Introduction
When you are 16 weeks pregnant, you are in the middle of your second trimester and are more likely to feel a lot more energetic starting from 14 weeks.
16 weeks pregnant: How many months?
16 weeks of pregnancy is 4 months. There is only around 5 months until you get to meet the little one.
16 Weeks Pregnant: Size of the Baby
At 16 weeks, the fetus is growing well and is around 11.6 cm and is almost the size of an avocado.
16 Weeks Pregnant: Mother’s Body Changes
1. Bump
At 16 weeks of pregnancy, most pregnant mothers have a prominent baby bump. But if you still do not have one, don’t worry. You will have a visible baby bump in a few weeks as the fetus grows.
2. Energy levels
From around the second trimester, many pregnant mothers start to feel more energetic and also are relieved from morning sickness. This is caused due to hormonal changes.
3. Changes in breast size
As the body prepares for childbirth and lactation, the breast begins to become larger in size than usual.
4. Skin changes
As the pregnancy progresses, the pregnant mothers skin tends to secrete more serum and oil production, leading to oily skin. Since the body produces almost 30 to 40% more of blood volume, the face looks much brighter and fresh.
5. Better hair
With hormonal changes, the hair stays in the growing phase for a much longer time leading to luscious hair with considerably lesser hair fall.
6. Varicose vein
Another common body change during pregnancy is the appearance of varicose veins usually. This is usually caused by the pressure the uterus puts on the veins.
16 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms
1. Weight gain
Weight gain is common during pregnancy. This could be due to the baby’s weight, amniotic fluid content, and increased blood volume in the body.
2. Mood Swings
Mood swings are yet another common pregnancy symptom typically caused by hormonal changes.
3. Food aversions
Some pregnant women get food aversions towards certain foods. Although morning sickness usually subsides in the second trimester, food aversion may persist throughout the pregnancy.
4. Swollen hands and feet
Hands and feet tend to swell during pregnancy. It could be due to excess water content and increased blood volume.
5. Linea nigra
Linea nigra is a dark vertical line that runs from the abdomen till the pubic region. Linea nigra is a common pregnancy symptom that is usually harmless. It is used due to hormonal changes during pregnancy.
6. Constipation
Constipation during pregnancy can prevail till childbirth for most pregnant women. It could be caused due to hormonal changes, changes in diet or intake of prenatal supplements.
16 Weeks Pregnant: Fetal Growth
1. Size of the Baby
At 16 weeks of pregnancy, the baby is approximately 11.6 cm and resembles the size of an avocado and weighs around 100 grams.
2. Face
Although the baby has no muscle control, they can still make faces and start to show random expressions.
3. Movement
The baby can move around in the womb and can even punch the mother with their hands.
4. Sounds
From around 16 weeks of pregnancy, the baby can start to hear sounds and voices although they cannot react to them yet.
5. Thumb sucking
At around 16 weeks, babies learn to suck their thumb well.
6. Circulatory system
The baby’s heart can now start to pump around 25 quarts of blood a day.
7. Eyes
The baby’s eyes are becoming sensitive to light even though they still cannot open their eyes.
8. Skin
The baby’s skin is getting thicker and is covered by hair to maintain proper body temperature.
9. Genitals
At around 16 weeks of gestation, the baby’s clitoris or penis begins to form.
16 Weeks Pregnant: Scans and Tests
When you are 16 weeks pregnant, you must have already completed a minimum of two ultrasounds, that is, a viability ultrasound and an NT scan.
Around this time of pregnancy, you may be prescribed a test called quad marker or quad screening which is the name suggests checks for 4 main hormones in the blood:
- HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin)
- AFP (alpha-fetoprotein)
- Inhibin-A and
- Estriol (a form of estrogen).
The level of these hormones are used to analyze the baby’s risk of having genetic disorders including Down syndrome, Edward’s syndrome and neural tube defects.
What if the quad screening report turns out negative?
If the test report turns out negative, it means that the baby has lower risks of developing genetic disorders.
What if the quad screening report turns out positive?
If the quad screening turns out positive, the doctor might recommend further testing and intervention including amniocentesis to analyse this further.
Quad test is mostly not prescribed to all pregnant mothers but only for those who have abnormal NT scan results or for those who have missed their NT scan.
Conclusion
At 16 weeks of pregnancy, the baby is growing and developing well. The second trimester is called the golden time of pregnancy, as most mothers have increased energy levels and lesser morning sickness when compared to the first trimester.
Mothers are recommended to not miss out on any of their prenatal consultations and scans in order to ensure the safety of the baby.
For appointments and consultations with the best gynecologist in Chennai Dr. Deepthi Jammi, Contact Jammi Scans at 7338771733.
