Reasons for a small belly during pregnancy, diagnostic methods and reasons to see a doctor. Small belly during pregnancy - the norm or deviation Why pregnant women have small bellies

If a small belly during pregnancy, the expectant mother is overwhelmed by unrest. This may depend on the individual characteristics of the woman, but only the doctor determines if there are any deviations from the norm.

Why a small belly during pregnancy?

The small size of the abdomen is not a very frequent phenomenon, but it may well be a physiological norm. If a future mom passed the examination and pathologies in the development of the fetus were not revealed, there is no reason for concern.

If you have a small belly during pregnancy, you need to consult a gynecologist

Gynecologists-obstetricians identify several natural reasons why a woman has a small belly during pregnancy:

• Heredity. If the parents are not tall and heavy, the unborn baby most likely inherited a miniature physique.
• Toxicosis. In the first trimester of pregnancy, a woman loses weight due to attacks of toxicosis, in this case, the stomach loses weight in the same way as other parts of the body.
• Body features. In expectant mothers with a large figure and wide hips, the tummy is less noticeable than in miniature girls.
• The state of the muscles of the press. A trained press retains elasticity for a long time, keeping the stomach in good shape and preventing it from blurring.
• Proper nutrition. If a young mother leads a healthy lifestyle and eats right, her stomach remains small, because excess fat deposits do not accumulate in the waist area.
• Features of the location of the fetus. Sometimes the fetal egg is fixed closer to the back wall of the uterus, and the baby inside is located across the pelvis. In such a situation, the tummy will not protrude much.

To make sure that the pregnancy is proceeding normally, be sure to visit a gynecologist. Only he can determine whether the size of the uterus corresponds to the term.

Possible violations

Unfortunately, a small belly during pregnancy may also indicate violations:

• Low water. If there is not enough amniotic fluid, the tummy practically does not grow, and the walls of the uterus put pressure on the baby, forcing him to be in an uncomfortable position. This condition is dangerous, because it leads to a curvature of the spine or legs of the baby, as well as to the growth of his skin to the membrane of the fetal egg.
• Fetal hypotrophy. A small belly in this case indicates a lag in physical development fetus.

In case of detection of such pathologies, the expectant mother must undergo appropriate treatment and be constantly under the supervision of a doctor.

If a woman carefully monitors her health, and the pregnancy is proceeding normally, the small size of the abdomen is not at all a reason for excitement. It does not matter how the tummy looks from the outside, the main thing is that the development of the baby corresponds to the gestational age.

The main distinguishing feature of a woman in position is a growing tummy. Despite external attractiveness, this process has an individual character. And, although there are accepted norms, not all expectant mothers fit into them. Many are faced with such a feature as a small belly size, which does not meet the established indicators. The first reaction of a woman in this situation is anxiety. And this is not surprising, because small belly may indicate pathology. But is it always like this? Let's try to figure it out.

Before answering the question of why a small belly during pregnancy, you should familiarize yourself with the reasons for its growth. At first glance, this is not difficult to guess: the belly increases in size as the baby develops. But this is not the only reason. In the uterus, in addition to the placenta with the fetus, there is also amniotic fluid, the amount of which also affects the size. The uterus begins to change at the very beginning of pregnancy. It increases at an active pace, the amniotic fluid fills the space in it, and the child gradually forms and grows.
Despite such an intensive process, from the moment of conception, the stomach becomes noticeable only at the 5th month. By this time, the fetus reaches 12 cm in length, and its weight is 100 g. In the initial stages, a woman can even lose weight in the abdomen. Many future mothers currently suffer from toxicosis and cannot fully eat, which prevents optimal weight gain. Throughout the entire period of pregnancy, there is not only an increase in the uterus, but also a change in its shape. It may also slightly change its location. All these factors affect the size of the abdomen.

