Your baby is developing rapidly and grows a little bit more each day. Its bones and muscles are strengthening, and they might even have given you a kick while testing them out.

Despite being over halfway, there is still a long way to go, and you may still have many questions. This article will provide all the answers to your queries and leave you in the best possible place to move forward through the pregnancy in a positive and prepared mindset.

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25 Weeks Pregnancy Symptoms

You’ve probably got more energy now than you did throughout the trimester, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t experience any symptoms. Here are the most common signs of pregnancy at week 25.

• Hemorrhoids

As the baby grows bigger and gets heavier, it puts increased pressure on your digestive tract. This can lead to a number of problems, one of which is hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids, sometimes referred to as piles, are swollen veins in the rectum and anus, and they can be extremely painful. If this problem persists, you should seek advice from your doctor.

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

When a woman is pregnant, her blood volume increases dramatically. This leads to numerous knock-on effects, and at 25 weeks pregnant it’s possible that you might experience carpal tunnel syndrome. This happens when the median nerve becomes pressed at the wrist and can create a tingling sensation in the hands.

• Skin Discoloration

A fairly common sign of pregnancy at week 25 is the appearance of a dark line in the abdominal region, called the linea nigra. The linea nigra might look strange, but it is a common pregnancy symptom, and is just another way of your body reacting to the increased hormones in its bloodstream. The discoloration will typically fade within the first few months after pregnancy.

• Heartburn and Indigestion

Week 25 of the pregnancy might not bring any relief from this common symptom. Over half of women experience heartburn and indigestion throughout the gestation period and, although it can be very comfortable, there are ways to manage it. Drinking plenty of water and eating smaller meals at a slower pace can mitigate the impacts of heartburn and indigestion.

• Braxton Hicks Contractions

If you’ve experienced these fake contractions, you’ll have got a taster of what the day of birth will be like. These Braxton Hicks contractions are a result of your body preparing for the final day of pregnancy and can last for around 10 to 15 minutes. If you experienced prolonged or patterned contractions, seek medical advice immediately.

• Confusion

One of the first signs of pregnancy that women notice is that they are slightly confused and can happen throughout the entire pregnancy cycle. A consequence of increased hormones in your system, “Pregnancy brain” can leave you feeling forgetful and discombobulated.

Your Body at Week 25

If you’ve been on track with your weight gain, you’ll have put on something in the region of 20 pounds by now. The weight that you gain during pregnancy should be considered healthy, providing you are eating a varied and balanced diet, and is essential for the optimal development of your baby.

Your body may be experiencing other new things at 25 weeks pregnant. It’s fairly common for women to notice pains in their pelvic region at this stage.  This is called symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) and is a consequence of your ligaments becoming more relaxed and stretchy. If you are able to perform Kegel exercises, this will help to strengthen and tighten the muscles in the pelvic region and, consequently, reduce any pain felt.

Faster hair growth is often experienced by mothers-to-be throughout pregnancy. The increased blood volume in your system means that more nutrients are being carried to the hair follicles at an increased rate, nourishing them and providing them with the right settings for faster growth.

Baby Size at Week 25

Your baby has grown a lot in the past few weeks and is now the same size as a cauliflower. It now weighs between 750 to 800 grams and measures between 22 to 24 centimetres. It is still small, but when you look back to when it was the same size as a vanilla seed in the first few weeks, it is remarkable to see how much your baby is developed.

At 25 weeks old, the fetus has also further developed its features in the past few weeks. What was once a tiny little embryo in the womb is now gaining body fat, pigmentation in its hair, and a more developed reflex system.

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Week 25 Pregnant Ultrasound

Most glucose screening tests will happen between weeks 24 and 28, so it’s possible that you will have one this week. These tests are usually scheduled to check for gestational diabetes or other discrepancies in the pregnancy. They usually require that the participant doesn’t eat for a few hours before the test, as this enables the practitioner to assess how your body reacts to processing sugar.

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