Week 20 of Your Pregnancy (2023)

FAQs

How do you know everything is OK at 20 weeks pregnant? ›

Ultrasound scan at 18-20 weeks

You might have an ultrasound scan this week to check that your baby is growing healthily and to check the position of your placenta. This detailed ultrasound is one of the routine tests in pregnancy.

Although pregnancy weeks can be grouped into months in various ways, at 20 weeks you're usually considered 5 months pregnant.

20 weeks pregnant is how many months? If you're 20 weeks pregnant, you're in month 5 of your pregnancy. Only 4 months left to go!

Your 20-week baby has grown a lot, so their movements will become more obvious during this week. Your baby is now practically fully formed. In the coming weeks, it will mostly keep growing and gaining weight. Getting stronger is essential for your baby before it comes into the word.

Weeks 22-24: By the start of week 24, you are entering your sixth month of pregnancy. In weeks 22-24, your baby has begun to develop hair, fingerprints and footprints. Weeks 25-28: You've made it to the last four weeks of your second trimester are halfway through your sixth month of pregnancy!

A pregnancy is divided into trimesters: the first trimester is from week 1 to the end of week 12. the second trimester is from week 13 to the end of week 26. the third trimester is from week 27 to the end of the pregnancy.

You may have gained around 8 to 10 pounds by this point. Expect to gain ½ a pound to one pound (. 23 to . 45 kg) per week during the rest of your pregnancy.

You should start to feel your baby move between around 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. If this is your first baby, you might not feel movements until after 20 weeks. If you have not felt your baby move by 24 weeks, tell your midwife. They'll check your baby's heartbeat and movements.

A preterm or premature baby is delivered before 37 weeks of your pregnancy. Extremely preterm infants are born 23 through 28 weeks. Moderately preterm infants are born between 29 and 33 weeks. Late preterm infants are born between 34 and 37 weeks.

How many weeks is 6 months pregnant? ›

What Happens at 6 Months of Pregnancy? 24 Weeks Pregnant.

Month 3 (weeks 9 through 12)

It's a period of rapid growth and development. The fetus develops distinct facial features, limbs, organs, bones and muscles. By the end of the 12th week, the fetus has an assigned sex, but it won't be visible on ultrasound for several more weeks.

As you near the end of your first trimester, and begin the second, weight gain is expected to increase. Some providers like to see women with a "healthy" BMI prior to pregnancy, gain 10 pounds by 20 weeks. During the second and third trimester, guidelines often suggest gaining 1/2 to 1 pound per week.

There are a couple of important growth steps taking place around this time: A 20-week fetus has working taste buds and should have the sucking reflex—you may even catch baby sucking their thumb on the next ultrasound! They're gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid each day—that's significantly more than before.

changes to your vision, flashing lights or blurry eyesight, which are signs of pre-eclampsia. sudden, severe swelling in your hands, feet or face. an extreme itchiness of your skin, including hands and feet. a large amount of swelling in your legs (which is also painful)

A gestational sac with a yolk sac is observed in a scan but, 11 or more days later, there is no embryo with a heartbeat. A gestational sac without a yolk sac is observed in a scan but, two or more weeks later, there is no embryo with a heartbeat (this means the pregnancy has stopped progressing)

Chromosomal abnormalities of the fetus.

early labor. problems with the placenta, such as placenta previa (placenta covering the cervix) placental abruption (placenta separating from the uterus)

Feeling hot, tired or faint is quite common during pregnancy. Hormonal changes taking place in your body at this time can make you feel nauseous and emotional. Being tired and run-down can also make you feel low.

Women who are pregnant for the first time may start showing later because their muscles haven't been stretched by a previous pregnancy. You're tall. Tall women or women who have long torsos may have a smaller-looking bump, because they have more space for the baby to fill, lengthwise.

Babies born too early may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born later. Being pregnant 39 weeks gives your baby's body all the time it needs to develop.

What is the position of baby in 5th month? ›

The ideal position for a fetus just before labor is the anterior position — the fetus faces the pregnant person's back, and the head points toward the ground. Most fetuses settle into this position by the last month of pregnancy. The anterior position is also known as the vertex, cephalic, or occiput anterior position.

Week 21 – your 2nd trimester. As you start the 2nd half of your pregnancy, you'll be entering a period of rapid growth. Your baby is getting ready for life outside the womb and developing essential skills including sucking and breathing.

What pregnancy trimester is the hardest? For many women, the first trimester of pregnancy is often the hardest. During this period, your body is going through a major transformation and needs time to adjust to the changes.

Braxton Hicks contractions are sporadic contractions and relaxation of the uterine muscle. Sometimes, they are referred to as prodromal or “false labor" pains. It is believed they start around 6 weeks gestation but usually are not felt until the second or third trimester of the pregnancy.

The weeks of pregnancy don't fit neatly into months, so seven months can begin between 25 weeks and 27 weeks pregnant and extend up to 28 to 31 weeks.

This detailed ultrasound scan, sometimes called the mid-pregnancy or anomaly scan, is usually carried out when you're between 18 and 21 weeks pregnant.

