22 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips
Short Answer: At 22 week pregnantcy, your baby is about 28 cm from head to heel, roughly the size of a papaya, and weighs around 430 grams. Your baby can now sense balance and touch, the lips and eyebrows are clearly formed, the movements are stronger and the sleep and wake cycles are getting clearer. The top of your womb is about 2 cm above your navel. You may notice more kicks, swelling in your feet, tingling hands, restless legs and snoring. This week, learn the signs of preterm labour and pre-eclampsia, ask about a scan to check the placenta if it was low, plan for the glucose test at 24 to 28 weeks and take your iron and calcium as prescribed. Call a doctor for heavy bleeding, severe pain, fever, fluid leaking, regular tightenings or a severe headache with blurred vision.
Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period, not from conception. Twenty-two weeks pregnant means about twenty weeks since conception. You are in your fifth month, with about 18 weeks to go. For the week before, read our guide to 21 weeks pregnant, for the next, 23 weeks pregnant, and to follow the whole journey see our pregnancy guidelines week by week.
Week 22 at a glance
| Detail | At 22 weeks |
|---|---|
| Trimester | Second |
| Months | About 5 |
| Baby’s length | About 28 cm (11 inches), head to heel |
| Baby’s weight | About 430 grams |
| Heart rate | About 120 to 160 beats per minute |
| Weeks to go | About 18 |
| Size comparison | A papaya |
| Height of womb | About 22 cm from the pubic bone |
Your baby at 22 weeks
Growth. Your baby gains weight steadily, and weight will keep rising faster than length. By week 28 your baby will weigh around 1 kg.
Face. The lips, eyebrows and eyelids are clearly formed, and a clear scan can show a face that looks like a newborn’s, though thinner. The eyes have formed, but the irises have little colour yet, and the eyelids stay closed. Baby teeth are forming under the gums.
Balance and touch. The inner ear and nervous system are developing, so your baby is starting to sense position, movement and balance. This is why your baby seems to react when you move, walk or turn. The sense of touch is growing, and your baby explores by touching the face, the cord, the womb wall and the feet. Your baby may grip a finger or the umbilical cord.
Hearing. Hearing is improving. Your baby can hear your heartbeat, your voice, your stomach and loud sounds from outside, though everything is muffled by fluid and tissue. Many babies respond to sudden loud noises with a jump. Talking and singing to your baby is a nice habit.
Sleep. Your baby sleeps most of the day in cycles of about 20 to 40 minutes, and is more active when you rest. Dream-like sleep with rapid eye movements is part of this. Do not expect your baby’s schedule to match yours.
Skin. The skin is wrinkled and still thin, and fat is building up underneath. Vernix, the white creamy coating, protects it, and fine lanugo hair covers the body. Fingerprints and toe prints have formed.
Organs. The pancreas is developing well, and the digestive tract is working. The kidneys make urine, which adds to the amniotic fluid. The lungs have branching airways, but the air sacs and a substance called surfactant, which helps them stay open after birth, are not ready yet. Your baby practises breathing movements. The brain is growing quickly, and the brain cells and connections that handle senses and movement are forming.
Genitals. In girls, the uterus and ovaries are in place. In boys, the testes are moving down toward the scrotum.
Birth before 24 weeks. Babies born at 22 weeks have a very small chance of survival, even with intensive care, and many who survive face serious health problems. Each additional week in the womb improves the odds greatly. That is why preventing and recognising preterm labour matters so much, especially where newborn intensive care units are limited.
Your body at 22 weeks
Womb. The top of your womb is about 2 cm above your navel, and a tape measure from the pubic bone reads about 22 cm. Your doctor may measure this at each visit as a quick check of growth. A difference of up to 2 cm either way is normal.
Bump. Most people have a clear bump now. If it is your first baby, it may still be small, and your height, build and muscle tone affect how you show. Your navel may flatten or pop out, and it returns to normal after the birth.
Weight. A person of normal weight usually gains about 0.4 to 0.5 kg a week. By now most people have gained about 5 to 7 kg in total, though it varies.
