Pregnancy Calendar - Week 18
Are you having a boy or girl? It is almost time for your morphology scan, when you can find out the sex of your little one ... if you want to, of course!
Your body
Your fundus (top of your uterus) is now halfway between your pelvic bone and your belly button. With your heart working up to 50 per cent more than it did five months ago, it's not uncommon for you to feel dizzy and lightheaded at this stage of your pregnancy and onwards. Take it easy and relax when you need to. Have fruit or a healthy, sustaining muesli bar at the ready in your handbag to help balance your sugar levels, and remember to keep up your fluids - 6-8 glasses a day (preferably water).
Your healthcare provider will also schedule in another ultrasound (week 18 - 20 window) to check on your baby. This ultrasound will be able to detect if there are any issues with your baby, importantly the heart or kidneys, and will pick up cleft lip or spina bifida abnormalities. It is a great time to reassure you that your growing baby is on track for a healthy delivery and that all is fine with the placenta and umbilical cord.
Your sonographer may also be able to tell you the sex of your baby ... but only if you want them to. If you want it to be a surprise, just let them know at the start of the appointment.
Your baby
Sized at approximately 13-14.5cm (head to rump), your baby weighs around 149-158 grams. The fast paced rate of growth you've seen over the past 18 weeks starts to slow down and most amazingly, your baby's fingerprints are now formed.
If your baby is a girl, she will have the tiny follicles that hold all the eggs she will have for her life - up to 6 million - holding on to them until puberty when she begins the process of ovulation herself.
More useful links:
Feeling fishy? Find out which fish is safe to eat during pregnancy
Want to guess the sex? Read about gender prediction and old wives tales
Can't decide? See how many others found out the gender before birth
Booking your scan? Find local 3D and 4D scan and ultrasound clinics
NEXT: Pregnancy Calendar Week 19
GO BACK: Pregnancy Calendar Week 17
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