Second trimester
20 weeks pregnant
The halfway mark. The fetus is around the size of a banana, and the anomaly scan — usually around now — provides the most detailed look at development so far.
Size of
banana
Length
16 cm
Weight
300 g
Your baby at 20 weeks
The anomaly scan examines the brain, face, spine, heart, stomach, kidneys and limbs in detail, and checks the position of the placenta.
The fetus is swallowing more and producing meconium, the dark first stool that accumulates in the bowel and is usually passed after birth.
Hair is growing on the scalp, and if female the uterus is fully formed with a lifetime supply of eggs already present in the ovaries.
How you may be feeling
The uterus is roughly level with the navel, and from here fundal height is often measured at appointments as a rough check on growth.
Your navel may protrude, and the linea nigra is often more pronounced. Movements are usually well established and increasingly difficult to mistake for anything else.
Common symptoms around week 20
- Clear, regular movement
- Navel protruding
- More pronounced linea nigra
- Shortness of breath as the uterus presses upward
- Leg cramps and swelling
Appointments and tests around now
The anomaly scan is the main event this week. If the placenta is found to be low-lying, a follow-up scan in the third trimester is usual — it frequently moves upward as the uterus grows, so an early finding is not a conclusion.
What is normal, and what varies
The anomaly scan is thorough and most findings are reassuring. It is also not a guarantee of anything, which is worth holding lightly in both directions.
Worth doing this week
Start noticing your pattern
There is no magic number of movements. What matters is what is normal for your baby, so that a change is recognisable.
Ask about placenta position
If it is low, ask what the follow-up plan is. Most low-lying placentas resolve as the uterus grows.
Plan the practicalities now
The second trimester is the easiest stretch for decisions about leave, childcare and equipment. The third trimester is more tiring.
Looking ahead
Next week the fetus gains weight steadily and movements become stronger still.
Nearby weeks
Not sure which week you are in? The week tracker works it out from the first day of your last period, and the due date calculator gives you an estimated due date.