Symptoms :

The only thing that disturbs many women at this stage is bulging stomach and heartburn. Most of the women will experience food cravings eating anything and everything. Shortness of breath will be present in women with frail structure, since the uterus will be expanding more and pushing the upper chest. Occasional chest pain may also be present.

Gestational diabetes can affect 2-5% of the pregnant women at this stage and you may need to take medications for managing blood sugar levels. Swelling of legs and ankles are yet another problem faced by many would-be moms in this stage. For some hands and face may also look swollen. You can talk with your doctor about new symptoms that worry you. From now on you can rest on the sides instead of lying flat on your back. This will considerably reduce the pressure on the chest helping you to overcome respiratory problems. Whenever you feel tired just relax on a couch. Take plenty of rest and eat healthy diet rich in fiber.

Development Of The Baby :

At this stage your baby would weigh almost 2 pounds and even more and his/her height would be from 13-15 inches. Eyes in the final stage of development and it are the time layers of the retina are formed. A soft membrane that encloses the eyes will separate from the eyelids of the baby. Now the baby will move around staying active many hours a day. He would set his own sleeping pattern that can be identified by you. Remember it is good for you to take rest when the baby is resting.

The tissues and muscles of your baby continue to develop and slowly fat particles are deposited below the skin layer. His vital organs will reach almost full development at this stage. Lungs would become mature and the baby will be inhaling and exhaling the amniotic fluid all the time. Some medical experts are of opinion that it is the stage when the baby dreams while sleeping but there is no evidence yet. Hang on since you are nearing the due date and all your wait is going to be over in another two months.

Tips Of The Week :

Make sure that you are not indulging in any activities that affect the emotional well-being of your baby. Avoid heated arguments both at office and at home. Spend more time in listening to soft music. It has been proved by testing that listening to soft music or sounds will be able to calm the baby if he/she is restless making frequent movements inside. Continue to eat healthy foods and do little exercises which is good for your baby and you. You can spend time in shopping for baby’s clothes and preparing the room for him/her.

Symptoms :

Do not panic if you have lost weight by one or two pounds in this week. It happens normally due to water retention and weight will not remain the same for every pregnant women. Do not keep on checking your weight daily giving importance to it. You will be notified by your doctor in case of any unusual weight gain or loss.

You may feel good one day and bad the very next day. Most of the women will have abdominal pain and sharp pain like that of menstrual cramps at this stage. You may visit the restrooms very often nowadays and eat many times. Craving for food would be at its peak and you can go ahead as long as there is no heartburn or acidity. Many women would have gained 20-23 pounds by the end of 26th week.

Development of the Baby :

By this week that is very close to the end of second trimester your baby would weigh almost two pounds and measure 12-14 inches in length. In the middle of this week, your baby will open his eyes widely and will start blinking. Until this period, his eyelids were shut but now he can open his eyelids. The eyes will be almost fully developed along with other facial features. His body would be very thin and lean since there is no fatty tissue beneath the skin. In the forthcoming weeks he would start building fat molecules which will continue until his birth.

Tips for The Week :

You can get in touch with your healthcare provider if you are getting contractions frequently. Take maximum rest as you can. You will be getting used to headache, nausea, swelling of legs and back pain by now. Eat well and drink plenty of fluids to keep you hydrated. Try to spend more time with your partner and do not forget to do Kegel exercises or go for a long walk taking help from your partner. This will help you in getting quality sleep and will reduce back pain considerably.

Suitable antibiotics are prescribed for destroying the bacteria and in some cases surgery is done for removing the wound. In severe cases the patient is given in-patient treatment with intravenous fluids and major drugs to restore the function of organs. This disease attacks the fascial planes or connective tissue that encloses many nerves, muscles and blood vessels. It can attack any part of the body and the infection spreads so rapidly that it would become difficult to stop the infection with drugs or surgery.

Causes :

Streptococcus pyogenes is the major bacterium causing flesh eating disease but sometimes other types are also involved. The bacterium would enter the body through small cuts or wounds on the skin. It would grow and multiply and subsequently produce toxins that would completely destroy the underlying tissues and blood vessels. Once the blood vessel ruptures it would gain entry into the bloodstream spreading to distant organs of the body.

