Second trimester
22 weeks pregnant
The fetus is around the size of a spaghetti squash and now looks much like a miniature newborn, with proportions largely settled and features defined.
Size of
spaghetti squash
Length
28 cm
Weight
430 g
Your baby at 22 weeks
Lips, eyelids and eyebrows are distinct, and the eyes are formed though the irises still lack pigment. Fine lanugo covers the body.
Grip is developing, and the fetus may grasp the umbilical cord. The sense of touch is well developed.
The pancreas, essential for hormone production, is maturing steadily.
How you may be feeling
The bump is substantial and sleep is often becoming harder. Side-sleeping is generally recommended from the second trimester onward, and most people need pillow support to manage it comfortably.
Some people notice their belly button has flattened or popped out, and the skin across the bump may feel tight and itchy.
Common symptoms around week 22
- Difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position
- Belly button flattening or protruding
- Backache
- Swollen feet by the end of the day
- Braxton Hicks contractions beginning for some
Appointments and tests around now
Nothing is routinely scheduled this week in an uncomplicated pregnancy, though glucose screening is approaching and is typically offered between weeks 24 and 28.
What is normal, and what varies
Braxton Hicks are practice contractions: irregular, usually painless, and they ease when you change position or rest. They are not labour and are a normal part of the uterus preparing.
Worth doing this week
Build a pillow arrangement
One between the knees, one under the bump, one behind the back. It looks absurd and works well.
Learn the difference now
Braxton Hicks ease when you move or rest; real contractions do not. Knowing the distinction in advance saves anxiety later.
Think about antenatal classes
They book up, and the useful ones fill earliest. Most run in the third trimester, so booking now is sensible.
Looking ahead
Next week is a significant threshold: viability, the point at which survival outside the womb becomes possible with intensive care.
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.