22 weeks pregnant: symptoms and baby development
Eyebrows, eyelashes and fine hair all over.
Second trimesterMonth 55 min read
By Solesia, from public clinical guidanceUpdated
Whatever you had for lunch, your baby is getting a taste of it too. The taste buds are working now, and the fluid they swallow all day carries traces of what you eat, garlic and curry and sweetness among them; there is some evidence that the flavors they meet in there are the ones they accept more readily later. Meanwhile the skin over the bump is being asked to stretch faster than it can adapt, and this is the week stretch marks tend to arrive for those who get them. They fade with time, and there is nothing you did to earn them.
How big is your baby at 22 weeks
About the size of a papaya
10.9 in long·1.1 lb
Baby development at 22 weeks
At 22 weeks your baby measures about 10.9 inches from head to heel and weighs around 1.1 pounds, roughly a papaya. Passing a pound is a quiet milestone; from here the weight climbs faster than the length, as fat is laid down under the skin.
Eyebrows and eyelashes are in place, and fine lanugo hair covers the whole body, holding the vernix against the skin. The lips are more defined, and the eyes are formed, though the iris has no color yet and the lids stay shut for another few weeks. The senses are coming together: touch is well developed, and they may stroke their face or grip the cord.
Taste is the new sense. The taste buds on the tongue are working, and the amniotic fluid changes flavor with your meals: garlic, spices and sweetness all get through. They swallow the fluid, which is how the gut learns its job, and the lungs practice too, with breathing movements that pull fluid in and out. None of it is breathing yet, but the muscles are learning.
Your body at 22 weeks
Stretch marks are expected around now, on the belly first and then the breasts, thighs and hips. They start pink, red or purple, sometimes itchy, and fade to pale silver in the months after birth. About eight in ten people get some. The skin is being asked to stretch faster than it can make new fibers, and genes and how quickly the bump grows decide it; no cream prevents them, though a moisturizer keeps the skin comfortable.
Backache is common from here as the bump pulls your posture forward and the hormone relaxin loosens the joints that should hold it. Flat shoes, sitting with your back supported, lifting with your knees and a pillow between your knees in bed all help, and staying active matters more than resting, because the muscles need to be strong to carry the load.
Your digestion is slower, and that shows up as constipation and, for many people, hemorrhoids, swollen veins around the anus that itch or bleed a little when you go. Both are expected and both respond to the same things: more fiber, more water, a daily walk, and not straining or waiting. If iron tablets are making it worse, tell your provider; a different kind or a stool softener usually fixes it.
Common pregnancy symptoms at 22 weeks
- Stretch marks. Skin stretching faster than it adapts. Moisturize for comfort; they fade to silver after birth.
- Backache. Posture pulled forward and loose joints. Flat shoes, lift with your knees, keep moving.
- Hemorrhoids. Pressure on the pelvic veins plus constipation. Fiber, water, no straining; a cream if they sting.
- Constipation. Slower gut and iron tablets. Fiber and water first, then a walk; ask about a softener.
- Bleeding gums. Swollen gum tissue from hormones and extra blood. A soft brush, and keep flossing.
- Feeling hot. More blood close to the skin. Light layers and a cool bedroom.
- Headaches. Hormones, tension and missed meals. Water, food on time, rest; acetaminophen is fine.
When to call your provider at 22 weeks
Two things are worth a same-day call at any point in pregnancy: bleeding that is more than spotting, and pain that is severe or does not ease. From the second trimester, add fluid leaking and any change in your baby’s usual pattern of movement. You do not need to be sure something is wrong to call; that is what the number is for.
What to do at 22 weeks
- Anatomy ultrasound deadline. The window is 18 to 22 weeks. If yours has not happened, call today; after this week the picture is still good, but the timing for any follow-up gets tighter.
- Second-trimester blood screening closes. The quad screen can be drawn until 22 weeks. If it was on your list and has not been done, this is the last week.
- Eating for taste. Your baby tastes what you eat through the fluid. A varied plate now, vegetables included, is the gentlest introduction to flavors they will meet at the table later.
- Registering at the hospital. Many hospitals let you pre-register for the birth from the second trimester. Ten minutes online now saves paperwork on the day, and the glucose screening that opens at 24 weeks is the next thing on the calendar.
Common questions at 22 weeks
Can my baby taste what I eat?
Yes. The taste buds are working from about now, and flavors from your meals, especially strong ones like garlic, pass into the amniotic fluid they swallow. Studies suggest babies later accept the flavors they met before birth more readily. It is one reason a varied diet now is worth it, and it does not have to be bland.
How much weight should I have gained by 22 weeks?
It depends on where you started. For a typical pre-pregnancy weight the guidance is about a pound a week through the second and third trimesters, so roughly 10 to 15 pounds by now, less if you began heavier and more if you began lighter. Your provider tracks it at each visit; the trend matters more than any single number.
Are hemorrhoids normal in pregnancy?
Very. The uterus presses on the veins that drain the pelvis, constipation adds strain, and the veins around the anus swell. Itching, soreness and a little bright red blood on the paper are expected. Fiber, water, a daily walk and not straining help; a cold compress soothes, and your provider can suggest a cream that is fine in pregnancy.
Can I stop stretch marks at 22 weeks?
Not reliably. Whether you get them depends on your genes and how fast the skin stretches, not on any cream or oil. What moisturizing does do is calm the itch and keep the skin supple, which is worth it. They fade from red or purple to faint silver over the year after birth.
Written from public clinical guidance, including NHS: Week 22, ACOG: How your baby grows, ACOG: Changes in your body, ACOG: Skin conditions during pregnancy, ACOG: Back pain during pregnancy and NHS: Back pain. This page is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace your provider.