How big is the fetus at 22 weeks of pregnancy

Witnessing the growth of their children day by day is a very happy thing for every parent. Especially when the child is still in the mother's belly, as the most direct connection with the child, the mother can feel the baby growing slowly in her belly, and also wants to see eagerly how much the baby has grown in her belly. So when a woman reaches 22 weeks of pregnancy, how big will the baby be?

How big is the fetus at 22 weeks of pregnancy?

At the 22nd week, the fetus weighs about 350 grams and is 19 centimeters long. The fetus' eyebrows and eyelids are already clearly visible, and delicate nails have grown on its 10 little fingers. Under X-rays, the fetus's skull, spine, ribs, and bones of the limbs can be clearly displayed. The bone joints have also begun to develop, the body has gradually become symmetrical, with less subcutaneous fat and yellow skin. His skin is still wrinkled, and the fetal hair covering his head and body is visible. His eyes have developed, but his irises still lack color. His lips were becoming more distinct and tiny tooth tips were appearing within his gums, showing the first signs of teething.

The fetus's pancreas is also developing steadily. If it is a boy, his testicles have begun to enter the scrotum and the original sperm have also appeared. Now, the fetus's hearing is gradually becoming stronger. He is not only a little listener, but he can also respond to the sounds he hears. You can carefully select some soft prenatal education music and play it for him. After a period of time, you will find that as soon as you turn on the music, the fetus will respond to you, sometimes kicking his legs, and sometimes clapping his hands. Today's fetus is a little athlete, moving 50 times an hour on average! If the pregnant woman is iodine deficient at 22 weeks of pregnancy, the iodine supplied to the fetus will be insufficient and the fetus cannot synthesize enough thyroid hormone, which will affect the development of the nervous system and cause mental retardation. Pregnant women should eat more iodine-containing foods, iodized salt, iodized soybean oil, fish, shrimp, kelp, etc.

What to do if the umbilical cord is around the neck at 22 weeks?

During prenatal examinations, some pregnant women are always told that their fetus' umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck. So don't worry too much, umbilical cord around the neck is actually a common phenomenon. According to a study, the incidence of umbilical cord wrapped around the neck of fetuses in China is about 20% to 25%, among which the incidence of umbilical cord wrapped around the neck for one week is 89%, and the incidence of umbilical cord wrapped around the neck for two weeks is 11%. It is relatively rare for the umbilical cord to wrap around the neck for more than 3 weeks or around the fetal trunk or limbs. Don’t be too nervous if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck. It depends on the number of circles and the tightness. If the umbilical cord is loose around the neck, it will not affect the umbilical cord blood circulation and will not endanger the fetus. As long as the umbilical cord is not pulled excessively and does not affect the umbilical cord blood flow, most fetuses will not show any abnormalities. Therefore, there is no need to panic if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck. Normally, the baby can be born naturally. However, if the umbilical cord is wrapped too tightly around the neck, it may cause intrauterine distress or even fetal death, stillbirth or neonatal asphyxia, so the choice between natural birth or cesarean section must be made with caution. It should be noted that once the umbilical cord is found around the neck of the fetus at 22 weeks of pregnancy, it is necessary to minimize vibration and sleep on the left side. After discovering the situation, do not be blindly or overly nervous. Go to the hospital for examination and receive treatment and adjustment according to the doctor's advice.