At 24 weeks pregnant (24+0 to 24+6 weeks from the first day of your last period) you are about 5 months and 16 days along, in the 6th month of pregnancy. From this week the NHS describes your baby as "viable": if born now, they would have a chance of surviving with the right support. The window for the glucose tolerance test also opens this week.
Counted from your last period, 24 weeks pregnant is about 5 months and 16 days, so you are in the 6th month. This week covers days 168 to 174, with about 112 days to your due date.
According to the NHS, your baby is about 30 cm long from head to heel. Everything is in proportion, but your baby is smaller than one who has been in the womb for longer. From this week the NHS describes the baby as "viable": if born now, there is a chance of survival with the support of a neonatal unit, which helps premature babies breathe, feed, keep warm and fight infection.
ACOG says that during weeks 21 to 24 fat forms under the skin, the sucking reflex develops, and ridges that will become fingerprints appear; the skin is wrinkled and reddish.
You may feel really hungry, but the NHS says there is no need to eat more until the third trimester, which starts at week 28. You are likely to be putting on weight; do not worry if you can barely see your bump, as every pregnancy is different.
You may have aches around your ribs, back, breasts, bottom and tummy. Pregnancy hormones loosen your ligaments and muscles, and your growing baby presses on different parts of your body (NHS).
How much weight should I gain? The Turkish Ministry of Health Antenatal Care Management Guideline gives these ranges by pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI):
| Pre-pregnancy BMI (kg/m²) | Total over pregnancy | Per week in 2nd and 3rd trimesters |
|---|---|---|
| Underweight (<18.5) | 12.5–18.0 kg | 0.51 kg (0.44–0.58) |
| Healthy weight (18.5–24.9) | 11.5–16.0 kg | 0.42 kg (0.35–0.50) |
| Overweight (25.0–29.9) | 7.0–11.5 kg | 0.28 kg (0.23–0.33) |
| Obese (≥30.0) | 5.0–9.0 kg | 0.22 kg (0.17–0.27) |
The same guideline suggests gaining no more than 2 kg a month if you were underweight or a healthy weight before pregnancy, and no more than 1 kg a month if you were overweight or obese.
The NHS suggests starting to think about a birth plan (what you would like to happen during and after the birth) and about which contraception you would like to use after your baby is born.
Gestational diabetes screening can start this week. How organisations approach it:
How results are interpreted is in the FAQ below, and you can enter your values in our glucose tolerance test checker.
Last week of the second visit window. The Turkish guideline places the second visit at 18 to 24 weeks, including the anomaly scan and the first Tdap (whooping cough) dose. Your womb size is compared with your stage of pregnancy; if it is 4 cm larger or smaller than expected, further assessment is recommended.
According to UpToDate, the estimated weight is usually calculated from ultrasound measurements from 24 weeks onwards. The estimate is calculated from measurements of the head, abdomen and thigh bone; UpToDate suggests the modified Hadlock formula. It is only an estimate: in a systematic review cited by UpToDate, the error was more than 14% of birth weight in 5% of babies.
How much does the baby weigh? In the reference table of the World Health Organization's fetal growth study across 10 countries (2017), the median (50th percentile) estimated weight at 24 weeks is about 665 g; the 10th percentile is 576 g and the 90th percentile 765 g. These are reference values, not your own baby's measurement. The study notes differences between countries, maternal characteristics and the baby's sex, so these charts may need adjusting for local use. The growth trend matters more than a single measurement.
| Symptom | Usually | Seek care if |
|---|---|---|
| Feeling hungry all the time | Common now; the NHS says you do not need to eat more until week 28. | Talk to your doctor about rapid weight gain (Turkish Ministry of Health guideline, 2026); get help straight away for swelling of the face, or sudden, rapidly increasing swelling of the hands or legs. |
| Aches in the ribs, back and groin | Caused by hormones loosening the ligaments and by the baby's pressure. | Get help straight away for pain just below the ribs with a severe headache or vision problems, or for regular tightenings and pelvic pressure (NHS, UpToDate). |
| A small-looking bump | Every pregnancy is different; a small bump on its own is not a sign of a problem. | Your doctor measures this: a womb 4 cm larger or smaller than expected needs further assessment (Turkish Ministry of Health guideline, 2026). |
Contact your midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away if you have:
Most of these are danger signs or emergency referral criteria in the Turkish Ministry of Health Antenatal Care Management Guideline (2026); tightenings, cramps, backache and pelvic pressure are on UpToDate's list of preterm labour signs. Headache, vision problems, facial swelling, pain below the ribs and high blood pressure can be signs of pre-eclampsia (NHS, UpToDate). The NHS says to call if your baby's movements reduce, stop or change, without waiting until the next day, even at night. The RCOG says that between 24 and 28 weeks your baby's heartbeat, womb size, blood pressure and urine are then checked; do not rely on a home doppler.
According to the Turkish Ministry of Health High-Risk Pregnancy Guideline (2026):
UpToDate notes that cut-offs of 130, 135 or 140 mg/dL have been proposed for the 50 g screen in the US, so your lab's limit may differ. Discuss your result with your doctor.
Between 24 and 28 weeks (Turkish Ministry of Health, ACOG). NICE offers it only to women at risk of gestational diabetes, between 24+0 and 28+0 weeks. Women at risk may also be tested early in pregnancy and, if the result is normal, retested at 24 to 28 weeks.
The NHS describes babies as "viable" from this week: a baby born now has a chance of survival with neonatal unit support to help them breathe, feed, keep warm and fight infection. That is why it matters to know the signs of preterm labour (regular tightenings, leaking fluid, bleeding, increasing pelvic pressure) and to get help without delay.
Contact your midwife or maternity unit straight away, even at night; do not wait until the next day (RCOG, NHS). The RCOG says that between 24 and 28 weeks your baby's heartbeat will be checked along with your womb size, blood pressure and urine; a scan may be arranged if your womb measures small. Do not rely on a home heartbeat monitor (NHS).
In the reference table of the World Health Organization fetal growth study (2017), the median estimated weight at 24 weeks is about 665 g, with the 10th percentile at 576 g and the 90th at 765 g. These are reference values; an ultrasound weight is itself an estimate with a margin of error, so the growth trend matters more than a single measurement.
Last updated: . All sources have been confirmed with their latest versions. This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for a doctor's examination.