When you are 15 weeks pregnant, most women can no longer wear their regular trousers. It’s time to buy maternity clothes if you haven’t already! Even strangers can probably see that you are pregnant now.
Your baby is growing rapidly and has actually doubled in weight since last week!
Let’s dive into the fascinating world of your baby’s development at this stage, figure out the pregnancy month you’re in, and check out the changes happening in your body.
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In this article:
How Many Months Is 15 Weeks Pregnant?
When you are 15 weeks pregnant, you are in month 4 of pregnancy and your second trimester.
Pregnancy lasts nine months or 40 weeks, which are divided into three trimesters. It is usually tracked in weeks, and it is probably best to stick to weeks to avoid additional confusion. Get a better overview and understand how pregnancy is divided into weeks, months, and trimesters in this post.
Baby Development When 15 Weeks Pregnant
How Big is My Baby When 15 Weeks Pregnant?
The fetal age of your baby is now 13 weeks. At 15 weeks pregnant, your baby is now the length of an apple or pear at approximately 4 inches long (10 cm) and weighing 2.5 ounces (71 grams). So grab an apple and hold it in your hand. This maybe makes visualizing your baby a bit easier.
You’ll find a handy (and cute!) chart for baby size by pregnancy week here, with more detailed measures and fruit comparisons.
What Does My Baby Look Like During Week 15?
Your baby is looking more “baby-like” day by day. So much developed that the baby’s gender can sometimes be revealed in an ultrasound this week – sometimes even earlier!
If you were to peek inside, the blood vessels are now visible through the transparent skin.
The baby continues to grow lanugo and continues to grow it until around week 26 of your pregnancy.
Even eyebrows and scalp hair start to become visible, and the hair follicles start to produce pigmentation. That does not necessarily mean that a baby born with dark hair will have dark hair later or that light hair will stay that way.
For many babies, the hair color changes during the first year and can be entirely different than in those first few months.
The baby’s legs have caught up with the rest of the body and are now longer than the arms. That is another thing that makes the baby now look more like a newborn.
Your baby is kicking and moving, but you probably won’t feel it yet, especially if this is your first pregnancy. But you are getting really close to feeling these first tiny movements. You may feel the movements earlier if this is your second (or more) pregnancy.
Fetal Development and Abilities
Although everything has been in place for some time, many changes are happening behind the scenes. Your baby is also practicing various skills that they will need when born.
Bones continue to harden, and the marrow of the skeletal system develops more each day.
Swallowing amniotic fluid helps prepare the nose and upper respiratory tract as the primitive air sacs in the lungs still develop.
Your baby-to-be can now sense light even though the eyes are still fused shut. If you were to shine a flashlight at your belly, your baby would likely move or turn away from it.
Thumb sucking may be noticed if you were to have an ultrasound now, and if you are lucky, the gender of your baby might be determined at this point. With our third child, I actually got a UL picture of my son’s gender to take home already when 13 weeks pregnant, but that is quite unusual.
Mom’s Body When 15 Weeks Pregnant
The Belly
PinYour uterus continues to grow as it begins to move above your hip bones. You may be able to feel it yourself about 3 or 4 inches (7-10 cm) below your navel if you lie down flat on your back and relax.
Your medical practitioner will continuously measure this “fundal height,” which is the distance from the top of your uterus to your pubic bone, to ensure your baby is growing normally.
How is your weight gain progressing? 15 weeks pregnant, you may notice that you are about 5 pounds (2.3 kg) heavier now than before and well on your way to gaining the weight you need to help your baby grow and thrive. Find average weekly weight gain during pregnancy here.
You probably need at least one new pair of trousers now or very soon.
Other changes in your body can occur periodically or well throughout the pregnancy, depending on your own body and hormones.
Pregnancy Symptoms
In addition to the obvious weight gain and a growing belly, there are other pregnancy symptoms that you may notice too.
Stuffed-up nose or even nosebleeds are some of the irritating side effects of the increased blood flow to your mucous membranes.
