What may change in your body
The bump may feel heavy by the end of the day. Heartburn, shortness of breath on exertion, lower back pain and leg cramps may appear. The growing uterus changes how your body moves and balances.
Care for this week
Take breaks during the day and adjust your workstation if you spend hours sitting.
Smaller meals can reduce heartburn.
Seek care for significant shortness of breath, chest pain, fainting or persistent palpitations.
Prenatal care focus
- Go over with your care team the tests planned for weeks 24 to 28, such as screening for gestational diabetes according to protocol.
If you're expecting twins
With twins, the team tracks each baby's growth and any differences between them across scans.
For those by your side
Taking over the logistics of meals, transportation and household chores can free up the pregnant woman's energy for rest and work.
Questions for this week
Does the baby react to my voice?
Hearing is developing and responses to sound can happen, but don't expect predictable reactions.
Is shortness of breath common?
It can happen as pregnancy progresses, but intense or sudden shortness of breath needs to be checked.
When to seek care
- Once movements have become familiar, a significant decrease in the pattern you notice should be evaluated without waiting until the next day.
- After 20 weeks, a severe/persistent headache, vision changes, severe pain in the upper abdomen or sudden swelling deserve evaluation for a possible hypertensive condition.
- Before term, regular contractions, increasing pelvic pressure or signs of labor need prompt advice.
In an emergency, go to the urgent care service in your area. This content does not replace a professional assessment.
The next chapter
In week 24, the respiratory system keeps maturing and monitoring growth becomes even more important.
See week 24Was this helpful?
Sources and transparency
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — Brazilian Pregnancy Booklet, the official prenatal record (Caderneta Brasileira, updated in 2026)
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — Prenatal care (Ministério da Saúde — Pré-natal)
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — High-Risk Pregnancy Manual — Multiple pregnancy (Manual de Gestação de Alto Risco — Gestação múltipla)
- NHS — Week-by-week guide to pregnancy
- ACOG — How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — Prenatal tests and vaccines (Ministério da Saúde — Exames e vacinas no pré-natal)
Nilu editorial content, written from the official sources above. Individual clinical review of each week is in progress — this text is for information and does not replace your prenatal care.