At 22 weeks your baby is about 27.5 cm and 430 grams — papaya-sized — and hearing has sharpened enough to clearly pick out your heartbeat, breathing and voice from the general noise of your body.
The short answer: senses continue sharpening rapidly, eyebrows and eyelashes are now visible, and the pancreas has begun producing key hormones. For you, the uterus has risen 1–2 cm above the navel, gums may bleed more from pregnancy gingivitis, and feet often swell and even grow a shoe size as fluid retention combines with loosened ligaments.
Your baby this week
Hearing has developed to the point where sounds are clearly distinguishable rather than just detected — your heartbeat, the movement of air through your lungs, and above all your voice stand out from the general background. Eyebrows and eyelashes are now visible on the face, giving it a more recognisably infant appearance.
The pancreas is actively developing and has begun producing hormones important for metabolism. The skin remains notably wrinkled at this stage — it is growing in surface area faster than the fat layer beneath it, which will smooth things out considerably over the coming weeks and months.
Your body this week
The uterus has risen 1–2 cm above your navel. Increased blood volume continues to make gums bleed more readily when brushing — pregnancy gingivitis — which is common but worth actively managing with a soft brush, gentle flossing and a dental visit rather than simply accepted.
Many women notice their feet have grown, sometimes by a full shoe size. Two things are happening together: general fluid retention causes mild swelling, and the hormone relaxin loosens ligaments throughout the body, including in the feet, letting the arch flatten slightly under the added weight. The ligament change can outlast the pregnancy, which is why properly fitted, comfortable shoes are worth the investment now rather than pushing through in ones that no longer fit well.
Tests and appointments
Nothing routine falls exactly at 22 weeks for most care pathways, though this marks the far edge of the anatomy scan window if it has been delayed.
✅ Worth doing this week
- Talk, sing or read aloud to your bump — hearing is sharp enough now that this genuinely reaches your baby
- Get properly measured for shoes rather than assuming your usual size still fits
- Book or attend a dental check-up if gum bleeding has become noticeable
- Elevate swollen feet when resting, and stay hydrated — counterintuitively, drinking more water reduces fluid retention
- Keep the pregnancy diary going if you are keeping one; the weeks ahead bring rapid change worth recording
When to call your doctor
Call the same day if: you have bleeding, severe or one-sided abdominal pain, a severe headache with visual disturbance, sudden swelling of the face and hands rather than just the feet, fainting, a temperature above 38°C, or regular tightenings. Swelling confined to the feet and ankles by evening is common; swelling that appears suddenly, is severe, or involves the face and hands needs same-day assessment for pre-eclampsia.
FAQ — 22 weeks pregnant
Can the baby really recognise sounds at 22 weeks?
Hearing has sharpened considerably by now, and the fetus can clearly distinguish your heartbeat, breathing sounds and voice from other noise. There is good evidence that newborns show a preference for their mother's voice and even for stories or music heard repeatedly in the womb, which is why talking, singing or reading aloud now is not simply sentimental — it may genuinely be forming early familiarity.
Why do feet grow during pregnancy?
Two mechanisms combine: fluid retention causes mild swelling, and — separately — the hormone relaxin loosens the ligaments in your feet, allowing the arch to flatten slightly under the extra weight. The ligament change can be permanent even after the swelling goes down, which is why some women find their shoe size never fully returns to what it was before pregnancy.
How big is the baby at 22 weeks?
About 27.5 cm and 430 grams — roughly a papaya. The skin is still notably wrinkled, because it is growing faster than the fat layer underneath it that will eventually smooth it out.
Is bleeding gums normal at 22 weeks?
Yes — pregnancy gingivitis, driven by increased blood flow and an exaggerated response to plaque, commonly continues or worsens through the second trimester. A soft brush, gentle flossing and a dental check-up all help. It is not something to simply tolerate: untreated gum disease in pregnancy has been linked to preterm birth, so it is worth actively managing rather than ignoring.
Week 22 at a glance
At 22 weeks your baby is about 27.5 cm and 430 grams, with hearing sharp enough to clearly distinguish your voice and heartbeat, visible eyebrows and eyelashes, and a pancreas beginning to produce key hormones. For you, the uterus sits 1–2 cm above the navel, pregnancy gingivitis often continues, and feet commonly swell and may grow a size as fluid retention combines with hormonally loosened ligaments — a change that can outlast the pregnancy itself.
Inside Baby Novum: weight, symptoms and appointment reminders all live in one place, so the practical tracking takes minutes rather than mental effort, leaving more attention for the parts of pregnancy that actually need it.