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Your second trimester

Weeks 14–27 (14 weeks 0 days to 27 weeks 6 days)

The second trimester runs from 14 weeks 0 days to 27 weeks 6 days. The fetus begins to move, stretch and respond to sound, and many people first feel those movements during these weeks. Early nausea and tiredness often ease, though not for everyone.

Gouache illustration of a branch of apricot blossom
First0 to 13+6
Second14+0 to 27+6
Third28+0 to birth
Weeks of pregnancy counted from the first day of the last period, using ACOG trimester boundaries. The apricot band marks early, full and late term (37+0 to 41+6).

How your baby develops

  • Between about 15 and 18 weeks, the fetus begins to move and stretch and makes sucking motions. As the trimester goes on, it can make faces and may suck its thumb.1,2
  • Fine body hair called lanugo appears, along with eyebrows and eyelashes. By about 22 weeks, lanugo covers the whole body.1,2
  • The ears develop enough for the fetus to begin hearing sounds. Sources place this between about 16 and 21 weeks, and by around 26 weeks the fetus may startle at loud noises.1,3
  • During this trimester the fetus begins to store fat, and bone marrow starts to make blood cells.1,3
  • The lungs keep developing, with the lower airways and air sacs forming late in the trimester. They are not yet ready to work outside the uterus.1,3
  • By about 26 weeks, all parts of the eyes have developed, even though the eyelids are still closed.1

Changes you may notice

  • Nausea and tiredness often ease in the second trimester, and some people notice more energy. Not everyone feels better right away, and some people continue to feel sick well into this trimester.2
  • Your bump will start to show at some point, but the timing varies, so there is no need to worry if you do not have a bump straight away.2
  • Common changes include a bigger appetite, bleeding gums, nosebleeds or a stuffy nose, and hemorrhoids. Some people also get round ligament pain.2
  • Skin changes such as a dark line down the belly (linea nigra), darker areolas and stretch marks are common, as are some swelling and varicose veins.2
  • Most people start to feel the baby move between 16 and 24 weeks, often as a fluttering feeling. In a first pregnancy, you might not notice movements until after 20 weeks. If you have not felt any movement by 24 weeks, let your midwife or provider know.2,4
  • Once you know your baby's movements, contact your provider or maternity unit straight away if they slow down, stop or change. Do not wait until the next day or your next appointment.4

Care in this trimester

  • In the US, prenatal visits are usually every four weeks in the second trimester unless the pregnancy is high risk. In the UK, appointments are typically offered at 16 weeks and, in a first pregnancy, at 25 weeks.2,5
  • The standard anatomy ultrasound is usually done between 18 and 22 weeks. In the UK, the 20-week screening scan is usually done between 18 and 21 weeks.6,7
  • Screening for gestational diabetes is usually done between 24 and 28 weeks. In the UK, a glucose test at 24 to 28 weeks is offered to people with a higher chance of gestational diabetes.5,8
  • Other blood tests often done in this trimester include a check of your Rh factor, a complete blood count to look for anemia, and repeat screening for syphilis.2
  • In the US, the Tdap (whooping cough) vaccine is recommended during weeks 27 through 36 of each pregnancy, preferably early in that window. In the UK, the whooping cough vaccine is offered from 16 weeks, usually around 20 weeks.9,10

Questions to ask your provider

  • When will my anatomy scan be, and what does it check?
  • Do I need screening for gestational diabetes, and how is the test done?
  • When should I get the whooping cough vaccine?
  • When should I expect to feel movements, and who do I call if they change?
  • Is the exercise I am doing now still a good fit for this stage?

Week by week

When to contact your provider straight away

Call 911 (US) or 999 (UK) in an emergency, such as heavy bleeding or bleeding with severe pain, a seizure, chest pain, or severe trouble breathing.13,14,15,16

These symptoms are not always serious, but each one needs prompt advice from your provider, midwife or maternity unit (or NHS 111 in the UK if you cannot reach them) rather than waiting for your next appointment, and it helps to tell them you are pregnant.

