Table of contents:
Week of gestation: 28 weeks
Equals to month: beginning of 7th month
Equals to days: 190 to 196 days of gestation
At the 28th week of pregnancy, the baby's development is marked by the rapid growth of the brain, which begins to form folds, allowing the area of contact between neurons to increase and new connections between them to form. The baby is now more active, recognizes the mother's voice and reacts to sounds and light, moving more and more in response to these external stimuli.
This is the week that marks the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy and the woman may have symptoms such as itchy or stretch marks on the belly, or difficulty sleeping due to the size of the growing belly.
Baby development
At the 28th week of pregnancy, the baby's brain is growing rapidly, brain cells multiply more and more and folds are formed in the brain that serve to increase the area of contact between neurons, and the baby begins to react to the pain, touch, sound and light that passes through the mother's belly, making her move more.
During this week of pregnancy, the baby already recognizes the mother's voice and reacts to loud noises and loud music, for example, and the heart starts to beat faster.
Baby size and weight
Baby size at 28 weeks gestation is about 36.1 centimeters measured from head to toe, and about 25.4 centimeters from head to butt, which is equivalent to the size of an eggplant. The baby's weight this week is about 1.18 Kg.
Changes in a woman's body
At the 28th week of pregnancy, due to the growth of the uterus, some women may experience itchy belly or stretch marks. In addition, the weight of the uterus, the changing curvature of the body, and the loosening of the joints to prepare the body for childbirth can cause back pain or pelvic pain.
At this stage of pregnancy, it is also common for women to experience insomnia due to the normal hormonal changes of pregnancy and the size of the belly that can make it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position.
Care during the 28th week
At the 28th week of pregnancy, some precautions are important to help alleviate the discomforts that may arise, such as:
- Itchy belly or stretch marks: Applying almond oil to your belly or doctor-recommended pregnancy moisturizers can help relieve itching associated with tight skin and prevent appearance of stretch marks;
- Back pain: avoid overexertion, do not carry weights, do not stand for a long time, avoid crossing your legs when sitting, use a maternity brace, to give belly and back support, or apply warm compresses to the back. In addition, you should practice physical activities recommended by the doctor such as stretching, yoga or pilates to strengthen the muscles of the back and pelvis. Check out the best exercises to do in pregnancy;
- Pelvic pain: doing light stretching and gentle movements, practicing yoga or pilates, as long as approved by the doctor, helps to strengthen the muscles to support the changes in the body during pregnancy. However, if the pain does not improve, or if you have a fever, you should contact your doctor immediately;
- Difficulty sleeping or insomnia: Sleeping with a pillow between your legs and lying on your side or in a position that the woman is comfortable with helps reduce discomfort that makes it difficult to sleep sleep. In addition, it is important to create a sleep routine and a calm and comfortable environment to sleep, and avoid sleeping during the day so as not to disturb your sleep at night.
During the entire pregnancy, it is important to have prenatal consultations, follow medical recommendations and take folic acid or supplements recommended by the obstetrician. Find out how prenatal care is done.
In addition, you should have a balanced diet including fresh fruits and vegetables, rich in important nutrients for the baby's development, and practice physical activities approved by the doctor, such as walking, yoga, pilates or water aerobics, for example. Learn more about nutrition in pregnancy.
Main exams
At this stage of pregnancy, which corresponds to the beginning of the third trimester, the doctor must request the fetal biophysical profile, which is an exam that allows evaluating the baby's movements and the amount of amniotic fluid in the uterus. See how the fetal biophysical profile is done.
In addition, at the 28th week of pregnancy, the doctor may indicate the injection of anti-D immunoglobulin, for women with Rh- blood type, and Rh+ partner, or who had the first one with Rh+ blood type and not if the injection was made during the first pregnancy or up to 3 days after delivery. This injection is intended to prevent the formation of antibodies against the fetal blood, which can cause erythroblastosis fetalis. Understand what erythroblastosis fetalis is.
