17th week: The fifth month begins

Weeks and days
16+0 to 16+6
Month
5
Trimester
2

The 5th month of pregnancy begins with the 17th week of pregnancy. This week, the fetus grows from about 116 to 130 millimeters and weighs around 180 grams by the end. If you already have a child, you often feel the first movements now.

A single red bell pepper lies in an open palm on beige linen
Bell pepper100 to 150 mm, the size of your baby at the end of the week

Week 17 of 40

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How big is the fetus?

020406080100120140160 mm15th week87 to 10116th week101 to 11617th week116 to 13018th week130 to 142Bell pepper at the same scale

116 to 130 mm

By the end of the week, the fetus is about the size of a bell pepper. The head straightens, the eyes face forward, and the ears move to their final position.

Crown-rump length according to the UNSW Embryology table, weight according to the WHO growth charts. A bell pepper is usually 100 to 150 mm long.

This week

Your baby

  • The bones continue to ossify; the skeleton would now be visible on an X-ray.
  • The toenails begin to form.
  • The movements become stronger and better coordinated.

Your body

  • The median hCG level is 23,930 mIU/ml; 9,040 to 56,451 is normal. More in the hCG levels chart.
  • In one study, women who had already had a child felt the first movements on average from 16+1 if the placenta was at the back. With a first child, it usually takes a few weeks longer.
  • Heartburn becomes more common: in one study, 39 out of 100 pregnant women had it in the 2nd trimester.

What matters now

  • In Germany, no ultrasound paid for by health insurance is scheduled this week. Make the appointment for the second one now, between 18+0 and 21+6.
  • If the pregnancy ends in a miscarriage from now on, in Germany you are entitled to 6 weeks of maternity protection, unless you expressly want to work.
  • In Germany, you can find a midwife for prenatal care and the postpartum period through the midwife list of the statutory health insurance funds.

Get checked right away: heavy bleeding, severe or persistent abdominal pain, fever, pain when urinating, or vomiting where you cannot keep anything down.

Gestational sacPlacentaFetus with heartbeat

On ultrasound

  1. 16+0

    Head circumference is on average about 123 mm.

  2. 16+0

    Thigh bone (femur) measures on average about 19 mm.

  3. 16+0

    Sex can usually be seen if the baby is in a favorable position.

In the 17th week of pregnancy, no ultrasound is usually scheduled. In Germany, the next appointment paid for by health insurance is between 18+0 and 21+6.

Frequently asked questions about the 17th week of pregnancy

Is it normal not to feel any movements yet in the 17th week of pregnancy?

Yes. The NHS gives the 16th to 24th week, and with a first child often only the time after the 20th week. If you have not felt anything by the 24th week, let your midwife or doctor know.

Can a baby survive in the 17th week of pregnancy?

Not outside the womb. The German guideline sets the lower limit at the beginning of the 22nd week.

What is the risk of miscarriage in the 17th week of pregnancy?

Small. In large comparison groups without a procedure, about 6 in 1,000 pregnant women still lost their baby before the 24th week.

Which month is the 17th week of pregnancy?

The 5th month of pregnancy, in the 2nd trimester. Figures such as 16+3 weeks also belong to the 17th week of pregnancy.

Sources

Updated on 30 October 2026 · Fertilio Editorial Team