15 Weeks Pregnant
Pregnancy Week 15  & Stage of Fetal Development

This is the beginning of pregnancy week 15. You will be a complete 15 weeks pregnant at the end of this week (see pregnancy chart).

Hope you are enjoying your second trimester. Your baby is growing well, and your body is also growing through a growth cycle with hair and skin changes.

However, you need not worry about them, because they are perfectly normal.

Now is a great time to make a list of all the things you will need for your little one. It is also a good time to do some shopping for some of those things on your baby list, because you are feeling good with renewed energy.

Have fun shopping and creating a baby registry. 

What happens at 15 weeks pregnant

Are you enjoying your second trimester?

At 15 weeks pregnant your body is also in a growth cycle. You may have noticed that your hair is becoming thicker. On the opposite end, your hair may be flat and lifeless.

Whether you are enjoying thicker hair or feel cursed with flat hair, rest assured that it is only temporary. Also, new hair growth on your body especially where hair did not grow, like your burgeoning belly, may be noticed by now. No worries though, ladies, because this will normalize a few months after your baby is born.    

Skin Pigmentation is very common and is another symptom of your body’s growth cycle. You may have already noticed these changes on your skin.

In the first trimester, your body produced extra estrogen. This extra estrogen stimulated the melanocytes (cells in your skin) to produce pigment. This is why your areolas have darkened and increased in size, as well as, birthmarks and freckles, and any scars you may previously had before pregnancy.     

By now, or even over the next few weeks, a very unique line called, linea nigra will appear. This is the line extending from your belly button to your pubic area.

Fetal Development at 15 weeks pregnant
Fetal age: 13 weeks

Your baby’s length measured from crown-to-rump is 4 to 4 ½ inches and weighs about 1¾ ounces.

In week 15 her eyes and ears are continuing to move to the front of the face and the external structure of the ears, are becoming more pronounced. Her heart is pumping about 100 pints per day. Fine Lanugo hair covers her body.

The placenta has become very sophisticated now. Not only is it nourishing your baby it is also helping in the development of your breasts in preparation of feeding your baby after birth.

The Placenta is responsible for the growth of your uterus to continue to make room for your growing baby. It does this with the production of hormones. It has also created a unique barrier to limit the risk of infections, drugs, nicotine and alcohol from reaching your baby. 

The amniotic fluid protects the baby. It allows movement for the development of your baby’s muscular tone, which is an important role in fetal development. 

Can you feel your baby move? The amniotic fluid is allowing that to happen by giving her enough room to build muscle tone with all those movements.

You may even feel her doing flips. This is a very important role for the amniotic fluid in regards to fetal development.

Your baby will start to swallow the amniotic fluid with the function of her kidneys and will eliminate her own waste. The amniotic fluid is constantly being replaced to maintain a constant amount.

This is especially important for the development of the fetal lungs. In preparation for breathing after birth, the lungs must be surrounded with fluid, in utero to expand and develop fully.

During week 15, your baby is starting to shed her skin cells into the fluid, which is about 180-220ml. As you can see, the amniotic fluid is responsible for more than protecting her from minor bumps.

You are now 15 weeks pregnant. Only 25 weeks to go!!

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