How many months is 21 weeks

The head is big, about half the total length, and the face is beginning to acquire its own features. The ears and genitals are developing. The fetus practises breathing and swallowing movements.

It kicks, moves its toes and thumbs and turns its head. The mother does not yet feel these tiny movements, however. The fifth month weeks 20 -begins 16 weeks after the start of your last period. At the end of the month there are still 20 weeks until the birth 4 months, 20 days At the beginning of the month the fetus is 14 weeks old and at the end of the month 18 weeks old. The fetus is cm long at the end of the month and weighs grams. The fetus has its own circulatory system and its heart beats twice as fast as an adults.

It now has eyebrows. At this stage the placenta is almost as big as the fetus. It protects the fetus from some but not all harmful substances. The sixth month weeks -begins 20 weeks after the start of your last period. At the end of the month there are still 16 weeks until the birth 3 months, 2 days.

At the beginning of the month the fetus is 18 weeks old and at the end of the month, 22 weeks old. The fetus is about 30cm long at the end of the month and weighs grams.

Even a primapara a women expecting her first baby can feel its movements. Its heartbeats can be heard. By the end of the month the top of the uterus the fundus is up to the navel.

Faster growth is a sign of twins. The fetus practises sucking and its thumb often find its way into its mouth. Its hair and nails grow. One alternative: Wear them on a chain close to your heart. BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world.

When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Prenatal development: How your baby grows during pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. March of Dimes. Sex during pregnancy.

Mayo Clinic. Fetal development: The 2nd trimester. Fetal development. Nemours Foundation. Join now to personalize. How big is your bump? Baby name inspiration Choose a name from our lists of African goddesses, Nobel laureates, Shakespearean characters, Olympian athletes, and more. Can you avoid stretch marks? You're in your fifth month! Your baby at 21 weeks Tap the plus for more details. These pink, red, purple, reddish-brown or dark brown streaks appear as your body expands and your tummy and breasts just keep on growing: The supporting tissue under your skin gets torn as the skin stretches.

Estimates vary, but at least 1 in 2 women get stretch marks, though you're a likely candidate if your mom had them during pregnancy. Rapid weight gain can also predispose you to getting stretch marks — another good reason to add your pounds slowly and steadily, at an average of about a pound a week these days. Depending on your complexion and the genes you inherited, these lines first show up as red, pink or brown streaks, and with time, will eventually fade. There's no proven way to prevent stretch marks from zigzagging their way across your body though there's no harm in applying moisturizers like cocoa butter; if nothing else, it will prevent the dryness and itching associated with pregnancy-stretched skin.

After delivery, they usually fade to a less noticeable shade. Now that you're starting to look pregnant — and not just like you ate a particularly large lunch — and those kicks can no longer be mistaken for gas, the reality of pregnancy is probably beginning to sink in. And with it, you may find, a few ambivalent or anxious feelings you're even ambivalent about admitting: Me, a mom? There must be some mistake! Don't worry — and hang on. At some point in pregnancy, and usually once that pregnancy becomes a very visible reality, just about every expectant parent begins to feel anxiety and fear — almost as if you're on a runaway train and there's enormous changes coming round the bend.

And not only is it completely normal to feel anxious, it's especially healthy to acknowledge it. Most important, discuss your fears with your partner, if you have one, who's probably just as in need of a good heart-to-heart. Learn more about anxiety during and after pregnancy.

Seasonal allergies may not be to blame for all that nasal congestion you've been experiencing. Alas, starting in the second trimester, a stuffy nose is a common pregnancy symptom — one that tends to stick around until delivery. To clear your nasal passages, use your thumb to close one nostril, while gently blowing out the other. Then, repeat on the other side.

If you're really stuffed up, ask your doctor if there's a safe OTC decongestant or antihistamine you can use. Finding it harder to tie your shoes than usual?

Swollen feet and ankles may be to blame. Because your body has about 50 percent more blood and fluid than it did pre-baby, your extremities are more prone to swelling. So be sure to clock in a few sit-and-elevate sessions throughout the day. Chances are your practitioner advised you on your target weight gain at your first prenatal appointment — and that it was calculated based on a number of factors, including what your pre-pregnancy weight and BMI were.

Your practitioner probably also talks to you at every visit about where you are on that upward curve — and where you should aim to be. If you've been instructed to gain the standard topound total in your pregnancy, by this week you're likely to have gained anywhere from 10 to 16 of those pounds. If you raced past that number weeks ago, or are gaining faster than your practitioner recommended, you'll want to slow down. Ask your doctor or midwife for tips.

Is your plumbing clogged? Then start walking for exercise. Both during pregnancy and in those first postpartum weeks, physical activity like a brisk walk is one of the best ways to stimulate your bowels and fight constipation. Just a half-hour walk a day can do the trick, especially if you drink plenty of water and favor fiber-rich foods.

Just remember to take some trail mix when you hit the trail. Your legs, armpits, bikini line and upper lip may be hairier than usual due to all those raging hormones. But think twice before you turn to lasers, electrolysis, depilatories and bleaching. No reliable studies have been done to determine for sure whether these popular hair-removal and lightening treatments are harmful or not, but it's probably best to skip them until after you give birth.

Take heart, though — you may pluck or shave to your heart's content. Even waxing is fine if your skin's not too sensitive. That's not making you feel better? Chin up — you're more than halfway to the finish line! It's not a lack of sleep that's causing you to forget where you put your keys though that certainly doesn't help. Brain fog is a common pregnancy symptom, and causes forgetfulness and trouble concentrating.

Easy, nutritious strategies, like substituting fresh fruit for dried, baked potatoes or yams for French fries, and grilled white-meat chicken with no skin for fried dark meat with skin, can make a big difference. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.

Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.