Blood and heart. Your blood volume has risen by up to 40 percent, and your heart works harder. You may feel warmer, sweat more and notice your pulse is faster. Blood pressure often dips in the second trimester and can start to rise after about 20 weeks, so every visit includes a blood pressure check.
Skin and hair. A glow is common, but so are acne, dry skin and dark patches on the face (melasma). A dark line down the belly (linea nigra) may appear, and stretch marks can show on the belly, breasts and thighs. Genetics matters more than any cream. Hair often looks thicker, and nails may grow faster or split.
Breasts. They are larger and heavier. A few drops of thick yellow fluid, called colostrum, may leak. This is normal.
Appetite. Your appetite is likely strong. You need about 300 extra calories a day, not double.
Mind. Vivid dreams, forgetfulness and mood swings are common.
Movement patterns
At 22 weeks, most people feel the baby move on most days. Movement may feel like flutters, rolls, bumps, kicks or hiccups, which feel like small rhythmic jumps. Your baby may be more active after meals, in the evening or when you lie down. Movements are still irregular, so there is no need to count kicks yet.
- Many people notice a rhythm. Get to know your baby’s usual pattern.
- A first-time mother, an anterior placenta, which sits at the front of the womb, or a larger body size can mean you feel movement later or more softly.
- If you have not felt movement by about 24 weeks, tell your doctor at your next visit.
- From about 28 weeks, doctors advise paying close attention to movement. If you notice a clear drop in movement later in pregnancy, call your doctor the same day, and do not wait until the next day or rely on a home Doppler.
Common symptoms and what helps
| Symptom | Why it happens | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Backache | Growing womb, loosening joints, posture | Flat supportive shoes, good posture, side-sleeping with a pillow, gentle stretches |
| Round ligament pain, a sharp pull in the lower belly or groin | Ligaments stretch as the womb grows | Move slowly, rest, warm bath |
| Braxton Hicks tightenings | Practice contractions | Drink water, rest, change position |
| Leg cramps, mostly at night | Circulation and mineral changes | Calf stretches before bed, drink water, ask about calcium |
| Heartburn | Relaxed valve at the top of the stomach | Smaller meals, avoid spicy and oily food, stay upright after eating |
| Constipation | Slow gut, iron tablets | Fibre, water, daily movement |
| Swollen feet and ankles | Fluid retention | Raise your feet, avoid long standing, drink water |
| Stuffy nose, nosebleeds | More blood flow to the nose lining | Saline spray, a humidifier, lean forward and pinch the nose for a bleed |
| Bleeding gums | More blood flow to the gums | Soft brush, gentle flossing, dental check |
| Headaches | Hormones, tiredness, dehydration | Rest, fluids, ask your doctor before taking medicine |
| Dizziness | Blood pressure changes, low blood sugar | Eat regularly, stand up slowly |
| Increased vaginal discharge | Hormones | Cotton underwear, no douching |
| Itchy, stretching belly skin | Skin stretching | Moisturiser, loose cotton clothes |
| Hip and pelvic pain | Loosening joints, sleeping position | Pillow between knees, change position often |
| Mild breathlessness | Growing womb, hormones | Rest, good posture |
Do not take any medicine, including painkillers and herbal products, without asking a doctor or pharmacist. Paracetamol at the recommended dose is generally considered safe. Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin and diclofenac unless your doctor prescribes them.
Hands, legs and snoring
These problems are less well known, but they are common in the second and third trimesters.
Tingling or numb hands (carpal tunnel syndrome). Extra fluid can squeeze the nerve at the wrist. You may feel tingling, numbness or pain in the thumb, index and middle fingers, often worse at night. Shake your hands, raise them, avoid sleeping on them and try a wrist splint at night. It usually goes away after the birth. See a doctor if you lose grip or the pain is severe.
Restless legs. An urge to move your legs, with crawling or aching feelings, usually in the evening or at night. Low iron can contribute. Gentle stretches, a warm bath, a leg massage and a regular sleep routine help. Ask your doctor to check your iron and hemoglobin.
