Our Baby JourneySecond trimester of pregnancy
The second trimester runs from week 14 to week 27. Nausea often eases, energy returns, your bump starts to show, and you will begin to feel your baby move.
Your baby in the second trimester
Your baby grows quickly, starts to hear sounds, practises breathing and swallowing movements, and develops fingerprints, hair and fat under the skin. By the end of this trimester your baby has regular sleep and wake cycles.
Common symptoms
- A growing bump and weight gain
- First baby movements, usually felt between weeks 16 and 25
- Round ligament pain (sharp pains low in the belly or groin)
- Heartburn and indigestion
- Back ache
- A blocked nose or nosebleeds
- Leg cramps
- Skin changes such as a dark line on the belly or darker patches on the face
Checkups and things to do
- The detailed anatomy (anomaly) scan is usually done between weeks 18 and 22.
- Screening for gestational diabetes is commonly done between weeks 24 and 28.
- Ask about recommended vaccines in pregnancy, such as whooping cough (pertussis), flu and others in your country.
- Sleep on your side from now on, especially later in the trimester.
- Stay active with pregnancy-safe exercise like walking, swimming and prenatal yoga.
- Start thinking about antenatal classes and your birth preferences.
Timing of scans, tests and vaccines differs between countries, so follow the schedule your healthcare provider gives you.
When to call your doctor or midwife
Contact your healthcare provider or maternity unit straight away, or get emergency care, if you have:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Severe or persistent abdominal pain or cramping
- A severe headache, blurred vision, or sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet
- A fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher
- Fluid leaking from your vagina
- Severe vomiting where you cannot keep fluids down
- Your baby moving less than usual or a change in their pattern of movements (later in pregnancy)
- Regular contractions before 37 weeks
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Feeling very low, anxious, or having thoughts of harming yourself
Week by week
- 🍑 Week 14
- 🍎 Week 15
- 🥑 Week 16
- 🍐 Week 17
- 🫑 Week 18
- 🥭 Week 19
- 🍌 Week 20
- 🥕 Week 21
- 🥭 Week 22
- 🍊 Week 23
- 🍈 Week 24
- 🥦 Week 25
- 🥬 Week 26
- 🥬 Week 27
General educational information only, not a substitute for advice from your doctor or midwife. 2026-11-07. See our medical disclaimer.