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Second trimester

17 weeks pregnant

At 17 weeks your baby can move their eyes behind closed lids, open and close their mouth, and react to loud noises. Your womb is rising out of your pelvis, so your bump may be easier to see. Some people start to notice the first flutters of movement, but many don't yet.

This page covers 17 weeks 0 days to 17 weeks 6 days (17+0 to 17+6), counted from the first day of the last period. Check how far along you are

Enter it to see the calendar dates of your week 17.

Botanical illustration of a pomegranate

About the size of a pomegranate

Typical estimated weight 180 g (6 oz) at 17+0, about 215 g (8 oz) by 17+6. This is the 50th centile; healthy babies commonly vary by about 12.7% either way.1

A reference value, not a measurement of your baby.

How your baby is developing

  • Your baby can move their eyes, although the eyelids stay closed. They can also open and close their mouth and react to loud noises.2
  • Fingernails are forming, and your baby's fingerprints are already unique, even between identical twins.2
  • A whitish coating called vernix begins to cover the skin. It is thought to protect the skin from long contact with amniotic fluid.3
  • Muscles and bones keep developing, and your baby stretches, moves and makes sucking motions.4
  • The placenta keeps growing alongside your baby. It supplies food and removes waste.2,5

Changes you may notice

Everyone’s experience is different. You may notice some of these, or none.

  • As your womb rises out of your pelvis, your waist may start to disappear and you may look more obviously pregnant.2
  • Early movements may feel like bubbling, fluttering or rolling. Many people first notice them between 18 and 24 weeks, though some feel them earlier, particularly in a later pregnancy.2,6
  • Stretch marks can appear on the tummy and breasts, and sometimes the bottom and thighs. Their color depends on your skin tone. They affect up to 8 in 10 pregnant women and usually fade after the birth.2
  • Feeling stressed or anxious is common: around 1 in 5 women feel this way during pregnancy. If you feel low, talk to your midwife or doctor.2
  • Tiredness, poor sleep, indigestion, heartburn, leg cramps and swollen hands and feet are all possible. If symptoms become hard to manage, contact your midwife or doctor.2

Care around this week

  • In the US, the anatomy ultrasound is usually done between 18 and 22 weeks. UK: the 20-week screening scan is usually done between 18 and 21 weeks, and you may be asked whether you'd like to know the baby's sex.7,8
  • UK: the whooping cough vaccine can be given from 16 weeks and is usually offered around 20 weeks. In the US, Tdap is recommended later, during weeks 27 through 36.9,10
  • UK: you may start thinking about where you'd like to give birth, such as a hospital, a midwife-led unit or at home. You can change your mind later.2

Questions to ask your provider

  • What birth settings are available to me, and is any of them a better fit for my health?
  • Who can I talk to if I'm feeling anxious or low?
  • What does the anatomy scan check, and how long does it take?
  • What can I do to ease heartburn or leg cramps?
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.12,15
  • 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 17 weeks

What does a baby's first movement feel like?

Early movements are often described as bubbling, fluttering, tapping or light rolling. At first they are easy to mistake for gas.2,6,11

Why can't I feel my baby move at 17 weeks?

Timing varies a lot. First movements are usually felt between 16 and 24 weeks, and in a first pregnancy often not until after 20 weeks. A placenta at the front of the womb (anterior placenta) can also make early movements harder to feel. Tell your midwife if you haven't felt any movement by 24 weeks.6,12

Is it normal to feel anxious at 17 weeks pregnant?

Yes, it's common. Around 1 in 5 women feel stressed or anxious during pregnancy. If you feel low, talk to your midwife or doctor.2

Sources

  1. In utero analysis of fetal growth: a sonographic weight standardRadiology 181(1):129–133, 1991
  2. 17 weeks pregnant guideNHS Best Start in Life
  3. Fetal development: week-by-week stages of pregnancyCleveland Clinic
  4. Fetal developmentUS National Library of Medicine
  5. 21 weeks pregnant guideNHS Best Start in Life
  6. Quickening in pregnancyCleveland Clinic
  7. Ultrasound ExamsAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  8. 20-week screening scanNHS (England)
  9. Vaccinations in pregnancyNHS (England)
  10. Tdap Vaccination for Pregnant WomenUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  11. 19 weeks pregnant guideNHS Best Start in Life
  12. Your baby's movementsNHS (England)
  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.

Written from the sources above and checked against them on 2026-11-12. Not reviewed by a clinician. Our editorial policy