Symptoms :

It would cause red sores or lesions on the affected skin suddenly. Very shortly it would cause intense pain on the area with bruise like wound. The center portion of the affected skin would become dark black indicating death of tissues. For some people the skin would rupture and the lesions would ooze pus like fluids. In addition to the above symptoms, this disease would cause general ill feeling, fever, nausea, drowsiness and extreme tiredness.

A person who is already having an infection is more prone to develop flesh eating disease bacteria. The site of the skin where there is wound or injury would develop swelling and becomes sensitive to pain. The symptoms would grow rapidly as the bacteria multiplies and enters the blood destroying other organs. Internal bleeding can occur when the bacteria has caused death of tissues and blood vessels.

Risk Factors :

Any individual with a wound or skin cut or injury can get this infection from flesh eating bacteria. The risk is higher if he/she is having a weak immune system. Infants, elderly people, diabetic patients and people with liver problems are at high risk of developing this disease.

People undergoing chemotherapy or taking drugs for suppressing the immunity have increased risk. Individuals with deep infection in the muscles or bones or joints are at high risk. Certain types of bacterial infection are high on people who consume contaminated water or seafood.

Diagnosis :

An expert doctor can diagnose the special bacterial infection on mere examination of the skin or injury site. He would request for additional tests like blood profile, imaging tests like X-ray or CT scan and also a skin biopsy.

Treatment :

Treatment depends on the condition of the affected patient. Immediate hospitalization and emergency medical care is required if the patient become unstable due to widespread infection. Antibiotic drugs of high strength are given through veins. Surgery is done after the patient becomes stable and dead tissues and muscles are removed from the site. Specific part of the body that is affected deeply is mostly amputated if there is sepsis and tissue death.

Antibodies are triggered by prescribing the special drugs thereby boosting the immune system to fight infection from bacteria. The patient will be treated in intensive care unit to prevent multiple organ failure and to stop cardiac arrest if the blood is contaminated with bacteria. Recovery and survival rate depends on how far infection has progressed and what type of bacteria has caused this disease. If the patient recovers after surgery, skin grafting is done for repairing the damaged skin of the infected area.

Images, Pics, Photos and Pictures of Flesh Eating Disease :

Outcome of the Disease :

Flesh eating disease can cause death if treatment is delayed or not treated rapidly. But there is chances of survival if the infection has not become widespread and early diagnosis is made.

Prevention :

Flesh eating disease can be prevented if you take immediate treatment if you have a cut or injured skin or open wound. You can follow good hygiene at home and workplace to prevent any infection. Avoid taking seafood if you have liver disease. If you have recently undergone surgery, follow the instructions of your GP or surgeon to take prescribed medications and follow-ups.

Symptoms :

New symptoms begin to develop at this stage of pregnancy of 25th week. Some women may experience dizziness and fatigue apart from shortness of breath. This is all quite normal due to increased blood flow and weight. It is essential for you to eat well and drink plenty of fluids to keep hydrated. Do not lie flat while sleeping instead turn to the sideways which will reduce shortness of breath. You will learn to adapt to the new situations and accordingly make changes from your habits.

You may also feel full or bloated after every meal. Your stomach will not have enough capacity to accommodate food as before. Hence you have to break up the meals into smaller fragments so that you are taking right calories each day. Rashes and itching are common in your belly due to expanding stomach size. You can apply coconut oil to keep your skin rejuvenated and prevent dryness. For many women hair growth will be amazing during this stage. You can enjoy this for few months only and your hair size will get back to normal after child birth.

Constipation is the biggest problem for many women who are in the midterm of their pregnancy. You can manage it by taking plenty of fiber rich foods daily. Practice exercise regularly to help reducing constipation and for facilitating easy bowel movements. By going for walk for few minutes after lunch you can get rid of circulating gases in your stomach.

Development of your Baby :

At this stage of 25th week of pregnancy your baby would weigh more than 1 pound and will be 12-14 inches long. This is the right time for him/her to build up fatty tissues in his body. His body continues to grow and expand in multiple ways. His internal organs will start functioning in full swing.

