16 Weeks Pregnant
Mother
At 16 weeks pregnant you will probably feel you need to urinate more frequently as your womb begins to press on your bladder.
On the plus side, however, any day now you may start to feel the quickening, that is, your baby's movements! These movements are light and fluttery and many women at first mistake them as wind. If this is your first baby you may not recognise the movements for another few weeks.
You may be offered an amniocentesis test between 16 and 20 weeks. This test analyses a sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding your baby and looks for serious genetic conditions such as Down's Syndrome. However, this test is not without risks; there is a 1 in 100 risk of miscarriage. Therefore it is usually only advised if you are in a high risk category, for example, if you are over 35 or there is a family history of certain genetic conditions.
Baby
Your baby is now more aware of what is going on in the womb and will react if your stomach is pressed or prodded in any way. He is also increasingly sensitive to light. Fat begins to form under his skin.
Pregnancy Week by Week Calendar
Related Pregnancy Articles
Pregnancy and Morning Sickness
