Second trimester · Pregnancy week by week
Week 16 of pregnancy
Baby is the size of an avocado. About 4.60 inches, 100g.
Week 16 is when many feel the first fetal movements (quickening). Black women have higher rates of doula coverage gaps; if your state Medicaid covers doulas, enroll your doula now (see /benefits/safety-net/wic/ for state-by-state). Source
What's happening with the baby
The fetus weighs about 100g. Sucking and swallowing reflexes develop. Hearing improves. Eyes can move. The fetus is more responsive to external stimuli. Some women feel first movements (quickening).
What's happening for you
The bump is now obviously pregnant. Round-ligament pain may intensify. Skin changes are more visible. Breast tenderness eases for many. Sleeping positions may need to change to side-sleeping.
Common (normal) symptoms this week
First fetal movements ('quickening' — flutters, light kicks), bigger bump, round-ligament pain on standing or moving, occasional Braxton Hicks practice contractions, skin pigmentation changes.
Call your OB or 911 if
- Severe abdominal or one-sided pelvic pain with bleeding — possible ectopic pregnancy.
- Heavy vaginal bleeding (soaking a pad in an hour) with cramping.
- Fainting, severe dizziness, or shoulder-tip pain — ectopic with internal bleeding is an emergency.
- Fever over 101°F with chills or pelvic pain.
- Severe vomiting that prevents keeping any fluids down for 24+ hours (hyperemesis).
Why this week matters for Black families
The second trimester is when the standard prenatal-care path diverges most sharply by demographic. The 20-week anatomy scan, the preeclampsia-prevention conversation, and the gestational-diabetes screening all happen here. Black women have higher rates of gestational diabetes, fibroids that complicate pregnancy, and a documented risk of missed preeclampsia diagnoses because early symptoms (headache, swelling, vision changes) are dismissed more often (per Bryant 2010 Obstet Gynecol PMID 20567176). If you have any of these symptoms, name them and ask explicitly: 'Has preeclampsia been ruled out?'
What to do this week
16-week prenatal visit. Discuss anatomy scan and any genetic screening you've chosen. Ask about doula coverage (Medicaid in many states now covers it — see your state's status at /medicaid/[your-state]/). Begin researching childbirth education classes — many start at 28 weeks but book early.
Pregnancy / baby
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References
- ACOG Committee Opinion 766 — Approaches to Limit Intervention During Labor.
- NHeLP — Doula Coverage by State.
Last medically reviewed: .
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