He learns new movements like rubbing his face with his hands or rubbing his legs or arms. He would be sleeping cozily in the warm atmosphere of your uterus swallowing amniotic fluid inside. Slowly pigmentation begins to develop and the color of the hair becomes visible for some babies at this stage.

Tips for the week :

You can spend more time with your family than office to enjoy and discuss about future plans for your baby. Have enough savings for the new member of your family. Enjoy the precious moments of light kicking from your baby and get ready to complete the second trimester.

Getting gestational diabetes is quite normal for many women at this stage of pregnancy. Your doctor will give suitable medications for treating the high blood sugar levels and that will come down soon after childbirth. Your doctor will do screening tests for diabetes during 24th or 25th week of pregnancy. On average 2-5% of women develop gestational diabetes during this stage and that has nothing to do with your diet. Make sure that you and your baby are keeping good health.

Symptoms :

In the period of 24th or 25th week of pregnancy some women would have symptoms of contractions. But that is nothing but signs of false labor otherwise called as Braxton Hicks contractions. It occurs when the uterus gets tightened or contracted from abdomen. It does not happen all of a sudden but you may feel it gradually. Again not all the pregnant women would be experiencing this type of contractions.

The uterus will be seen to have grown upwards by 2 inches from your belly button. Your breasts continue to grow full and sticky. Due to continuous stretching of the abdomen you can feel itchy skin in that region due to dryness. In rare cases there can be dryness of eyes for some women which can be treated by artificial tear drops over the counter.

Body pain and more particularly in the abdomen is quite common during this stage of pregnancy. The ligaments will be stretching further causing intense pain. For some women it can become hard to manage the ligament pain. In that case they can consult the healthcare provider to get some pain-relievers. Swelling of legs can happen due to accumulation of fluids in the legs. Nasal congestion can occur for some pregnant women since the soft mucous membranes develop inflammation and swelling. You can discuss with your doctor and use saline drops for getting relief from congestion.

Baby’s Development :

Now the weight of your baby would be from 1-1.5 lbs and it would measure almost one foot in length. In the beginning of third trimester the brain of your baby continues to expand to reach full development. He would also be developing taste buds. On ultrasound you can see the image of the baby with fully covered hair growth on the skin and on the scalp.

Most of the time his eyes remain closed and during this stage he would make more movements through his arms and legs instead of his head. Lungs of the baby would develop branches and cells and special chemical enzyme called surfactant will be produced at this stage. This helps in inflating the air sacs of the baby once it comes out of your womb. Premature babies born at this stage will have problems in breathing due to this factor. Your baby will continue to enjoy the warm atmosphere swallowing amniotic fluid and flushing out feces through his kidneys.

Tips for the Week :

In case you are hesitant to join yoga classes then it is good time to start it now. You need to do some exercises and yoga daily for reducing the labor pain. The muscles of the pelvic floor should become flexible enough to push the baby through the small vaginal opening. Continue to take medication prescribed by your doctor and eat healthy foods in regular intervals.

Symptoms :

As every week passes you will notice the weight gain will be anywhere from half to one pound for each week. Your stomach is protruding very much now since your uterus will be 1-2 inches above your belly. You will want to visit restroom more often than before. Small amounts of vaginal blood discharge are normal at this stage due to increased blood flow and this does not happen for every would-be mom.

If you find any new symptom that is disturbing you, you can very well discuss with your healthcare provider immediately. By now there can be increasing rashes and itching for many women particularly on the belly due to skin expansion. You can apply moisturizing cream or pure olive oil to reduce itching. It is time you would experience lots of kicks and punches inside indicating how active he/she is.

Baby’s Development :

Now your baby would weigh one pound or even more at the end of 23rd week of pregnancy. His length would be anywhere from 10-12 inches. On ultrasound scan your little one will appear like a small doll having all features of you and your partner. His skin would be dark red or rose in color indicating the pigmentation is developing.

Since the fat deposits are very rare the skin will remain loose and looks wrinkle. The baby enjoys swimming in the amniotic fluid occasionally hitting the mother through his head and body. He remains active for 5-6 hours a day and for some babies they still continue to sleep for 20 hours. As time passes he will learn to give response to his mother by kicking and hitting her in her uterus.

