The Third Trimester

What You Need to Know

  • As you brainstorm the third trimester, your health care provider or midwife may change the schedule of your prenatal visits from monthly to every two weeks.
  • Information technology's a expert idea to kickoff taking childbirth classes in preparation for your baby's birth, especially if this is your first pregnancy.
  • Past the end of the tertiary trimester, the fetus is well-nigh xix to 21 inches long and weighs, on average, 6 to ix pounds.

Prenatal Visits During the 3rd Trimester

During your second and third trimester prenatal visits, your wellness care provider or midwife may cheque the following, depending on your current medical condition and the wellness of your fetus:

  • Whatsoever current symptoms or discomforts

  • Your weight

  • Your blood pressure level

  • Urine test. This is to find albumin, a protein that may indicate pre-eclampsia or toxemia, and glucose, which may indicate hyperglycemia.

  • Position, growth and evolution of your fetus

  • Meridian of the fundus (top of the uterus)

  • Fetal heartbeat

Every bit yous begin the third trimester, your health care provider or midwife volition modify the schedule of your prenatal visits from monthly to every two weeks. Your prenatal visits may be scheduled once every week in the last month. This schedule volition depend on your medical condition, the growth and development of the fetus, and your wellness care provider or midwife's preference.

Toward the after weeks of the pregnancy (starting at approximately the 38th week), a pelvic exam may be done to make up one's mind the dilation and effacement of the neck. Your health intendance provider or midwife volition also ask near any contractions and discuss labor and delivery procedures.

The Third Trimester: What to Wait

The tertiary trimester marks the dwelling stretch, as yous ready for the delivery of your baby. The fetus is continuing to abound in weight and size, and the torso systems finish maturing. You may feel more than uncomfortable now as you continue to gain weight and begin to accept faux labor contractions (called Braxton-Hicks contractions).

During the 3rd trimester, it is a good idea to commencement taking childbirth classes in training for the big day. This is especially true in the case of first pregnancies.

Johns Hopkins Hospital Designated as Babe-Friendly

The Baby-Friendly Infirmary Initiative, a global plan launched past the World Wellness Organisation and the United Nations Children'south Fund, has designated The Johns Hopkins Hospital as Baby-Friendly. This designation is given to hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and female parent-infant bonding.

The Third Trimester: Changes to Your Body

In the third trimester, some women become increasingly uncomfortable equally their due date nears. Every bit the fetus grows in size and crowds the intestinal cavity, some mothershoped-for take difficulty taking deep breaths or getting comfortable at nighttime for sleep, while others are free from any discomfort as they anxiously look the arrival of their new son or daughter.

Variations in how a baby is carried during pregnancy.

The following is a list of changes and symptoms that you lot may feel during the third trimester:

  • Your fetus radiates torso heat, causing yous to feel hot from increased peel temperature.

  • The increased urinary frequency returns due to increased pressure being placed on the float.

  • Blood pressure may decrease as the fetus presses on the primary vein that returns blood to the centre.

  • Swelling of the ankles, easily and face may happen (called edema), as y'all go on to retain fluids.

  • Hair may brainstorm to abound on your arms, legs and face due to increased hormone stimulation of hair follicles. Hair may likewise feel coarser.

  • Leg cramps may happen more than often.

  • Braxton-Hicks contractions (false labor) may brainstorm to happen at irregular intervals in preparation for childbirth.

  • Stretch marks may announced on the stomach, chest, thighs and buttocks.

  • Colostrum (a fluid in the breasts that nourishes the baby until the chest milk becomes available) may begin to leak from your nipples.

  • Dry, itchy pare may persist, particularly on the tummy, as the skin continues to grow and stretch.

  • Your libido (sexual drive) may subtract.

  • Skin pigmentation may become more than apparent, especially dark patches of peel on the face.

  • Constipation, heartburn and indigestion may go on.

  • You will accept increased white-colored vaginal discharge (leukorrhea), which may contain more mucus.

  • Backaches may persist and increase in intensity.

  • Hemorrhoids may persist and increase in severity.

  • Varicose veins in the legs may persist and increase in severity.

The 3rd Trimester: Fetal Development

During the 3rd trimester, your fetus continues to grow in size and weight. The lungs are still maturing, and the fetus begins to position itself head down. Past the finish of the third trimester, the fetus is about 19 to 21 inches long and weighs, on boilerplate, 6 to nine pounds. Fetal development during the third trimester includes:

  • The fetus can see and hear.

  • The brain continues to develop.

  • The kidneys and lungs go along to mature.

  • Past the 36th week, the caput may "appoint" (driblet into the pelvic area), a process chosen lightening.

  • The bones of the skull remain soft to arrive easier to pass through the nativity canal.

  • For many babies, the irises of the optics are slate blue. The permanent eye color will not appear until several days or weeks later on birth.

  • The fetus can suck its thumb and has the power to cry.

  • By 38 to twoscore weeks, the fetus' lanugo (fine, soft pilus on the torso and limbs) has disappeared virtually completely.

  • Past 38 to 40 weeks, the lungs have matured completely.

  • The baby is covered in vernix caseosa (or simply called vernix), a creamy, protective coating on the skin.

  • The head volition usually turn downwardly during the last couple of weeks of pregnancy.

An illustration showing fetal growth from 8 to 40 weeks.