When does a pregnant woman's stomach start to get bigger and look distended?

Although there may be some pregnant women who do not show a big and prominent belly. However, a large stomach is one of the most obvious body changes in pregnant women. In fact, when did a pregnant woman's stomach start to appear?

5 things that affect when a pregnant woman's stomach begins to appear

Actually there is no definite time when a pregnant woman's stomach begins to appear. Every pregnant woman can show a different belly that protrudes. This can be influenced by various factors, such as the number of times you have been pregnant, the location of the uterus (whether it tends to the back or not), age, heredity, your body size, and many more.

1. Times of pregnancy

If this is your first pregnancy, you may notice a bulging belly between 12-16 weeks of gestation. However, if this is not your first pregnancy, your stomach may appear to be expanding faster. This is because your uterine and abdominal muscles have stretched in a previous pregnancy. So, the easier it is for your stomach to expand.

Entering 12 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus in your uterus has started to develop a lot. Thus, it requires more space to support its development. Then at 16 weeks pregnant, your belly will be completely exposed. And, at 20 weeks of gestation, generally the peak of the mother's large belly is already in the navel.

2. Age of pregnant women

Age can also affect the belly of pregnant women. Pregnant women who are older generally show faster stomach development than pregnant women who are younger. This is because pregnant women at a younger age may have stronger abdominal muscles, so that the development of the stomach looks slower.

3. Heredity

The size of the belly of pregnant women varies. Maybe you've noticed it. There are pregnant women who tend to have very large stomachs and some are invisible until they think they are not pregnant. One of the things that influence it is heredity (genes).

If you have a belly that was not too big when you were pregnant, it may be heredity. Try asking your mother or sister, when they were pregnant if their stomach size was the same as yours and when they started showing belly bumps during pregnancy.

4. Body size of pregnant women

The size of a pregnant woman's body can also affect when a pregnant woman's stomach begins to appear. If your pre-pregnancy tummy was small, the development of your belly during pregnancy may not be as noticeable in early pregnancy. This development of the abdomen begins to appear when the baby begins to grow and grow, usually at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. Also, if you are tall, your stomach may tend to take longer to look bigger.

5. The location of the uterus

Apparently, the location of the uterus of each woman can also be different and this affects when the pregnant woman's stomach begins to appear. Women with a retroverted uterus (the uterus tends to be at the back of the abdomen) may be slower to show a large belly during pregnancy. But don't worry because this will not affect the development of your fetus in the womb.