Continuing with our review of the evolution of our pregnancy week by week, today we will concentrate on the 24 week of pregnancy in which our baby continues to grow at a fast pace, gaining about 100-120 grams a week, while our pregnancy is becoming increasingly evident and we begin to suffer some of the ailments that can accompany the growth of our uterus.
This week also brings us new prenatal tests to ensure the good health of the mother and the baby.
Changes in the baby in the 24th week of pregnancy
!! Congratulations!! Your baby should already measure about 30 cm in total (about 21-21 cm from the head to the culete) and, with a weight of about 600-700 grams, is increasingly likely to survive in case of premature birth since the lungs begin to produce the pulmonary surfactant that would allow it to breathe out of the uterus.
Your baby still has enough space inside the uterus and can move freely and change position often. Although he still sleeps about twenty hours a day, he has frequent short periods of activity in which he will do more and more articulated somersaults.
This week marks an important milestone in the development of your baby since it will begin to recognize and respond to external stimuli. Now that all its organs are formed, they continue to mature. In this week, almost all of your baby's sensory organs are developed enough to start experimenting with sensations from the outside. The development of your hearing, for example, already allows you to perceive loud noises from outside. You may even notice that your baby is startled or jerks at a slam of the door or some other unexpected noise.
You will also begin to experiment with smells and flavors through the amniotic fluid. The walls of your uterus are still too thick for your baby to see, except for some very bright light, but you can now close and open your eyes rehearsing what the blinking will be in the future.
It also begins to develop the subcutaneous tissue of your skin, which will lead to your fingerprints.
Changes in the mother in the 24th week of pregnancy
Your uterus, increasingly similar to a regulation ball, is already above the navel. It is possible that as the skin is stretched you have itching that can be very annoying especially if it is your first pregnancy and your skin undergoes this transformation for the first time. Hydration will be your best ally to deal with these discomforts. If normal creams are not enough, try oils that keep your skin hydrated and oily throughout the day.
You may also experience some discomfort such as dryness or irritation in the eyes. These are normal discomforts of this stage of pregnancy that you can solve with eye drops that you will find in the pharmacy.
Another mystery of pregnancy is the unexplained growth of your feet. Don't worry if your shoes don't fit. It is not only that you can have swollen feet due to fluid retention or poor circulation, but as realxin, a hormone we secrete during pregnancy, relaxes the ligaments in your body, the bones in the feet separate.
From now on, you are also more likely to suffer from anemia. If you are tired, you have pale skin and mucous membranes, or you experience dizziness, ringing in your ears or palpitations, consult with your doctor as you may need to vary your diet or take an iron supplement.
Diagnostic tests at week 24 of pregnancy
This week your doctor will probably tell you that you should take the O'Sullivan Test to rule out possible gestational diabetes, a relatively common condition that can be dangerous for both the mother and the baby. It is a non-invasive test that does not carry any risk so you should not worry.
We hope that this information on the changes that occur in the baby and in the mother during the 24 week of pregnancy It is useful for you while we continue with our pregnancy journey week by week.