Tips for the Week :

By now the baby would have developed all sensory systems and hence it will affect him/her if you are getting stressed. The emotion felt by you will squarely have an effect on your baby. Increasing hormones may be driving you crazy and keep in touch with support groups and your doctor often. As far as possible remain calm and avoid making arguments with anyone. Get closer to your baby’s feelings and you will soon realize how he/she is responding you in many ways. Watch for the movements of your baby and continue to eat nutritious food and take plenty of rest.

Symptoms :

First obvious change is your weight gain. You are expected to gain at least one pound per week from this week. You have to cautious in choosing the right set of nutritious diet for weight gain of your baby. You can discuss with your doctor about the weight gain or loss during this stage. Each woman will vary widely in weight during the entire term of pregnancy. Remember there should not be any sudden weight loss at this stage.

Some women may continue to have vomiting and nausea throughout the term of pregnancy and for them expected weight gain may not be there. Now you can get slight vaginal discharge which is normal at this stage due to increased blood flow. Adding too much of salt in your diet can cause blood pressure and hence monitor what you eat. You will continue to have symptoms of heartburn and constipation which can be managed only by choosing right diet that contains lots of fiber. You will notice plenty of movements from now on at various intervals. And in case your baby does not respond for couple of days you should get in touch with your doctor.

Development of the Baby :

The baby’s growth will be amazing during this period of pregnancy. Most of the systems become functional at this stage but still he may look very thin and frail. It is due to lack of fatty tissues which will change in subsequent weeks. His internal organs are growing in full swing from week to week and his eyelids are now clear. The skin may look little wrinkle and appear colorless due to lack of pigment cells.

At 22nd week of pregnancy the liver of the baby will start functioning on its own and produce special enzyme called bilirubin. Presence of this bilirubin indicates that the baby is capable of breaking down red blood cells on his own. This excess of bilirubin will be passed into the mother’s blood through placenta which is then disposed off by the liver of the mother.

During this period, slowly the baby’s sensory system begins to develop and become functional. He would start realizing the sense of touch and begins to touch his face or neck or legs whenever the doctor examines him/her on ultrasound. At this stage, the baby’s sex organs like ovary and egg cells are fully developed if you have a girl baby inside.

Tips for the Week :

Enjoy this period in every second since you may not get back this beautiful moments later. It is true that some of the pregnancy symptoms are making you uncomfortable and preventing you from eating like before. But remember it is your responsibility to have a reasonable weight gain as expected by your doctor.

It is time to spend time together with your partner and family members. If you already have children explain to them about what you feel and ask them to feel the baby inside your belly. By involving them with your pregnancy they will also learn to share responsibilities about the new member of your family.

Symptoms :

There will be consistent weight gain in every week from now on. On average a pregnant woman would have gained 12-15 pounds at this stage but this is not a rule for all women. Apart from regular heartburn and indigestion issues you will have fresh problems like leg pain and swelling of legs. Your belly is pooching out very much making it visible that you are in the middle stage of pregnancy. Swelling occurs due to the increase in body weight and is quite common during this stage. You can cut the salt intake in your foods and keep your legs elevated (above the level of your heart) whenever you can. It is easy to keep your legs elevated when you are lying down.

This would help in reducing leg cramps. Alternatively you can use pregnancy pillow for keeping your legs elevated. You can also try keeping your legs in lukewarm water to reduce pain and swelling. It becomes difficult for some women to walk like before so watch your steps. Do not walk hastily from now on. Pregnancy symptoms at the stage of 21 weeks include feeling dizzy and fainting in some women. Some of them will have breathing problems and it becomes more when they lie on their back. The uterus is pushing other organs inside making way for the developing fetus.

Wear comfortable clothing and use comfortable slippers and shoes. It is natural for many women to have increased appetite. You can take up to 500 additional calories from this period. In case of any doubts, you can consult your healthcare provider for the right eating habits. Stick on to eat healthy foods and avoid coffee and other beverages.

