Pregnancy › Week by Week › Week 22
At 22 weeks your baby is about the size of a spaghetti squash, and looks more like a tiny newborn every week. The face is filling in with detail and the senses are sharpening.
Size
A spaghetti squash
head to heel
Length
10.9 in
about 27.8 cm
Weight
15.2 oz
about 430 g
Your baby at 22 weeks
The face is more defined, the senses are sharpening, and little hands are learning to grip.
Your baby is looking more and more like the newborn you will meet, with features coming into focus and touch becoming a real way to explore.
Face and features. The lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are more distinct now, and the eyes are formed, though the irises still lack much pigment. The proportions are evening out, so the profile on a scan looks unmistakably like a tiny baby.
Senses. Touch and taste are sharpening. Your baby explores with their hands, touching the face and the umbilical cord, and can sense motion as you move around during the day. Hearing keeps developing too, so familiar sounds like your voice are becoming part of the background.
Grip. The hands are more capable, and a grasp reflex is developing. Your baby may hold the cord or bring a hand to the mouth, small rehearsals for the reflexes they will use after birth.
How big is your baby at 22 weeks?
About 10.9 inches (27.8 cm) head to heel and roughly 15.2 ounces (430 g).
Length is measured head to heel now, the convention that took over from crown to rump around week 20, and it stays that way for the rest of pregnancy. Your baby is closing in on a pound and gaining steadily from here.
Your body at 22 weeks
Strong, regular movement, and a few of the aches that come with a growing bump.
Movements are strong and regular now, and you may be able to see a kick ripple across your belly. Your uterus has risen above your belly button, and with that growth can come backache, the occasional sharp pull of round ligament pain, swelling in the feet and ankles, and stretch marks on the belly, hips, or breasts as the skin expands. None of it is a sign anything is wrong, just a body making room.
Heartburn may start showing up around now, as the growing uterus presses upward and pregnancy hormones relax the valve at the top of the stomach. Smaller, more frequent meals help, as does staying upright for a while after eating. Comfortable maternity clothes and side sleeping with a pregnancy pillow make the day and the night easier.
What is normal, and when to call your provider
Most twinges are normal at 22 weeks, but call your doctor or midwife the same day if you have any of these:
- Regular tightening or cramping, low back or pelvic pressure, or more than four contractions in an hour
- A gush or steady trickle of fluid, or any vaginal bleeding
- A severe or lasting headache, changes in your vision, or sudden swelling of the face and hands
- A noticeable drop in movement once you are regularly feeling your baby
- Burning when you urinate or a fever over 100.4°F (38°C)
Your week 22 checklist
- Keep noticing your baby’s active and quiet times as movement grows stronger
- Keep taking your prenatal vitamin every day
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals and stay upright afterward if heartburn appears
- Wear comfortable maternity clothes and sleep on your side with a pregnancy pillow
- Put your feet up when you can and keep drinking water to ease swelling
Appointments and tests around 22 weeks
This is the tail end of the anatomy scan window, so if yours has not happened, it is likely booked around now.
The anatomy scan window runs from about 18 to 22 weeks, so week 22 is usually the last of it. If your detailed ultrasound is still to come, expect it around now, and for the full walkthrough of what it looks at and how the results are handled, see our 20 weeks pregnant guide. If your scan is already done, week 22 is often just a routine prenatal check where your provider measures your bump, checks your blood pressure, and listens to the heartbeat. Glucose screening for gestational diabetes usually comes a few weeks later.
A few things worth having on hand now
A note for your partner
Kicks are strong enough now that you can often feel them from the outside. Rest a hand on the bump in the evening when your baby tends to be active, and stay a while. It is also a nice time to talk or read aloud, since your baby is starting to know familiar voices.
You are not alone this week
The first burn of heartburn or a new ache in your back can feel like a lot on top of everything else. All of it is common at 22 weeks, the ordinary company of a growing bump. However your body is carrying this week, you are in normal, healthy territory.
22 weeks pregnant, common questions
Why am I getting heartburn now?
Pregnancy hormones relax the valve at the top of the stomach, and the growing uterus presses upward, so acid can rise more easily. Smaller, more frequent meals and staying upright after eating help. Ask your provider before taking any antacid.
Can I feel my baby’s kicks from the outside yet?
Often, yes, around this point. Movements are strong enough that a hand on the bump can catch a kick, especially in the evening when many babies are active. It does not happen every time, so a little patience helps.
Is it too late for my anatomy scan at 22 weeks?
No. The anatomy scan window runs to about 22 weeks, so this is a common time for it if it has not already happened. Your provider will schedule it. If you have questions about timing, raise them at your next visit.
Should my bump be measuring a certain size?
Your provider measures the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus, and after about 20 weeks it roughly matches your weeks in centimeters. Small differences are normal, and your provider will let you know if anything needs a closer look.
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), second trimester care and ultrasound guidance.
- Mayo Clinic, Fetal development: the 2nd trimester.
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (NIH), Fetal development and prenatal care.
Medical disclaimer: This page is for information and education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Every pregnancy is different. Always follow the guidance of your doctor, midwife, or qualified provider, and contact them with any concerns.