33rd week: Two kilograms

Weeks and days
32+0 to 32+6
Month
9
Trimester
3

The 9th month begins with the 33rd week of pregnancy. The fetus gains from about 1,900 to 2,100 grams and, on average, passes two kilograms. In Germany, prenatal checkups now take place every two weeks.

A whole purple red cabbage lies on an open hand
Red cabbagearound 2.1 kg, the weight of your baby at the end of the week

Week 33 of 40

Calculate your week
1st trimester2nd trimester3rd trimester

How big and how heavy is the fetus?

050100150200250300350 mm31st week267 to 27632nd week276 to 28433rd week284 to 29234th week292 to 301

284 to 292 mm

By the end of the week, the fetus weighs about as much as a red cabbage. From head to heel, it measures about 41 centimeters.

Crown-rump length according to the values from Archie et al. 2006, weight according to the WHO growth charts. Depending on the variety, a red cabbage weighs around 2 to 5 kg.

This week

Your baby

  • The baby gains around 200 grams per week. The fat helps it maintain its body temperature after birth.
  • Most babies are now lying head down. If not, there is still time.
  • Phases of rest and activity alternate. True sleep states like those of newborns only appear in the last weeks.

Your body

  • In these weeks, the uterus almost reaches its greatest size and pushes up against your ribs.
  • The ligaments in the pelvis become more stretchy. As a result, some develop a waddling gait.
  • Many feel more tired than usual again now.

What matters now

  • In Germany, prenatal checkups now take place every two weeks.
  • In Austria, maternity protection applies from 32+0, and you may no longer be employed. In Switzerland, a ban on night work from 20:00 to 6:00 now applies.
  • In Switzerland, the RSV vaccination is recommended between 32+0 and 36+0 if the due date falls between October and March. In Austria, it is possible; in Germany, there is no recommendation from the German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO).

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. 32+0

    Head circumference is on average about 296 mm.

  2. 32+0

    Abdominal circumference measures on average about 279 mm.

  3. 32+0

    Thigh bone (femur) measures on average about 61 mm.

In Germany, no further routine ultrasound is scheduled, only another one if there is a reason. In Austria, the third ultrasound is still possible up to the 34th week of pregnancy.

Frequently asked questions about the 33rd week of pregnancy

Which month is the 33rd week of pregnancy?

The first week of the 9th month of pregnancy, in the 3rd trimester. Figures such as 32+4 weeks also belong to the 33rd week of pregnancy.

Can a baby survive in the 33rd week of pregnancy?

Yes, a very good one. In France, 99 out of 100 babies born at 32 to 34 completed weeks survived to discharge.

What can I do about a breech position in the 33rd week of pregnancy?

From now on, relaxation exercises, raising the pelvis, or moxibustion can be tried. There is no reliable evidence that they work. Turning the baby from the outside (external cephalic version) is attempted from about 36+0 at the earliest.

When do lightening contractions start?

For most, about four to five weeks before the birth, that is, usually from the 35th or 36th week of pregnancy.

Sources

Updated on 30 October 2026 · Fertilio Editorial Team