At 25 weeks pregnant, you may feel a mixture of emotions, from anxious to excited. The nursery is getting done, and plans are moving along. Here is a list of pointers for this week. Get the Fetal Life App for Apple and Android endorsed by the American Pregnancy Association.
At 25 weeks pregnant, what changes are occurring with your body?
Your uterus is approximately the size of a soccer ball, and the top of your uterus can be felt about halfway between your belly button and the bottom of your sternum.
How big is your baby during the 25th week of pregnancy?
Your baby is now 13 inches (33 cm) long and weighs anywhere from 1½ to 1¾ pounds (0.7 to 0.8 kg).
What is happening with your baby?
While your baby doesn’t seem that big, he or she is slowly gaining some baby fat. This will help your baby appear less wrinkled. If your baby has hair, the color and texture could be seen at this point. However, it can change after your baby is born.
Your baby’s Gender… You hear all sorts of ways to tell if you are having a boy or a girl. If the baby’s heart rate is fast, you are having a girl. If the heart rate is slower, then it is a boy. Others will guess the sex of the baby based on how you are carrying the baby. If you are carrying low then it is a boy, and if you are carrying high it is a girl. These are just a few of the wives’ tales that pregnant women often hear. However, there are only a few scientific ways to determine gender. This can be determined by an ultrasound, amniocentesis, chorionic villi sampling (CVS), and noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT). NIPT is a blood test used to determine gender as well as the presence of certain chromosomal conditions. It can be used as early as 9 weeks gestation, although it is only recommended in high-risk pregnancies. Amniocentesis is performed by inserting a needle into the amniotic fluid and can be done between 15 and 20 weeks. Chorionic villi sampling takes a sample of the chorionic villi from the placenta for testing and can be performed between 8 and 10 weeks gestation. Both amniocentesis and CVS come with risks, including a small risk of miscarriage, and should not be used in all pregnancies. If you think you may be interested in having amniocentesis or CVS performed, talk with your doctor about the risks involved.
What should you plan for during pregnancy week 25?
You may be tempted to have a keepsake ultrasound performed during the last part of your pregnancy. Although these services offer a novel means for creating special memories, there are health concerns that need to be considered. The ultrasound procedure involves high-frequency sound waves to produce diagnostic images. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, an ultrasound should be requested by a physician for a medical reason and performed by trained professionals, such as sonographers, radiologists, or obstetricians. Several organizations have released statements regarding keepsake ultrasounds. To read the statements, please see our article on keepsake ultrasounds.
Tips for making your pregnancy better:
Whether or not you know the gender of your baby, you may want to begin thinking about baby names. You and your partner may have already discussed this and have a name picked out. Ask yourself the following questions concerning the names you are leaning towards:
- What do the initials spell out?
- Are there any nicknames that are associated with this name?
- What other words rhyme with this name?
This is just a guide to think through as you pick a name for your child.
Tips for mom’s partner:
How long has it been since your partner had a manicure or pedicure? These are just a few of life’s luxuries that may be put aside while a woman goes through her pregnancy, but having one could greatly lift her spirits. Get her a gift certificate or schedule an appointment for a manicure or pedicure. If money is tight, give her a manicure or pedicure yourself. All you need is a few supplies to give her “salon quality” treatment.
Supplies:
- Bowl or pan with warm water
- Lotion or bath oil mixed with sugar to use as an exfoliant
- Soft towel to dry her hands and feet
- Lotion or cream to apply afterward
- A color of nail polish she likes
- Nail clippers and file
- Flip flops that allow her to walk around without ruining her freshly painted toes
Want to Know More?
Compiled using information from the following sources:
1. Hall, H. (2013, September 17). Baby’s DNA in mom’s blood: Noninvasive prenatal testing.
https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/babys-dna-in-moms-blood-noninvasive-prenatal-testing/
2. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012). Chorionic villus sampling.
3. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist. (2007). ACOG opposes sex selection for family planning purposes.
