At 28 weeks pregnant (28+0 to 28+6 weeks from the first day of your last period) you are about 6 months and 13 days along, in the 7th month of pregnancy. The third and final trimester starts this week. Anti-D if you are Rh negative, a blood count for everyone, and keeping track of your baby's movements are the main topics now.
Counted from your last period, 28 weeks pregnant is about 6 months and 13 days, so you are in the 7th month. This week covers days 196 to 202 and is the first week of the third trimester, with about 84 days to your due date.
According to the NHS, your baby is about 37.6 cm long from head to heel. The heart rate changes during pregnancy: it is now around 140 beats per minute and will be around 130 at birth, much faster than your own heart rate of about 80 to 85. The Turkish Ministry of Health guideline and UpToDate give 110 to 160 beats per minute as the normal fetal heart rate.
ACOG says that during weeks 25 to 28 the lungs begin to make surfactant, the eyelids can open and close, and the skin looks smoother as fat is added.
Welcome to the third and final trimester. ACOG defines it as 28+0 to 40+6 weeks. You will probably feel more uncomfortable and tired over the coming weeks (NHS).
Heartburn, indigestion and backache are common, and your joints and ligaments are looser than usual. The NHS says your ankles and feet may swell, especially in hot weather; this is usually water retention, but get it checked for pre-eclampsia. The NHS mentions the face too and asks you to get it checked; UpToDate counts facial swelling as a reason to check for pre-eclampsia, so get help straight away if your face swells. The NHS warns that with pre-eclampsia you may feel perfectly well while your blood pressure rises to a dangerous level very quickly.
Nosebleeds are common in pregnancy because of hormonal changes. Sit or stand (do not lie down), lean forward, breathe through your mouth and pinch your nose just above the nostrils for 10 to 15 minutes (NHS).
The NHS says you may need about 200 extra calories a day in the third trimester, roughly 2 slices of wholemeal toast.
Avoiding infections (NHS): wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, especially after contact with young children or nappies (CMV); wear gloves to empty the cat litter tray or ask someone else to do it, and wear gloves when gardening (toxoplasmosis); if you have never had chickenpox, tell your doctor if you are in contact with someone who has it.
Sleep on your side. NICE advises not going to sleep on your back after 28 weeks; support your bump and put a pillow between your legs.
This week is a key checkpoint in most schedules:
Vaccines. The NHS recommends the RSV vaccine at around 28 weeks (it can be given up to labour) and says it can reduce the risk of severe bronchiolitis by 70% in your baby's first 6 months. In the US practice described by UpToDate, the RSV vaccine is given between 32+0 and 36+6 weeks during RSV season. The Turkish guideline lists Td, Tdap and flu vaccines for pregnancy, with the flu vaccine during the September to April flu season. Depending on your vaccine history, a second Td dose may be given between 28 and 32 weeks.
Glucose tolerance test. The Turkish Ministry of Health High-Risk Pregnancy Guideline asks for it between 24 and 28 weeks. If you have not had it, plan it with your doctor now; the USPSTF recommends that women whose first antenatal visit is after 28 weeks are also screened as soon as possible.
In low-risk pregnancies, routine third-trimester scans to check growth are generally not advised; growth is checked at each visit by examining your bump and measuring fundal height, with a scan if there is concern (UpToDate). NICE recommends a scan if the bump measures small and considering one if it measures large. The Turkish guideline plans an obstetric scan at the fourth visit (36 to 38 weeks).
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 28 weeks is about 1,189 g; the 10th percentile is 1,026 g and the 90th percentile 1,368 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Swollen feet and ankles | Can be water retention, especially in hot weather. | Swelling of the hands or eyelids can be an early sign of pre-eclampsia; tell your midwife or doctor so your blood pressure can be checked (Turkish Ministry of Health guideline, 2026; NHS). Get help straight away for swelling of the face, sudden, rapidly increasing swelling of the hands or legs, or swelling with a headache, vision problems or pain below the ribs. |
| Heartburn and indigestion | Common because of your growing baby and hormones affecting digestion. | Persistent pain in the upper tummy or upper right side can be a sign of pre-eclampsia; get help straight away (UpToDate). |
| No movement for a while | Babies have sleep periods, and there is no set number of movements that counts as normal (RCOG, NHS). | If movements slow down, stop or change, get help without waiting until the next day, even at night (RCOG, NHS). |
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 after 28 weeks you must get help immediately; your baby's heart rate is usually monitored for at least 20 minutes. Do not rely on a home doppler.
Under the Turkish guideline, if the mother is Rh negative and the father Rh positive, an indirect Coombs test is done, and if it is negative anti-D can be given from 28 weeks. NICE and UpToDate also recommend an antibody test and anti-D at 28 weeks.
Organisations differ. The NHS says you do not need to count kicks every day; knowing your baby's usual pattern is what matters, and the RCOG says there is not enough evidence to recommend routine movement charts. UpToDate says movements can be monitored either by feel or by counting, and if you are unsure it suggests lying on your side at a time when your baby is usually active and counting: fewer than 10 movements in two hours means you should call your doctor. Whichever you choose, get help without delay if movements reduce or change.
At the Turkish Ministry of Health's third visit (28 to 32 weeks) a full blood count, urine test and urine culture are done, plus an indirect Coombs test if there is Rh incompatibility. NICE offers a full blood count and blood group and antibody tests at 28 weeks. If you have not had the glucose tolerance test, plan it with your doctor now; the USPSTF advises that women whose first antenatal visit is after 28 weeks should be screened as soon as possible.
The NHS says it is around 140 beats per minute at this stage. The Turkish Ministry of Health guideline and UpToDate give 110 to 160 beats per minute as normal. Do not rely on a home doppler; hearing a heartbeat does not mean your baby is well (NHS).
In the reference table of the World Health Organization fetal growth study (2017), the median estimated weight at 28 weeks is about 1,189 g, with the 10th percentile at 1,026 g and the 90th at 1,368 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.