Pregnancy Week 24

Learn From the Specialists

What Your Baby is Doing This Week

This is an important week for your baby in development. Although he isn't breathing oxygen through the air yet, his lungs are producing the all important surfactant. Surfactant is the substance that keeps the air sacs in our lungs from sticking together or collapsing as we exhale with every breath. .

The inner ear is normally fully developed by this week and because the inner ear is also responsible for balance, your baby can tell if he is upside down in utero and will turn as he pleases making you think you may have an Olympic Gymnast in utero.

What Your Body is Doing This Week

During the next 4 weeks your health care provider will usually ask that you take a glucose screening test. This test will check for gestational diabetes, a temporary type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and can cause problems in the newborn, such as low blood sugar and the need for a delivery by cesarean section because it can lead to the growth of very large babies.

The test is very simple. You will be given a sugary solution that is much like a flat soda and then you'll have your blood drawn. If your blood sugar levels are too high, you may need further testing, In most cases gestational diabetes can be controlled through diet, exercise and in some cases, insulin will be needed.

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