Getting Stronger

Week 22 of pregnancy: hearing development and baby’s response to surrounding sounds

Week 22 of pregnancy: hearing development and baby’s response to surrounding sounds

What hearing development looks like at 22 weeks By week 22, the fetus is in the , and the external ears are already more recognizable. Mayo Clinic describes that around 18 weeks, the ears begin to stand out from the sides of the head and hearing may begin. Week 22 sits in the next phase […]

Week 26 of pregnancy: brain activity eye development and response

Week 26 of pregnancy: brain activity eye development and response

Where you are in pregnancy at week 26 At 26 s, you are nearing the end of the . The uterus is expanding upward, the baby is gaining , and many organ s are moving from formation toward functional maturation. The still has significant growth and refinement ahead, particularly in the lungs, , immune system, […]

Week 24 of pregnancy: viability milestone and nervous system development

Week 24 of pregnancy: viability milestone and nervous system development

Understanding the 24-week viability milestone In obstetrics, viability refers to the possibility that a baby born preterm may survive outside the uterus with support. Week 24 is often described as an important threshold because survival becomes more possible than in earlier weeks, especially in hospitals with high-level neonatal intensive care units. However, viability is not […]

Week 27 of pregnancy: body fat increase and transition into third trimester

Week 27 of pregnancy: body fat increase and transition into third trimester

Where week 27 fits in pregnancy Week 27 sits at the boundary between the second and s. Some systems define the as beginning at week 28, while others consider week 27 part of the transition. Clinically, what matters most is not the label but the physiologic shift: the fetus is growing rapidly, maternal cardiovascular and […]

Week 25 of pregnancy: stronger reflexes stretching and active fetal movement

Week 25 of pregnancy: stronger reflexes stretching and active fetal movement

Your baby at 25 weeks: active movement and maturing reflexes At 25 , is less about creating brand-new body systems and more about strengthening, refining, and coordinating them. The baby’s muscles are growing, the skeleton continues to mineralize, and the nervous system is increasingly able to transmit signals that produce purposeful-looking s. You may notice […]

Week 21 of pregnancy: digestive system and growth acceleration

Week 21 of pregnancy: digestive system and growth acceleration

Your baby at 21 weeks: growth is gathering pace By week 21, is becoming more dynamic. The baby is gaining length and weight, and body proportions are gradually becoming more newborn-like. The NHS notes that around this stage the baby is now heavier than the placenta. This can be a meaningful detail: early in pregnancy, […]

Week 23 of pregnancy: brain growth lung structure and weight gain

Week 23 of pregnancy: brain growth lung structure and weight gain

Your baby at 23 weeks: size, movement, and overall development By week 23, the fetus is often described as roughly the size of an eggplant, although individual varies. Estimates of size and weight are averages, and ultrasound measurements can have a margin of error. What matters most clinically is the overall pattern over time, the […]