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What is the second trimester?

The weeks are grouped into three trimesters. The second trimester includes weeks 13 through 27 of a pregnancy or months 4, 5, and 6. It’s the middle phase of pregnancy.

In the second trimester, the baby grows larger and stronger and many women begin showing a larger belly or start to see your “baby bump” and feel your baby move for the first time.

During the second trimester of pregnancy, symptoms that you may have experienced during the first trimester begin to improve.

What happens to your body during the second trimester? The following changes and symptoms may occur:

• the uterus expands

• you begin to show a larger abdomen

• dizziness or lightheadedness due to lower blood pressure

• feeling the baby move

• body aches

• increased appetite

• stretch marks on the stomach,breast, thighs, or buttocks

• itching

• leg cramps

• swelling of the ankles or hands

What happens to the fetus during the second trimester?

The baby’s organs become fully developed during the second trimester.The brain will undergo its most important period of growth from the fifth month on.

The baby can also start to hear and swallow. Eyelids are beginning to open, and the eyebrows and eyelashes are visible. Rapid growth is continuing in fetal size and weight.

Small hairs become noticeable. Later on in the second trimester, the baby will begin to move around. It will develop sleeping and waking cycles that a pregnant woman will begin to notice.

A fetus born at the end of 24 weeks may survive in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Call your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms:

• nausea

• vomiting

• jaundice (yellowing of the whites of the eyes)

• extreme swelling