27 Weeks Pregnant
Greetings! Today you have entered the seventh month of your pregnancy and the last week of the second trimester. The energetic and easy part of your pregnancy is nearing its end and the third trimester will bring with it some uncomfortable symptoms. But do not worry, maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep the weight gain steady to make the rest of the journey easy, as weight gain is associated with a lot of secondary symptoms. Always keep a track of your pregnancy week with the help of a pregnancy calculator that gives you every detail about your pregnancy, the week, month and the growth of your fetus. At 27 weeks pregnant, your little bub has grown to the size of an eggplant and is now 14.5 inches tall already and weighs near 1 kilogram that is almost double its weight as compared to last month (2 pounds).
How Your Baby is Growing This Week?
The external appearance of your baby is more or less like it will be at the time of birth. The fat layers are getting added every week to give him that cuddly cute look. This week the eyes which were formed by the time you were 12 weeks pregnant will open for the very first time.
The surface area of the brain is increasing by formation of new folds and ridges. These will gradually become areas controlling different activities like movement, sleep, smell, vision, taste etc. As the eyelids open this week, the area of the brain controlling the vision becomes active and your baby begins to blink and can actually see his surroundings. The scope of his vision is now very limited but good for a start.
At 27 weeks pregnant, the lungs are maturing and your baby is practicing inhaling and exhaling with amniotic fluid as he gets ready for the outside world. If due to any reason, the baby were to be born at this stage, then there are 90% chances of his survival but with ventilator assistance as the lungs are not mature enough to function independently.
If you are having a boy, the testes will descend into the scrotum this week and in a female fetus the follicles responsible for fertility and child birth are already beginning to develop in the ovary.
Changes in Your Body at 27 Weeks Pregnant
Your question on “How to get pregnant?” has now given way to a newer question in your mind, “How will the baby pop out?” Well, there is still time for your baby to enter this beautiful world and so, all you really need to do is relax. You may use a due date calculator to know when your baby will be due!
With a growing belly that is as big as a basketball and feet that are ballooning up, comfort may not exactly be what you are feeling right now. The swelling of the feet is mainly because of the increased blood volume and a slow venous return due to the pressure of the growing uterus on the large veins of the body. Oedema in the tissues of the hand can lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with pain and swelling around the wrist.
Pregnancy symptoms like backache and leg cramps are making their appearance as you grow bigger while very few women still suffer from morning sickness. However, for all pregnant women, each pregnancy is a new journey, with new experiences. The weight around your abdomen also causes a change in the center of gravity.
The movements of the baby are well identifiable now and you can also recognize a pattern that is the sleep and wake pattern. While walking or moving about, the rhythmic motion can make the baby dose off; so you may feel fewer movements during the day. At night when you lie down, you will notice your little acrobat to be most active.
Week 27 Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms of pregnancy are mainly a reflection of the hormonal changes taking place in the body week by week. As you near the end of the second trimester, the fatigue and tiredness which were a part of the early pregnancy symptoms will return. By knowing your pregnancy week by week, you will be better prepared for the rest of the weeks. So, here are a few signs of pregnancy that highlight the end of your second trimester.
- Constipation
- Back pain
- Leg cramps
- Round ligament pains
- Oedema of hands and feet
- Breathlessness on exertion
- Varicose veins and hemorrhoids
- Itchiness of skin all over the body
- Acidity
- Braxton Hicks contractions
- Stretch marks
- Breast engorgement
- Discharge from the nipple
- Food cravings and aversions
- Increased pigmentation
- Linea Nigra
- Vivid dreams
- Dryness of the skin
- Frequent urination
- Mood changes
- Recognizing a pattern in the baby’s movements
- Steady weight gain
- Visible baby bump
- Darkening of certain areas of skin
- Tailbone pain
Diagnostic Tests and Ultrasound Results in Week 27 of Pregnancy
The 27 week ultrasound will show a fully formed fetus with prominent head, body and limbs. The heart can be seen beating on the ultrasound and the number of heart beats per minute are counted.
In case of a twin pregnancy, both the babies are seen in their separate amniotic sacs and their growth is assessed separately and a check is kept to ensure that they are both growing at the same rate.
Your baby’s eyes are open but unfortunately that is something that you will not be able to see on an ultrasound. You will have to wait a little to look into those little eyes, exactly 10-12 weeks more.
The placental blood flow is checked and the cervix is measured and checked if it is closed.
During this week, the doctor may order blood tests like basic blood counts, blood group, Rh factor, urine analysis etc as part of routine check-up.
Pregnancy Health Tips
- In case you are troubled by back pain and/or tail bone pain, consult a registered physiotherapist for a proper and structured exercise during pregnancy.
- Acidity is best dealt with by taking smaller and frequent meals and lots of water.
- Always get up from lying down position with proper support. A jerky movement around your pregnant belly can lead to round ligament pain which is a sharp pain felt on one side.
- Keep your hospital bag ready by the time you enter the final trimester of pregnancy. If your little one decides to come early you need to be prepared.
- Weight gain should be watched. At this stage you need an extra 300 calories daily and nothing more so eat accordingly and keep the weight gain steady.
- In case you are having pains in the abdomen, consult your doctor to understand the cause of the pains. They could be false labor pains or due to an underlying infection or UTI. Never ignore abdomen pains after you complete the second trimester.
- In order to sleep well, follow a relaxing bed time routine. Take a warm shower and avoid watching television in bed.
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