Changes in the Internal Organs

Pregnancy hormones bring about changes to almost every part of your body, both externally and internally.

An average uterus measures seven centimetres in length, five centimetres in width and is over two centimetres thick. At full term, it can measure as much as 38 centimetres in length, 25 centimetres in width and 20 centimetres from front to back. Its weight increases about 20 times its size.

The uterus grows slowly and remains inside the pelvis till about the 12th week. Then it enlarges slowly to reach the navel by the 22nd week. And by the 30th week, it reaches the lower chest. Around the same time, the baby’s head descends into the pelvic cavity and the level of the uterus drops slowly. The baby continues to grow upto the 40th week so the level of the uterus may go up again upto the lower chest.

Uterine Contractions

Throughout pregnancy, you will feel a hardening of the uterine wall every now and then. This feeling is due to contractions in your uterus to help it grow. They are largely painless and occur every 20 minutes for about 20 seconds.

The contractions during labour also feel like your uterine wall is hardening, but it is accompanied by pain, which gradually travels from the back to the front.

Ovaries

The ovaries producing the ova is called ovulation. When the ova gets fertilised, the fallopian tubes transport it to the cavity of the uterus. At the same time, the ovaries produce the hormone progesterone, which maintains the pregnancy until the placenta takes over the job between the 12th and the 14th week of pregnancy.

The ovaries enlarge during pregnancy and may occasionally develop small cysts, which is quite normal. Both the ovaries return to their normal size and shape and the cysts disappear before childbirth.

Vagina

During pregnancy, the colour of the vagina changes from pale pink to dark pink or even pale blue and vaginal secretion increases to a certain extent. If you have a lot of white discharge, which has an offensive odour, feel any pain or irritation in the vaginal area, consult your gynecologist.