Another could be headaches, but be sure to discuss any persistent symptoms with your medical caregiver as they may be a sign of something else that needs to be addressed.
Some women might experience sore, swollen, and bleeding gums. This uncomfortable symptom is caused by pregnancy hormones that make inflammation or gum disease, such as gingivitis, more likely. If this is something you are experiencing, talk to your dentist.
You might experience round ligament pain. It appears because of the tightening of the ligaments supporting the uterus. These ligaments stretch and soften as your belly grows, but as your belly increases, its weight pulls on the ligaments. It is normal to experience some aches and pains during pregnancy. However, if you are worried about the pain you feel or if it is intense, talk to your doctor.
To ease the heartburn that you might experience, eat small but frequent meals. Also, try to avoid greasy and fried foods because these might make the heartburn worse.
Sticking to a balanced diet and eating smaller, frequent meals might also alleviate constipation, as does drinking enough water.
Increased vaginal discharge is common during the entire pregnancy. It happens because there is more blood flowing around your pelvic area. This fluid is also known as leukorrhea. It should be odorless, clean, or white in color. Talk to your doctor if you notice blood or odor or experience itchiness.
Changes in your own hair and skin are common during pregnancy, especially during the 2nd trimester.
Some women find that their hair grows remarkably faster and even thicker than ever before, while others find that their hair is limper, thinner, or can be dry or oily, depending on your skin. Do not be alarmed.
Your body is just dealing with all the necessary preparations for your new baby, and you have the side effects to prove it.
However, many women find the second trimester to be relatively easy compared to the first and last parts of pregnancy. So, if you do feel well – enjoy it!
Things to Do This Week
If you have decided NOT to check your baby’s gender – or you have already found out – then it can be time to start creating your baby registry! Wow, already!? Yes, why not? It is fun, and you can let it slowly evolve.
Make sure you are eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of fluids. That is important for your and your baby’s health. It is also helpful in alleviating some of the uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms.
If you were active before pregnancy, stay active, but check with your doctor if there is a need to adjust some of the exercise or activities you are doing.
If you weren’t active before pregnancy, try to have at least daily walks. Regular exercise can help ease some of the discomforts you might feel during pregnancy and help you be physically better prepared for labor and delivery.
You might want to consider using oils and moisturizers to ease the potential itchiness and dryness that might occur when the skin on your belly (and the rest of the body) starts stretching.
If you are experiencing sore, swollen, or bleeding gums or noticing other changes in your gums and teeth, make a dentist appointment to get some advice on how to alleviate the discomfort and prevent it from progressing.
Week 15 Pregnancy Video
Diary of a Daughter
What’s it really like being 15 weeks pregnant…? Here’s a true diary from a 15 weeks pregnant mom (Me..!)
My first week with maternity trousers. Now I feel very pregnant! :-)
We went skiing this weekend. I could just barely wear my ski pants, and was a bit worried about skiing, but it went great. I took it easy.
Are you 15 weeks pregnant? Please share your experiences and thoughts by leaving a comment below!
Read Next
- Weight gain during pregnancy, what is normal and not
- See what your baby is up to in these fetal development videos
- Breast changes during pregnancy and beyond
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References:
Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
Joanne Stone MD and Keith Eddleman MD, The Pregnancy Bible: Your Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Early Parenthood
Nilsson, L; Hamberger, L. A Child Is Born
Soderberg, L., Mammapraktika. B Wahlstroms.
Image: Image of 15 weeks belly by Graham and Sheila
Paula Dennholt founded Easy Baby Life in 2006 and has been a passionate parenting and pregnancy writer since then. Her parenting approach and writing are based on studies in cognitive-behavioral models and therapy for children and her experience as a mother and stepmother. Life as a parent has convinced her of how crucial it is to put relationships before rules. She strongly believes in positive parenting and a science-based approach.
Paula cooperates with a team of pediatricians who assist in reviewing and writing articles.
