, expectant mothers can quickly get tired and experience mood swings. Severe toxicosis is also not a specific symptom.

When carrying several fetuses, the abdomen increases in size faster, the first movements are noted earlier, and body weight increases more noticeably. However, as a rule, at these times the woman already knows that she is expecting twins, since an ultrasound scan reveals several fetuses in the uterus at once.

Feelings of the expectant mother

By the 28th week of pregnancy, the uterus has already increased 4 times. Due to its pressure on surrounding organs, you experience frequent urination and digestive problems. Due to the shift in the center of gravity, you have to bend your lower back somewhat, so by the evening it may ache. Wearing a bandage, gymnastics on a fitball, and massage will help you cope with this.

Alarming symptoms

• Be aware of vaginal discharge during the 28th week of pregnancy. Normally, they should be whitish, homogeneous with a sour odor. If streaks of blood or pus appear, consult a doctor immediately: it may be an infection or inflammation of the genital tract.
• Due to the high activity of your child, your stomach may hurt. As a rule, the sensation disappears as soon as the baby takes a comfortable position. However, if you feel sick at the same time, your stomach feels like it’s turning to stone, you need to consult a specialist.

Nutrition

Nutrition at 28 weeks of pregnancy

By the 28th week, a pregnant woman increasingly feels the pressure of the uterus on the stomach: heartburn, a feeling of heaviness, and sometimes nausea. To minimize discomfort, it is recommended to follow simple nutritional rules:

• eat a little, but often. It is ideal to divide the daily diet into 5-6 meals;
• don't overeat. Finish your meal until you feel full;
• try not to combine several dishes in one meal;
• distribute the necessary products throughout the day: have breakfast with porridge, after 3 hours have a snack with vegetables or fruits, dried fruits or nuts. For lunch, give preference to protein foods: meat, fish, dairy products, eggs. For dinner, it is advisable to choose light food;
• try to eat in the evening 2-3 hours before bedtime, if necessary, eat an apple or yogurt before bedtime;
• Monitor sufficient fluid intake. If the gynecologist has not indicated the possible daily volume, you should adhere to the norm of 2 liters;
• avoid harmful foods and semi-finished products, completely eliminate alcohol;
• in the absence of a recommendation from a gynecologist, completely eliminate strong tea and coffee;
• monitor the amount of salt consumed. Ideally, the total amount of salt consumed during the day does not exceed 1 g.

Vitamins

Taking multivitamin complexes and dietary supplements at the 28th week of pregnancy should be strictly as prescribed by the gynecologist. It is important to monitor compliance with the dosage and the characteristics of taking the prescribed vitamin complex.

The ideal option is to obtain all the necessary nutrients from food, and use dietary supplements as an additional method of fortification.

What's happening to the baby

The baby's weight at 28 weeks of pregnancy averages 1 kg with a height of 37.5 cm. It occupies almost the entire uterine cavity, so you are acutely aware of its movements. His arms and legs are bent and brought to his body - he lies curled up. If the head is adjacent to the opening of the uterus, this is a cephalic presentation. It is ideal for natural childbirth. There is no need to worry if the fetus has not occupied it at 28 weeks: it has time until the 36th week of pregnancy.

Other achievements of week 28:

• the subcutaneous fat layer is intensively formed;
• muscle and bone tissue is formed, which is why the baby needs a lot of calcium;
• the child can already focus on one point with his gaze, reacts to light and sounds, distinguishes the taste and smell of amniotic fluid;
• the respiratory system can function in air;
• the skin becomes lighter, redness disappears.

Tests and ultrasound

If at 28 weeks of pregnancy you have a scheduled visit to the gynecologist, prepare for it a few days in advance: take a urine test, write down all the questions that concern you. At the appointment, the specialist will measure your abdominal circumference and blood pressure. You will also have to weigh yourself and, if indicated, take a blood glucose test and a smear for vaginal microflora.

An ultrasound at 28 weeks of pregnancy is performed only if the doctor needs help in making a diagnosis for alarming symptoms in a woman. The ultrasound specialist will assess the compliance of the size of the fetus with established standards, examine the condition of the placenta, umbilical cord and the volume of amniotic fluid. You can find out with almost 100 percent probability whether it is a boy or a girl: the genitals are fully formed, and the baby will no longer be able to “hide.”

Predisposing factors

The chances of having twins increase if:

• there is a hereditary predisposition;
• the age of the expectant mother is more than 35 years;
• before starting to plan a pregnancy, the woman took COCs (in this case, the so-called rebound effect occurs);
• more than one embryo was transferred in the IVF program;
• The woman already has several children. According to statistics, in approximately 30% of cases the fourth pregnancy is multiple.

