Pregnancy Week by Week

Pregnancy at 24 Weeks

Depending upon the country in which you live, it is usually around 24 weeks of pregnancy that your baby is considered 'viable' which means she is capable of a separate existence. If she were born prematurely at 24 weeks, she might be able to survive in a special-care baby unit with the help of medical expertise and a ventilator to assist with breathing.

Development in 24th Week Pregnancy

Her lungs continue to develop daily, forming more air sacs. She is getting plenty of practice at breathing, by taking small amounts of fluid in and out of the lungs, her chest moving up and down. The centres of her bones are getting harder, and she has a normal amount of muscle. Her brainwaves show that she is almost as active as a newborn baby - increases in her pulse rate show that she reacts to sounds, such as loud noises.

Appearance in 24th Week Pregnancy

Your baby's face looks much as it will do when she is born, only not as well rounded. Her eyes are still closed, with distinctive eyebrows and eyelashes. More hair is growing on her head, and at this stage, you can even tell what colour it is. The vernix being produced sticks to her eyebrows and other hair on her body.

Movement in 24th Week Pregnancy

You may feel a tiny rhythmic movement in your lower abdomen that means your baby has hiccoughs! She is also responding much more to touch and sound.

I am 24 weeks pregnant and have just started antenatal classes. I am convinced that my bump is much smaller than everyone else's in the group and now I am worried that my baby is not growing properly.

Tell your midwife about your worries. She can reassure you and explain what she is doing at your antenatal check. One of these checks includes feeling the top of the uterus to make sure diat it is growing at the right rate and noting the size of your bump. If there is any cause for concern, your midwife will closely monitor you and refer you to the hospital for growth scans. Obviously some babies are bigger or smaller than average and the size of women's bumps always vary. Comparing fully clothed bumps is not an accurate way of judging the size of a baby because size varies depending on how many babies a woman has had before, the amount of fluid around the baby, the height of the woman and her baby's position.

Why does my baby get fits of hiccoughs in the uterus?

These are probably a result of your baby moving her chest in practice 'breathing'. These movements are thought to help babies to expand their lungs in preparation for their first real breath after they are born. Hiccoughs will be felt as a series of rhythmical movements and can last for up to 30 minutes. Don't worry about them, there are certainly not doing her any harm - many women find the sensation amusing.