For most pregnant women, the second trimester is an enjoyable span in pregnancy because of the ease of early discomforts like morning sickness, tiredness, and nausea. 

You could notice the changes in your belly size as your baby booms rapidly during this trimester and you may feel good from the discomfort zone of early pregnancy symptoms. The umbilical cord forms a physical and emotional connection between the mother and the fetus that continues to elongate during the second trimester. It is a thick bundle of blood vessels that carries oxygen and nutrition to the fetus.

Second Trimester Pregnancy Body Changes

The changes in the second-trimester pregnancy may happen due to the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone levels and the balance of estrogen and progesterone hormones.

What do you expect in the second trimester?

Get a glimpse of the changes that happen in your body during 2nd-trimester pregnancy-

1. Appetite Increases

You may notice an increase in your appetite. The sensation of vomiting during this trimester of pregnancy gets lessened. You might feel hungry more often, particularly at night time, because the sugar levels in your blood drop overnight. The increased appetite level helps in your weight gain.

2. Breast Enlargement

The hormones estrogen and progesterone increase during your pregnancy and make your breasts enlarge. Estrogen stimulates the growth of the breast and generates the secretion of prolactin hormone. This Prolactin hormone stimulates the enlargement of breasts and milk production. Progesterone helps in the formation of milk-producing cells.

3. Fetal Movements

The phenomenon of fetus movement is known as quickening. You may start to feel the movements between weeks 16 and 25. In case, if you are pregnant for the second time, you may feel as early as 13 weeks. It may vary for every woman based on their pregnancy. Either sitting or lying position, the movements would feel like flying butterflies or a tumbling motion.

4. Baby Bump Visibility

As the size of your uterus growth increases gradually, your baby bump becomes noticeable in the second trimester. It starts showing the development of your baby. 

5. Decrease in Urination Frequency

In this trimester, your uterus grows away from the pelvic cavity giving you a short relief of your bladder pressure and thus decreasing the urination frequency.

6. Dental Problem

The hormonal change affects the mucous membranes of the mouth that causing the gums furthermore sensitive and bleeds easily. Many women may experience these changes of swollen and tender gums. It turns normal after your delivery, but it is advisable to take care of your dental hygiene regularly during pregnancy. 

Experts say that pregnant women with gum disease may have a chance of premature labor with low weight baby during birth.

7. Vaginal Discharge

In this second trimester, you might experience a thick white vaginal discharge, leukorrhea which secretes from the cervix and flows out to the vagina. This type of vaginal discharge is usual during the 2nd trimester that happens to many pregnant women. It is the same as what occurred before your periods but with a more thickened flow this time. It happens due to the high excretion of estrogen that promotes immense blood circulation to your vagina. Hence more mucus is produced from your cervix, which comes out as a white discharge. This vaginal discharge helps in protecting your baby from any bacteria in your birth canal and the vaginal area.

You may seek a doctor’s advice if you have a brown-colored discharge as it may be due to some complications.

8. Changes in the Skin

As your fetus grows week-by-week, some areas of skin in your body may become stretched. This tightening of the skin creates traces called stretch marks. 

These stretch marks differ and may appear on the belly, breasts, or thighs depending on the fat deposit of a pregnant woman. Maintaining a proper body weight during pregnancy helps to reduce stretch marks. You can use chemical-free lotions or oils to prevent these marks, and staying hydrated and well-moisturized may reduce stretch mark itchiness.

A dark line called linea nigra develops from your navel to your lower part of the pubic area. This line gets darker due to hormonal imbalances that even cause the darkening around your nipples. 

These changes in the skin are natural and may diminish or fade away after the delivery. Some women may develop dark patches on the face and neck, called chloasma or melasma during the second trimester. The skin pigmentation appears on the cheeks, nose, lips, and neck part due to changes in the hormones. The stimulation of pigment-producing hormones secretes more melanin levels, thus developing irregular patches on the skin.

9. Leg Cramps

Many pregnant women may have leg cramps from the second trimester at night. It may be due to blood circulation variations and muscle strain on your leg. As your baby develops, your uterus grows more and increases your body weight. Also, because of these reasons, the nerves and blood vessels passing to your legs gets more pressure, and thus leg cramps may occur. 

To eliminate this difficulty, stretch your calf muscles frequently, have a hot bath before bed, do physical exercises, stay active, drink more fluids, and take calcium high food. If this condition persists longer, consult a doctor immediately.

Related: Vaginal Discharge in Pregnancy