Short Answer: At 25 week pregnancy, your baby is about 34 cm from head to heel, roughly the size of a small cauliflower, and weighs around 660 grams. The nostrils are opening, the hair has colour and texture, the hands can grip and the lungs are building blood vessels to take in oxygen after birth. The top of your womb is about 4 to 5 cm above your navel. You may have backache, swollen feet, piles, tingling hands and Braxton Hicks tightenings. This week, schedule the glucose test if you have not had it, ask about a hemoglobin check, learn the anti-D and whooping cough vaccine schedule, join a birth and breastfeeding class and learn the warning signs of preterm labour and pre-eclampsia. 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-five weeks pregnant means about twenty-three weeks since conception. You are in your sixth month, with about 15 weeks to go, and you are two-thirds of the way through the second trimester. For the week before, read our guide to 24 weeks pregnant, for the next, 26 weeks pregnant, and to follow the whole journey see our pregnancy guidelines week by week.
Week 25 at a glance
| Detail | At 25 weeks |
|---|---|
| Trimester | Second |
| Months | About 6 |
| Baby’s length | About 34 cm (13.5 inches), head to heel |
| Baby’s weight | About 660 grams |
| Heart rate | About 120 to 160 beats per minute |
| Weeks to go | About 15 |
| Size comparison | A small cauliflower |
| Height of womb | About 25 cm from the pubic bone |
Sizes at this stage differ a little between guides, because some measure head to heel and others use averages from different groups of babies. Your own scan results matter more than a chart.
Your baby at 25 weeks
Growth. Your baby is gaining weight steadily and putting on fat, which gives the body a rounder, smoother look. Weight will reach about 1 kg by week 28.
Nostrils. The nostrils, which were plugged with tissue, open up around now. Your baby can practise breathing in amniotic fluid through the nose. The sense of smell is developing, though your baby has nothing to smell inside the womb except the fluid.
Hair. Hair on the head is growing and has some colour and texture, such as straight or wavy. The shade can change after birth, and many newborns lose their first hair in the first months.
Skin. The skin is still wrinkled and a little see-through, but fat is filling it out. It has a pink tint from the blood vessels beneath. Vernix covers it, and fine lanugo hair covers the body. Your baby’s fingerprints are unique.
Hands. The hands are well formed, and your baby can make a fist, grip the umbilical cord, touch the face and sometimes suck a thumb. The grasp reflex, which makes newborns grip your finger, is developing.
Startle reflex. The startle reflex is working. A sudden loud noise may make your baby flinch, and you may feel a quick jolt.
Lungs. The lungs are building tiny blood vessels, called capillaries, around the air sacs. They will take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide after birth. The cells that make surfactant are working, though the lungs need several more weeks before they can cope without help. Your baby keeps practising breathing movements.
Hearing. Your baby hears your heartbeat, your voice, your stomach and loud outside sounds, all muffled. Familiar voices may calm a baby after birth.
Balance and movement. The inner ear is working, so your baby senses position and motion. Kicks, rolls and hiccups are strong. You may feel the baby settle into a pattern of sleep and activity, often busier in the evening and at night.
Brain. The brain keeps growing, and its surface is forming folds. Connections between nerve cells multiply quickly.
Digestion and urine. Your baby swallows fluid and passes urine, which adds to the amniotic fluid. The gut is practising, and meconium builds up in the bowel.
Chances at birth. The chance of survival for a baby born now improves with each week, and it depends on the quality of newborn intensive care. Doctors can give steroid injections before preterm birth to speed up the lung development. If you have signs of preterm labour, go to a hospital with a newborn unit early.
Your body at 25 weeks
Womb. The top of your womb is about 4 to 5 cm above your navel, and a tape measure from the pubic bone reads about 25 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.
Weight. A person of normal weight usually gains about 0.4 to 0.5 kg a week. By now most people have gained about 6 to 9 kg in total, though it varies. Sudden rapid weight gain, especially with swelling, needs a check for pre-eclampsia.
Blood and heart. Your blood volume has risen by up to 40 percent. You may feel warm, sweat more and have a faster pulse. Blood pressure usually rises slowly toward the third trimester, so every visit includes a blood pressure check.
Hair and skin. Hair often looks thicker, because less of it falls out. A glow is common, but so are acne, dry skin, dark patches on the face (melasma) and a dark line down the belly (linea nigra). Stretch marks can appear on the belly, breasts, hips and thighs. Genetics matters more than any cream. Itching on the belly is common. Intense itching on the palms and soles needs a doctor, because it can be a liver condition called cholestasis.
Breasts. They are larger and heavier. A few drops of thick yellow fluid, called colostrum, may leak. A supportive, wire-free cotton bra helps, and nursing bras are worth buying soon, because your size may change again.
Breathing. The womb presses up on the diaphragm, so you may feel breathless on stairs. Rest and good posture help.
