Pregnancy Development on Week 18

Embryo growth

How is the development of the fetus 18 weeks pregnant?

In the development of the fetus 18 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus is almost the size of a paprika weighing about 200 grams and 14 cm long from head to toe.

The baby's ears are also fully formed. So, be prepared to play a lullaby for him because in the coming weeks, your little one may already have the ability to hear. The bones of the middle ear and nerve endings of the brain begin to develop, so they can hear the sound of your heartbeat and the movement of your blood through the umbilical cord. Even your little one might be surprised if you hear a loud noise.

In the development of the fetus 18 weeks of pregnancy, your baby's eyes are also growing well. Even the retina can detect light if you hold the flashlight right in front of the stomach.

In addition, your baby's bones begin to develop, but still soft. This week, the baby's clavicle and feet will begin to harden.

Changes in the Body

What are the changes in the body of a pregnant woman at week 18?

In the development of the fetus 18 weeks of pregnancy, you may begin to feel back pain. Don't worry, this is only one of the normal symptoms of pregnancy. Even so, there are two things that usually cause this condition.

First, during pregnancy, the hip joint begins to loosen to make it easier for the baby to get out of the body during labor. Second, the stomach will be harder, thereby reducing your ability to balance yourself.

Without realizing it, you will tend to push your shoulders back, your back and neck perpendicularly upward with your stomach pushed forward to get a better balance.

As a result, your lower back has to bend very long, your back muscles will stretch and hurt. Well, this is what causes you to often experience back pain during pregnancy.

Here are some tips for avoiding back pain during pregnancy:

• Avoid sitting too long for more than one hour without walking or without resting joints and muscles. Ideally you should move a lot after sitting still for about half an hour to avoid back pain.
• Avoid standing too long. If you do work that requires you to stand, use a low stool to help support one leg and reduce pressure on your back. If you have to stand in the kitchen to do the dishes or cook, stand on a thick and soft carpet to reduce the pressure from your body back.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects. If you have to do this, do it slowly. You have to stand two feet for a very good balance, then kneel and not bend to pick up heavy objects. You must use a source of strength from your arms and legs rather than your back. If you carry a heavy shopping bag, divide it in half on both sides of your body.

Maintain a pregnancy that runs 18 weeks

Pregnant women have many cravings. Cravings for eating spicy food is one of them. However, you must be very careful before eating foods that are too spicy. Because, you will have a high risk of heartburn if you eat excessive spicy food during pregnancy because your digestive system will be less efficient due to changes in hormones in the body.

Heartburn will make you feel uncomfortable or even painful. We recommend that you reduce the portion of spicy foods and avoid foods that are too spicy during pregnancy. You can satisfy your appetite with nutritious snacks for both mother and baby.

Visit to Doctor / Midwife

What do I need to discuss with the doctor on week 18?

Another problem that may occur during fetal development 18 weeks of pregnancy is blurred vision. Again, pregnancy hormones are the cause of this phenomenon. It's strange, body parts that have no role in pregnancy actually suffer.

This phenomenon occurs when dry eyes stimulate the production of tear hormones in your body. So, the fluid in your eyes will increase, causing the iris to change and cause nearsightedness or farsightedness. Don't worry, vision will become clearer and normal after giving birth.

If you feel blurred vision or see spots floating (often called floaters), or blurred vision for more than two or three hours, call your doctor immediately. The eye experiences fireflies after standing for a period of time or after a sudden stand is a common phenomenon and need not worry, even though you should also report it to the doctor on your next visit.

Tests that may be needed to support the development of an 18-week fetus

Depending on your needs and how the doctor works, you might take the following tests:

• Measuring body weight and blood pressure
• Check sugar and protein in urine
• Check fetal heart rate
• Check the size of the uterus with external palpation
• Measure height from the bottom of the uterus
• Check whether your hands and your legs have swollen or varicose veins or not

Tell your doctor about the symptoms you are experiencing, especially unusual symptoms. If there are questions or problems that you want to discuss. You must register before checking.

Safety and security

What do I need to know to maintain health and safety during pregnancy?

1. Harmful substances in seafood

Pregnant women can eat fish and other seafood as long as they don't overdo it. The sea is a source of nutrition, but these foods can also contain toxic substances including dioxin and methyl mercury, PCBs and pesticides at low doses. When you eat a large amount of toxic substances that are too high, the baby's development may be affected.

There is no reason to ban or not eat seafood. But you should also avoid eating large predatory fish that tend to contain lots of toxic substances, especially sharks, mackerel, swordfish and tilefish.

2. Fatigue

If you have problems with breathing or fatigue while jogging or working, immediately stop this activity. Working to exhaustion is a bad idea. During pregnancy, this condition is very dangerous because the work will make you tired and your baby gets tired.

For sports, instead of running a marathon, try slow jogging gradually. Working or exercising a little further with rest is the best way. This can help you to get the job done or do sports without feeling tired. Familiarize yourself with the work system, including homework, which is more effective, because after your baby is born later you also won't have enough time to work too long.

So next week what kind of fetus will it grow?