Norms of the size of the abdomen during pregnancy

At each stage of pregnancy, the abdomen must comply with certain standards, deviations from which signal existing violations. Let's get acquainted with them in more detail:

• at week 4, the uterus is the size of a chicken egg;
• at week 8, the size of the uterus is similar to the size of a goose egg;
• the uterus at week 12 corresponds to the parameters of the head of a newborn baby. At this time, the doctor will begin to determine the girth of the abdomen;
• at week 16, the uterus is located between the pubis and the navel, the abdomen acquires a rounded shape;
• at week 19, the uterine fundus can be felt at a distance of two fingers from the navel in the lower direction. If at the 19th week of pregnancy there is a small belly, then you should not worry;
• at week 24, the bottom of the uterus is located at the level of the navel;
• at week 28, the uterus is at the level of 3 fingers above the navel;
• at 32 weeks, you can notice the smoothing of the navel. The uterine fundus is located between the navel and the xiphoid process;
• at 38 weeks, the uterus reaches its highest level - costal arches;
• at 40 weeks, the uterus descends again, the navel comes forward.

Small belly during pregnancy: causes

One of the reasons is fetal hypotrophy. At the same time, the size of the child does not correspond to the gestational age. Hypotrophy occurs due to a violation of placental metabolism or malnutrition of the expectant mother. With this diagnosis, the weight of the child at birth is less than 2500 kg.

Specialists distinguish several degrees of malnutrition:

1. The easiest is the first stage, when the fetus lags behind in development by 2 weeks or less.
2. The second stage is characterized by a delay of 4 weeks. If the backlog of the baby exceeds this indicator, we can talk about the third stage of the pathology.

The first degree does not pose a danger to the fetus, the second and third can cause deviations in the physical and mental development of the child. There are two forms of this anomaly:

• symmetrical;
• asymmetric.

In the first case, underdevelopment is uniform. With an asymmetric form, certain organs lag behind in development.

The likelihood of malnutrition is due to several factors. Among the most common are the following:

• the presence of a woman's bad habits;
• various infections;
• preeclampsia (late toxicosis);
• chromosomal abnormalities;
• premature maturation of the placenta.

At risk are also expectant mothers whose age does not reach 17 and exceeds 35 years. When this diagnosis is confirmed, treatment consists in eliminating the cause. A woman is prescribed drugs that improve uteroplacental circulation. A serious form of malnutrition requires inpatient treatment. If therapy does not give results, then this is an indication for a caesarean section.

A small belly is also observed with oligohydramnios. Its increase depends not only on the development of the fetus, but also on the amount of amniotic fluid. With a lack of amniotic fluid, the size of the abdomen is less than the required norm. The amount of water should increase as the gestational age increases. This process can be monitored by ultrasound. Oligohydramnios refers to pathological conditions and occurs as a result of infectious diseases, hypertension, preeclampsia, fetoplacental insufficiency.

Low water can be caused by several reasons:

1. Damage to the amniotic membranes leads to leakage of amniotic fluid. A gap is formed in the shell, through which water regularly flows out. Their loss is insignificant, therefore, if bed rest is observed, the amount of fluid is restored to the required level and the ongoing process does not affect the formation of the child.
2. Oligohydramnios can also be observed in the pathology of development or infection of the membranes. When the placenta is not able to protect the fetus from infection, viruses enter the fetal bladder. As a result, toxic substances are produced that disrupt the functioning of the membranes.

Insufficient growth of the abdomen may be a consequence of the constitutional features of the expectant mother. According to observations, pregnancy is most obvious in lean women. With a wide pelvis and a large physique, the stomach has the opportunity to hide, therefore it becomes less noticeable.

Another reason is the transverse location of the fetus in the uterus. A woman can notice this condition on her own. When the fetus occupies this position, the abdomen sinks lower and breathing becomes easier. The baby's head is not groped in the pelvic area. Up to 33 weeks, the size of the baby allows him to actively move in the uterus, and he can roll over. By week 34, the baby is growing up, and it becomes difficult to change position.
In this situation, special gymnastics can help. But you must first without fail consult a doctor, since gymnastic exercises have a number of contraindications. This may be the presence of scars on the uterus, preeclampsia, tumor formations, placenta previa. If it was not possible to change the position of the fetus on its own, this can be done in a hospital setting. During this process, specialists monitor with the help of a cardiomonitoring and ultrasound apparatus. The doctor gently moves the baby's head down. This procedure can be carried out only in the absence of contraindications, otherwise delivery is carried out by caesarean section.