Baby’s Development :

Now the baby’s size is as big as placenta. It begins to enjoy the warm and comfortable room of the uterus and swims and kicks to show his excitement. Blood circulation will be in full swing in his body and most of the other systems become functional as well. His heart pumps out blood supplying to the entire organs of his body. The umbilical cord will gradually grow in length and becomes thick. The digestive system will begin its function by digesting the amniotic fluid that he swallows from time to time. The intestine will now begin to contract and relax on its own.

His facial features are profound with fully grown eyes, ears and nose. Even the eye brows are fully developed on his face and one can see the fingernails and toenails covering his phalanges. Now your baby is almost 8-9 inches in length and weighs about 10-12 ounces. Roughly the baby is about the size of a big banana during the 21st week of pregnancy. He will continue to grow and expand in full swing in the consecutive weeks.

Tips for the Week :

Most of the time you would feel hungry and wanting something to eat. You can carry a large apple or banana or any fruit of your choice in your bag. There can be cravings for certain foods which you never tasted before. You can eat as you wish but watch you are not overeating fried items and fatty foods.

Avoid getting stressed during this time since your emotions can affect your baby. You have to bear with heartburn and constipation problems from now on until delivery. You can talk to your doctor for consuming right set of foods that are less acidic. You can spend more time with support group members so that you can share your feelings openly with them. Continue doing yoga and exercises which will help you a lot to overcome many symptoms. Wear loose clothing in which you can stay comfortable. Go for a small walk in your workplace after your lunch that would help in digestion process eliminating gases.

Some of the early signs of pregnancy are given below:-

Swollen Breasts :

Your breasts will become full and swollen due to hormonal changes. It may become more sensitive than normal and you can feel the difference in size and heaviness.

Missing Period :

You may not get the period on the due date. This will eventually be delayed due to conception of the zygote.

Nausea/vomiting :

Most of the women will have morning sickness during different stages of pregnancy. For some women nausea sensation will start right from the day of conception. For most of the expecting moms nausea and vomiting will eventually reduce after 13th week of pregnancy. But for some others it may continue till the date of delivery. There are fortunate few who will not have any such feeling at all during any stages of pregnancy.

Smell Sensitivity :

They become overly sensitive to certain smells that it becomes intolerable now. The exact reason for vomiting and nauseated nature is not clear but it is likely to be caused due to increase of hormones. Very often certain smell will invoke vomiting and nausea in some women. Aversion or liking for smell is considered as the major early signs of pregnancy for many women.

Frequent Urination :

You will pass urine more frequently than before, irrespective of the consumption of liquids. Growing size of the uterus will exert pressure on the bladder forcing you to expel urine plenty of times.

Tiredness :

Many women complain of fatigue during the early stages of pregnancy. Increased level of progesterone hormone can make you sleepy and tired.

Craving for Foods :

You will have a positive urge to consume certain foods which you never liked before. Similarly you may develop aversion for certain items which you love to eat normally. It can be due to the increased level of Beta HCG hormone. For some women symptoms are very obvious and others they are subtle.

Spotting :

A little amount of blood is seen on the vagina can be one of the early signs of pregnancy. It occurs due to implantation bleeding when the fertilized zygote attaches itself to the lining of the uterus. It can occur anywhere from 10-15 days after conception. This type of bleeding occurs only for a day or two and the volume of blood will be very less when compared with that of menstrual bleeding. It occurs often at the same period you will have menstrual cycle of the month. Some women will get thick “milky” discharge from their vagina daily during pregnancy. It is due to the increased thickness of vaginal walls to accommodate the growing embryo.

Cramps :

Mild to moderate abdominal cramps are present for some women due to implantation process.

Changes in Mood :

It is commonly seen in many women during the first three weeks of pregnancy. You will become highly emotional and even start weeping for silly reasons. It is due to the hormonal changes that occur in your body.

Dizziness :

There can be slight dizziness and drop in blood pressure during the early signs of pregnancy. It is because of dilation of blood vessels you may feel lightheaded.

Shortness of Breath :

Some women will experience slightly breathless during the early stages of pregnancy and for some it continues throughout the stages. You may require additional oxygen for the growing embryo inside your uterus.

Change in color of the vagina :

Your vagina will become even dark and there will be reduced softness on the cervix region.

