My Second Trimester

Week 23

You will now be enjoying the fact you are over half way through your pregnancy at 23 weeks!  In little girls the ovaries, now containing a lifetime’s worth of eggs, is in place along with the uterus; the vagina matures. The reproductive system is also unfolding and maturing in little boys as the testes commence their descent.

Your baby’s skin has taken on a crumpled look; body fat is modest. Your baby’s skin tones appear to be transparent, anywhere from a light pink to a deep garnet hue. Your growing baby will experience the onset of rapid eye movements. The sense of taste will soon be realized as minute taste buds will soon be present on your baby’s tongue. The beginnings of little footprints and fingerprints begin this week which will be inked, stamped and printed for a lifetime of safety and identity on delivery day.

Your baby is now beginning to concentrate on taking his or her first breath. Little lungs and the blood vessels housed within them are growing quickly this week anticipating delivery day. The placenta continues to deliver adequate oxygen to your baby during this time.

Weighing barely over a pound and the size of a large grapefruit, babies delivered this week, in the right high-tech medical setting, may survive and actually look like babies!

Amniotic Fluid, Polyhydramnios and Oligohydramnios

Amniotic Fluid

(AF) is the watery fluid surrounding your baby inside the amniotic membrane (sac) and is an essential part of pregnancy and fetal development. This fluid helps shield and guard your baby while performing a significant part in the maturity of many of your baby’s organs such as the lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal track. AF is mainly produced by the excretion of your baby’s urine and the secretion of oral, nasal, tracheal, and pulmonary fluids that move across the placenta and into the mother’s circulatory system.

Polyhydramnios

(Also known as hydramnios) Occurs when there is too much amniotic fluid around the baby. This condition is present in approximately one percent of all pregnancies. Although there are both maternal and fetal causes of polyhydramnios such as a multiple pregnancy, maternal diabetes, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome or a birth defect, the cause of polyhydramnios is unknown in approximately 65% of those diagnosed. This condition and its possible causes are usually diagnosed with an ultrasound and if detected, your health care provider will recommend a specific treatment plan.

Oligohydramnios

It is where there is too little amniotic fluid surrounding your baby. It affects about four percent of women and is usually diagnosed during the third trimester. The causes of oligohydramnios may include birth defects, placental problems, leaking or the rupture of membranes, post date pregnancy or maternal complications such as hypertension, diabetes, dehydration, or preeclampsia. If diagnosed during the first half of your pregnancy, more serious complications may result such as birth defects or a greater likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth. One complication of prolonged deprivation of amniotic fluid is pulmonary hypoplasia, which results in an abnormal or incomplete development of the baby’s lungs. During the second half of your pregnancy, the complications of oligohydramnios may include IUGR, preterm birth and labor complications such as an increased risk for compression of the umbilical cord and aspiration of thick meconium (your baby’s first bowel movement).