<p>Being 35 weeks pregnant means you are between 35+0 and 35+6 weeks. About 8 months and 2 days have passed since your last period, so you are in the 9th month. In the 2017 WHO fetal growth charts, the 50th percentile estimated weight this week is 2,527 g. Next week both the Turkish Ministry of Health 36–38 week visit and the US window for GBS screening begin.</p>
<p>At 35 weeks, about 8 months and 2 days have passed since your last period, so you are in the 9th month. Weeks are counted from the first day of your last period (days 245–251).</p>
According to the NHS, your baby is about 46.2 cm from head to heel and getting chubbier, which will help them stay warm after birth. It is getting cramped in the womb, but you should still feel movements as strongly and regularly as in previous weeks.
Sore ribs: the NHS says your ribs may hurt, usually because your baby is head down and kicking. But if the pain is really bad or under your ribs, it advises talking to your midwife or doctor in case it is a sign of pre-eclampsia.
Colostrum: yellow stains in your bra are probably colostrum, an early milk rich in antibodies. The NHS says your milk comes in around 3 to 5 days after birth and your breasts get even bigger, so a feeding bra with room to grow and some breast pads are worth having.
Pain relief in labour: the NHS lists self-help methods such as relaxation and moving around, gas and air, a pain-relieving injection into the thigh or bottom (pethidine), epidural, water birth and a TENS machine. An epidural can work well in a difficult labour but does not always work; around 1 in 8 women who have an epidural also need other pain relief. There is no strong evidence that complementary methods such as acupuncture or aromatherapy work. Discuss your options with your doctor, write them in your birth plan, and remember you can change your mind on the day.
Turkish Ministry of Health (antenatal care guideline, 2026): the 4th visit is between 36 and 38 weeks. It includes an obstetric ultrasound, checking which part of the baby is presenting (head or bottom), a breast examination for breastfeeding, and repeat full blood count and urine tests; referral is advised if haemoglobin is below 10 g/dl. Weekly blood pressure checks continue; see a doctor if it is above 130/80 mmHg.
NICE NG201: from the 36-week appointment, the bump is felt at every appointment to look for a breech baby in single pregnancies. US (UpToDate, 2026): visits become weekly after 36 weeks; GBS screening is done between 36+0 and 37+6 weeks with swabs from the lower vagina and rectum. If the baby is breech, UpToDate offers external cephalic version (ECV) after 36+0 weeks and usually performs it at 37 weeks.
Different approaches to GBS: there is no routine GBS test in the Turkish Ministry of Health visit steps or in the NICE schedule; the NHS notes that up to 2 in 5 people carry GBS and that most newborn infections are preventable.
If a scan is done, UpToDate notes that the ossification centre at the top of the shin bone is clearly seen by 35 weeks. Estimated weight on ultrasound is not exact: in a large study cited by UpToDate, the share of estimates within 10 percent of the actual birth weight ranged from 67 to 76 percent depending on the formula.
| Symptom | Usually | Seek care if |
|---|---|---|
| Sore ribs | This can be due to kicks from a baby lying head down (NHS). | If the pain is really bad or just below the ribs, get checked for pre-eclampsia (NHS). |
| Baby moving around less | As space gets tight the type of movement can change, but the strength and pattern should stay as before (NHS). | Call straight away if movements reduce, stop or change. UpToDate suggests lying on your side and counting if you are unsure, and calling if you count fewer than 10 movements in two hours. |
| Bump tightening | Painless, short tightenings are Braxton Hicks contractions. | Before 37 weeks, regular or painful contractions can be a sign of preterm labour. |
Most of these are danger signs or emergency referral criteria in the Turkish Ministry of Health guideline; call your maternity unit or go to the nearest emergency department without waiting. The NHS says to call straight away, even in the middle of the night, if your baby's movements reduce, stop or change pattern, without waiting until the next day. NICE asks for hospital assessment within 24 hours if blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or above and the same day at 160/110 mmHg or above; it recommends a hospital review for any unexplained bleeding after 13 weeks, and anti-D for women who are RhD negative and at risk of isoimmunisation.
About 8 months and 2 days have passed since your last period, so you are in the 9th month.
According to the 2017 WHO fetal growth charts, the 50th percentile for estimated weight at 35 weeks is 2,527 g, and the 10th to 90th percentile range is 2,167–2,904 g. According to the NHS, the baby is about 46.2 cm long. The WHO values come from ultrasound measurements in low-risk pregnancies in ten countries; the authors note differences by country, maternal factors and fetal sex, and that birth weight varies considerably even under optimal conditions. Ultrasound estimates have a margin of error: in a large study cited by UpToDate, 67 to 76 percent of estimates were within 10 percent of the birth weight.
It is often due to your baby's kicks (NHS). If the pain is really bad or just below the ribs, you should be checked for pre-eclampsia; the NHS lists pain just below the ribs among signs to treat as an emergency.
In the US (UpToDate) it is done between 36+0 and 37+6 weeks with a swab from the lower vagina and rectum. The Turkish Ministry of Health visit steps and the NICE schedule do not include a routine GBS test; ask your doctor whether it is planned for you.
According to the NHS, options include self-help methods such as relaxation and moving around, gas and air, a pain-relieving injection into the thigh or bottom (pethidine), epidural, water birth and a TENS machine; you can start with one and move to another. Around 1 in 8 women who have an epidural also need other pain relief.
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.