Sixth Month Pregnancy - 6 months pregnant

In short: The sixth month covers weeks 22–26. The baby’s weight rises from about 450 to 760 grams, the senses develop and a sleep pattern begins. The mother may have swollen legs and ankles, more vaginal discharge, piles and looser joints. Drink water, keep active, have the gestational diabetes test, and watch for signs of pre-eclampsia.

• 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.

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.

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. * Between 24 and 28 weeks you should have a glucose tolerance test (a sugar drink with blood tests before and after) to check for pregnancy diabetes; gestational diabetes is diagnosed if the fasting sugar is 92 mg/dL or more, the 1-hour value 180 mg/dL or more, or the 2-hour value 153 mg/dL or more. Treating it lowers the risk of complications, a very large baby and a difficult delivery. Piles may become itchy and painful, so drink plenty 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.
• Your detailed fetal anomaly scan should already have been done at 18 to 21 weeks; if you missed it, ask your doctor to arrange it as soon as possible. A 3D/4D scan can show your baby’s face but does not replace the standard anomaly scan.

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.

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 weeks.
• 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:
• 1-Photophobia.
• 2-Pain at the upper abdomen.
• 3-Vomiting.
• 4-Increase blood pressure.
• 5-Severe headache that does not go away.
• 6-Blurred vision or flashing lights.
• 7-Sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet. If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the emergency room the same day.
• 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.

Dr Najeeb Layyous F.R.C.O.G

Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Infertility Specialist

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