Snoring and a blocked nose. Hormones and extra blood flow swell the nose lining. Saline spray, a humidifier and raising your head on pillows help. Loud snoring with pauses in breathing, daytime sleepiness and morning headaches can be a sign of sleep apnoea, which is linked to high blood pressure, so mention it to your doctor.
Clumsiness. Relaxin loosens your joints, and your centre of gravity shifts forward. Slow down, wear flat shoes and hold the stair rail.
Swollen veins and piles. Raise your legs when you rest, walk daily, eat fibre and drink water. Pain, redness and heat in one calf can be a blood clot and needs urgent care.
Placenta and cervix checks
If your anomaly scan showed a low-lying placenta, which is common at this stage and often moves up as the womb grows, your doctor will usually repeat the scan at about 32 weeks. Until then, ask whether to avoid sex and heavy lifting. Any bleeding needs urgent care.
Some doctors measure the length of your cervix during the anomaly scan. A short cervix raises the risk of preterm birth, and treatments such as vaginal progesterone can lower it. Ask your doctor if you have a history of preterm birth, a late miscarriage or surgery on your cervix, because you may be offered extra checks.
Preterm labour: know the signs
Preterm labour is labour before 37 weeks. It is most dangerous the earlier it happens. Learn these signs, and act fast.
- Regular tightenings, more than four in an hour, that do not stop with rest and water
- A steady low backache or period-like cramps
- Pelvic pressure, as if the baby is pushing down
- A sudden change in vaginal discharge, such as watery, bloody or mucus-like
- Fluid leaking or a gush of fluid
- Any bleeding
What to do: lie on your left side, drink a glass of water, and if the signs continue for an hour, or at once if you have bleeding or fluid leaking, go to the hospital. Choose a hospital that can care for a newborn, and tell your doctor ahead of time which one you would use. Take your prenatal records with you.
Things that raise the risk include a past preterm birth, twins, a short cervix, infections, high blood pressure, smoking and heavy physical work. You can lower the risk by going to all your visits, treating urinary and vaginal infections quickly, avoiding tobacco and managing blood pressure and diabetes.
When to call a doctor
| Usually normal | Call a doctor soon |
|---|---|
| Short, sharp pulls in the lower belly | Severe or constant abdominal pain |
| Mild, irregular tightenings that stop with rest | Regular tightenings that come more often and do not stop |
| Milky white discharge | Watery fluid leaking, or foul, itchy or coloured discharge |
| Occasional headache | Severe headache with blurred vision, flashing lights or upper belly pain |
| Tiredness, mood swings | Fainting, chest pain or sudden breathlessness |
| Mild swelling of feet late in the day | Sudden swelling of the face and hands, or one swollen, painful calf |
| Light spotting after sex | Bleeding that soaks a pad in an hour, or with clots |
| Occasional nosebleed | Any fever, burning urination or back pain |
Pre-eclampsia. A serious blood pressure condition that can develop after 20 weeks. Signs include a severe headache that will not go away, blurred vision or flashing lights, sudden swelling of the face and hands, pain under the ribs on the right side, vomiting and rapid weight gain. It needs urgent care.
Fever. In Bangladesh a fever can also mean dengue, so do not treat it at home. See a doctor straight away.
If you feel sad, anxious or hopeless for more than two weeks, tell your doctor. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, seek help right away.
Food, iodine and supplements
Calcium. The World Health Organization advises calcium supplements from about 20 weeks where people’s diets are low in calcium. Calcium helps your baby’s bones and teeth and lowers the risk of high blood pressure in pregnancy. Take it at a different time from iron.
Iron. Keep taking iron-folic acid tablets as prescribed. Take iron away from tea, coffee and milk, and with something sour such as lemon. Dark stools are normal on iron. Ask for a hemoglobin test in the second trimester.
Iodine. Iodine is essential for your baby’s brain development. Use iodised salt in your cooking, and do not cut salt out completely. Seafood and eggs also provide iodine. Ask your doctor if you have thyroid problems.