Mind. Vivid dreams, forgetfulness and mood swings are common. Many people feel more connected to the baby, and also more anxious about the birth.
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 |
| Swollen feet and ankles | Fluid retention | Raise your feet, avoid long standing, drink water |
| Heartburn | Relaxed valve at the top of the stomach | Smaller meals, avoid spicy and oily food, stay upright after eating |
| Dizziness | Blood pressure changes, low blood sugar | Eat regularly, stand up slowly |
| 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 |
| Tingling hands | Fluid squeezing a nerve at the wrist | Shake and raise your hands, wrist splint at night |
| Hip and pelvic pain | Loosening joints, sleeping position | Pillow between knees, change position often |
| Mild breathlessness | Growing womb, hormones | Rest, good posture |
| Restless legs | Low iron, hormones | Gentle stretches, warm bath, ask about hemoglobin |
| Itchy, stretching belly skin | Skin stretching | Moisturiser, loose cotton clothes |
| Increased vaginal discharge | Hormones | Cotton underwear, no douching |
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.
Piles and constipation
Piles, or haemorrhoids, are swollen veins around the anus. They are very common in the second and third trimesters, because hormones slow the gut, iron tablets harden stools and the womb presses on the veins.
Signs: itching, soreness, a lump near the anus, pain when sitting or passing stools, a little bright red blood on the paper or in the toilet.
What helps:
- Eat plenty of fibre, such as vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lentils, and drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day
- Do not strain, and do not sit on the toilet for long
- Go when you feel the urge, and do not delay
- Walk daily
- Take a warm bath, or sit in a few inches of warm water for 10 minutes
- Use a cold compress for swelling
- Ask your doctor about a stool softener, a safe cream or an ointment, rather than buying a strong laxative
- If iron makes constipation worse, ask about a different time, dose or form instead of stopping it
When to see a doctor: heavy bleeding, severe pain, a hard lump that does not go down, black stools or bleeding with dizziness. Dark stools can also come from iron, so mention it. Piles usually shrink after the birth.
Blood pressure and pre-eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia is high blood pressure with protein in the urine, or with signs that organs such as the liver or kidneys are affected. It starts after 20 weeks, is more common in a first pregnancy, in twin pregnancies and in people with high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease or a family history. It can be dangerous for both mother and baby, and it can come on quickly, sometimes with no earlier signs.
Warning signs:
- A severe headache that does not go away with rest
- Blurred vision, flashing lights or spots
- Sudden swelling of the face and hands
- Pain under the ribs on the right side or in the upper belly
- Nausea or vomiting in the second half of pregnancy
- Sudden rapid weight gain
- Shortness of breath
What to do: call your doctor or go to hospital straight away. Do not wait for your next visit.
How doctors check: at each visit they measure your blood pressure and test your urine. If readings are high, you may have blood tests and more frequent checks. Treatment depends on severity. Mild cases may be monitored closely and managed with medicine, and severe ones need hospital care and often early delivery.
Prevention. If you are at high risk, your doctor may advise a low dose of aspirin, usually started before 16 weeks, together with calcium supplements. Do not start aspirin on your own. Regular visits, a balanced diet, daily activity and a healthy weight help lower the risk.
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 |
| Itchy stretching belly skin | Intense itching of palms and soles, or yellow skin |
| 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 |
| A little bright blood on the paper from piles | Heavy bleeding, black stools or any fever |
Preterm labour. Call straight away if you have regular tightenings, more than four in an hour, a steady low backache, pelvic pressure, a change in vaginal discharge, bleeding or fluid leaking before 37 weeks. Lie on your left side and drink water, and go to hospital if the signs continue for an hour, or at once for bleeding or fluid leaking. Call 999 if you need help getting there.
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.
Tests and vaccines ahead
| Test or step | When | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Glucose test | 24 to 28 weeks, or earlier if you have risk factors | Screens for gestational diabetes |
| Hemoglobin check | Second and third trimesters, or as advised | Looks for anaemia |
| Blood pressure and urine check | Every visit | Screens for pre-eclampsia and infection |
| Anti-D injection | About 28 weeks, if you are Rh negative | Protects future pregnancies |
| Whooping cough vaccine | About 27 to 36 weeks | Protects your newborn |
| Tetanus-diphtheria vaccine | During pregnancy, as your doctor advises | Protects you and your baby |
| Flu vaccine | Any trimester, in flu season | Protects you |
| Growth scan or repeat placenta scan | If advised, often about 32 weeks | Checks your baby’s size, fluid and placenta position |
If you are Rh negative. Your blood group lacks the Rh protein. If your baby is Rh positive, your body can make antibodies that harm a future baby. An anti-D injection, usually at about 28 weeks and again after birth, prevents this. It is also given after any bleeding, a fall or a procedure. Ask your doctor and make sure you know your blood group.
