(^520) Medical-Surgical Nursing Demystified
14 weeks, and starts at implantation. During this time, it is not uncommon to feel
more fatigue, nausea, and morning sickness. At two months, the uterus is the size
of a grapefruit. At nine weeks, the embryo is called a fetus and is about one inch
in length. During the first trimester, most major organs have developed. The sec-
ond trimester is from 14 to 28 weeks, and is characterized by less breast tender-
ness, less fatigue, and a diminishing of morning sickness. However, some back pain
may begin, as well as stretch marks, heartburn, and hemorrhoids. At 16 weeks, the
fundus is halfway between the pubic bone and the umbilicus. At 16 to 18 weeks,
fetal movement may be felt. At 27 weeks, the fundus is two inches above the
umbilicus. The third trimester is from 28 weeks to birth. Less movement will be
felt due to the limited space for the fetus to move about. The mother may feel
some respiratory difficulty as the uterus is directly underneath the diaphragm,
pushing up the lungs. She may experience some edema, have difficulty sleeping,
and an increased urge to urinate due to pressure on the bladder. She may feel
Braxton-Hicks contractions, which are mild abdominal cramping.
WHAT WENT WRONG?
Nothing.
PROGNOSIS
Healthy baby after nine months gestation.
HALLMARK SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Symptoms and signs are usually due to pregnancy, but none are diagnostic.
- Symptoms:
- Nausea, vomiting
- Breast enlargement and tenderness
- Quickening (feeling fetal movements)
- Weight gain
- Absence of menses
- Signs:
- Abdominal enlargement