This week marks a deeply profound medical and psychological milestone: viability. While still incredibly early, a baby born at 24 weeks now has a fighting chance of survival with specialized NICU care. Their lungs and brain have crossed the critical threshold necessary to sustain life outside the womb.
🍼 What's Happening With Your Baby
Now the size of a cantaloupe, your baby is gaining about 3 to 4 ounces a week. The fat is finally beginning to fill out the wrinkled skin.
The face is fully formed, complete with eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair on the head (though it still lacks pigment and appears stark white).
The inner ear is fully developed, meaning the baby's sense of balance is active. They can now sense whether they are upside down or right-side up in the amniotic sac.
🤰 What You're Feeling This Week
This is the week most doctors schedule the Glucose Screening Test to check for Gestational Diabetes. Pregnancy hormones can interfere with your body's ability to process insulin, causing blood sugar to spike.
You might notice red, itchy eyes. Pregnancy hormones can decrease tear production and change the curvature of your eye, making contact lenses uncomfortable.
Linea nigra (the dark line running down your stomach) is likely very prominent now, and your belly button may have popped out completely.
The Threshold of Viability
Reaching 24 weeks is a massive sigh of relief for many expectant mothers. The baby's systems, particularly the surfactant-producing lungs, have matured just enough to offer a chance of survival in the event of preterm labor.
✅ What To Do This Week
-
✦
Prepare for your Glucose Test — You will drink a sugary liquid and have your blood drawn an hour later. If you fail this initial screening, you will need a longer, 3-hour diagnostic test.
-
✦
Switch to glasses if contacts irritate — Don't force contacts into dry eyes; the altered shape of your cornea can lead to scratches. This vision change is temporary and will revert postpartum.
-
⚠️
Know the signs of preterm labor — Be hyper-aware of symptoms like persistent lower backache, a feeling of pelvic pressure, regular contractions, or watery discharge. Don't hesitate to go to triage if you feel 'off'.
"Viability. The word itself feels like a heavy, beautiful anchor. You are carrying a life that, if forced to, could now fight to survive in the outside world."
— A Note From Your Body, Week 24