Omega-3 and fish. Well-cooked fish gives protein and healthy fats that support your baby’s brain and eyes. Choose small and medium fish such as rui, hilsa, tilapia and mola. Avoid large predatory fish such as shark and swordfish, which can be high in mercury.
Eat more of:
- Protein: eggs, well-cooked fish, chicken, lentils (dal), beans and milk
- Iron-rich foods: leafy greens (shak), lean meat and lentils, with lemon or guava for vitamin C
- Calcium-rich foods: milk, yogurt, and small fish such as mola eaten with the bones
- Fruit and vegetables: a variety of colours every day
- Whole grains and fibre: brown rice, whole wheat roti and oats
- Healthy fats: well-cooked oily fish, nuts and seeds
- Water: about 8 to 10 glasses across the day
Limit: caffeine to about 200 mg a day, which is one or two cups of tea or a single small coffee. Limit sweets, sugary drinks, juice and fried snacks. Large portions of white rice and bread push blood sugar up, so pair carbohydrates with protein and vegetables.
Avoid: alcohol, all tobacco (including zarda and jorda), raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs, unpasteurized milk and cheese, unwashed produce, large predatory fish, high-dose vitamin A supplements, unripe papaya and herbal tonics your doctor has not approved.
Weight gain. Total gain over the whole pregnancy depends on your weight before pregnancy, and Asian-specific BMI ranges may apply, so ask your doctor.
| Weight before pregnancy | Recommended total gain |
|---|---|
| Underweight | 12.5 to 18 kg |
| Normal weight | 11.5 to 16 kg |
| Overweight | 7 to 11.5 kg |
| Obese | 5 to 9 kg |
Sleep, exercise and posture
Sleep. Sleep on your side, ideally the left, with a pillow between your knees and another under your belly. Doctors advise against sleeping flat on your back from about 20 weeks. If you wake on your back, simply turn over. A long body pillow helps. Keep a regular bedtime and avoid screens at night. Hot, humid nights and power cuts can disturb sleep, so use a fan, wear loose cotton clothes and keep water by your bed.
Exercise. The standard advice for healthy pregnancies is about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking on most days. Swimming, prenatal yoga, stationary cycling and pelvic floor exercises are good choices. You should be able to talk while you exercise. Avoid hot yoga, lying flat on your back during exercise, contact sports, heavy lifting and anything with a risk of falls. Stop and call your doctor if you have pain, bleeding, dizziness or trouble breathing.
Pelvic floor. Squeeze and lift the muscles you use to stop urine flow, hold for a few seconds and release. Do a few sets a day. Strong pelvic floor muscles help with bladder control during and after pregnancy.
Posture. As your belly grows, your centre of gravity shifts forward. Stand tall, keep your shoulders back, avoid high heels and use a chair that supports your lower back. Lift by bending your knees. A support belt can ease back pain, so ask your doctor.
Getting around safely
Rickshaws, CNGs and buses. Bumpy rides and sudden stops are uncomfortable and can jolt your belly. Choose a smoother route when you can, sit with your back supported, hold on firmly and avoid crowded buses where you could be pushed. Do not climb onto a moving bus.
Cars. Wear a seat belt with the lap strap below the belly and the shoulder strap across the chest. Move the seat back so your belly is clear of the wheel or dashboard.
Long trips. The second trimester is the most comfortable time to travel. Check with your doctor first, carry your prenatal records, drink water and stop every one to two hours to walk. Avoid travel if you have bleeding, high blood pressure or any complication.
Flights. Many airlines ask for a doctor’s letter after 28 weeks. Check the airline’s rules.
Heat and dengue. Drink water through the day, wear loose cotton clothes and rest in the shade. Remove standing water around your home, use a mosquito net and a pregnancy-safe repellent and see a doctor straight away for any fever.
Feelings and bonding
Many people feel closer to the baby now that movements are stronger. Place your hand on your belly, talk to your baby, play soft music and let your partner feel the kicks. These habits are enjoyable even if they do not change development.
