12 Changes To Expect During Your Second Trimester

The second trimester is the period between the 13th to 27th week of pregnancy. The body tends to get adjusted to pregnancy by this time. This is the period where there is less body pain, rare events of morning sickness, and fewer mood swings.

By the second trimester, the organs and systems have developed in the fetus, and now, the fetus starts gaining weight and increasing in length.

Besides the growth of the fetus, the other changes that you can expect in your second trimester include:

· There might be an increase in your appetite. The growing fetus tends to require more nutrition to support its normal function, leading to an increase in appetite.

· The sensation of frequent urination might get in control as the growing uterus exceeds out of the pelvic cavity and relieves the pressure caused on the bladder during the early pregnancy.

· The belly starts getting itchy and develops stretch marks due to the stretch experienced by the skin because of the increase in belly size.

· There might be slight pain in the lower portion of the stomach due to the stretching of the ligaments that support the growing uterus.

· Around the 20th week, the uterus tends to grow to the height of your belly button. This growth makes your pregnancy more visible.

· You may experience a few movements of the fetus around the 20th week.

· There might be backaches due to the weight gain.

· Pregnancy hormones can lead to slight changes in skin pigmentation on the abdomen and on the face.

· The veins might appear more prominent due to the increased blood flow in the body.

· Heartburns, constipation, and digestive issues experienced in the first trimester might prevail.

· The gums might become tender or spongier due to the hormonal changes and might easily bleed.

· The white vaginal discharge might also continue.

Besides these changes that take place in your body in the second trimester, several other changes occur in your growing fetus, which can be tracked by going for regular check-ups with your gynaecologist.