By Chris Woolston
CONSUMER HEALTH INTERACTIVEYour baby is now about 8½ inches long from his head to his bottom and weighs about 1¼ pounds. Believe it or not, he is now old enough to live outside of the womb -- but only with heroic medical help. His lungs are still immature, and he will be much better off if he can stay put for a few more months. For one thing, he needs time to plump up. He's just starting to put baby fat on his skinny, wrinkly body, and he has a long way to go. His face is already starting to fill out. His cheeks are getting fat, and he has eyelashes and eyebrows. He spends a lot of time rubbing and touching his face, as if he were admiring his progress. He also has footprints and fingerprints. He is truly a unique individual. You're going through changes, too. Your belly is swelling, your hormones are flowing, and, just perhaps, you're starting to have certain thoughts -- the kind of thoughts that got you into this situation in the first place. It's not unusual to feel a surge in sexual desire during your second trimester. Now that your morning sickness has passed, you may want to make up for lost time. Also, blood is flowing to your pelvis, which can make you more sensitive and more easily aroused. Most important, this is a time for you and your partner to be growing closer together. If you're having a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy, you usually can enjoy sex without fear of hurting your baby. Even so, talk to your doctor about sex in case you fall into a group that's at higher risk for premature delivery. In fact, if you have any questions at all about sexual activity during pregnancy, be sure to ask your doctor. -- Chris Woolston, M.S., a health and medical writer with a master's degree in biology, is a contributing editor at Consumer Health Interactive. He was a staff writer at Hippocrates magazine and has also covered science issues for Time Inc. Health and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
References
Campbell, Stuart, MD. Watch Me Grow. St. Martins Griffin. 2004.
Shanahan, M. Kelly, MD. Your Over-35 Week-by-Week Pregnancy Guide. Prima Publishing. 2000.
Curtis, Glade, MD. Your Pregnancy Week by Week, 5th edition. Da Capo Press. 2004.
Sears, W., MD and Sears M., RN. The Pregnancy Book. Little, Brown and Company. 1997.
Reviewed by Reviewed by Michael Potter, MD, an attending physician and associate clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco, who is board certified in family practice.
First published September 12, 2005
Last updated February 28, 2008
Copyright © 2005 Consumer Health Interactive
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