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There's no stopping your growing belly at 24 weeks pregnant! Your pregnant belly is only going to get larger and larger as you pack on the pounds during your pregnancy week by week. Isn't it amazing that your pregnancy weight gain at 24 weeks pregnant is already at least 15 pounds, for the average woman?
Belly Rubs - A sign of Good Luck?
As you celebrate your expanding belly, you may start getting requests from family, friends, and even strangers to rub your belly. Some cultures consider this a sign of good luck. If these requests bother you at pregnancy week 24, you can always tell people you are sensitive, or place a protective arm around your belly.
Even if you don't want people to touch your belly at 24 weeks pregnant, you should rub your belly regularly throughout your pregnancy week by week! Your unborn baby will enjoy the calming feel of your rhythmic movements. This is a very subtle way for you to bond with your baby while he or she is in utero.
Your Baby Can Hear Your Voice!
At this point of your pregnancy week by week, your baby's inner ear organs have matured enough that he or she can hear the sound of your voice. Many expectant moms in the second trimester enjoy singing and talking to their baby. This is yet another way to bond with your little one. During pregnancy week 24, you may even feel your baby move or kick in response to your voice!
Did you know that most babies instantly recognize the scent and sound of their mother after birth? So the more you communicate with your baby during pregnancy week 24 and throughout the rest of your pregnancy, the closer you will feel toward your baby following delivery.
Should You be Concerned about Vaginal DIscharge?
At 24 weeks pregnant, you only have a few more weeks until your third and final trimester of pregnancy. If you start noticing that you have more vaginal discharge than before, don't be alarmed. A majority of pregnant women have higher levels of discharge during their pregnancy, as a result of the increased blood flow to your genitals and all the pregnancy hormones surging in your body.
Called "leukorrhea," vaginal discharge during pregnancy should be clear or white in color, and it typically is odorless. You'll notice more of this discharge in your third trimester and in the weeks approaching your labor and delivery.
If your vaginal discharge at pregnancy week 24 has a foul smell, is thick and yellow, and comes with itching, you should contact your doctor. This may be a sign of a vaginal infection, such as a yeast infection, and you'll need to be treated immediately. Infections may put you at an increased risk of premature labor (giving birth to a baby before 37 weeks pregnant).
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to prevent this bothersome pregnancy symptom. It is something you have to live with at 24 weeks pregnant and beyond. If you have heavy or excessive vaginal discharge in the second trimester, you may want to use panty liners to absorb the discharge. (Remember: do not use tampons during pregnancy).
During pregnancy week 24, your baby weighs over a pound (around 1.3 pounds on average) and he or she may be around 11.8 inches long!
Your baby has reached a milestone at 24 weeks pregnant. If your baby was born premature this week, he or she would be considered "viable" and have a 40 percent survival rate in neonatal intensive care.
At 24 weeks pregnant, your baby's lungs continue to mature and improve their function. They will not be ready for life in the outside world until the final weeks of your third trimester, around 37 weeks.
Your baby's bones are hardening at 24 weeks pregnant. Up until now, your baby's skeleton has been made of cartilage, which is slowly being replaced with bone.
Your little one's skin is still thin and somewhat translucent, but this is slowly changing, as layers of fat start to develop between the skin cells.
At 24 weeks pregnant, your baby's eyelids and eyebrows are developed but your little one's eyes are still fused shut and will not open for several more weeks.
Your baby's skin undergoes "keratinization" this week. Keratin is a very strong protein that makes up your outer layer of skin. It actually transforms the outer layer of skin into a protective layer of dead cells that are eventually shed. During keratinization, new skin cells, which are produced in the deepest part of the skin, gradually move toward the surface of the skin as it matures. After these skin cells become part of the outer protective layer of skin, they are gradually shed.
At 24 weeks pregnant, lanugo - soft, downy hairs that cover your baby's body - are trapping "vernix" onto the surface of the skin. "Vernix" is a white, waxy substance that you often see on newborn babies' skin. This protects your baby's skin from all the water that surrounds it in utero and from the waste products in the amniotic fluid.
Your baby's heartbeat has slowed down slightly at pregnancy week 24, though it is still beating pretty fast.
If you want to listen to your baby's heartbeat at 24 weeks pregnant, you may want to invest in a Prenatal Heart Listener. You simply place the monitor on your belly and listen to your little one's heartbeat. This can often be a bonding experience for both you and the father-to-be!
At 24 weeks pregnant, you should be on the lookout for any signs of preterm labor, or labor that occurs before 37 weeks. The March of Dimes estimates that up to twelve percent of all U.S. births in are preterm. Although delivering early can happen to anyone, certain women are more at risk than others. These include:
- Pregnant women with a past history of preterm deliveries.
- Women who are pregnant with twins and multiples.
- Pregnant women with cervical and uterine abnormalities.
- Pregnant women who receive late or no prenatal care.
- Pregnant women who smoke, drink, or use illegal drugs.
- Pregnant women who work long hours that requires standing for a long period of time.
- Pregnant women involved in domestic violence, are sexually abused, or emotionally abused.
You may also be at risk for preterm labor if you have certain medication conditions, such as urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, sexual transmitted diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure or preeclampsia, clothing disorders, and are pregnant due to in vitro fertilization.
The Symptoms of Preterm Labor
If you're at an increased risk of preterm labor at pregnancy week 24, you should educate yourself on the symptoms of preterm labor. These include:
- A low, dull backache.
- Pelvic pressure, or the sensation that your baby is pushing down.
- Menstrual-like cramps.
- Leaking fluid or vaginal bleeding.
- Contractions that occur every ten minutes, or more frequently.
- Abdominal cramps, sometimes accompanied by diarrhea.
Fetal Fibronectin (fFN) Test
At 24 weeks pregnant, if you are one of unlucky women experiencing preterm labor symptoms, or you are at risk for delivering early, your doctor or healthcare provider may recommend that you take a fetal fibronectin (fFN) test.
Fetal fibronectin is a "glue-like" protein that helps bind the amniotic sac to your uterine lining. When it's time to give birth, this "glue" starts to disintegrate and leaks out of your uterus. In a normal, healthy pregnancy, fetal fibronectin starts to break down naturally around 35 weeks of pregnancy.
During a fFN test, your vaginal and cervical fluids are checked for any presence of this "glue-like" protein. During pregnancy week 24, you should have no evidence of fetal fibronectin in your vaginal fluids. Only when the test detects the presence of this protein does this indicate that your body is ready for delivery.
What Does a Negative Result Mean?
If you receive a negative result at 24 weeks pregnant, rest assured that you have a 99 percent chance that you will not go into labor in the next two weeks. On the other hand, if you do get a positive result, your doctor or healthcare provider will create a plan of action to help your pregnancy last longer, if possible. This may include certain medications and being placed on bed rest.
Fortunately, for a majority of pregnant women, if you are not at risk for preterm labor, you will go on to have a healthy and successful pregnancy!
Read About Your Pregnancy Week by Week - 25 Weeks Pregnant
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