Worry about the birth, money, work or your relationship is normal. Talk about your hopes and fears with your partner or someone you trust. Partners can help by coming to appointments, sharing chores and listening without trying to fix everything. Sex is safe for most healthy pregnancies unless your doctor advises otherwise.
If sadness, anxiety or worry lasts for two weeks or more, or affects your sleep and eating, tell your doctor. Depression and anxiety in pregnancy are common and treatable. If you feel unsafe at home, tell your doctor or a trusted person. In Bangladesh you can call the national helpline 109 for support with violence against women and children. It is free.
Planning ahead
- Maternity leave. Under Bangladesh’s labour law, working mothers in the private sector are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, eight before and eight after the birth. Government employees receive six months. Check your own contract and plan when to tell your employer.
- Place of birth. Choose a hospital or clinic with a qualified doctor or midwife, a way to handle emergencies, a blood supply and a newborn care unit. Ask what the delivery package covers and what an emergency would cost.
- Mode of delivery. Many births in Bangladesh are by C-section, and some are not medically needed. Ask your doctor when a C-section is recommended and what a vaginal birth involves.
- Transport. Plan how you will reach the hospital at any hour, and keep emergency numbers handy.
- Money. Start a simple budget for prenatal care, delivery and baby costs.
- Classes. Ask about classes on labour, breathing, newborn care and breastfeeding.
- Dental care. Dental treatment is safe in pregnancy, and gum disease is linked to early birth.
- Baby shopping. You do not need to buy anything yet. Make a list, and wait for sales, hand-me-downs and advice from other parents.
Checklist for this week
- Confirm any follow-up scan, such as for a low-lying placenta or a short cervix
- Ask about the glucose test and how to prepare
- Take iron-folic acid and calcium as prescribed, at different times
- Use iodised salt, and ask for a hemoglobin test
- Learn the signs of preterm labour and pre-eclampsia, and choose the hospital you would go to
- Ask about the tetanus-diphtheria, flu and whooping cough vaccines
- Check your home for standing water and use mosquito protection
- Sleep on your side and keep up daily walks and pelvic floor exercises
- Book a dental check
- Save your doctor’s number and the nearest hospital’s emergency number
FAQ
How big is the baby at 22 weeks?
About 28 cm from head to heel and 430 grams, roughly the size of a papaya. Sizes vary a little between babies.
Can I feel the baby move at 22 weeks?
Most people do. If you have not felt movement by about 24 weeks, tell your doctor.
Can the baby survive if born at 22 weeks?
Survival is very unlikely, and babies who survive often have serious health problems. Survival improves greatly with each week after 24 weeks. Preventing preterm labour and getting to a hospital quickly matter.
Why are my hands tingling?
Pregnancy swelling can squeeze a nerve in the wrist, called carpal tunnel syndrome. Shake and raise your hands and try a wrist splint at night. See a doctor if the pain is severe or you lose grip.
What is restless legs syndrome?
An urge to move your legs, with crawling or aching feelings, usually at night. It is common in pregnancy, and low iron can contribute. Ask your doctor to check your hemoglobin.
Is it normal to snore in pregnancy?
Yes. A swollen nose lining causes it. Tell your doctor if the snoring is loud, you stop breathing in your sleep or you wake up with headaches.
Should I use iodised salt in pregnancy?
Yes. Iodine supports your baby’s brain development. Use iodised salt in cooking, and do not cut salt out completely.
Is it safe to take a rickshaw or CNG while pregnant?
Short trips are usually fine. Bumpy rides and sudden stops can jolt your belly, so choose a smoother route and hold on firmly. Avoid them if you have bleeding or a complication.
Is it safe to exercise at 22 weeks?
Yes for most healthy pregnancies. Walking, swimming, gentle yoga and pelvic floor exercises are good. Avoid contact sports, heavy lifting, hot yoga and lying flat on your back during exercise.
Note: This article gives general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife. Every pregnancy is different. Call your doctor or go to a hospital if you have bleeding, severe pain, fever, fainting or any symptom that worries you.
