Fetal development at 18 weeks

The article was professionally consulted by MSc Nguyen Thi Hong On, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.

Starting from the 18th week of pregnancy, pregnant women will feel a special phenomenon, which is mechanical pregnancy. And also from this point, the fetus can hear the mother's voice!

At the 18th week of pregnancy (equivalent to 16 weeks after fertilization), the fetal ear begins to protrude outward, and has begun to be able to hear. The baby's eyes can look forward, and the digestive system is gradually working. Fetal nerves begin to form a protective myelin sheath.
Pregnant mothers at this time will begin to have questions about whether the 18-week-old fetus knows what to do or whether the 18-week-old fetus can kick. The 18th week of pregnancy marks the milestone that the fetus is big enough for the pregnant woman to feel the baby's movements such as turning, flipping, kicking, stretching,... Thanks to that, the pregnant woman feels the mechanical fetus.
At 18 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is about 222 mm (8.7 inches) long and weighs about 222g (7.8 ounces).

Bloating, bloating: If you feel uncomfortable, you should relax because stress can cause you to swallow more air and aggravate the problem; Leg cramps: Pregnant women can experience leg cramps while sleeping, and this can be a real problem, because a pregnant woman's sleep is already affected by the urge to urinate. and had to urinate many times during the night during pregnancy. The cause of cramps in pregnant women is not clear, but one way to limit cramps is to do stretching exercises; Bleeding gums: Due to the influence of pregnancy hormones on the mucous membrane system, gums are easily irritated, inflamed and lead to bleeding. Therefore, pregnant women need to regularly clean their teeth, but the movements should not be too rough to avoid more serious bleeding; Swollen feet: Pregnant women begin to appear swollen feet (edema is caused by the body's increased water retention in the tissues). To alleviate this symptom, pregnant women should not stand or sit for too long, and elevate their legs whenever possible; Stretch marks: As the fetus grows larger, stretch marks will appear more and more, and lotion can help somewhat in this case.

Pregnancy is a miraculous and intense nurturing process that any woman desires in her life. However, the process of pregnancy is not always smooth and the baby is not always born completely healthy, because the process carries many risks both visible and invisible. At this time, the importance of maternity care packages becomes extremely necessary.
The second trimester of pregnancy is a period of strong fetal development. Pregnant women need:
Comprehensive fetal malformation screening by superior 4D ultrasound technique. Screening for gestational diabetes, avoiding many dangerous complications for both mother and baby. Control the mother's weight reasonably to assess the health status of the pregnant woman and the development of the fetus. Understand the signs of threatened early delivery (especially in those carrying multiple pregnancies or having a history of miscarriage or premature birth) so that they can receive timely treatment to maintain pregnancy. To protect mother and baby during pregnancy, Vinmec provides a comprehensive Maternity service to monitor the health status of mother and baby, periodical antenatal check-ups with leading Obstetricians and Gynecologists. enough tests, important screening for pregnant women, counseling and timely intervention when detecting abnormalities in the health of mother and baby.
For detailed information about all-inclusive maternity packages, please contact the hospitals and clinics of the Vinmec health system nationwide.

Reference source: webmd.com; mayoclinic.org