Prenatal Care Second Tremester

• Visits and Tests
• When to Call Your Health Care Provider
• Caring For Yourself
• Weight Gain .

Visits and Tests

During the second trimester, your health care provider will be able to hear your baby's heartbeat, see the baby's development and determine the baby's age. You might be given several kinds of tests at this time, including an ultrasound , which allows the health care provider to see your baby and maybe even determine your baby's sex. Other testing, such as the triple screen and amniocentesis , can determine if the baby is healthy or if you are in danger for any complications and need to be more closely watched.

The triple screen is a blood test that helps find out your risk of birth defects. It measures blood levels of these substances: alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (made by the liner of the fetus), and two pregnancy hormones, estriol and human gonadotropin.

Amniocentesis is a test for genetic birth defects and other problems, like Down Syndrome . It involves your health care provider inserting a thin needle through your abdomen to take out a small amount amniotic fluid for testing.

Remember to tell your health care provider of any problems you're having or changes you've noticed.

When to Call Your Health Care Provider

Now is a good time to learn the signs of pre-term or premature labor. Premature labor occurs when a woman has labor before she reaches the 37 th week of pregnancy, or three weeks before her due date. If you and your health care provider see any symptoms of pre-term labor early, there is a better chance of stopping it. If symptoms are not treated, they can progress to repeated contractions that might cause the cervix to dilate (open) and cause an early birth of the baby. Premature babies need intensive care in the hospital after birth to help with their breathing, feeding, and regulation of body temperature.

Any woman can have pre-term labor, but some women have a higher risk because of problems with the uterus or placenta, or because of having had a pre-term birth with another pregnancy. Don't forget to drink plenty of water to keep from becoming dehydrated , especially in warm weather, since dehydration can cause pre-term labor.

Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of pre-term labor:

• Contractions - You may or may not have pain, but your abdomen or stomach will get very hard (a feeling like it is tightening) and then relax, on and off.

• Menstrual-like cramping - You may or may not be uncomfortable with these cramps, but they feel like the cramps you can get before or when you start your menstrual period.

• Gas- type pains - Feels like sharp pains in your stomach, or like a stomach virus. You can also have diarrhea or nausea.

• Low pelvic pressure - Feels like the baby is putting a lot of heavy pressure down very low inside.

• Low backache - Can be a strong or a dull ache.

• Blood from your vagina - Can be either light spotting or more blood like during a menstrual period. Blood can be red or brown in color.

• Increased discharge from your vagina - Much more discharge than what you are used to during your pregnancy. Can even be a sudden gush of a lot of water, or a small trickle or leak of water that is continuous. Discharge can be watery, pinkish, or brownish in color.

Caring For Yourself

Make sure to continue the healthy behaviors that you learned in your 1 st trimester to care for yourself and the precious life inside of you.

Weight Gain

Everyone gains weight at different rates, but on average, it is normal to gain about one pound per week, or about three to four pounds per month during this trimester.

Third Tremester