In this article you will be able to read about everything related to being pregnant in week 18. You'll find information about the baby's development, how the mother's body is changing and even tips you might need along the way. When you are 18 weeks pregnant, the fetus is the size of a mango.

Baby: The fetus is now about 20 cm long!

The fetus is around 20 cm long and weighs about 250 grams. Already now, tiny lines are starting to form on the fetus's fingers, thin lines that will become the baby's fingerprints in the future.

Development

The body starts to take on more and more child-like proportions and the body is catching up with the head. In fact, by the time of birth, the baby's head will make up a third of the total length of the baby!

The fetus' eyebrows and eyelashes continue to grow and the eyes remain closed, but have become larger. To enable the fetus to remain in water throughout pregnancy without damaging its delicate skin, it is protected by fetal fat. It's like a greasy, protective ointment that covers all or part of the baby's skin and hair.

If you do an ultrasound in this week, you can see that the baby is actively moving, with both large movements such as twisting or rolling, but also less obvious movements such as sucking on a finger.

Routine ultrasound

Starting this week, routine ultrasounds will be performed, but it could be up to week 20 before it's time for you. Either way, it won't be long before you or you get to see the little baby in your belly!

The routine ultrasound mainly focuses on the organs and anatomy of the baby. The ultrasound midwife looks at how many fetuses there are in the womb, what the organs and limbs (arms and legs) look like, and dates the pregnancy if it has not been done before. If not everything can be seen or measured, a follow-up appointment is booked close by to get a full ultrasound scan.

It is also possible to find out the sex of the baby during the routine ultrasound, but if you are unlucky, the baby will be in a position where the ultrasound midwife cannot see the sex.

However, drinking an ice-cold glass of water or juice tends to wake the child up and is something you can try if they don't want to show themselves.

Mom: Pregnant in week 18

Pregnancy hormones cause some women to feel their mucous membranes swell. Symptoms may vary, with some women experiencing more sensitive gums that bleed easily, for example, while others may suffer from nasal congestion and have more frequent nosebleeds.

Mucous membranes and vaginal discharge

Swollen mucous membranes can make you more sensitive during intercourse. Lubricants can help relieve pain or discomfort. Try it out and do what feels best! Intimacy can be more than just penetration, so if penetration doesn't feel good right now, there are always other ways to have sex. You may also experience an increased amount of vaginal discharge (secretions) during pregnancy. As long as the discharge looks and smells as it normally does, there is no need to worry. Talk to your midwife if you are unsure.

Fungus in the genital area?

If you have had pelvic inflammatory disease in the past, it is not unusual to experience symptoms at this stage of pregnancy. If you haven't had thrush before, you may get it for the first time during pregnancy, which you will notice through itching in the genital area along with gritty discharge. Fungus can be treated on your own by using an emollient oil when you shower. You can also consult your midwife about over-the-counter medicines as a treatment.

Pregnancy insurance

Have you taken out pregnancy insurance yet? Pregnancy insurance starts in week 22 of pregnancy, but it is a good idea to take it out before your routine ultrasound scan in case something is detected then, so that you have the cover you deserve.

Find out more about how to take out pregnancy insurance here!

You can read about week 17 here.

You can read about week 19 here.