Pregnancy Week By Week

Pregnancy Week 15		(–) Pregnancy Week 14		(+) Pregnancy Week 16
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Your Baby
By the end of pregnancy week 15 your baby will be roughly 4.5 inches long and weigh more than 1.5 ounces!

Changes In Your Growing Baby
As you continue your pregnancy week by week you will start noticing dramatic changes. Your baby is also undergoing many new and exciting changes! While your baby's skin is still paper thin during pregnancy at 15 weeks, your baby is producing a substance called lanugo to help protect your baby's body in the weeks before you give birth. This fine hair sometimes covers premature infants when they are delivered early. Lanugo is present on every portion of your baby's skin including the lips, genitals and even nails while your baby is in utero!

During pregnancy week 15 your baby's bones are also getting harder and stronger. Your baby spends most of her days practicing breathing amniotic fluid and swimming about. These practice exercises will prepare your baby for her entrance into the real world several months from now!

Your Body's Development
You are probably excited to start noticing significant changes in your profile by pregnancy 15 weeks. At this time most women will have gained up to ten pounds. Your uterus continues to grow and expand through pregnancy week 15, and is now rising above your hipbones. Soon your healthcare provider will start feeling your uterus just below your navel and taking detailed measurements.

During the later half of the second trimester most healthcare providers take measurements of your growing uterus. These measurements are referred to as the fundal height, and give your practitioner an idea of how well your baby is growing. Normally the fundal height corresponds to the number of weeks pregnant a woman is, though it may vary by an inch or two in many cases.

Changes In Your Body
By now you are excited not only by your size but also the thought of carrying your precious cargo around. By pregnancy at fifteen weeks you may once again start noticing some new and bizarre side effects of pregnancy. Some women for example start experiencing excessive salivation by around 15 weeks pregnant. Still others start noticing they are more prone to stuffy noses right around 15 weeks pregnant. Stuffy noses often result from swelling of the mucous membranes in the nose, more so than colds. A bad cold can certainly contribute to a stuffy nose though, so be sure to wash your hands and get plenty of rest to help promote your health and boost your immune system!

Most pregnant women's immune systems are slightly less strong during pregnancy. This provides a safer and better environment for your baby. Unfortunately this also means you are more susceptible to some common ailments during pregnancy. Take good care to eat well, get plenty of rest and exercise when possible to promote your health and well being. If you are sidelined by a cold take some time off to recuperate.

Aside from colds, some women find they are more susceptible to urinary tract infections as their pregnancy continues week by week. Urinary tract infections are a common albeit unwelcome side effect of pregnancy, much like morning sickness. They are easier for pregnant women to get because the muscles supporting the ureters tend to relax during pregnancy which can slow the flow of urine and contribute to bacterial growth.

Your healthcare provider usually tests for urinary tract infections during your first prenatal visit. If you don't have a UTI at this time it is not too likely you will develop one later one. You may however, so it is important you are aware of any unusual symptoms including pain when urinating, abdominal discomfort or a frequent urge to urinate with little production. Blood in the urine is also a sign of a urinary tract infection. It is vital you report any symptoms you are having immediately as UTIs can lead to severe complications during pregnancy.

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