Small belly during pregnancy: signs

At each appointment, the doctor measures the VSD - the height of the fundus of the uterus and the circumference of the abdomen. Based on the results obtained, the gynecologist gets an idea about the formation of the child. If there is no increase in these indicators or there is a decrease in comparison with the previous measurement, this may signal any violations. In such cases, the doctor prescribes an unscheduled ultrasound examination to determine the cause of the insufficient size of the abdomen.
Measurements are taken in the supine position. The girth is determined in the navel. To get an idea of ​​IMDD, the doctor feels the fundus of the uterus on the abdomen and measures the distance from it to the pubic joint. Further, focusing on the established norms, the gynecologist concludes whether there are deviations.

What to do if the belly becomes smaller during pregnancy

Therapeutic measures depend on the reasons due to which the abdomen in its size does not correspond to the norm. In case of fetal hypotrophy or oligohydramnios, the doctor may prescribe hospitalization, where the woman will undergo the necessary examination, receive appropriate treatment and will be under the close supervision of specialists. If the small size of the abdomen is the result of an unbalanced diet of a woman, in this case it will be enough to normalize the diet, walk in the fresh air and eliminate all stress factors.
A woman can observe changes in size throughout the day. If the stomach is smaller in the morning than in the evening during pregnancy, gas formation may be taking place. During this period, the body of the expectant mother produces a significant amount of the hormone progesterone. It relaxes the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, slows down digestion, which leads to an increase in gases.
To eliminate this problem, you need to revise the diet and exclude from it products that provoke this condition. These are legumes, cabbage, grapes, fresh pastries. It is necessary to limit the amount of dairy products consumed. This requirement is especially true for women who are lactose intolerant.
A sedentary lifestyle can also provoke gas formation. Daily walks lasting 20-30 minutes will help improve the condition. The work of the intestine is also affected by the intake of medications.
Treatment for this condition involves stabilizing the nutritional system and performing moderate exercise. A woman who is expecting a baby will benefit from swimming, aqua fitness or yoga for pregnant women. If these measures do not give results, the doctor prescribes medication. It involves taking medicines based on herbs - peppermint, fennel, dill, cumin. Adsorbents and drugs are also prescribed that eliminate mucus bubbles in the intestines, in which gas is located.
It should be remembered that a small belly does not always indicate abnormalities. Medicine knows many cases when healthy children with normal weight were born with a small tummy. Often there is the appearance of large babies in this situation. Therefore, if a woman regularly visits a gynecologist who observes pregnancy, and he does not find any problems, do not worry about the small size of the abdomen.

Preventive measures

Timely examination, which includes a number of tests, will help to avoid complications. Twice a month you need to take urine for a general analysis. Based on its results, the doctor will be able to get an idea of ​​​​the state of the genitourinary system of a woman. A complete blood count will allow you to track the level of red blood cells, hematocrit and hemoglobin. In addition, it is necessary to donate blood for a biochemical study and for the presence of various infections. You need to undergo ultrasound diagnostics three times. This allows the doctor to monitor the course of pregnancy, the formation of fetal organs and identify developmental pathologies.

Among the main factors that ensure the full formation of the baby, one can single out the properly organized nutrition of a woman. After all, the lack of nutrients retards the development of the child, and the expectant mother may have a small belly at 30 weeks of gestation. From the amount of substances, micro- and macroelements that the baby receives in utero, his health after birth also depends. In connection with physiological changes, experts recommend that a pregnant woman change her diet. The uterus puts pressure on the stomach and intestines as it grows. Therefore, food should be taken in small portions, but more often - 4-5 times a day.