Temperature Changes :

Basal body temperature is the temperature that is taken as you soon as you wake up in the morning. It can be slightly higher than the normal which is the first clue that you are pregnant. But all the above symptoms are not the same for every woman. For some there may not be absolutely any sign to indicate that they are pregnant.

Again most of the above signs can occur during premenstrual cycle. Many women will experience swelling breasts, nausea, vomiting, tiredness and irritation/mood swing before their monthly period starts. It is due to the hormonal changes mentioned earlier. Still it is highly recommended that you can take a pregnancy test at home if you have any of these symptoms in addition to missing periods. You can make an appointment with your doctor once the pregnancy test is confirmed.

Medications are prescribed to prevent eclampsia during pregnancy. Severe case of eclampsia can become fatal and can cause complications for the baby like preterm delivery and retarded growth. Prevention cannot be made to stop eclampsia during pregnancy but one can always be alert during the entire term to deliver the baby safely.

Causes :

Preeclampsia is the only cause for eclampsia. Preeclampsia is a condition during pregnancy that causes hypertension during 30-35 weeks of gestation period. The factors of preeclampsia can affect the normal functions of brain causing severe seizure or even coma.

The following two factors are responsible for causing preeclampsia:-

Hypertension :

It can cause sudden increase in blood pressure which can force the blood into the arteries causing damage. In the result there can be inflammation of blood vessels and organs. Increased BP can affect the brain’s function seriously.

Proteinuria :

Increased level of protein in your urine is the explanation of the term proteinuria. High blood pressure can affect the function of kidneys which does the task of filtering the waste products from the blood. It retains useful proteins and other minerals from the blood and purifies the blood. When the filters of the kidneys get damaged it may not be able to filter the proteins as before resulting in increased protein in the urine.

Who are at risk?

Women with a history of hypertension can develop preeclampsia and eclampsia. Getting pregnant in young age (below 20 years) or above 35 years can be a factor of risk. Diabetic women, women with autoimmune disorders and women who are malnourished during pregnancy have increased risk. Women who are obese and having frequent headaches and history of epilepsy have increased risk. Women who carry more than one baby in their womb are also at risk.

Symptoms :

It is common to have nausea and vomiting sensation during pregnancy. But if you have sudden swelling of legs, hands or face it can be a sign of preeclampsia. If you have palpitation and dizziness it can be due to increased BP. Severe headache, sudden drowsiness, having sudden seizures during pregnancy is the clear indication of eclamsia. The affected women may lose her consciousness or become suddenly agitated due to abnormal brain’s activity.

Complications :

Eclampsia (severe seizures) can affect both the mother and the newborn’s health. It can stop the normal functions of placenta depriving blood, oxygen and nutrients to the baby inside. There are chances for stillborn baby, preterm delivery and underweight baby for a woman with eclampsia or preeclampsia condition. In severe cases it can cause organ failure for the women causing kidney or liver failure.

Diagnosis :

Your gynecologist will closely monitor the health and collect complete medical history. She may order for various tests like blood profile, sodium and creatinine levels. High levels of creatinine in blood can be due to kidney’s filter damage. Urine analysis is done to check the levels of protein.

Treatment :

Priority will be given to deliver the baby safely and restore your health also, if you have crossed 35 weeks of pregnancy. Medications will be prescribed to control seizures and in some cases if things are out of control the baby will be delivered preterm. Anticonvulsive drugs are given once eclampsia is diagnosed along with drugs to treat increased blood pressure.

In severe cases, the woman will be hospitalized and closely monitored for any changes. She will be put on steroid drugs for the full development of the baby’s lungs and heart. Take nutritious food and get enough sleep and follow the instructions of your doctor to complete the term and deliver the baby safely.

Prognosis :

The symptoms of eclampsia (seizures) will totally disappear after the delivery of the child. In many cases with apt emergency treatment the baby and the mother can be good in health. However there are few complications that can cause placental abruption forcing preterm delivery. Eclampsia is reported to cause death in 2% of women.

Prevention :

There is no way you can prevent developing seizures during pregnancy. But you can be alert and inform any changes with your doctor to treat sudden emergency like increased blood pressure. Health checkups and screenings are wise measures to prevent eclampsia during pregnancy.