Month 6 · Weeks 21–24
Month 6 of pregnancy: weeks 21 to 24
This is the month the baby stops being a set of measurements and becomes someone with habits. Movements settle into a pattern, and that pattern becomes the most useful thing you own.
Symptoms in month 6 of pregnancy
What most women notice now:
- Strong, regular movement
- Backache and aching hips
- Stretch marks appearing on the belly or breasts
- Swollen ankles by evening
- Heartburn that worsens lying down
- Occasional painless tightening of the bump
- Itchy skin as the belly stretches
Occasional painless tightening is usually practice contractions. Tightening that becomes regular, painful, or comes with pressure is different, and is in the list below.
The gestational diabetes test
Gestational diabetes is "high blood sugar (glucose) that develops during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth." It often has no symptoms at all, which is why it is screened for rather than waited for.
The test is an oral glucose tolerance test, and "the OGTT is done when you're between 24 and 28 weeks pregnant." It takes about two hours, most of which is waiting.
Screening is offered to women with certain risk factors, and one of them matters here: the NHS lists being of "South Asian, Black, African-Caribbean or Middle Eastern origin" among them, alongside a BMI above 30, being over 40, a previous baby weighing 4.5kg or more, previous gestational diabetes, and a family history of diabetes.
If you are reading this from Egypt or the Gulf, that last point means the test is more likely to be offered to you than not. It is worth asking about rather than waiting to be told.
Source: NHS
Your baby's pattern of movement
There is a widespread belief that you should count ten kicks a day. The NHS is direct about this: "You do not need to count the number of kicks or movements you feel each day."
What replaces it: "The important thing is to get to know your baby's usual pattern of movements from day to day." And plainly, "There's no set number of movements you should feel each day, every baby is different."
So the thing to learn this month is your own baby, not a number. When he is usually active, what usually wakes him, what quiet looks like for him. That knowledge is what makes a change detectable.
Source: NHS
What's common
- Strong, regular movement
- Backache and aching hips
- Stretch marks appearing on the belly or breasts
- Swollen ankles by evening
- Heartburn that worsens lying down
- Occasional painless tightening of the bump
- Itchy skin as the belly stretches
When to call a doctor now
Contact your maternity unit if any of these happen. The first one is the most time-critical thing in this whole guide.
- Your baby is moving less than usual, you cannot feel movement any more, or the usual pattern has changed. Call immediately, at any hour. Do not wait to see if it improves.
- Regular tightening, or period-type pains
- Vaginal bleeding
- A gush or trickle of fluid from the vagina
- A severe headache, blurred vision, or sudden swelling of face or hands
- Severe itching, particularly of the hands and feet
A pattern you can see beats a number you have to remember
Nawah's kick counter records sessions by week, so your baby's usual rhythm becomes something visible rather than something you are trying to hold in your head. And the father gets an alert when you log one. Arabic and English, free.
Get Nawah on Google PlayCommon questions
Do I have to count ten kicks a day?
No. The NHS says you do not need to count at all, and that there is no set number. Knowing your baby's usual pattern is what matters, because a change from it is the signal.
Will I be offered the glucose test?
If you have any of the listed risk factors, yes, and Middle Eastern origin is one of them. The test is done between 24 and 28 weeks. If nobody has mentioned it by week 24, ask.
Does gestational diabetes go away?
It "usually disappears after giving birth." It still needs managing during the pregnancy, and having had it once affects screening in a future pregnancy.
Sources
- Your baby's movementsNHS · retrieved 2026-08-21
- Gestational diabetesNHS · retrieved 2026-08-21
- Fetal developmentMedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine · retrieved 2026-08-21
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It does not replace a doctor, and it knows nothing about your particular pregnancy. If something feels wrong, contact your doctor instead of waiting for the next scheduled visit.