Doctors recommend eating dishes from meat, cereals, fish until 13:00, and in the afternoon give preference to fermented milk and vegetable products. A woman can purchase a scale that will help track changes in body weight on a daily basis. The most intensive growth of the fetus begins in the second trimester. The weight of the expectant mother from now on should increase by 400 g every week. During the first trimester, a woman gains about 1500 g, during the second - 5 kg, and in the third trimester, body weight increases by 4 kg. But these figures may vary depending on individual characteristics. Underweight women should gain 2400 g each in the first and second trimesters, and 2000 g in the third trimester. In total, the weight gained during pregnancy ranges from 10 to 14 kg.

In order for the placenta to function normally, and for the baby to receive all the required nutrients, the female body must receive more calories, which are a source of energy. Nutrients are also required for the normal formation of the fetus. The formation of the placenta, antibodies, blood and amniotic fluid depends on the amount of protein. The deficiency of this element prevents the full development of the child. Protein is divided into 2 types: plant and animal. It is found in dairy, fish and meat products, eggs, nuts, rice, legumes, and wheat. The daily norm of this element is 120 g.

The development of the nervous system of the fetus depends on the amount of glucose, the source of which is carbohydrates. To provide the body with this element, you need to include potatoes, cabbage, pasta, bread, grapes, apples, honey in the diet. But in the consumption of carbohydrates, it is important to observe the measure, an excessive amount of them can provoke an allergic reaction in a child. The body of the expectant mother needs vegetable and animal fats, vitamins A, B, E, C, D, folic acid.

Conclusion

An insufficient increase in the abdomen can cause anxiety in any woman who is in position. This condition cannot be ignored, a small belly may be the result of deviations in the development of the baby. But you should not worry too much either, because in most cases the cause is individual characteristics future mother. Regular visits to the gynecologist, passing all the required examinations and following the doctor's recommendations will help to detect the violation in a timely manner, eliminate it and give birth to a healthy baby.

If the belly grows slowly during pregnancy, the woman begins to worry. It seems to her that the future baby will be born with deviations. You can dispel fears if you know what norms exist, what alarming symptoms can suggest the onset of pathology.

Norms of the size of the abdomen during pregnancy

The norms of the height of the fundus of the uterus and the circumference of the abdomen

The waist begins to blur as the fetus grows. In the third week from the moment of conception, the size of the embryo is 3 mm. This state of his still can not affect the change in shape.

Approximately by the end of the second month, the placenta is already fully formed, the organs of all systems are laid in the fetus. The head is still tilted to the chest, but barely visible fingers are already appearing on the limbs. The outlines of the ears, nose and eyes are clearly visible. The body length is only two and a half centimeters, the embryo turns into a fetus, it occupies all the free space in the uterine cavity. Its weight is 25 grams. Outwardly existing changes are not yet visible.

By the fifteenth week, the fetus increases in size by about five times. He acquires a swallowing and sucking reflex, his eyelashes and eyebrows appear, his kidneys and bladder are already working. The eyes become sensitive to light. The growth of the baby reaches 20 cm. On the ultrasound, you can see his gender. The uterus corresponds to the parameters of a goose egg, so in some women the stomach is noticeably rounded, everyone notices changes. From this moment, the gynecologist begins to determine the circumference and record the data in the table.

At the 21st week of pregnancy, active growth of the fetus occurs. He already weighs 400 grams. Development parameters are rapidly progressing. At week 28, the fundus of the uterus is at the level of three fingers above the umbilical cavity. At week 38, it reaches its maximum threshold - costal arches.

The increase in waist size depends not only on the development of the unborn child. This indicator is affected by the increase in the amount of amniotic fluid. In the third month it is only 50 ml, by the end of the third trimester it is already more than a liter.

Causes of a small belly

In thin girls, the belly becomes noticeable earlier than in full ones.

