15 weeks pregnant: hearing and round ligament pain
15 weeks pregnant is a stage at which, the NHS says, the baby is around 10.1 cm long from head to bottom, about the size of an apple, with a soft layer of hair called lanugo growing all over the body (NHS, 2026). This page sets out what the NHS and ACOG say about week 15.
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Medically reviewed by Dr Mary Davidson, Reproductive endocrinologist, checked on
Seek help now if you have any of these symptoms
Bleeding and cramping are common in early pregnancy and often do not mean miscarriage. The symptoms below, however, need to be assessed straight away.
- Soaking two or more sanitary pads per hour, or passing large clots
- Severe lower abdominal pain, especially on one side
- Pain at the tip of the shoulder
- Dizziness, fainting, or collapse
- Signs of shock — pale, clammy, rapid heartbeat, breathlessness
- Pain on opening bowels, or bladder or bowel changes
- Feeling very unwell, or feverish
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How the sources describe development around 15 weeks
- Size and shape, NHS
- The NHS week 15 page in its week-by-week guide (NHS, 2026) gives the baby as around 10.1 cm long from head to bottom and compares it to an apple. It says the baby has been growing a soft layer of hair, called lanugo, all over the body, and that the eyebrows and eyelashes are starting to develop.
- Senses, NHS
- The NHS says the baby’s eyes are now sensitive to light and that around now the baby will start hearing, including your voice, your heartbeat and noises made by your digestive system (NHS, 2026).
- Development, ACOG
- ACOG’s list for weeks 13 to 16 includes bones hardening, thin see-through skin that will start to thicken soon, and hearing starting to develop (ACOG, How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy, 2024). ACOG dates soft downy hair called lanugo to weeks 17 to 20, so the two bodies place lanugo in different weeks.
Weeks are counted from the first day of the last menstrual period, so about two weeks of the count come before conception (ACOG, How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy, 2024). This page covers 15 weeks 0 days to 15 weeks 6 days.
A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks from the first day of the last menstrual period, so at 15 weeks about 25 weeks remain to the estimated due date (ACOG, How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy, 2024). Your own due date depends on your last period or a scan, not on the week alone.
Your body at 15 weeks, as the NHS describes it
The NHS says you may feel fine but become more unstable on your feet as your bump grows, and that you could start getting the odd jabbing pain on the sides of your bump, which it calls round ligament pain, and which it says putting your feet up and resting can help. It says your skin could also feel a bit itchy, and that if the itching gets worse, especially at night, you should talk to your doctor or midwife (NHS, 2026).
Discharge, as the NHS describes it
The NHS says many women notice a lot of discharge, caused by more blood flowing around the pelvic area and more of a milky fluid called leucorrhoea, which keeps the vagina clean and free from infection. It says to see your doctor or midwife if the discharge changes colour (it should be clear, white or creamy), smells bad, changes texture, or if you get pain when peeing or feel itchy or sore (NHS, 2026).
Work out which week you are in
The Pregnancy week calculator takes your last period, conception date, scan or IVF transfer and shows how many weeks and days pregnant you are today.
Sources
- NHS Best Start in Life. Week 15 of pregnancy (week-by-week guide to pregnancy). nhs.uk, 2026.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy (FAQ156). ACOG, 2024.
Frequently asked questions
When can the baby hear at 15 weeks pregnant?
The NHS says that around week 15 the baby starts hearing, including your voice, your heartbeat and noises from your digestive system (NHS, 2026). ACOG lists hearing as starting to develop somewhere in weeks 13 to 16 (ACOG, 2024).
What is round ligament pain?
The NHS uses the term for an odd jabbing pain on the sides of the bump around this stage, and says putting your feet up and resting can help (NHS, 2026). This page cannot say what a pain is in your case. The box above lists the pain that needs urgent help.