How big is a 5 month old fetus

5 Months Pregnant: Symptoms and Fetal Development

Though each mom-to-be’s body changes in different ways throughout pregnancy, your baby belly might be pretty visible by the time you’re five months pregnant. This month, you’ll likely be adjusting to the physical changes that come with a growing bump and your changing center of gravity. Read on to learn about common pregnancy symptoms at five months, what happens at the mid-pregnancy ultrasound, how your baby is developing, and more!

Common Pregnancy Symptoms at 5 Months Pregnant

Here's hoping that you are still enjoying the energy boost that the second trimester is famous for. It's also possible that you’re experiencing some pesky symptoms at five months pregnant. These can include:

• Swollen feet. Pregnancy weight gain, fluid retention, and the pregnancy hormone relaxin might be causing this symptom. Relaxin loosens the muscles in your body in preparation for childbirth and it also loosens the joints in your feet, making your feet expand. A cool foot bath can help relieve some of the swelling. Putting your feet up might also help.

• Lower back pain. At five months pregnant, your posture may start to change as you adjust to your growing belly. As your bump grows, your center of gravity shifts. This can cause some strain on your lower back, as your muscles have to work extra hard to support this extra weight and your changing body shape. Try exercises that strengthen your back muscles, and make sure you sit in chairs with good back support — or prop a pillow behind you. If your back pain is causing too much discomfort, get help from your healthcare provider.

• Dizziness. As your little one grows, your blood circulation can change, resulting in less blood flow to your head. This can cause that woozy feeling when you stand up or suddenly change positions. Be careful and take things slowly, and avoid being on your feet when you feel dizzy.

• Nasal congestion. Stuffy nose? Nosebleeds? Or maybe a runny nose? These issues can be caused by pregnancy hormone, which can dry out the mucous membranes in your nasal passages. Saline drops might help relieve some of the congestion, and running a humidifier in your bedroom at night can also help.

• “Pregnancy brain.” If you keep losing your keys or can’t remember your phone’s password, don’t worry — this forgetfulness is known to happen during pregnancy. Although it’s not an official medical condition, it’s quite common. Many healthcare providers associate this absentmindedness with hormonal changes, stress, or sleep deprivation. Try making lists or using scheduling apps if you’re worried about forgetting something important.

• Difficulty sleeping. A bigger bump can make it harder to find a comfortable sleeping position. Try lying on your side with a pillow between your knees and a pillow under your belly for extra support. Regular exercise such as walking, swimming, or prenatal yoga and taking a warm, soothing bath before bed may help you get a better night’s sleep.

• Braxton Hicks contractions. It’s possible you’ll start to experience these “practice” contractions this month. These can feel like a mild tightening or a more painful cramping in your abdomen. You’re more likely to feel them later in the day, or after exercise or sex. Sometimes you may be unsure whether what you’re experiencing is Braxton Hicks or real labor contractions. Typically, Braxton Hicks go away if you move or change positions, but if you’re at all uncertain about what you are feeling, contact your healthcare provider.

How Is Your Baby Developing This Month?

Your little one might be becoming a little more active this month, with the kicks and flips finally becoming noticeable. Your baby is beginning to sleep and wake up at regular intervals, and she may even be awakened by outside noises, so don’t be surprised if you feel a reaction after a loud sound.

Your little one’s skin begins to produce both vernix and lanugo this month. Vernix is a slick, greasy coating that protects the skin while in the amniotic sac, and it will completely cover her body when she’s born. Lanugo is soft, fine hair that helps hold the vernix in place on the skin. Most of this lanugo will disappear before birth, but some babies are born with small patches on various parts of the body. By the end of this month, your little one may be a thumb sucker, as the sucking reflex starts to kick in in preparation for feeding once born.

How Big Is Your Baby When You’re 5 Months Pregnant?

Your baby grows from being about 5 inches long and weighing about 5 ounces, to being about 10 inches long and weighing about 1 pound around this month.

All this means, when you’re five months pregnant, your baby’s size is similar to that of a bell pepper or a banana. You’ve both come a long way in five months!

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What Does a Fetus Look Like at 5 Months?

Check out these illustrations for a glimpse at what your baby might look like when you’re five months pregnant:

Getting an Ultrasound at 5 Months Pregnant

Most moms-to-be have at least one ultrasound during pregnancy and this usually occurs when you’re five months pregnant, at around 18 to 20 weeks.

