Pregnancy week 20: symptoms, baby size and tips
Congratulations, you’ve just crossed the halfway point of your pregnancy! Week 20 is a beautiful milestone: your baby is now the size of a banana, measures around 25 centimetres and you can feel their movements more clearly every day. It’s also usually the time for one of the most exciting scans: the anatomy scan. Let me walk you through it, as always ❤️.
If you’re coming from pregnancy week 19, you’re doing great. And if you want the full journey at hand, check out our pregnancy week by week guide.
What is pregnancy week 20?
As always, pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period (LMP), not from conception. In week 20 you’re about 18 weeks past fertilisation, you’re in the fifth month of pregnancy (weeks 18 to 21) and you’re still in the middle of the second trimester, which runs from week 13 to 28.
This week marks something very special: you’ve reached exactly halfway through your pregnancy. From here on there’s only one half left, and for many women this is one of the most enjoyable stages: the bump is clearly visible, you feel energised and you start “talking” to your baby through their movements.
How is your baby developing in week 20?
Your baby is getting more and more active and keeps growing at a fast pace:
- They’re bigger and heavier: now about 25 centimetres from head to toe and weighing around 300 grams — roughly a large banana.
- Meconium is forming: that dark, sticky first poop is building up in their intestines, ready to be passed after birth.
- They swallow amniotic fluid: a great practice run for their digestive system.
- Hair is growing on their head: the scalp hair starts to develop, even though for now it’s fine and light.
- They move a lot: stretching, somersaulting, kicking and waving arms and legs. You’ll notice it more and more.
- Their senses keep maturing: they hear your voice and heartbeat, and their skin stays protected by the vernix caseosa and lanugo.
- In girls, the uterus forms: and in boys, the testicles begin their descent. Everything is on track.
If you haven’t yet, remember your hCG level is still high and any test is very reliable. You can take our free online pregnancy test to get a sense of your symptoms, and if you fancy a bit of fun, try our fingerprint pregnancy test game: it’s just for fun, not a real test.
