25 weeks pregnant: swelling and the 25-week appointment
25 weeks pregnant is a stage at which, the NHS says, the baby is around 34.6 cm long from head to heel, about the size of a courgette, and can react to loud noises (NHS, 2026). This page sets out what the NHS, ACOG and the Office on Women’s Health say about week 25, including how swelling is described.
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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 25 weeks
- Size and shape, NHS
- The NHS week 25 page in its week-by-week guide (NHS, 2026) gives the baby as around 34.6 cm long from head to heel and compares it to a courgette. It says a loud noise could make the baby jump and kick, and that you might feel the occasional hiccup.
- Amniotic fluid, NHS
- The NHS says the baby is now peeing into the amniotic fluid, and that by now most of the liquid around the baby is urine, which provides cushioning and helps keep the temperature stable (NHS, 2026).
- Development, ACOG
- ACOG groups weeks 25 to 28 together. Its list includes loud sounds making the fetus respond with a startled movement, eyelids that can open and close, the lungs beginning to make surfactant, and skin that looks smoother as more fat is added (ACOG, How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy, 2024). The list is not broken down week by week.
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 25 weeks 0 days to 25 weeks 6 days.
A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks from the first day of the last menstrual period, so at 25 weeks about 15 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.
Swelling and pre-eclampsia, as the sources describe it
The NHS says you could be starting to get a bit puffy and swollen in your face, hands and feet, that this is probably caused by water retention, but that you should mention it to your midwife or doctor so they can check your blood pressure in case it is a sign of pre-eclampsia. It says pre-eclampsia can happen in the second half of pregnancy or after the baby is born, and that if you get other signs, such as splitting headaches, vision problems or pain just below the ribs, you should call your doctor, midwife or NHS 111 (NHS, "Week 25 of pregnancy", 2026).
In the US, the Office on Women’s Health says that if you notice any sudden or extreme swelling, or gain a lot of weight really quickly, you should call your doctor right away, because it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia (Office on Women’s Health, Stages of pregnancy, 2025). This page cannot tell you whether your own swelling is expected.
The 25-week appointment
The NHS page on antenatal appointments says you will have an appointment at 25 weeks if this is your first baby, at which the midwife asks to measure your bump, discusses your baby’s movements, asks about your mental health, talks about your choices and preferences for giving birth and discusses any screening results (NHS, "Antenatal (pregnancy) care and appointments", 2026).
Digestion
The NHS says burping and feeling full are very common around now, and that burning in the chest, bloating and nausea after eating or drinking are probably indigestion and heartburn, caused by the growing baby taking over some of the space where your stomach used to be (NHS, "Week 25 of pregnancy", 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 25 of pregnancy (week-by-week guide to pregnancy). nhs.uk, 2026.
- NHS. Antenatal (pregnancy) care and appointments. nhs.uk, 2026.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy (FAQ156). ACOG, 2024.
- Office on Women's Health, US Department of Health and Human Services. Stages of pregnancy. womenshealth.gov, 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What do the sources say about swelling at 25 weeks pregnant?
The NHS says puffiness in the face, hands and feet is probably water retention, but that you should mention it to your midwife or doctor so they can check your blood pressure in case it is pre-eclampsia (NHS, 2026). The Office on Women’s Health says to call your doctor right away for sudden or extreme swelling or very quick weight gain (Office on Women’s Health, 2025).
What is checked at the 25-week appointment?
The NHS says that if it is your first baby the midwife measures your bump, discusses your baby’s movements and your mental health, and talks about your choices for giving birth (NHS, 2026).