What to discuss with your doctor

• If your Rh factor is negative, then the 28th week of pregnancy is the ideal time to inject anti-D antibodies, the purpose of which is to prevent a possible Rh conflict. Remind your gynecologist about this.
• If you are bothered by swelling even in the morning, if not only your limbs, but also your face are swollen, be sure to inform your doctor about this. Swelling, along with high blood pressure and protein in the urine, is a possible sign of gestosis during pregnancy.
• When constipation is not helped by diet and drinking plenty of fluids, discuss with your doctor what medications you can use to improve intestinal motility.

Possible complications

One of the most severe pathologies of the 28th week of pregnancy is premature birth. They occur against the background of infections, genetic pathologies in fetal development, and with isthmic-cervical insufficiency. Unfavorable factors are emotional stress and excessive physical activity.

But the chances of a baby surviving at 28 weeks of pregnancy are quite high, because all organs and systems are practically formed. Proper care for it and timely seeking medical help in most cases guarantee a favorable outcome.

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All texts for pages about mother and baby were kindly provided by RAMA Publishing - these are chapters from the book by Svetlana Klaas “Your Favorite Little Man from Conception to Birth”, reviewer Irina Nikolaevna Kononova, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Ural State Medical Academy (Ekaterinburg).

Lifestyle: our tips

We recommend that you control your weight. The permissible gain at 28 weeks of pregnancy is 8-9 kg. Extra pounds are one of the negative factors in the development of diabetes during pregnancy and complications during childbirth. Control your diet, do not eat at night, avoid sweets and starchy foods. If you are inexorably drawn to sweets, replace them with fruits, nuts, and dried fruits. Consult your pregnancy doctor about the need to take magnesium supplements: often manic cravings for sweets are associated precisely with a deficiency of this element.

When choosing different types of physical activity, pay attention to fitball exercises for pregnant women. Exercises with this simple exercise will help you get rid of tension in the lower back and strengthen the muscles of your legs and back. Exercising with a fitball is fun and easy. In addition, it will be useful to you after the birth of the baby: many mothers comfortably rock the baby while sitting on a gymnastic ball.

Recommendations

During pregnancy, you need to be sensitive to all manifestations, and especially with twins. But there is no need to strain too much, otherwise you can “earn” neurosis, and stress and negative emotions have a bad effect on the course of pregnancy. If fatigue and anxiety are more pronounced than usual, bed rest may be necessary. If there are threats of interruption, you will be asked to lie down for “save.”

What the doctor recommends cannot be ignored during pregnancy, especially if twins are expected:

• stay in nature. But if you are prone to allergic reactions, then it is better to choose open places to relax. Do not forget about protection against ticks, wear clothes made of natural fabric with long sleeves;
• walking in the fresh air, especially in the evening;
• You can’t sunbathe in the sun, but you shouldn’t completely isolate yourself from ultraviolet radiation. You need to dose out sunbathing, go outside in the morning or evening;
• walk or travel far from home only with a guide, especially in the late stages of pregnancy, because labor can begin at any moment. It is recommended to take personal and medical documents with you;
• visiting the pool will reduce the load on the pubic area. Don't swim alone;
• do not lift weights, this can cause a miscarriage;
• posture control. The doctor will teach you how to bend over correctly to avoid curvature of the spine. The spinal column is already overloaded during pregnancy, and even more so with twins. This will help relieve lower back pain, and after delivery, avoid problems with the musculoskeletal system;
• get a good night's sleep. Be sure to lie down during the day, but maintain relative physical activity, unless there are contraindications and bed rest is not prescribed;
• You should not steam in baths, saunas, or take thermal procedures;
• swimming in open water can lead to infection of the genital organs and complications of pregnancy;
• monitor weight gain, control blood pressure, swelling;
• seek help at the slightest suspicion or the appearance of unpleasant or unusual symptoms that were not warned about.

Particular attention should be paid to nutrition. When carrying twins, the female body needs more nutrients, proteins, fats, carbohydrates. But this does not mean that you need to consume double the amount of food, it just needs to be of better quality and a regimen will be required.

The daily calorie requirement when carrying twins is up to 3500. To compare, a pregnant woman with an only child needs 3000 kcal, with triplets - about 4500. To make it easier to breathe and an overfilled stomach does not prop up the diaphragm, portions should be small, but the frequency of intake should be increased so that sufficient minerals were supplied.

Checklist for 28 weeks of pregnancy

• Plan your routes so that you always have the opportunity to visit the restroom. Now you want to go to the toilet more and more often, but if you endure it, you risk “earning” cystitis.
• Do not sleep or rest lying on your back. In this position, the uterus compresses the inferior vena cava, which disrupts the blood supply to the uterus and causes hypoxia.
• To get rid of fears and prepare yourself for the upcoming birth, attend specialized courses for pregnant women.
• Give preference to spending time in a quiet home environment: loud, sharp sounds negatively affect the baby’s well-being.

We invite you to the School of Motherhood at the Women's Medical Center. Here you will learn how childbirth goes and how to help yourself and your baby during this period, how to care for your newborn and yourself after childbirth. Connecting with like-minded people will also help you normalize your emotional state and cope with anxiety and uncertainty.