In nulliparous girls, the first visible changes in the figure appear when the fetal movement is already clearly felt (at about the seventeenth week). For mothers expecting a second child, this happens three weeks earlier. In the first case, the muscular frame of the peritoneum has a higher tone, it is still able to resist the processes occurring inside the body, so the woman manages to hide her feelings for a long time. interesting position.

During the second pregnancy, the belly grows faster. The muscles supporting it become more extensible. The order of gestation is the next factor that can explain why different women have different waist sizes at the same time.

It is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the physique. In obese women, pregnancy is less noticeable than in thin women of short stature.

Genetic predisposition plays a big role in this issue. The belly will appear in the girl at about the same time as her mother.

Fetal presentation can also explain why some pregnant women have a small stomach, while others have a large one. In women with anterior presentation, the described parameter is more pronounced. With a transverse arrangement of the fetus, an interesting position will not be noticeable even at the beginning of the third trimester. Then the baby is able to roll over, and then the figure will change dramatically.

Severe toxicosis in the early stages is another reason for an inconspicuous pregnancy. It is very exhausting, the girls lose a lot of weight. Poor nutrition in this condition leads to the fact that all useful trace elements are taken by the fetus. The mother's body is depleted. Because of this, she becomes very petite.

A rounded belly also appears late in those who are actively involved in sports.

All of these indicators are purely individual. No need to worry in advance and compare yourself with others. The main task of the expectant mother is to focus on her body and closely monitor changes in her condition.

anxiety symptoms

Only a gynecologist is able to identify the characteristic signs of a lag in the increase in the abdomen during the examination and carrying out planned measurements of the circumference. If comparison of data reveals a lack of progress, there is cause for concern. A similar phenomenon can indicate various pathological conditions:

1. Oligohydramnios - a decrease in the volume of amniotic fluid. Diagnosed at any stage of embryogenesis by ultrasound. Associated with increased perinatal mortality. Pathology is asymptomatic, only some women note the appearance of discomfort during fetal movement. In the absence of the required amount of amniotic fluid, intrauterine growth retardation occurs. There are three levels of severity. Determining the type of disease allows you to establish the feasibility of maintaining pregnancy. Ignoring the problem leads to the birth of children with underdeveloped lungs, with curved legs, with a narrow chest, atresia of the digestive tract.
2. Fetal hypotrophy is a pathology in which the development of the baby occurs with a lag in the parameters that correspond to the norms of a given gestational age. If the disease occurs in the first trimester, a symmetrical form is diagnosed. With her, the organs of the unborn child are evenly reduced in size. This can happen for various reasons: chromosomal abnormality, intrauterine infection, malformations, maternal malnutrition, alcoholism, smoking. On the later dates asymmetric hypotrophy occurs. With it, the brain, the skeleton develops according to the time course, and the kidneys and liver “freeze”. A woman cannot independently determine the diagnosis: the symptoms of the disease are blurred. The condition is detected only with regular observation by an obstetrician-gynecologist and the passage of a planned ultrasound.

Timely identified pathological causes of a decrease in the abdomen during pregnancy can be corrected. Treatment is carried out in a hospital, the treatment regimen is drawn up taking into account the gestational age.

If oligohydramnios is combined with fetal hypoxia, a decision is made on an emergency caesarean section. This is a necessary measure: the child in the womb experiences great suffering.

With a pathology not associated with underdeveloped kidneys in the fetus, a woman is recommended to drink plenty of fluids. It helps increase amniotic fluid by 30%.

Hypotrophy is treated comprehensively. Be sure to correct the nutrition of a woman, she is assigned:

• vasodilators - improve placental blood flow;
• tocolytics - relax the uterus;
• drugs that help eliminate oxygen deficiency.

If a girl carefully monitors her health, and the pregnancy is proceeding normally, a small belly is not a reason to worry. It does not matter how the expectant mother looks from the outside, the main thing is that the development of her baby is in line with the deadline.

