20 weeks pregnant

Genital development in week 20

You are now halfway through your pregnancy, and by week 20 your baby will have grown to roughly 16cm from head to bottom and will weigh around 300g (10½ oz). Their heartbeat is now strong and can be detected easily. 

Baby girls will be developing a uterus, and their ovaries will contain primitive eggs, and the testes of baby boys will now be descending. If you’re about to have your 20-week anomaly scan, your sonographer may be able to work out the sex of your baby.

Although the increase in your baby’s nerve cells is beginning to slow down, more complex connections are starting to form. In fact, your baby’s nervous and muscular systems have now developed enough to allow your baby to enjoy a satisfying stretch.

Iron awe

Iron is a key nutrient throughout pregnancy, making up an important part of your balanced diet. Your blood cells need iron to carry oxygen around your body and to your baby. Iron also contributes to your baby’s normal cognitive function.

You will be offered blood tests as part of your ante-natal care which will check for anaemia (a condition caused by iron deficiency. Many women have lower haemoglobin levels during pregnancy, but you’ll only be prescribed iron supplements if yours are very low.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)  of iron for pregnant or breastfeeding women is 15mg a day. Eating enough iron-rich foods can help you maintain adequate levels.

Adding iron to your diet

During pregnancy it’s especially important to think about what you eat. This is particularly pertinent to iron, as some foods can affect how much iron you can absorb.

While vitamin C improves iron uptake, the phenolic compounds in tea and coffee, along with phytates found in wholegrains and legumes can inhibit it. For this reason, it’s a good idea to drink a glass of fruit juice or eat a piece of fruit with high vitamin C content with or after eating iron-rich foods.