20 Weeks Pregnant
Congratulations! You're halfway through your pregnancy. Find out what's happening for you and baby this week.
By Babylist Staff | Medically Reviewed by Dr. Alyssa Dweck
In the words of Jon Bon Jovi, you’re halfway there. That’s right, now that you’re 20 weeks pregnant, you’ve made it to the midpoint of your pregnancy. There’s a lot to look forward to—here’s exactly what.
What To Expect At 20 Weeks Pregnant
How Many Months Is 20 Weeks Pregnant?
20 weeks pregnant in months is 4 months and about 2 weeks pregnant, which is part of the second trimester of pregnancy. If you’re still unsure about your due date, you can use our due date calculator to figure it out.
Your Baby at 20 Weeks
Your baby’s senses are up and running at this point and the brain is now expanding! Plus, your baby is pooping for the first time.
“At this time, the taste and hearing senses of the fetus develop, brain cells multiply rapidly, and the volume of the brain grows,” says Dr. Rosmy Barrios Medical Advisor at Health Reporter. “Finally, as the baby swallows more and more, his body begins to produce meconium—the first feces formed from dead cells, substances secreted by the digestive system, and swallowed amniotic fluid.”
How Big is a Baby at 20 Weeks?
At 20 weeks, baby weighs around 10 ounces and is 10 inches long. That’s about the size of a Troll Doll.
20 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound
If you haven’t had it yet, your 20-week ultrasound will happen this week. Also known as an anatomy scan, anomaly scan or mid-pregnancy scan, this is your first photo op with your new baby. An ultrasound tech will scan baby’s body to make sure everything is growing at the right pace for their gestational age and is looking as expected.
“During the 20th week of pregnancy, the child’s size is measured, and the location of the placenta, the amount of amniotic fluid, the heart, skull, and internal organs are examined,” Dr. Barrios says. “The gestational age is calculated, too.”
20 Weeks Baby Movement
Baby is now moving, even if you didn’t feel anything at first a few weeks ago. “During this week, you can feel how the baby moves its legs and arms,” says Dr. Barrios says. “This usually happens four to eight times an hour.” If you’re pregnant with twins, that means double the fun with movements and kicks from both babies.
Your Body at 20 Weeks of Pregnancy
Your body continues to adjust to your growing baby. You’re likely still experiencing some aches and pains as this happens. You might notice you’re hungrier than normal too. The good news is many people experience a boost in their libido at this point, which can be fun!
20 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
Headaches and weight gain mark the 20th week as you begin to look more and more obviously pregnant. You’re still in the honeymoon phase, so that boost in your appetite might have you craving take-out more often than normal. Gaining weight? That’s pretty typical for this point—and going forward. Here’s what else you might be feeling.
Headaches
Headaches? Worry not. “Headaches may also occur frequently due to hormonal changes and a lack of calcium, which the mother’s body absorbs for the child’s growth,” Dr. Barrios says. If your headaches last for a long period of time and over the counter pain relievers don’t help, you might be at risk for preeclampsia and you should contact your doctor.
Hair and nail growth
Those hormonal changes you’re going through? They can also cause intense hair and nail growth, so you might be enjoying newly luscious locks during pregnancy. That said, those same changes could also mean cramps and swelling.
Weight gain
You’re going to look more and more pregnant as the weeks go by. That can cause some discomfort while sleeping and some difficulty maintaining balance. “At the 20th week of pregnancy, the belly already visually increases,” Dr. Barrios says.
You might be hungrier now, too, she says. That typically means you’ll see weight gain of about two pounds per week. And weight gain could mean stretch marks, but try to remember that a changing body is a normal part of pregnancy.
Increased sex drive
One potentially positive side effect is a sudden increase in your sex drive at this stage, which is totally normal. But if that’s not you, that’s ok too! “This is a very individual situation, and there is no need to panic if your libido has not increased,” Dr. Barrios says.
20 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms Not to Ignore
Week 20 is the week at which doctors will be looking for signs of preeclampsia.
“If you get severe headaches that are not relieved by Tylenol, facial swelling, spots in front of eyes, right upper quadrant pain or severe shortness of breath, this could be preeclampsia,” says Dr. Demosthenes. If you have any of those pervasive symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.
To-Do: Create Your Babylist
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20 Week Baby Bumps from Real Moms
Pregnancy Symptoms Coming up in Week 21
In week 21 of pregnancy you’ll see continued weight gain and you might even develop sudden acne. At the same time, your hair and nails will be looking fierce as both grow rapidly.
Commonly Asked Questions About 20 Weeks Pregnant
What’s my baby’s sex?
At this stage in the game, it’s usually clear what your baby’s sex is according to an ultrasound. If you have one planned, you should be able to find out. If not, you can likely schedule one. And if you don’t want to know until baby arrives, enjoy the best surprise of your life.
Why didn’t I feel my baby move today?
While your baby is moving more and more every day, it’s not always a bad sign if you feel less movement from day to day or no movement at all. In short, don’t panic.
“This is very common,” says Dr. Demosthenes. “Some days the baby is more active. Some days the mom is more tuned in. Movement will get more predictable after this stage of pregnancy.”
Recommended Products for Week 20 of Pregnancy
Your body is changing and you might need some new clothes to accommodate your bump, which might seem like it’s growing a little every day. You also might consider treating yourself to something nice to commemorate a huge milestone: making it to the halfway point of pregnancy!
20 Weeks Pregnant Checklist
- Create your baby registry now so you can refine it as time goes along.
- If you have a partner, book a date night.
- Capture the halfway point with a bump pic.
Sources
- Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD Medical Advisor at Health Reporter
- Dr. Lauren Demosthenes is an ob-gyn and Senior Medical Director with Babyscripts, the leading remote monitoring platform for managing obstetrics.
This information is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. We do not accept any responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from any information or advice contained here. Babylist may earn compensation from affiliate links in this content. Learn more about how we write Babylist content and the Babylist Health Advisory Board.
Babylist Staff
Editor
Babylist editors and writers are parents themselves and have years of experience writing and researching, coming from media outlets like Motherly, the SF Chronicle, the New York Times and the Daily Beast, and the fields of early childhood education and publishing. We research and test hundreds of products, survey real Babylist parents and consult reviews in order to recommend the best products and gear for your growing family.
