Your baby’s bones are continuing to harden during this time, and his fingernails, toes, eyebrows, and eyelashes are fully present. Meanwhile, your baby’s skin is still fairly see-through, although it is changing from transparent to a more opaque look. You should still be seeing your provider about every four weeks during this period of pregnancy.
The following considerations are typically addressed during this time:
Get your glucose screen. This is the blood test to screen for gestational diabetes. You’re instructed to drink a 50-gram glucose drink (it tastes like flat soda), and your blood is drawn one hour later. If the glucose level is above a certain value, a definitive test called a GTT (glucose tolerance test) is needed.
You’re instructed to fast the night before this test so that your fasting glucose level can be determined with the initial blood draw. You then drink a 100-gram glucose drink and have your blood drawn every hour for the next three hours. Two abnormal values are needed for a diagnosis of gestational diabetes. During the glucose screening process, your doctor may draw some additional blood to check for conditions like anemia.
If your blood type is Rh negative, you need to get a shot of Rh immune globulin. This shot (sometimes called by the brand name Rhogam or Rhophylac) can prevent any effects of incompatibility between you and your baby.
The top of your uterus is a couple of inches above your belly button. By 28 weeks your baby weighs about 1 pound, 4 ounces (1 kg). He is about 13.8 inches (35 cm) long.