  • Vaginal bleeding or spotting at any stage of pregnancy. Call 911 or 999 if the bleeding is heavy or comes with severe belly pain, shoulder pain, or feeling faint or dizzy.15,17
  • Fluid leaking or gushing from your vagina, or discharge that is unusual for you. Get checked straight away if the fluid is greenish, colored or smells bad.15,16,18,19
  • Your baby moving less than usual, not moving, or a change in their usual pattern of movements. Call immediately, even in the middle of the night, and do not use a home Doppler to check yourself.4,15
  • A severe headache that does not go away with simple painkillers or gets worse, or sudden changes in your vision such as blurring or seeing flashing lights.13,15,16
  • Sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet, or swelling, redness or pain in a leg.13,15,16
  • Belly pain that is severe or does not go away after resting, or pain just below the ribs.13,15,20
  • Regular tightenings or contractions, period-type pains, or backache that is unusual for you before 37 weeks, which can be signs of preterm labor.19,20
  • A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or feeling hot, cold or shivery.15,16,19
  • Shortness of breath that comes on suddenly or happens when you lie flat, chest pain, a racing or pounding heart, or dizziness or fainting.15,16
  • Very itchy skin, especially on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet, or itching that is worse at night.21
  • Being sick so often that you cannot keep food or drink down, or signs of dehydration such as dark urine, peeing very little, or feeling dizzy.15,22
  • Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. Get help right away, and call 911 or 999 if you think you might act on them.15,23

Questions about the second trimester

When does the second trimester start?

ACOG defines the second trimester as 14 weeks 0 days to 27 weeks 6 days. The NHS week-by-week guide and some US health sites start it at week 13 instead. This site uses ACOG's definition, so week 13 is counted as the end of the first trimester.2,11,12

When will I feel my baby move?

Most people start to feel movements between 16 and 24 weeks. In a first pregnancy, it may be after 20 weeks. If you have not felt anything by 24 weeks, tell your midwife or provider.4

When is the anatomy scan?

In the US, the standard anatomy ultrasound is usually done between 18 and 22 weeks. In the UK, the 20-week screening scan is usually between 18 and 21 weeks.6,7

Is the second trimester the easiest?

Many people find it the most comfortable trimester, because early nausea and tiredness often ease. Pregnancy is different for everyone, and some people keep feeling sick for longer.2

Sources

  1. Fetal developmentUS National Library of Medicine
  2. Second Trimester of Pregnancy: What To ExpectCleveland Clinic
  3. Fetal Development: Week-by-Week Stages of PregnancyCleveland Clinic
  4. Your baby's movementsNHS (England)
  5. Your antenatal appointmentsNHS (England)
  6. Ultrasound ExamsAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  7. 20-week screening scanNHS (England)
  8. Practice Bulletin No. 190: Gestational Diabetes MellitusAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2018
  9. Tdap Vaccination for Pregnant WomenUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  10. Vaccinations in pregnancyNHS (England)
  11. How Your Fetus Grows During PregnancyAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  12. Week-by-week guide to pregnancyNHS Best Start in Life
  13. Pre-eclampsiaNHS (England)
  14. Epilepsy and pregnancyNHS (England)
  15. Urgent Maternal Warning Signs and Symptoms (Hear Her campaign)US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  16. Pregnancy symptoms you need to get help forNHS (England)
  17. Vaginal bleeding in pregnancyNHS (England)
  18. Signs of going into labourNHS Best Start in Life
  19. Premature labour and birthNHS (England)
  20. Stomach pain in pregnancyNHS (England)
  21. Itching in pregnancyNHS (England)
  22. Severe vomiting in pregnancyNHS (England)
  23. Depression in pregnancyNHS (England)

Links checked November 12, 2026. Citing a source does not mean it endorses this site.