At the standard mid-pregnancy ultrasound, your healthcare provider:

• Estimates your baby’s gestational age

• Estimates your baby’s weight

• Checks that your baby is developing normally, including that your baby’s heart, head, and spine are forming as they should

• Checks for conditions like placenta previa (which is a rare condition in which the placenta lies low in the uterus and partially or completely covers the cervix) or placenta accreta (a very rare condition where the placenta grows too deeply into the uterine wall and can’t easily separate away after your baby is born).

• Checks your baby’s position, movement, and heart rate

• Checks the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby in the uterus

• Checks whether you are carrying multiples.

Although an ultrasound exam is a medical tool, your healthcare provider may be able to tell you whether you’re having a boy or girl, if this is something you’d like to find out.

Your healthcare provider will be able to tell you whether any other ultrasounds need to be scheduled during your pregnancy. Sometimes additional ultrasounds are needed to check for a specific condition or as part of a medical test.

Speak to your provider if you’re curious about having a more detailed 3D or 4D ultrasound scan.

5 Months Pregnant: Your Body’s Changes

At some point during this month, you may feel your little one move for the first time. This is called quickening, and some moms-to-be detect these sensations around 18 weeks of pregnancy.

If this isn’t your first baby, you may start to sense these movements earlier than you did with your first baby because you’re more familiar with the feeling. If you haven’t felt those first flutters yet, try to be patient. It may still be several weeks before your little one’s kicks are noticeable. If you are feeling those flutters, your healthcare provider may soon recommend that you begin doing daily "kick counts." Download our fetal movement tracker, and talk to your provider about when and how to count those little kicks. At your prenatal checkups from five months pregnant onward (if not earlier), your healthcare provider may start checking your belly size by measuring your fundal height. The fundal height is measured in centimeters from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus. Interestingly, your fundal height usually closely corresponds to the number of weeks pregnant you are. So, if you’re 18 weeks pregnant, your fundal height is likely to be around 18 centimeters.

How Far Along Are You at 5 Months Pregnant?

This month fits squarely into the second trimester, but you may be wondering which weeks of pregnancy you’re up to at five months pregnant? There are a few different ways the weeks of pregnancy are grouped into months, so this fifth month could range from week 17 or 18 up to week 20, 21, or 22.

Checklist for When You’re 5 Months Pregnant

• Ask your healthcare provider whether you have any of the risk factors for gestational diabetes and whether a glucose screening test is right for you.

• Check with your provider about whether you have any of the risk factors for the high blood pressure disorder called preeclampsia and find out what steps you can take to reduce the risks associated with this condition.

• Get a flu shot, if you haven’t already. The shot is safe to get at any time during your pregnancy.

• Schedule a dentist checkup, if you haven’t had one since the start of your pregnancy.

• Start shopping for maternity clothes and bras, if needed.

• Plan a babymoon! If you’re feeling up to it, this is a great time to travel. Just check with your healthcare provider first.

• Consider if you want to draft a birth plan for your labor and delivery. You can download our Birth Plan Guide, and talk to your healthcare provider about what to include.

• If you’re feeling energetic, take advantage of this time to design and prepare your baby’s nursery. If you need some inspiration, this quiz is what you need: Tell Us About Your Style and We Will Help You Decorate Your Nursery.

• Sign up for prenatal classes. There may be childbirth, breastfeeding, or parenting classes available in your area; start by asking your healthcare provider and other parents for recommendations. Keep in mind that you may need to register ASAP to get a spot in your preferred class.

• For a look at what’s to come in the final months of your pregnancy, read about the third trimester.

• Sign up for even more weekly pregnancy tips here:

Fetus size by week: Your baby's weight throughout pregnancy

Find out how big your baby is during each week of their development with our fetal growth chart. From early in pregnancy, babies grow at different rates, so your baby's actual size by week may vary substantially – but look how they grow! At 20 weeks your baby may be just over 10 inches long and weigh less than 12 ounces, but by 32 weeks they'll reach almost 17 inches and top 4 pounds. At 33 weeks they may be over 17 inches and closer to 5 pounds, and by 37 weeks they'll reach 19 inches and about 6.5 pounds.

How do you determine fetus size by week?

There are different methods for estimating how big a fetus is, which is why you'll find different numbers depending on the source.