What is the 20-week ultrasound? A 20-week ultrasound, sometimes called an anatomy scan or anomaly scan, is a prenatal ultrasound performed between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. It checks on the physical development of the fetus and can detect certain congenital disorders as well as major anatomical abnormalities.

Although it might not feel like it to you, your baby sleeps long hours, about 12 to 14 hours every day.

Your baby will first start to wriggle and kick at around 18 to 20 weeks into your pregnancy. If this is your first baby, you might not realise that those little flutters in your tummy are your little one's way of saying hello.

Babies are most active after meals or if you've just had some caffeine or sugar. You can help nudge baby into wiggling with a glass of cold milk (or anything else chilly and sweet) and lying on your side to increase blood flow to baby.

When can I touch my stomach and feel my baby? ›

4 months into your pregnancy, your baby will also feel it when you stroke the skin of your tummy: rub your hand against your stomach, gently push and stroke it… and soon your baby will start responding with little kicks, or by curling up into your palm!

These three risk factors make you most likely to have preterm labor and give birth early: You've had a premature baby in the past. You're pregnant with multiples (twins, triplets or more). You have problems with your uterus or cervix now or you've had them in the past.

At what week in pregnancy can a baby survive outside the womb? The earliest a baby has been born and survived is 21 weeks and 5 days. Two babies born prematurely hold the record for this.

What is a full-term pregnancy? Pregnancy usually lasts about 40 weeks (280 days) from the first day of your last menstrual period (also called LMP) to your due date. Your due date is the date that your provider thinks you will have your baby.

How far along is 22 weeks? At 22 weeks, you are approaching the end of your fifth month of pregnancy. If you're wondering what trimester that is, you're in the second trimester.

At 20 weeks pregnant, you are five months along and halfway through your pregnancy.

How many months is 22 weeks pregnant? You are in your fifth month.

Just like newborns, fetuses spend most of their time sleeping. Indeed, throughout much of the pregnancy, your baby sleeps 90 to 95% of the day. Some of these hours are spent in deep sleep, some in REM sleep, and some in an indeterminate state—a result of their immature brain.

As well as kicking, punching and turning around, your baby could be sucking their thumb – this develops their sucking reflex, which they'll need to feed once they're born. You may start to feel a bubbling or fluttering in your belly – this could be your baby moving around.

Your baby measures about 16 cm from head to bottom and weighs about 320 gm. Your baby is covered in vernix – a white, creamy substance that protects baby's skin from amniotic fluid. The heart is beating at 120-160 beats per minute. Muscles are growing, and your baby is moving around a lot.

How big is your uterus at 20 weeks? ›

At around 20 weeks of pregnancy, the top of the uterus reaches the navel, and your fundal height would be about 7 to 8.5 inches (18 to 22 centimeters). Here's a fun fact about the fundal height measurement: Your fundal height in centimeters is roughly equal to the number of weeks you are pregnant!

Certain types of pain in the early stages of pregnancy could be a sign of miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy: persistent or severe pain on one side of your abdomen or pain in the tip of one shoulder. severe pain or cramping in your lower abdomen (tummy)

Some women can feel their baby move as early as 15 weeks, while others don't notice it until closer to 20 to 22 weeks. It varies for each person and depends on a number of factors. There's no difference in the health of a baby whose movements are felt sooner rather than later.

You should start to feel your baby move between around 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. If this is your first baby, you might not feel movements until after 20 weeks. If you have not felt your baby move by 24 weeks, tell your midwife.

Crying, irritability, or twitching which does not improve with cuddling and comfort. A sleepy baby who cannot be awakened enough to nurse or nipple. Any signs of sickness (for example, cough, diarrhea, pale color). The baby's appetite or suck becomes poor or weak.

The heart of the baby starts to beat around the fifth week of pregnancy. To confirm the heartbeat of your baby, the doctor may conduct a non-stress test. The test monitors the heart rate of the baby and provides information about the potential threat, if any. A healthy heartbeat is between 110 to 160 per minute.

Can you tell if something is wrong with your baby? ›

In general, call your baby's doctor if your infant seems especially sluggish, is refusing food or drink, is vomiting (not just spitting-up), has diarrhea, or has a fever. Remember, if you're worried, there's probably a good reason even if you don't recognize it, so don't hesitate to call your baby's doctor.

Some of the conditions that can be seen on the scan, such as cleft lip, will mean the baby may need treatment or surgery after they're born. In a small number of cases, some very serious conditions are found – for example, the baby's brain, kidneys, internal organs or bones may not have developed properly.

Easing Your Miscarriage Fears

Take time to practice mindfulness, meditation, and take some time for yourself. This could include any stress-reducing activities you enjoy like yoga or going for a walk.

The scan will look in detail at your baby's bones, heart, brain, spinal cord, face, kidneys and abdomen. In most cases the scan will show that your baby appears to be developing as expected but sometimes a condition is found or suspected. Some things can be seen more clearly than others.

There's no set number of baby movements you should feel. The important thing is to get to know your baby's usual pattern of movements. Once you start to feel your baby's movements, you should feel your baby moving right up until they're born.