17 weeks
pregnant
Pregnancy symptoms during week 17
Dizziness
Feeling a little lightheaded or like the room is spinning? This is a common symptom during the second trimester and is most likely due to normal pregnancy-related cardiovascular changes (a higher heart rate, bigger blood vessels to accommodate an increased blood volume, and temporary changes in circulation). Here's how to handle feeling dizzy during pregnancy.
Vision changes
You may notice your vision seems blurrier and your eyes are drier. Strange though this seems, vision changes are common during pregnancy. Pregnancy changes in hormones, metabolism, fluid retention, and blood circulation can all affect your eyes and eyesight. These changes are usually minor and will go away after you have your baby. Sometimes vision changes can be caused by a more serious condition, though, so talk to your doctor or midwife if you have blurry vision, double vision, temporary loss of vision, or anything else unusual.
Itchy skin
Mild itching is a normal pregnancy skin problem. You may feel it especially around your breasts and belly where the skin is stretching a lot. Sometimes eczema worsens during preg
Week 17 of pregnancy: What changes in the woman and the fetus?
The 17th week of pregnancy corresponds to the beginning of the fifth month of pregnancy. The woman is in the second trimester of pregnancy and is getting closer to the halfway point.
As the fetus continues to develop, changes in the body and weight gain (around kg) of the expectant mother begin to become more evident. It is quite possible that in the 17th week it is already beginning to be noticeable that the woman is pregnant.
Provided below is an index with the 8 points we are going to expand on in this article.
Contents
Fetal development
At this 17th week of pregnancy, the fetus measures about 13 cm and may weigh about g. As the weeks of gestation pass, the fetus becomes more and more similar to a newborn baby.
Among the most important changes that occur for the fetus in week 17, we can mention the following:
- The various organs and systems continue to develop.
- The cartilaginous skeleton gradually hardens.
- Your heartbeat can now be heard with a stethoscope.
- It accumulates adipose tissue, which is important for body heat.
- It is possible for the fetus to react to loud sounds, as it is able to perce
What's happening in my body?
Week by week, your baby's getting bigger, and so is your placenta, which is feeding your baby and also removing waste. By the end of your pregnancy the placenta will weigh around g, which is as heavy as a packet of pasta.
Your waist will start to vanish as your womb moves up and out of your pelvis. This will make you look more obviously pregnant.
Around 1 in 10 women feel stressed or anxious during their pregnancy, and hormones can make even small problems feel overwhelming.
If you feel sad or worried, talk to your doctor or midwife – there's a big support network out there for you.
Your baby's movements
Many women spot the first signs of their baby moving between 18 and 24 weeks.
Inside your tummy, you might feel:
- bubbling
- fluttering
- rolling
You might find that your baby moves more:
- after meals
- when you listen to loud music
- when you rub your tummy and talk to your baby
- when you are relaxing
Tommy's has information about baby movements in pregnancy.
Stretch marks
Depending on your skin colour, you might notice pink, red, purple or brown streaks over your stomach and breasts. They may also appear on
17 weeks pregnant: fetal development
Your baby is nearly 13cm (in) from head to bottom (crown to rump) and weighs the same as a turnip, about g (oz) (Hill a).
Fingerprints and toeprints continue to develop their unique swirls and patterns (NHS , Visembryo nda), and your baby’s hearing is developing every day (Hill b).Recent growth means your baby’s head and body are more in proportion than in earlier weeks (Visembryo ndb). The eyes have moved in from the side of your baby’s head to be forward-facing (Moore et al ).Advertisement | page continues below
Your baby’s skeleton is continuing to harden from rubbery cartilage to bone (Moore et al ). As they get bigger, the umbilical cord, their lifeline to your placenta, grows stronger and thicker (Visembryo nda).
Find out how your life and your body are changing this week with our guide to 17 weeks of pregnancy.Note: every baby develops differently. This page is designed to give you a general idea of how a fetus grows in the uterus.
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