Experts have formulas they use to come up with the estimated fetal weight (EFW) and height of a fetus, and the formulas aren't always the same. The measurements that are used in equations to estimate weight usually include biparietal (head) diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC) and femur (thigh bone) length (FL).

Height is a straightforward measurement, but the method of measuring it changes after the first trimester. For the first 13 weeks, the height measurement is taken from the top of the head to the baby's bottom. After the first 13 weeks, the measurement is taken from the top of the head to the baby's heel – explaining why, on the chart below, your baby appears to grow 3 inches from week 13 to week 14!

Hadlock, the main source we use in our fetal growth chart, provides one of the most commonly used – and most accurate – equations for estimating fetal height and weight. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal and Fetal Medicine (SMFM) use Hadlock's figures to diagnose and manage fetal growth conditions, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

The numbers on our chart should coincide with the numbers your healthcare provider will be checking against when they measure your baby using ultrasound. (Providers don't measure height after 13 weeks, however, so don't expect to get those numbers at your ultrasound appointments.)

Note that the data used by Hadlock was gathered from middle-class Caucasian women with no history of maternal diseases known to affect fetal growth and no evidence of congenital anomalies. Your provider may make adjustments based on your individual circumstances.

Fetal growth chart

Wondering how big your baby is during each week of pregnancy? The numbers in our chart below can give you a sense of your baby's size. Keep in mind that your baby may be much smaller or larger than these averages. That's okay – after all, healthy babies can weigh less than 5 pounds or more than 9 pounds at birth.

Boy's measurements are different than girl's measurements, even this early. For the numbers on our chart, we've taken an average of boys and girls. And remember, the height measurements up to 13 weeks are head-to-bottom estimates, while the height measurements starting at week 14 are head-to-toe estimates.

Gestational age	Length (US)	Weight (US)	Length (cm)	Mass (g)
	(head to bottom)		(head to bottom)
8 weeks	0.62 inches	0.71 ounces	1.57 cm	20 grams
9 weeks	0.91 inches	0.95 ounces	2.30 cm	27 grams
10 weeks	1.22 inch	1.23 ounces	3.1 cm	35 grams
11 weeks	1.61 inch	1.59 ounces	4.1 cm	45 grams
12 weeks	2.13 inches	2.05 ounces	5.4 cm	58 grams
13 weeks	2. 64 inches	2.58 ounces	6.7 cm	73 grams
	(head to toe)		(head to toe)
14 weeks	5.79 inches	3.28 ounces	14.7cm	93 grams
15 weeks	6.57 inches	4.13 ounces	16.7 cm	117 grams
16 weeks	7.32 inches	5.15 ounces	18.6 cm	146 grams
17 weeks	8.03 inches	6.38 ounces	20.4 cm	181 grams
18 weeks	8.74 inches	7.87 ounces	22.2 cm	223 grams
19 weeks	9.45 inches	9.63 ounces	24.0 cm	273 grams
20 weeks	10.12 inches	11.68 ounces	25.7 cm	331 grams
21 weeks	10. 79 inches	14.07 ounces	27.4 cm	399 grams
22 weeks	11.42 inches	1.05 pounds	29.0 cm	478 grams
23 weeks	12.05 inches	1.25 pounds	30.6 cm	568 grams
24 weeks	12.68 inches	1.48 pounds	32.2 cm	670 grams
25 weeks	13.27 inches	1.73 pounds	33.7 cm	785 grams
26 weeks	13.82 inches	2.01 pounds	35.1 cm	913 grams
27 weeks	14.41 inches	2.33 pounds	36.6 cm	1055 grams
28 weeks	14.80 inches	2.67 pounds	37.6 cm	1210 grams
29 weeks	15.47 inches	3. 04 pounds	39.3 cm	1379 grams
30 weeks	15.95 inches	3.44 pounds	40.5 cm	1559 grams
31 weeks	16.46 inches	3.86 pounds	41.8 cm	1751 grams
32 weeks	16.93 inches	4.30 pounds	43.0 cm	1953 grams
33 weeks	17.36 inches	4.77 pounds	44.1 cm	2162 grams
34 weeks	17.84 inches	5.24 pounds	45.3 cm	2377 grams
35 weeks	18.23 inches	5.72 pounds	46.3 cm	2595 grams
36 weeks	18.62 inches	6.20 pounds	47.3 cm	2813 grams
37 weeks	19.02 inches	6.68 pounds	48. 3 cm	3028 grams
38 weeks	19.41 inches	7.13 pounds	49.3 cm	3236 grams
39 weeks	19.72 inches	7.57 pounds	50.1 cm	3435 grams
40 weeks	20.08 inches	7.98 pounds	51.0 cm	3619 grams
41 weeks	20.39 inches	8.35 pounds	51.8 cm	3787 grams

Thanks to Dr. Mark Curran, maternal-fetal medicine specialist, for his help preparing this chart.

