27 weeks pregnant
This is the last week of the second trimester. By next week you can well and truly consider yourself to be on the home straight… or in dire straits (depending on how it’s going).
By Mumsnet HQ | Last updated Apr 17, 2024
Your baby at 27 weeks
Your baby is an astounding four times as long this week as he was in week 12 and all his organs are growing and developing – adding the finishing touches.
His lungs, heart and liver are all getting more mature and with every day that goes by he would be increasingly likely to survive outside of the womb if born premature.
His long bones are continuing to make red blood cells.
He is getting chubbier but it's a slow process. Less than 5% of his body is made up of fat at the moment. But he will look more and more like the sort of baby you’d recognise as the rest of his body finally catches up in size with his head.
The hair on his scalp is getting thicker and longer.
Your bump at 27 weeks
An elbow here, a foot there – what's one more jab from your little womb-mate, eh? Maybe you've even noticed small bouts of (completely harmless) hiccups? He's done a lot of growing over the last few weeks and he's not finished yet.
What size is the baby at 27 weeks?
This week, your baby is 36.5cm long, about the size of a cauliflower.
Pregnancy symptoms in week 27
Assuming you do manage to get some shut-eye, you may find you are no longer the most alluring of bedfellows. The combination of extra weight and swollen mucous membranes in your nose disturbing the air flow makes snoring almost inevitable. Hopefully, you won't wake yourself up at least. If your partner is rude enough to complain show them to the sofa.
How is your body changing at 27 weeks pregnant?
Are you getting tingling in your hands? If it only seems to affect the thumb, first and second and half your fourth finger then you may find it’s carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel happens because the nerve that supplies this part of your hand is squashed in the tunnel of bones in your wrist by the extra fluid you retain in pregnancy. It will disappear after birth but it's annoying and unpleasant in the meantime, particularly at night, and you can often wake up because of the pain and discomfort. Making sure your elbows are not higher than your hands when working at a desk can help.
You can also wear wrist splints to take pressure off the nerve. If it does seem to get worse at night and you may find you can’t really lift anything first thing in the morning. Try placing a pillow next to you in bed and raising them up on that.
Things to think about during week 27 of pregnancy
There’s enough to worry about during pregnancy so generally speaking, relaxing and not getting worked up about the things that could potentially go wrong is the best way to be. However, there are a small handful of conditions it’s worth being aware of because they are easily treated but if they go undetected do not end well. Pre-eclampsia is one of them.
Pre-eclampsia
Most swelling in pregnancy is harmless but you need to know the facts about pre-eclampsia because it can be extremely dangerous for both you and the baby. Pre-eclampsia is not common, and even if you do get it, with treatment you and your baby should be fine, so don’t panic – just watch out for the signs.
Pre-eclampsia is rare before week 20 and most women who get it have it from this week (27) onwards. An antenatal appointment might pick it up by finding you have high blood pressure and protein in your urine. Your antenatal team will be keeping a watchful eye, particularly if you are over 40, you have a family history of it or have had it before, or you’re overweight.
Another sign is that you may get swollen ankles, feet and fingers and your face may become puffy. The ‘sciencey’ term for swelling is oedema and it's very common in pregnancy. It's your face and hands getting swollen quite quickly that can be warning signs of pre-eclampsia. Also, if you can press your thumb into your oedema and it stays indented (called pitting oedema) it may indicate more established swelling that needs looking at. Later you may get bad headaches and blurred vision.
Some women feel terrible and have a sense that they are seriously unwell, others feel fine, so that’s why it’s so important to keep up to date with all your antenatal appointments and scans.
If you think you may have pre-eclampsia, speak to a doctor or midwife straight away.
What Mumsnetters say
"My boobs are now up from a 28EE to a 32G/H and seem to weigh a ton, and my bump is huge – I suspect being a short arse doesn't help the proportion of me to bump!"
"I'm 27 weeks and already on maternity leave – I'm bored and my due date can't come soon enough!"
"This is my first pregnancy and at the moment I'm actually feeling great. I am also wondering if this will change as I go into the third trimester. I do have slight heartburn and the indigestion can get quite bad."
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