22 weeks pregnant: lungs in training
Your baby is rehearsing breathing and tasting. Here is what helps you with the less glamorous changes of this week.
Updated October 13, 2026 · sources checked October 13, 2026
In short
At 22 weeks your baby is about 27.8cm from head to toe, practising breathing and swallowing amniotic fluid, and the taste buds are developing. Stretch marks and piles are common now and usually settle after birth. This week, if you or someone at home smokes, get free support to stop: the lungs are developing fast.
Where you are at 22 weeks
You are in month six by Cleveland Clinic's grouping (weeks 21 to 24), with the third trimester six weeks away. Use the pregnancy week calculator for today's exact count, or the due date calculator to check your date.
Your baby this week
The NHS gives a length of around 27.8cm from head to toe and compares it to a sweet potato.
- Breathing practice. The lungs are developing and your baby is doing some breathing practice in the womb (NHS).
- First poo, stored. Your baby swallows small amounts of amniotic fluid, which stays in the bowels and comes out after birth as meconium, the first dark, sticky poo (NHS).
- Taste. Taste buds are developing and could be influenced by what you eat (NHS).
- Grip and sound. Cleveland Clinic says your baby's grasp is getting stronger, can touch the ears and the umbilical cord, and can hear your heartbeat, breathing and stomach rumbles.
ACOG's description of weeks 21 to 24 includes stronger kicks and turns, a developing sucking reflex and ridges on hands and feet that will become finger and footprints.
Your body and common symptoms
Stretch marks. Lines or streaks on the tummy, thighs or breasts are common, harmless and usually fade after the birth (NHS).
Piles. Swellings inside or around the bottom that can itch, feel sore or make pooing painful (NHS). Fibre, water and not straining help; ask a pharmacist, midwife or GP before using a cream.
Aches and pains. The NHS acknowledges it can be hard to tell what is serious. If in doubt, ask.
Stopping smoking. The NHS explains that smoking starves your baby of oxygen and raises the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and cot death, and that this is a crucial stage for the lungs. In England, your midwife can refer you to local NHS Stop Smoking Services, or you can call the NHS Smokefree helpline on 0300 123 1044. In the US, ask your OB-GYN or midwife about support to quit. Quitting at any point helps; asking for help is a strength, not a failure.
Your wellbeing. The NHS suggests making a pregnancy and post-birth wellbeing plan: who you can call, what helps you rest, what you want people to do when the baby arrives.
Is this normal? When to call
Stretch marks, sore piles and a baby who reacts to noise are all normal at 22 weeks.
The NHS says: if you are in severe pain or bleeding from your vagina, call your midwife or GP immediately; for other concerns, call them or NHS 111. CDC lists urgent warning signs that need care straight away, including a headache that will not go away, changes in vision, extreme swelling of hands or face, trouble breathing, chest pain, severe belly pain, fluid leaking, a fever of 100.4F (38C) or higher, and thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. In the UK call 999 and in the US 911 in an emergency.
Appointments and tests around 22 weeks
- US: 22 weeks is the end of the usual anatomy ultrasound window (18 to 22 weeks) and the quad screen window (15 to 22 weeks), per ACOG. If either is still pending and you want it, call your practice this week.
- UK: the 20-week scan can sometimes be done up to 23 weeks (NHS). Your next routine appointment is at 25 weeks for a first baby, 28 weeks otherwise. The whooping cough vaccine is offered up to 32 weeks.
Your checklist for week 22
For your partner
If you smoke, this is the week to stop, for your baby's lungs and for the home you are making together. Free help works better than willpower alone.
Previous and next week
Week 21: the second half begins · Week 23: rib pain, colostrum and telling work
Read the full second trimester guide or see all pregnancy weeks.
Questions parents ask
How many months is 22 weeks pregnant?
Cleveland Clinic groups weeks 21 to 24 as month six, so 22 weeks is in the middle of the sixth month.
Are piles common at 22 weeks?
Yes. The NHS describes piles (haemorrhoids) as swellings inside or around the bottom that can itch, feel sore or hurt when you poo. Mention them to your midwife, GP or pharmacist before using any treatment, and seek help for any bleeding you are unsure about.
Can my baby taste what I eat?
The NHS says your baby's taste buds are developing and could be influenced by what you eat, so plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a good habit to start now.
Sources
- NHS — Week-by-week guide to pregnancy, week 22 checked October 13, 2026
- Cleveland Clinic — Fetal Development, week-by-week stages checked October 13, 2026
- ACOG — How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy checked October 13, 2026
- NHS — Pregnancy symptoms you need to get help for checked October 13, 2026
- CDC — Urgent maternal warning signs (Hear Her) checked October 13, 2026
- ACOG — Prenatal Genetic Screening Tests checked October 13, 2026
- ACOG — Ultrasound Exams 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.