Pregnancy Care Guide: Weeks 21

Pregnancy Care Guide

Pregnancy: Weeks 21 – 25

Changes in fetus • Over 8 inches in length from crown to rump • Roughly 1½ pounds in weight • Skin is no longer translucent • Engaged in cycles of sleep and waking • Swallowing and excreting amniotic fluid • Heart rate now at 140-150 beats per minute • Much more sensitive to sound and movement • All major organs, except lungs, now functioning

Changes in you • More-definite fetal activity • Whitish vaginal discharge continues • Lower-abdominal achiness • Possible heartburn • Constipation • Back ache • Itchy abdomen • Hearty appetite

Suggested reading for mother: Your Pregnancy Week by Week, by Glade B. Curtis, M.D., and Judith Schuler Suggested reading for partner: A Guy's Guide to Pregnancy: Preparing for Parenthood Together, by Frank Mungeam and John Gray Suggested website for both: www.parentsplace.com
What to expect at your next office visit: Weight and blood pressure check Complete blood count Urine test for sugar and protein Fetal heartbeat Size and shape of uterus (determined by external palpation to see how it correlates to estimated due date) Height of fundus (top of the uterus) Discussion of symptoms you have been experiencing (particularly any unusual ones)
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