At 18 weeks, the mother is halfway through pregnancy and experiences multiple changes in the body due to the increased growth and metabolic needs of the fetal body. The height of the uterus is midway between the pubic symphysis and umbilicus. The waistline expands, and the mother may feel off balance to adjust to the changing body. The womb moves out of the pelvis due to size, and the baby bump becomes noticeable. Because of the pregnancy-related hormones, the mother could experience uncomfortable pain, discomfort, and aches in the body.
The most common symptoms that occur at this stage include:
- Quickening (fluttering or a light tapping feeling caused due to fetal movements in the abdomen)
- Low blood pressure
- Dizziness
- Low back pain and gas pain
- Ravenous hunger (increase in appetite or food cravings)
- Heartburn or constipation
- Blotchy or darkened skin on the face
- Difficulty sleeping
- Weight gain
- Greasy skin
- Thick long hair
- Occasional nausea
- Feeling tired
- Mood swings
Fetal development at 18 weeks
The fetus now weighs around 0.41 lbs and is 14 cm in height. The skeleton continues to harden and ossify. The legs and inner ear bones are first to ossify. The fetus is then able to fully flex the arms and legs. Genitals are almost completely formed and in position. Blood vessels can be seen through the skin, and the ears are formed fully and are positioned at the sides of the head. It might hear the heartbeat or tummy gurgle of the mother and loud sounds outside the womb. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around the nerves. This will continue to form for a year after birth. The fetus swallows the amniotic fluid that makes its way into the stomach and forms meconium. The baby’s first poop slowly begins to accumulate in the bowels. If the fetus is a female, the uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. In case of a male, the prostate gland is being formed. Both female and male now officially sport finger and toe prints. The fetus can perfect intricate moves such as sucking a thumb, clasping hands, and curling.
SLIDESHOW
The 14 Most Common Causes of Fatigue See SlideshowCheckups and prenatal examinations at 18 weeks
Around the 18th week of prenatal checkup, the doctor will check the weight of the mother, size of the baby, and mother’s blood pressure, and conduct a urine test and look for other vital signs. A mid-pregnancy ultrasound will be conducted to check the physical development of the fetus. Based on the medical history, age, and other examinations, the doctor would recommend other prenatal examinations such as:
- Sonography
- Fetal organ anatomy
- Maternal serum screening
- Amniocentesis
- Fetal echocardiogram
- Fetal blood sampling
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Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
Ectopic Pregnancy (Tubal Pregnancy)
An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy located outside the inner lining of the uterus. The majority of ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube. Signs and symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy may include abdominal pain, lack of menstrual period (amenorrhea), vaginal bleeding, fainting, dizziness, and low blood pressure.
Treatment options for an ectopic pregnancy include observation, medication, or surgery.
Heartburn During Pregnancy
Heartburn during pregnancy is quite common. During pregnancy the lower esophageal sphincter muscle becomes weakened , which likely occurs due to the effect of the high levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy. Fortunately, this resolves after pregnancy. Management of heartburn during pregnancy are generally involves lifestyle changes and avoiding foods that promote heartburn, for example, don't smoke, avoid tight clothing, eat small, frequent meals, chew gum, or sip liquids.
Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy
Hypothyroidism during pregnancy can be treated with synthetic thyroid hormones to maintain the proper thyroid hormone balance. Hypothyroidism symptoms and signs include fatigue, weight gain, lethargy, and constipation. Check out the center below for more medical references on pregnancy and hypothyroidism, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
magnesium sulfate
Magnesium sulfate is a salt of magnesium, a naturally occurring mineral, used to prevent and treat convulsions (seizures) from preeclampsia and eclampsia (toxemia) in pregnant women. Magnesium sulfate is also used to treat certain heart rhythm disorders, magnesium deficiency, and acute kidney inflammation (nephritis) in children. Side effects include flushing, increased sweating, low blood pressure (hypotension), depressed/poor reflexes, flaccid paralysis, low core body temperature (hypothermia), circulatory collapse, depressed cardiac function, central nervous system (CNS) depression, respiratory paralysis, excess fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), extreme drowsiness, and others.oxytocin
Oxytocin is a synthetic form of the natural human hormone oxytocin used to induce or improve uterine contractions during delivery and to prevent uncontrolled bleeding (hemorrhage) after the delivery. Common side effects of oxytocin include serious allergic reaction (anaphylactic reaction), premature ventricular contractions, postpartum hemorrhage, pelvic hematoma, irregular heart rhythms (cardiac arrhythmia), bleeding in the space between the brain and its membrane (subarachnoid hemorrhage), fatal afibrinogenemia, hypertensive episodes, nausea, vomiting, and rupture of the uterus. Oxytocin should not be used otherwise during pregnancy or when breastfeeding.
Pregnancy Planning (Tips)
Pregnancy planning is an important step in preparation for starting or expanding a family. Planning for a pregnancy includes taking prenatal vitamins, eating healthy for you and your baby, disease prevention (for both parents and baby) to prevent birth defects and infections, avoiding certain medications that may be harmful to your baby, how much weight gain is healthy exercise safety and pregnancy, travel during pregnancy.
Stages of Pregnancy: Week by Week
See pictures on the various stages of pregnancy. See and learn what changes a woman's body goes through and view fetal images of how her baby grows during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters.