Six months pregnant covers weeks 23 through 27, placing you at the tail end of the second trimester. The confusion around weeks-to-months conversion is common because pregnancy math doesn’t line up neatly with calendar months.
Why the Weeks Don’t Add Up Simply
A calendar month averages about 4.3 weeks, but pregnancy months are counted in even 4-week blocks. That’s why 40 weeks of pregnancy works out to 10 pregnancy months rather than the “9 months” people casually reference. When your provider says you’re 24 weeks along, you’re solidly in month six. At 27 weeks, you’re wrapping it up and about to cross into the third trimester.
If you’re trying to explain your timeline to family or friends who think in months, a simple guide helps:
- Month 4: Weeks 14–17
- Month 5: Weeks 18–22
- Month 6: Weeks 23–27
- Month 7: Weeks 28–31
What’s Happening to Your Body at Month Six
By now your uterus has grown well above your belly button, and your provider may start measuring fundal height, the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus. After week 24, that measurement in centimeters roughly matches your week of pregnancy, give or take 3 centimeters. So at 25 weeks, you’d expect something around 22 to 28 centimeters.
Weight gain typically accelerates during the second trimester. Most people put on about a pound per week during months four through six, totaling around 12 to 14 pounds over that stretch.
You’ll likely notice other changes too. Hormone shifts increase pigment-producing cells in your skin, which can cause brown, tan, or gray patches on your face (called melasma) and a dark vertical line down the center of your belly. Stretch marks may appear on your belly, breasts, buttocks, or thighs, and small spider veins can show up on your face and legs. None of these are harmful, though they can be surprising if you weren’t expecting them.
This is also when many people first feel Braxton Hicks contractions. These are mild, irregular tightenings in your belly that tend to show up in the afternoon or evening, especially after physical activity or sex. They come and go without a pattern and aren’t a sign of labor.
The Glucose Screening Test
Between weeks 24 and 28, your provider will schedule a glucose screening test to check for gestational diabetes. This falls squarely within month six, and it’s one of the key appointments during this stretch. The test involves drinking a sugary solution and having your blood drawn afterward to see how your body processes the sugar. If your results come back elevated, a longer follow-up test confirms the diagnosis.
What’s Happening With the Baby
Month six is a major milestone for fetal development because it overlaps with the threshold of viability, the point at which survival outside the womb becomes possible with intensive medical care. At 24 weeks, about 71% of infants who receive postnatal support survive, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics covering 2020 to 2022. By 25 weeks, that number rises to 82%.
Those survival numbers come with important context, though. Among babies born at 24 weeks who received life support, only about 26% survived without severe complications. Survivors born this early spend a median of 127 days in the NICU, roughly four months. The point isn’t to worry you; most pregnancies continue well past this stage. But 24 weeks is the reason your care team considers month six a meaningful developmental checkpoint.
During these weeks, the baby is roughly the length of an ear of corn and gaining weight steadily. The lungs are developing the structures they’ll need to breathe air, the eyes can open and close, and the brain is growing rapidly. You’re likely feeling regular, distinct kicks and movements rather than the flutters of earlier months.
Second Trimester vs. Third Trimester
Month six sits at the boundary between the second and third trimesters. Most sources place the third trimester starting at week 28, which means your entire sixth month still falls within the second trimester. This matters because the shift into the third trimester brings more frequent prenatal visits, new tests, and a different set of symptoms as the baby grows larger and your body prepares for delivery. Enjoy the relative comfort of month six. For many people, the second trimester is the easiest stretch of pregnancy, and you’re in its final weeks.