Sixth Month Pregnancy - 6 months pregnant

6 months pregnant (Weeks 22-26)

22 Weeks Pregnancy

Your baby is 28cm long; his weight is over 450gm.
His face is more obvious, and his lips are well formed.
Canine and incisor tooth buds appear just below the gums in preparation to appear a few months after birth.
His eyes are formed but no pigmentation of the iris yet.
Blood is pumped at a rate of 4 miles/hour.
Deep wrinkles gradually disappear as more fat is deposited under skin.
You may experience stretch marks on your abdomen, so try to keep your skin well moisturized during pregnancy.
You may be forgetful.
Try to buy your baby’s equipment like buggies, car seats.
Consider thinking about your baby’s name.

22 Weeks Fetus

23 Weeks Pregnancy

Your baby will double in its weight during the next month, because of fat deposition under skin, and muscle development.
This week his length 28cm and his weight 550gm.
His senses start to develop, inner ears also developed for balance and hearing, and he will respond to sounds.
Your baby is quite active.
You may experience more vaginal discharge.
You may be more emotional, so don’t worry.
You’re ankles , and feet swell up, so drink a lot of water, and elevate your legs, avoid standing or sitting for long periods and be careful this may be a sign of pre-eclampsia especially, if there is facial swelling or eye puffiness.

23 Weeks Fetus

24 Weeks Pregnancy

Now your baby is 30cm long, 600gm in weight, and is gaining 90gm/ week, and will start to fill up.
The skin becomes less translucent as pigment starts to deposit.
The lungs start to form branches of respiratory system, and they start to produce surfactant which is needed to inflate the alveoli after birth.
Encourage your partner to talk to your baby, and see the response.
Your belly looks like a football.
You need to do a glucose screening test, if you are at high risk to develop diabetes, in order to avoid pregnancy complications, difficult delivery, and large size baby. Piles become itchy, and painful so drink a lot of water and eat a high fiber diet.
You may have hot flushes and sweating, this is because more blood is pumped around your baby.
Your joints are more softened, and this will change your posture so be careful not to fall down.
You can do your fetal anomaly scan (4D) during this week.

24 Weeks Fetus

25 Weeks Pregnancy

Now your baby is 34cm, and weight is 690gm.
The baby is capable of differentiation between sounds.
The nipples start to form.
Sleep cycle is developed by this week.
Your husband can hear your baby's heartbeat when he presses his ear against your belly.
Your hair may look thicker, shiny; because of pregnancy hormones, but unfortunately this will shed off after birth.
Exercise regularly, and drink plenty of water, but don't exercise if you feel dizzy or have shortness of breath.
Check your hemoglobin level, and if you are anemic, check ferritin level.

25 Weeks Fetus

26 Weeks Pregnancy

Your baby is 35.5cm long and weight is over 760gm.
You may feel that your baby is responding to loud voices by jumping.
Now the irises are blue in color, and they will take their final colour a few months after birth.
The testicles start to descend to the scrotum this will take 2-3days.
Eat well, get a lot of rest.
Your blood pressure may increase slightly, but it is still lower than pre-pregnancy.
Be aware that you don't have pre-eclampsia and these are its symptoms:

Your uterus shifts your center of gravity, stretches and weakens your abdominal muscles, and may be pressing on pelvic nerves.
Your joints will be looser due to hormonal changes.

26 Weeks Fetus

Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Infertility Specialist