Vaccines. Ask your doctor about the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine, which may need two doses at least four weeks apart if you have not had it before. Ask about the whooping cough vaccine, given from about 27 weeks to protect your newborn in the first months, before they can be vaccinated. The flu vaccine is also recommended in many countries.
The glucose test. If you have not had it, book it now. Ask your clinic exactly how to prepare, whether to fast and how long it takes. Eat normally in the days before, and do not cut carbohydrates.
Anaemia. Ask for a hemoglobin test. Anaemia is common among pregnant women in South Asia. If it is low, your doctor may increase your iron dose, change the type or advise a longer treatment.
Food and supplements
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.
Calcium. Calcium supplements are advised where diets are low in calcium. They help your baby’s bones and teeth and lower the risk of high blood pressure in pregnancy. Take calcium at a different time from iron.
Iodine. Use iodised salt in your cooking. Iodine supports your baby’s brain development.
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, more in hot weather
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 such as shark and swordfish, 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. Walking after meals helps blood sugar. 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.
Preparing for breastfeeding and the newborn
The World Health Organization recommends starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth and breastfeeding exclusively, with no water, formula or other food, for the first six months. Then add safe, nutritious foods and continue breastfeeding for up to two years or more. Breastfeeding protects babies from diarrhoea, pneumonia and other infections, and it helps the mother recover.
Now is a good time to:
- Join an antenatal class that covers breastfeeding, labour and newborn care, or ask your doctor or the hospital about one
- Learn about skin-to-skin contact, which keeps your baby warm and helps feeding start
- Ask your hospital whether it supports rooming-in, which keeps you and your baby together, and early breastfeeding
- Do not plan to give a newborn honey, water, sugar water or any other food before breastmilk
- Talk to your partner and family so they understand and support your plan
- Buy a couple of nursing bras and breast pads, and a comfortable chair
- Know that colostrum, the thick yellow first milk, is full of antibodies and is all your baby needs in the first days
Newborn basics to learn early: how to hold and bathe a baby safely, how to care for the umbilical cord stump and keep it clean and dry, signs of illness that need a doctor (fever, poor feeding, fast breathing, yellow skin) and safe sleep, with the baby on the back, on a firm flat surface, with no pillows or loose blankets and no sharing a bed with smokers.
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 would reach the hospital at any hour, and keep emergency numbers in your phone.
- Money. Start a simple budget for prenatal care, delivery and baby costs.
- Birth registration. Register your baby’s birth with the local authority after the birth. In Bangladesh it is free within 45 days, and the birth certificate is needed for school, a passport and many services.
- Dental care. Dental treatment is safe in pregnancy, and gum disease is linked to early birth.
- Partners. Come to appointments if you can, share chores, feel the baby move, join classes and listen. Talk about names, birth plans and parenting.
- Dengue and heat. Remove standing water around your home, use a mosquito net and drink plenty of water.
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.
Checklist for this week
- Book the glucose test if you have not had it
- Ask for a hemoglobin and blood pressure check
- Take iron-folic acid and calcium as prescribed, at different times, and use iodised salt
- Check your blood group, and ask about anti-D if you are Rh negative
- Ask about the tetanus-diphtheria, flu and whooping cough vaccines
- Learn the signs of preterm labour, pre-eclampsia and cholestasis
- Choose the hospital you would go to in an emergency, and plan transport
- Join an antenatal and breastfeeding class
- Check your home for standing water and use mosquito protection
- Sleep on your side, and keep up daily walks and pelvic floor exercises
- Save your doctor’s number and the nearest hospital’s emergency number
FAQ
How big is the baby at 25 weeks?
About 34 cm from head to heel and 660 grams, roughly the size of a small cauliflower. Sizes vary a little between guides and between babies.
Can the baby smell at 25 weeks?
The nostrils open around now and the sense of smell is developing. Your baby breathes in amniotic fluid, but there is little to smell inside the womb.
Can I feel the baby move at 25 weeks?
Yes. Movements are strong and regular. If you have not felt movement by now, tell your doctor.
When should I start counting kicks?
From about 28 weeks, doctors advise paying close attention to movement. If you notice a clear drop at any time, call your doctor the same day, and do not wait or rely on a home Doppler.
What is the glucose test, and do I need it?
A test for gestational diabetes, usually done at 24 to 28 weeks. South Asian women have a higher risk, so do not skip it.
What is anti-D?
An injection for Rh negative women, usually at about 28 weeks and after birth, that prevents antibodies forming against a future Rh positive baby.
What are the signs of pre-eclampsia?
A severe headache, blurred vision, sudden swelling of the face and hands, pain under the ribs, vomiting and rapid weight gain. It needs urgent care.
Is it safe to exercise at 25 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.
How do I register my baby’s birth in Bangladesh?
Register with the local authority after the birth. It is free within 45 days. You need the birth certificate for school and many services.
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.