Every expectant mother knows: during pregnancy, the belly must grow. This is how nature intended: week after week, the baby grows in growth, the uterus stretches, the volume of amniotic fluid increases. A pregnant woman can be seen from afar, and after 30 weeks, few will doubt that soon there will be one more person in the world. Unfortunately, it happens that a well-established system fails, and the tummy does not grow in due time. Is a small belly during pregnancy a norm or a pathology?

It should be?

Starting from the 16th week of pregnancy, at each appointment in the antenatal clinic, the doctor measures the patient's abdominal circumference and the height of the uterine fundus. These parameters are necessary in order to track the development of the baby in the womb. Normally, every week the tummy of the expectant mother adds 1 cm. Already from 18-20 weeks, others clearly notice that a woman is preparing to become a mother. With repeated pregnancy, the abdomen grows much faster, which is explained by the greater extensibility of the muscles and ligaments of the anterior abdominal wall. Why does the growth of the abdomen not always fit into the prescribed norms?

Possible Causes of a Small Belly During Pregnancy

Experts identify several reasons for this condition:

1. Hereditary predisposition

This situation is repeated from generation to generation. All women in the family note that the entire pregnancy took place with a small belly. At the same time, children are born at term without any serious deviations in the state of health. A genetically determined small belly during pregnancy is more common in short thin women.

2. Severe toxicosis of the first half of pregnancy

Nausea and vomiting that has lasted more than 12 weeks is very exhausting for a woman. She is losing weight, and it is quite natural that a rounded tummy for a period of 16-18 weeks will not yet be found. Treatment of toxicosis in this case should be carried out in a hospital with mandatory monitoring of the condition of the fetus.

3. Trained Abs

In women involved in sports, the abdominal muscles are constantly in good shape. A rounded tummy, characteristic of pregnant women, will appear much later than the due date.

4. Incorrect position of the fetus

With a transverse or oblique position of the child in the uterine cavity, the abdomen will not protrude too much forward. Outwardly, such a woman will seem slightly overweight, but not at all pregnant. Up to 32 weeks, the baby can roll over, and then the shape and size of the abdomen will return to normal.

5. Retardation of intrauterine development of the fetus

Unlike all previous causes, this situation is alarming for both the woman and her doctor. A small belly in this case indicates that the baby is not growing well and is not gaining weight. The cause of developmental delay may be the pathology of the placenta, chronic diseases and bad habits of the mother. Hypotrophy (low weight) of a child may also indicate some congenital pathologies.

6. Low water

The lack of amniotic fluid most often indicates intrauterine infection of the fetus. For a period after 40 weeks, this condition may be associated with true postmaturity and aging of the placenta. Both situations require the obligatory observation of an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Why doesn't the belly grow during pregnancy?

It so happens that until a certain period of pregnancy, everything was in order. The woman regularly visited the doctor, where her tummy was measured and no abnormalities were noticed. Suddenly, at the next appearance, the expectant mother notices that the abdominal circumference has not increased. In most cases, this indicates the onset of fetal hypotrophy and a possible delay in its development. The baby does not gain weight, which negatively affects his general condition. Treatment of such a pathology is carried out in a hospital. The use of drugs that activate the uteroplacental blood flow, as well as various vitamin mixtures, allows you to achieve a good result and ensure the normal development of the child in the womb.

A small belly during pregnancy is not a sentence. In many cases, women with a neat tummy give birth to healthy children without any abnormalities. At the same time, it is not necessary to refuse the examination. Regular visits to the doctor during pregnancy gives a chance to notice a dangerous pathology in time. Timely diagnosis of conditions such as fetal growth retardation and oligohydramnios will allow initiating adequate treatment and will make it possible to avoid the development of complications.

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zebra 30.05 22:02

I myself was slim, my stomach was not too big even before childbirth. If you look at me from behind, you could even see the waist! At the 9th month, everyone gave me about 7. Why is that? -I don’t know. The daughter was upside down, at birth she weighed 2970g, I would not say that she was too small. By the way, my plump girlfriend got a belly somewhere in the 7th month only, before that nothing was visible. So after reading this article, you don’t have to immediately look for all the above problems in yourself, this is common for pregnant women