Second trimester
22 weeks pregnant
Baby is about the size of a spaghetti squash.
Week 22 of 40 · in your second trimester · Updated
Your baby this week
Tiny eyebrows, lips, and eyelids look more defined. Baby is fully proportional.
- Baby's lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more defined.
- Hearing is well-developed — baby may startle at loud noises.
- Baby has fingernails — a tiny manicure already.
Your body this week
Some women have Braxton Hicks (practice contractions) starting now.
- Some women start to feel Braxton Hicks contractions — irregular practice contractions that come and go without a pattern.
- Belly button may pop out, or stay flat. Either is normal.
- Pregnancy hormones are doing wild things to your skin — some bloom, others break out.
Common symptoms
- Braxton Hicks contractions
- Outie belly button
- Spider veins
- Stretch marks
- Faster heart rate
Things to do this week
- Drink water if Braxton Hicks are frequent (dehydration can trigger)
- Lie on your left side to ease them
- Start a name list with your partner
For partners this week
Names and water
- Start a baby name list together — no vetoes on day one.
- Keep a full water bottle nearby; staying hydrated can ease practice contractions.
Typical visits around this week
Based on a typical schedule in Ontario. Your doctor or midwife sets the actual timing.
Routine check-ups (about every 4 weeks)
Weeks 12–28
Check-ups are often about every 4 weeks until around 28 weeks. Your provider usually checks your blood pressure, weight and urine, listens to the baby's heartbeat and measures your growing belly. Some people need more visits.
Questions to ask →Questions to ask ↑
- Is my blood pressure and weight gain on track?
- Is this symptom I've been having normal?
- What should I be doing about exercise, work or travel right now?
- What's coming up before my next visit?
Anatomy (detailed) ultrasound
Weeks 18–22
A detailed ultrasound, usually at 18–22 weeks, that looks at the baby's brain, face, heart, spine, organs, arms and legs, and checks growth and where the placenta is.
Questions to ask →Questions to ask ↑
- Can my partner come, and can we have pictures?
- Where is the placenta, and does that matter for us?
- When will my provider go over the results with me?
- If we want to know the sex, can it be shared at this scan?
Coming up
Gestational diabetes screening
Weeks 24–28
A blood sugar test offered to everyone between 24 and 28 weeks. It usually starts with a sweet drink and a blood test an hour later; if that result is high, a longer fasting test follows. Some people are tested earlier.
Questions to ask →Questions to ask ↑
- Do I need to fast or change what I eat beforehand?
- How long should I plan to be at the lab?
- When will I hear about my results?
- What happens if I need the second test?
A flu shot and a COVID-19 vaccine are recommended at any stage of pregnancy. The flu shot is given during flu season, so the timing depends on when you're pregnant.
When to call your doctor or midwife
Bleeding, fluid leaking, a bad headache or vision changes, or baby moving less than usual all need a call. See the warning signs and who to call →
Follow your pregnancy week by week in MyBabyBase.
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Further reading from health authorities
- Pregnancy — Government of Canada (Public Health Agency of Canada)
- Your pregnancy — Pregnancy Info, from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC)
- Week-by-week guide to pregnancy — NHS (UK)
- Pregnancy — American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)