Fetal weight by week: How it changes

Your baby steadily gains weight over the course of your pregnancy, but it's not always at the same rate. If you're having one baby (not twins or multiples), your baby's rate of growth accelerates until 35 weeks, then decelerates.

Here are some highlights, based on estimations:

• Up until 16 weeks, a fetus grows an average of about 19 grams per week, gradually increasing from 7 grams per week at 8 weeks to 15 grams per week at 12 weeks and 29 grams per week at 16 weeks.
• By 20 weeks, a fetus is gaining about 59 grams per week (just over 2 ounces).
• By 30 weeks, a fetus is gaining about 175 grams each week (more than 6 ounces).
• At 35 weeks, a fetus is gaining about 215 grams each week, or about 7.5 ounces. At this point their growth rate peaks.
• After 35 weeks, growth slows to about 188 grams per week, or 6.6 ounces. (Twins slow earlier, at around 28 weeks, and then average about 170 grams each week.)
• In the last few weeks of pregnancy, the growth rate continues to gradually slow to about 168 grams (a little less than 6 ounces) per week by week 40.

Using a tape measure stretched over your belly, your provider will use a fundal height measurement to check your baby's size at your prenatal visits. Beginning at about 24 weeks, the measurement in centimeters should roughly match the gestational age of your baby. If you're 26 weeks pregnant, for example, your fundal height should be about 26 cm, give or take a centimeter in each direction.

If your provider is concerned that your baby is too small, they'll monitor your baby's size with ultrasound, which is more accurate. Using ultrasound, your practitioner can take various measurements (head circumference and diameter, abdomen circumference, femur length) and use them to estimate your baby's size. They may also use a Doppler ultrasound to look at the blood flow to your placenta.

If your baby's estimated weight is less than the 10th percentile for their gestational age, they may be diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), also called fetal growth restriction (FGR). IUGR can happen at any time during pregnancy. Some babies with IUGR just turn out to be small for their age, but sometimes there's a problem that's preventing the baby from growing properly.

At birth, a baby with IUGR is called "small for gestational age." While most SGA babies who are otherwise healthy grow just fine, some (especially those born prematurely) are at higher risk of problems such as c-section, jaundice, low blood sugar, and even long-term developmental and health problems.

Your baby's size by week

Here are some highlights of your baby's growth during pregnancy:

At 20 weeks, about the midpoint in your pregnancy, your baby is transmitting taste signals to their brain. And you may feel them hiccupping. Your baby's weight at 20 weeks is about 11.68 ounces, and they're about the length of a (10.12-inch) banana.

At 32 weeks, your baby's lungs are developing fast, and your baby's storing minerals like iron for their first 6 months of life. Your baby's weight at 32 weeks is 4.30 pounds, and their length is 16.93 inches, about the size of a jicama.

At 33 weeks, things are getting snug in there! Your baby's skin is becoming less wrinkled as they fill in – your baby's weight at 33 weeks is about 4.77 pounds. At 17.36 inches, your baby is now about the size of a pineapple.

At 37 weeks, your baby's brain and lungs are still maturing, and they're still moving a lot, despite the close quarters. Your baby's weight at 37 weeks is about 6. 68 pounds, and they're about the length of a bunch of Swiss chard, 19.02 inches.

Once your baby is born, they'll be weighed and measured, and your provider will continue to monitor their growth. While the average newborn weight is a little over 7 pounds, most newborns lose about 5 to 10 percent of their weight in the first days. No worries – they gain it back by the time they're about 2 weeks old, and by 4 months they usually double their birth weight.

Learn more:

• To-do lists for the first, second, and third trimesters
• Pregnancy Due Date Calculator
• Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator
• How to understand pregnancy weeks, months, and trimesters

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Fifth month of pregnancy | Bibikol