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At 23 weeks into your pregnancy your baby—and you—are growing steadily. Here’s what’s happening this week.
How Big is Baby?
Adding around another half-inch since last week, baby is coming in at 11 ½ inches long now.
What’s New with Baby?
Your little one weighs between 1 to 1 ½ pounds this week and their lungs are continuing to mature. That once-see-through skin that baby had has now turned a reddish tinge due to developing veins and arteries underneath.
What’s New with Mom?
You might be noticing some veins on your body too, Mom. As your breasts continue to grow the veins inside them might be becoming more noticeable. Varicose veins, most usually found in the legs, can be common too, and might become itchy or uncomfortable. Talk to your doctor if they bother you. Swelling of the feet and hands, backaches, leg cramps and difficulty sleeping are typical symptoms at this stage as well. No one said growing a human is easy!
Fun Fact
Forgetting things? Blame it on pregnancy brain. “Women can experience memory problems, poor concentration, and absentmindedness,” says Dr. Christina Herrera, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “There is no consensus when exactly pregnancy brain starts, but some research suggests that it may be as early as the first trimester and is worse in the third trimester.”
Christina Herrera, M.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She specializes in imaging and placental pathology related to pregnancy complications such as hypertension and preeclampsia.
What to Know About Gestational Diabetes
Sometime in the coming weeks you’ll be screened for gestational diabetes. One of the most common complications in pregnancy, gestational diabetes is when your body develops a carbohydrate intolerance while you’re expecting. Left untreated, this could pose potentially serious problems for you and your baby. But the good news is that gestational diabetes can managed with proper treatment and regular monitoring.
Risk factors for gestational diabetes include obesity, increased age and certain racial or ethnic groups (African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander). A family history could also put you at higher risk.
You’ll be screened for gestational diabetes between weeks 24 and 28 with a glucose screening test. Perhaps you’ve heard of the syrupy sweet drink you must chug? Here’s where that comes in. You’ll drink a sugar-loaded drink then have your blood drawn an hour later to check your blood sugar level. “If the screen is positive based cut-off values, a three-hour oral glucose tolerance test is performed to confirm the diagnosis of gestational diabetes,” says Herrera.
If you’re diagnosed with gestational diabetes, don’t panic. While when left uncontrolled, the complication can be dangerous—leading to the risk of having a bigger baby, preeclampsia or stillbirth—when managed, outcomes with gestational diabetes for mom and baby are generally good.
“Treatment for gestational diabetes begins with nutritional therapy with dietary modification, exercise, and blood glucose monitoring,” explains Herrera. You’ll need to eat healthy foods and check your blood sugar several times a day; pricking your finger and using a small machine to read your blood sugar. Usually, gestational diabetes can be managed with diet and exercise, but if not, your doctor might prescribe insulin.
In the long-term, up to 70% of women with gestational diabetes develop diabetes within two to three decades of their pregnancy. And babies who are born to mothers with gestational diabetes could be at a higher risk for health problems later in life, including type 2 diabetes. All the more reason to keep up those healthy habits after your pregnancy.
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This blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute the provision of medical advice or professional services. This blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
The above article was written by DFWChild editor Amanda Collins Bernier with information provided by UT Southwestern Medical Center as part of their sponsored content.
