Your baby is now the size of an ear of corn in length, measuring about eight and a half (8.5) inches from crown to rump (or twelve [12] inches from head to heel) and weighing one and one-fourth (1.25) pounds. You are in your sixth month of pregnancy.
Your Baby
Ultrasound of 24 Week Fetus
During week 24 of pregnancy, your baby is still pretty long and lean, but soon more layers of fat will develop under the skin, plumping your baby up with baby fat. Your baby will continue to gain weight steadily at a rate of about six ounces per week from now until birth. All of that weight is a combination of fat and growing organs, bones, and muscles. However, at the moment, your baby’s skin is still quite wrinkled as well as red and translucent. Although extremely premature, if born during week 24 of pregnancy, your baby has a 50% to 70% chance of survival.
Lungs
Inside your baby’s growing body, the brain is growing daily. The taste buds continue to develop inside your baby’s mouth, and he or she can discern different tastes in the amniotic fluid, which change depending on your diet. The face is fully developed. Rapid eye movements (REM) begin during week 24 of pregnancy, although the eyelids are still most likely fused shut. Hair may begin to grow on the top of the head, which is still white in color because the strands lack pigment. Your baby begin producing white blood cells, or leukocytes, which protect your baby against disease and infection. Cells in the lungs begin producing surfactant, a substance that will help the air sacs inflate when your baby is born.
Your Body
Baby Bump at 24 Weeks
During week 24 of pregnancy, your uterus is the size of a soccer ball and now reaches about two inches above your belly button. Between now and week 28 of pregnancy, you may be offered a glucose challenge test, which screens for gestational diabetes, which is a form of diabetes that affects pregnant women. Gestational diabetes can cause problems in your baby including large birth weight and size and low blood sugar after birth. Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes also have an increased risk of developing diabetes later in life. If you do fail the glucose challenge test, you will need to take the glucose tolerance test to determine for sure if you have gestational diabetes. However, women in low risk groups may be able to safely opt out of testing for diabetes during pregnancy. Other symptoms during week 24 of pregnancy include redness on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, other skin changes, constipation, flatulence, heartburn, indigestion, headaches, backaches, abdominal achiness, leg cramps, mild swelling of the ankles and feet, and vision changes.
Baby Is the Size of an Ear of Corn
During Week 24 of Pregnancy
Learn about your baby during week 23 of pregnancy or week 25 of pregnancy.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is not meant to replace the professional medical advice of your health care provider.
References
24 weeks pregnant: http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy-week-by-week/24-weeks-pregnant_70818
Curtis, Glade B. & Judith Schuler. 2011. Your pregnancy week by week. 7th edn. Philadelphia: Running Press.
Stone, Joanne & Keith Eddleman, eds. 2003. The pregnancy bible: Your complete guide to pregnancy and early parenthood. Willowdale, Ontario: Firefly Books.
Your pregnancy: 24 weeks: http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-24-weeks_1113.bc
Your pregnancy week by week: Weeks 21-25: http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/your-pregnancy-week-by-week-weeks-21-25
Image Credits
Ultrasound of 24 Week Fetus: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3Dultrasound_24weeks_%2B3.jpg
Lungs: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heart-and-lungs.jpg
Baby Bump at 24 Weeks: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sheila_24_weeks.jpg
Corn: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corncobs_edit1.jpg
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