Your Nutrition Tip Of The Week²

Heartburn can unfortunately last throughout your pregnancy, but you can find relief by monitoring your nutrition habits.

How to deal with those pregnancy cravings...

• Watch what you eat, and do not give up on the balanced nutrition your body needs.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
• Eat slowly.
• Avoid eating late at night and do not lie down for several hours after eating.

Your Wellness Tips This Week³

By your 15th week of pregnancy, you have accomplished so much. Whether it has been smooth sailing or a bumpy road, it is not unusual to have concerns or occasional worries about your baby’s health.

Prenatal testing
Remember, knowledge is power. The more you and your doctor know about your baby’s health, the better equipped you can be to address any potential problems.

You might want to know specifics about your baby’s health before she is born, particularly if you have any increased risk factors. Prenatal tests include:

• Screening tests, which your doctor can describe for you, and diagnostic tests, which are done when a screening test indicates the doctor needs more information.
• Many women choose to have ultrasounds, blood tests, or other tests for a variety of reasons. You and your doctor should discuss which tests you need.

When examining prenatal testing options, you may want to ask yourself:

• What will you do with the information?
• Will the information help your doctor better care for you and your baby?
• How accurate are the results?
• What are the risks?

You can also opt for a triple test, which is a screening test that checks for chromosomal disorders, such as Down syndrome, and spinal abnormalities, such as spina bifida. This test is most accurate when completed between the 16th and 18th weeks of pregnancy and it measures:

• AFP (alpha-fetoprotein – Produced by your baby’s liver, this protein might show up in your blood)
• HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin – A hormone produced by your placenta)
• Estriol (An estrogen produced by your baby and your placenta)

Your Baby's Development at Week 15^4,5

Your baby’s internal and external growth continue at a remarkable pace throughout the 15th week of pregnancy.

• When you are 15 weeks pregnant, your baby is about 11.5 cm from head to rump, and weighs about 0.05 to 0.1 kg. She is about the length of a large apple.
• Your baby’s hair might appear on her scalp and eyebrows. Hair follicles even begin to generate the pigments that give hair its colour.
• By your 15th week of pregnancy, your baby’s ears probably have reached their permanent position on the side of her head, and her eyes are moving to where they belong on the front of her face.
• Your baby’s skin is developing, but remains extremely thin.
• Your baby’s skeletal system and muscles further develop and strengthen.
• By the end of your 15th week of pregnancy, your baby might be able to wiggle fingers and toes, make a fist, or even suck her thumb!

Your Changing Body at Week 15⁶

By your 15th week of pregnancy, your body has made major adjustments to nurture the growing baby inside of you. Starting at about 15 weeks pregnant, your body’s next challenge is to make room for your growing baby.

• Your lung capacity increases, allowing your body to carry more oxygen to your baby.
• Your rib cage might enlarge — up to 5 to 7.5 cm around — to accommodate the increasing size of your lungs!

Heartburn¹

• Heartburn begins when muscles (that are more relaxed than normal due to increased hormones) allow digestive acids to back up into and irritate your esophagus, which connects your throat to your stomach.
• The bad news? Unlike some pregnancy symptoms, this one might continue throughout your pregnancy!
• The good news? With a little care and guidance from your doctor, you often can find relief from heartburn irritation.

Truth or myth: Heartburn and hair⁷
Chances are you’ve heard of the old wives’ tale: The more heartburn you have throughout pregnancy, the more likely your baby will be born with a full head of hair. Recent research turns this tale into truth! The specific hormones that are causing your heartburn are the same ones that prompt fetal hair to develop.

References:

¹ Healthline. The Second Trimester: Constipation, Gas, and Heartburn. Available [Online] at: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/second-trimester-constipation-gas-heartburn. Accessed on 23 August 2023.
² Ward EM. Coping with pregnancy and food cravings. WebMD. Available [Online] at: https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/coping-with-pregnancy-food-cravings. Accessed on 23 August 2023.
³ Healthline. The Importance of Checkups in the Second Trimester. Available [Online] at: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/second-trimester-checkups-tests. Accessed on 23 August 2023.
⁴ Verywellfamily. Week 15 of your pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.verywellfamily.com/15-weeks-pregnant-4158988. Accessed on 23 August 2023.
⁵ My Cleaveland Clinic. Fetal Development. Available [Online] at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7247-fetal-development-stages-of-growth. Accessed on 23 August 2023.
⁶ LoMauro A. J Appl Physiol. 7 Nov 2019;127: 1640–1650. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00035.2019.
⁷ MedicalNewsToday. 14 Myths about pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327231. Accessed on 23 August 2023.
* Comparison among all maternal milk in Singapore as of January 2022, as declared on the label.

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