Hemorrhoids are swollen and inflamed veins around the anus or in the lower rectum. Discuss topics including external vs. internal hemorrhoids, hemorrhoid bleeding, hemorrhoid creams, symptoms and treatments for hemorrhoids.
Pregnancy Week by Week: Week 15...
Week 15
Has it sunk in that you’re pregnant yet? Many women claim that it doesn’t really hit until they trade in their jeans for maternity clothes, which usually happens sometime around this week.
What Is Happening To Your Body
This week, you should schedule your amniocentesis, if you plan on having one. This test is usually done between weeks 16 and 18 of your pregnancy.
Your heart is working overtime to supply your baby with oxygen. It is pumping about 20 percent more blood than it was before pregnancy. Your heart will continue increasing the amount of blood that it pumps, reaching around a 30 to 50 percent increase in blood volume over your pre-pregnancy amount.
As your abdomen increases in size, you may find that it grows harder to find a comfortable sleeping position. For many women, the most comfortable sleeping position is on the left side with a pillow wedged below their legs.
What Is Happening To Your Baby
Your baby measures about 4 inches (10.2 cm) long from crown to rump, or roughly the length of an apple or an orange . At this point, your baby weighs about 1.75 ounces (50 grams). The speed of your baby’s growth over the next few months is picking up.
Your baby’s skin has developed but is so thin and translucent that you can see through to its blood vessels. The skeletal and muscular systems continue to develop as your baby slowly becomes more active. His or her bones harden and retain calcium.
Some fine hairs, or lanugo, are also developing all over your baby’s face. This hair will eventually cover your entire baby and will be shed before birth.
If you’ve been pregnant before, you may feel your baby start moving at this time. If this is your first pregnancy, it will probably be another few weeks before you feel any movement.
What Is Happening This Week? 
Ultrasound images courtesy of GE Healthcare
The clinical images and information presented in this application represent normal fetal growth during a typical pregnancy. The images and information are to be used for educational purposes only and not for diagnostic purposes. Please consult a licensed physician regarding any specific questions pertaining to your pregnancy.
