At 15 weeks
At 15 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of an apple (seb), around 10.1 cm from head to bottom (NHS). A soft layer of hair called lanugo is growing, the eyes are sensitive to light, and your baby is starting to hear your heartbeat and voice. Extra blood flow may give you a glow, along with bleeding gums or nosebleeds.
Your Baby at 15 Weeks
Your baby is gaining weight quickly, and the body is now growing faster than the head (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby). A fine, soft hair called lanugo is covering the body; its exact purpose is unknown, though it may help keep your baby at the right temperature, and it is usually shed before birth.
Eyebrows and eyelashes are starting to develop, and the eyes are now sensitive to light. Around now your baby will start hearing too, picking up your heartbeat and the sounds of your digestive system, and the NHS says that if you talk to your baby, they will probably hear you.
Your Body This Week
More blood is flowing around your body, which can bring a pregnancy glow as well as changes to blood pressure, bleeding gums, nosebleeds and headaches. The skin around your nipples may darken and your hair and nails may grow faster, all of which is normal (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).
You may get the odd jabbing pain at the sides of your bump, known as round ligament pain; putting your feet up and resting can help. Itchy skin and more milky discharge (leucorrhoea) are also common, and the NHS suggests an unperfumed moisturiser, loose cotton clothing and a cool bath for the itching.
When to call your midwife or doctor: Talk to your doctor or midwife if itching gets worse, especially at night, or if discharge changes colour, smells bad, turns frothy or lumpy, or comes with pain when peeing (NHS). Mention it too if you are still feeling sick or vomiting (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).
Garbh Sanskar This Week
A small daily practice for this stage, from Mamta’s 1:1 sessions. It is tradition and gentle self-care, not medical advice, so keep every check-up and follow your doctor or midwife first.
- Mantra: Saha navavatu is a peace chant from the Taittiriya Upanishad, first spoken between teacher and student: 'May we both be protected and nourished together.' You may like to hear its 'we two' as you and your baby while knowing its original setting; chant it softly for two or three rounds, and find the full text in the Garbh Sanskar mantras guide.
- Music: Put on calm music or a bhajan you love while you rest with your feet up in the evening. Keep the volume comfortable and the speaker away from your bump.
- Gentle movement: Mamta's practice for this week is pelvic floor work: gently squeeze as if stopping a wee midflow, then fully relax, breathing normally throughout. Do it only with your doctor's or midwife's clearance.
- Food: Traditionally, Charaka's fourth month pairs milk with fresh butter (makkhan), and a warm glass in the evening is an easy way to follow it. Have it alongside the iron, calcium and folic acid your doctor recommends.
- Garbh samvad (a line to say to your baby): I'm right here, little one, and that steady beat you hear is my heart.
Questions About Week 15
Is it worth talking to my baby at 15 weeks?
Yes, if you enjoy it. The NHS says your baby will start hearing around now and will probably hear you, along with your heartbeat and digestive sounds. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby calls this a great time to start talking to your baby, even if it feels a little silly at first.
What is lanugo?
Lanugo is a fine, soft hair that covers your baby's body around this time. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says its exact purpose is unknown but it may help keep your baby at the right temperature, and it is usually shed before birth or disappears soon afterwards.
Is more vaginal discharge normal at 15 weeks?
Many women notice more milky discharge, called leucorrhoea, because of extra blood flow around the pelvis. The NHS says it should be clear, white or creamy and smell only slightly musky; see your doctor or midwife if it changes colour, smells bad, changes texture or you feel itchy or sore.
Practise With Mamta, Wherever You Are
Mamta guides expecting mothers through private 1:1 Garbh Sanskar sessions online, scheduled in your own time zone, from the first trimester to the last week. Start with a free conversation on WhatsApp or read how sessions work.
Sources
Mamta is not a doctor. Medical points on this page come from the sources below, checked in October 2026. Sizes are approximate and babies vary; your scan report is what matters.