Similar to newborns, a fetus will sleep approximately 80-85% of the time. During sleep our bodies build and repair cells, and since babies need to grow and build A LOT of cells, they sleep a lot. Fetuses and infants can, of course, move during sleep (just like we do). During waken moments the fetus may be very active. The activity can be affected by your diet or medications. Caffeine and sugars can cause an increase in fetal movement. Some people claim cold beverages can have the same effect.
The uterus is a muscle and like any muscle it can contract at various moments. A uterine contraction is not necessarily preterm labor. In fact, later in the pregnancy it is normal to experience Braxton-Hicks contractions which are sort of practice contractions for eventual labor. Braxton-Hicks contractions are not the same as preterm labor. Most likely the discomfort you are currently feeling is related to the stretching of your broad ligament. The broad ligament is a peritoneal fold that attaches the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries to the pelvis. It is not uncommon for women to experience broad ligament pain in early pregnancy.
As for the doctor saying, he. Most practitioners default to he when gender isn't known or the patient wishes not to know. He is used rather than, it.He feels more personable. Gender is not usually searched for during emergent sonograms. The purpose of an emergent sonogram is focused toward finding the cause of pain, for instance.
A detailed anatomic survey is often performed for the purpose of evaluating fetal gestational age, fetal growth, fetal anomalies or defects, and in general, disorders of the pregnancy. The best time for this exam is usually between 18 and 20 weeks gestation. However, there are times when the ordering physician may want the exam performed at a different time. Gender most often can be determined during this exam. The fetal gender cannot be determined by ultrasound with 100% accuracy. Several factors limit the sonographer?s ability to assess the fetal genitalia including gestational age, fetal position, and maternal body habitus. Please remember that while you may be eager to learn your baby's gender, the main purpose of the exam is to assess the health of the baby. Essentially, the sonogram is your baby's first physical examination.
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