12 Weeks Pregnant

At 12 weeks gestation, your baby is around the size of a Tamagotchi virtual pet. Their face looks much more human than in previous weeks (if you had your first ultrasound before week 12, you probably saw something a little more alien-like). You may still have a few not-so-fun symptoms, but they will likely go away as you enter the second trimester.

How Many Months Is 12 Weeks Pregnant?

Twelve weeks pregnant in months is three months pregnant, which is the last week of the first trimester of pregnancy. The second trimester starts next week! If you haven’t figured out your due date yet, you can use our due date calculator.

Your Baby at 12 Weeks

Your baby has grown a lot in the past three months. In fact, they’ve doubled in size just over the past three weeks! At the ninth week of pregnancy, they were only about an inch long, and now at 12 weeks, baby is around two inches. And there’s still so much more growing to do.

Here’s what else is going on with your baby at 12 weeks:

• Digestive progress: Your baby’s intestines are fully developed, and they’re starting to change position, moving from near the umbilical cord into their rightful place, the abdomen.
• Facial development: If you were to peek inside your belly, you’d see baby’s face is looking more like a real baby than ever before. This week, most of their facial features have finished forming and are just about set in place (though they may still have that forehead bulge).

How Big is a Baby at 12 Weeks?

On average, a 12-week fetus measures about 2.1 inches long and weighs .49 ounces. That’s about the size of a Tamagotchi virtual pet.

12 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound

Around 12 weeks pregnant, baby gets their first anatomy scan. If you’ve never had an abdominal ultrasound before, it’s just like in the movies: the ultrasound tech puts gel on your belly and glides a transducer over it with mild pressure. The transducer sends out sound waves that bounce off solid tissue, creating echoes that are transferred as images (sonograms) on the screen.

At the 12-week ultrasound, the main goals are to:

• Confirm the baby’s heartbeat and your due date
• Detect any potential problems
• Make sure your body is ready for pregnancy

You might also have a nuchal translucency scan. “The nuchal translucency represents the collection of fluid under the skin in the region of the posterior neck of the fetus. Increased size can be associated with an increased risk for chromosome abnormalities,” including Down syndrome, trisomy 18 or heart problems, says Dr. Robyn Horsager-Boehrer, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Your Body: 12 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

Your human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG, a hormone the placenta produces during pregnancy) levels are likely super high at 12 weeks pregnant, but they should start to level off very soon. You’re just one week away from the second trimester, the famed point of fewer symptoms and more energy. As first-trimester symptoms start to fade, here’s what you might be feeling.

Headaches

At 12 weeks pregnant, headaches can be triggered by several pregnancy-related things: increased hormones and blood volume, nasal congestion, hunger/low blood sugar or dehydration. Monitor your other symptoms to try to find the root cause and deal with that first. If your headache persists, ask your doctor about pregnancy-safe pain relief options.

Darker skin spots

Patches of darker skin on your face (melasma) can appear at any point during pregnancy. Estrogen stimulates the production of melanin in your body, says Dr. Jenny Murase, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California San Francisco. And you’re likely to see more hyperpigmentation the more time you spend in the sun. Remember, your skin is more sensitive to sunlight now, so limit your time in the sun, and wear a hat, sleeves and SPF 30 or higher sunscreen.

Dizziness

The hormone relaxin helps relax your muscles and ligaments, but it has the same effect on your blood vessels. This results in low blood pressure, which means better blood flow to baby, but possibly less to your own brain. Dizziness can also be caused by low blood sugar, so even if you’re still feeling nauseous or having food aversions, try to keep food in your system.

Morning sickness

You may be tired of feeling sick, we know, but remember: you’re still in early pregnancy. Typical first-trimester symptoms like nausea and fatigue can linger until into the early second trimester, says Dr. Malavika Prabhu, maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Just let your healthcare provider know if you can’t keep any foods down or if you feel dehydrated consistently into the second trimester.

Pregnancy Symptoms Coming Up In Week 13:

Week 13 is officially the beginning of the second trimester. Your morning sickness symptoms may begin to fade and you may experience an increased sex drive, heartburn or stretch marks.

Your 12 Weeks Pregnant Belly

There’s a wide range of when you might begin to “look pregnant.” It’s typical to start showing between weeks 12 and 16 for a first-time pregnancy—this is when your uterus starts to grow up and out of the pelvis to accommodate your growing baby. If you’ve been pregnant before, you may already be showing, since your body has stretched before. Bloating is also common at this stage, so even if you don’t have an official 12-week baby bump, you might already have trouble buttoning your jeans.

Commonly Asked Questions About 12 Weeks Pregnant

What can I do for fun while pregnant?

Sometimes, it can feel like pregnancy is all about what you can’t do—no hot tubs, no alcohol, no heavy lifting. Counteract those nos with a list of pregnancy-safe fun, like your favorite form of exercise (when you feel up to it) or an evening out with friends—shout out to mocktails!

How can I save my ultrasound photos?

There’s nothing like seeing the first image of your growing baby. But ultrasound photos fade with time. If you want to hold onto yours, take a digital snap. Your ultrasound tech may even offer to email the images to you.

Sources

• Dr. Robyn Horsager-Boehrer, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Dr. Jenny Murase, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California San Francisco
• Dr. Malavika Prabhu, maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital