14 weeks pregnant: the second trimester starts
For many people this is the week the fog lifts a little. Here is what is changing for your baby and for you.
Updated October 13, 2026 · sources checked October 13, 2026
In short
At 14 weeks you have reached the second trimester as ACOG counts it. Your baby is about 8.5cm long from head to bottom and is already swallowing amniotic fluid and passing it back as urine. Many people feel less tired and sick now. This week, if your dating scan is done, book or confirm your 16-week appointment and keep your notes handy.
Where you are at 14 weeks
ACOG counts the second trimester from 14 weeks and 0 days, so this is your first week of the middle stretch. The NHS week-by-week guide already moved to second-trimester pages at week 13: same pregnancy, two ways of counting. Cleveland Clinic places weeks 13 to 16 in month four. If your dates feel uncertain, the pregnancy week calculator shows exactly where you are today, and the due date calculator gives the date your scan will usually refine. If you conceived through IVF, ACOG explains that your due date comes from the embryo's age and the transfer date, so your clinic's dates are the ones to follow.
Your baby this week
The NHS gives your baby's length as around 8.5cm from head to bottom, and compares it to a kiwi fruit. The head is becoming rounder and more in proportion with the body.
- Kidneys at work. Your baby swallows small amounts of amniotic fluid; the kidneys then pass it back out as urine (NHS).
- Skin and hair. Cleveland Clinic describes the skin starting to thicken and fine hair beginning to grow, with fingerprints starting to form.
- Moving, unfelt. Your baby is kicking around, but you probably will not feel it yet. Your midwife may be able to hear the heartbeat with a handheld monitor (NHS).
ACOG groups weeks 13 to 16 together: bones harden, especially the long bones, the neck is defined, hearing starts to develop and the lungs begin forming the tissue they will later use to breathe.
Your body and common symptoms
Many people feel less tired and less sick around now, and appetite may return. The NHS reminds you that your baby does not need extra calories at this point; healthy snacks between meals help if hunger strikes.
What you might notice this week, according to the NHS:
- Yellow marks in your bra. Probably colostrum, the first milk. Normal, but mention any breast change that worries you.
- Swollen or bleeding gums. Use a soft toothbrush. NHS dental care is free in pregnancy in England with a maternity exemption certificate.
- Round ligament pain. Short pulling pains on the side of your bump as your womb grows. Resting with your feet up helps.
- Bloating, constipation, heartburn. Smaller meals, fibre and plenty of water are the first steps; see our guide to heartburn in pregnancy.
- Some first-trimester symptoms may linger, including nausea and mood swings. That is common too.
The placenta is now firmly attached to your womb and linked to your baby by the umbilical cord. The NHS explains that your blood and your baby's blood come close in the placenta but do not mix.
Sleep. The NHS says sleeping on your stomach is fine in early pregnancy. From 28 weeks, going to sleep on your side is safest. A pillow between your knees now can make the switch easier later. More in sleeping positions in pregnancy.
Is this normal? When to call
Tiredness lifting, lingering nausea, sore gums and small pulling pains are all normal at 14 weeks.
Call your midwife, GP or OB-GYN straight away for: vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking, tummy pain that does not ease, a temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above, vomiting so severe you cannot keep fluids down, a severe headache, or sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet. In the UK, under 20 weeks you can contact your early pregnancy unit or maternity unit; call NHS 111 if you cannot reach them and 999 in an emergency. In the US, call your OB-GYN or midwife, or 911 in an emergency.
Appointments and tests around 14 weeks
| United States | United Kingdom (England) | |
|---|---|---|
| Screening | First-trimester screening (blood test plus ultrasound) usually happens between 10 and 13 weeks; cell-free DNA can be done from 10 weeks; the quad blood test is done between 15 and 22 weeks (ACOG) | The combined test is offered with a dating scan at 10 to 14 weeks. If your dating scan happens after 14 weeks, you are offered a different blood test between 14 and 20 weeks instead (NHS) |
| Next visit | Routine prenatal visit with your OB-GYN or midwife | The 16-week appointment: results of earlier tests, blood pressure and a urine check (NHS) |
Screening is always your choice. If you are waiting on results, it is fine to ask when and how you will hear.
Your checklist for week 14
For your partner
Energy is coming back but it is fragile: keep sharing the cooking and the late-night chores, and ask what would actually help this week.
Previous and next week
Week 13: end of the first trimester · Week 15: balance, discharge and hearing
Read the full second trimester guide or see all pregnancy weeks.
Questions parents ask
Is 14 weeks the second trimester?
Yes, by ACOG's definition the second trimester runs from 14 weeks and 0 days to 27 weeks and 6 days. The NHS week-by-week guide starts its second-trimester pages one week earlier, at week 13, so you will see both ways of counting.
How many months pregnant is 14 weeks?
Cleveland Clinic groups weeks 13 to 16 as the fourth month of pregnancy, so at 14 weeks you are early in month four.
Is it normal to have yellow marks in my bra at 14 weeks?
It is probably colostrum, the first milk your body makes. The NHS says this can appear now. Ask your midwife or doctor to have a look if you are worried about any breast change.
Can I still sleep on my stomach?
The NHS says sleeping on your stomach is fine in early pregnancy. From 28 weeks, going to sleep on your side is advised, so it is worth getting used to side sleeping over the coming weeks.
Sources
- NHS — Week-by-week guide to pregnancy, week 14 checked October 13, 2026
- ACOG — How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy checked October 13, 2026
- Cleveland Clinic — Fetal Development, week-by-week stages checked October 13, 2026
- NHS — 12-week scan (dating scan and screening) checked October 13, 2026
- ACOG — Prenatal Genetic Screening Tests checked October 13, 2026
- NHS — Your antenatal appointments checked October 13, 2026
- NHS — Pregnancy symptoms you need to get help for checked October 13, 2026
Mamavela explains; it does not replace your midwife, doctor or pediatrician, who know your situation. If something worries you, call them. In an emergency, call 911 (US), 999 (UK) or 112.