Pregnancy Guide

16 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby is the size of a Avocado. Discover exactly what is happening to your body and your baby this week.

New pregnancy guide: Learn how weeks are counted, what each trimester means, and how to interpret your calculator results for better preparation and planning. Read the full guide

Week 16 in detail

Head up, breathing practice, a bump you cannot hide

Baby this week

The fetus can hold the head more in line with the body. Eyes detect light as a glow, not a picture. Swallowing amniotic fluid and practice-breathing movements are regular training, not drowning.

  • Practice breaths move fluid, not air
  • Limb movements get stronger; you may feel them if the placenta is anterior they can be quieter
  • Meconium (first stool) is forming in the gut — it should stay there until after birth

Your body this week

The bump is often obvious in fitted clothes. A 16-week visit is usually blood pressure, urine, and a listen to the heart — less theatre than the 12-week scan, still important. Dizziness when you stand fast is common; sit down before you argue with gravity.

  • Maternity clothes are cheaper than a wardrobe of popped buttons
  • Cleaning products with strong solvents are worth swapping
  • BP and urine catch problems before you feel them — keep the appointment

Get ready

Go to the routine checkup even if you feel fine. Look up antenatal classes before they fill. The checklist above is the visit, classes, and household chemicals. You do not need a Pinterest nursery yet.

A general guide, not medical advice. Scan timing and symptoms vary — ask your clinician.

Baby Growth Curve

This chart visualizes the average length of the baby from week 1 to 40. Values are based on standard clinical averages.

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